THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON THE EARTH TODAY

THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON THE EARTH TODAY Col. 1: 13 “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” [By Ron Halbrook]

Introduction 1. Col. 1: 13 The kingdom of God is on the earth today— people entered it. 2. The kingdom of God on the earth today is the spiritual rule of Christ for our salvation— it is the church of Christ. 2

3. False theories define the kingdom of God in the N. T. as separate from the church. Generic for God’s rule over all things “Are ‘the church’ and the ‘kingdom of God’ coextensive? They are not!. . . The ‘kingdom of God’ encompasses everything and everyone over whom God exercises dominion…. Therefore the ‘kingdom’ is a larger concept than ‘the Church’” (Jim Mc. Guiggan, The Reign of God, p. 93). Christ to Rule 1, 000 Years on Earthly Throne (R. H. Boll, The Kingdom of God) Fully Established by Fall of Jerusalem A. D. 70 (Max R. King, The Spirit of Prophecy) Social Reform, Political Utopia 3

4. “The kingdom of God” is defined by its usage in the New Testament. n Kingdom General: realm, authority of a king (Dan. 2: 37) n Specific: “the kingdom of God, ” spiritual rule of Christ for our salvation, the church of Christ (Matt. 16: 18 -19) n Church n General: the called-out, a group or assembly (Acts 7: 38; 19: 39). n Specific: church of Christ, realm or assembly of those who are called out of sin & united with 4 Christ in his kingdom (Matt. 16: 18 -19) n

Words with general meaning & more specific application: n Saved n n General: delivered from danger (Acts 27: 31) Specific: forgiven of sin (Mk. 16: 16) n Elder n n General: anyone older in years (1 Tim. 5: 1) Specific: overseer in local church (Acts 14: 23) n Servant n n General: one who serves another, as all followers of Christ serve him (Jn. 12: 26) Specific: deacon, official servant appointed by 5 local church (Acts 6: 2 -3; 1 Tim. 3)

Introduction 5. The realm of the kingdom of God on the earth today & the realm of the church of Christ are the same: the realm of spiritual unity & fellowship with Christ— the relationship necessary for our salvation. 6

I. The Kingdom of God in Prophecy n Gen. 12: 3 Seed of Abraham to Bless Men of All Nations n Gen. 49: 10 n God’s Chosen King to Come from Judah n Isa. 2: 1 -5 n “In the Last Days” God to Establish a New Kingdom & Invite Men of All Nations Into It n Dan. 2: 44 n In the Time of the Romans God to Establish a New Kingdom which Men Cannot Destroy 7 n

II. When the Kingdom Was Near n Matt. 3: 1 -3 n Preaching of John: “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. ” n Matt. 4 -7 n Preaching of Jesus: “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (4: 17). 8

II. When the Kingdom Was Near n Matt. 4 -7 Jesus Preparing for the Kingdom n 4: 17 -19 Preparing Men to Help Introduce the Kingdom n 5: 3 -12 The Sermon on the Mount: Attitudes Needed to Enter the Kingdom— the Reward of Heaven (5: 3 -12; 6: 19 -20) n 6: 33 Life’s 1 st Priority: To Enter the Kingdom n 7: 21 Many who Profess to Enter this Kingdom Not Accepted into Heaven 9

II. When the Kingdom Was Near n Matt. 8: 10 -12 n Many Jews to be Lost Who Should Have Inherited or Entered the Kingdom of God— Many Gentiles Will Enter n Kingdom of Heaven Here the Final Reward— Outer Darkness the Final Punishment n Matt. 12: 22 -30 n His Miracles Represented the Coming Kingdom of God, Not the Kingdom of Satan! n If Kingdom Generic, Jesus Destroyed His Own 10 Kingdom by Fighting Satan!

II. When the Kingdom Was Near n Matt. 13: 24 -30, 37 -43 n n Kingdom of God Planted in World Full of Tares Convert Not Remove Tares from the World n n n “Kingdom of heaven” planted by Jesus (vv. 24, 37) “The field is the world: ” “his kingdom” in very rare generic sense—Christ’s power to separate the wheat from the tares “in the end of this world” (vv. 38, 40 -41) Final separation: the righteous enter into 11 “the kingdom of their Father” (vs. 43)

II. When the Kingdom Was Near n Matt. 16: 16 -18 n Christ Promised to Build His Church— His Apostles Ambassadors of the Kingdom n Jn. 3: 3 -5 n New Spiritual Birth to Enter His Kingdom n Lk. 17: 20 -21; Jn. 18: 36 -37 n The Kingdom Emphatically Spiritual— Not Political, Civil, Military, Financial, Social n Lk. 21: 28 -33 n The Kingdom Indestructible—Survived Fall of Jerusalem in A. D. 70 (vv. 28, 31) 12

III. The Present Reality of the Kingdom of God on the Earth Today n Acts 2 Apostles Proclaimed Christ on His Throne— Urged People to Enter His Kingdom Resurrection of Jesus Christ: Proof he now sits on his throne as King in the new kingdom of God as “both Lord & Christ” (vv. 30, 34 -36) n Many obeyed the gospel—thus entered the new kingdom or church of Christ (vv. 37 -41, 47) n n Acts 8: 5, 12 Philip Preached Christ: His Authority, His Kingdom, His Command of Baptism 13

III. The Present Reality of the Kingdom of God on the Earth Today. n Eph. 1: 3, 22 -23; 5: 5 Spiritual Realm of Unity with Christ: Body, His Church, His Kingdom n His Enter this relationship & learn to live new lives (1: 4; 2: 10; 4: 24) n Col. 1: 12 -14; 3: 15 Realm of the Kingdom: Spiritual Realm of Salvation, One Body, Church n Heb. 12: 22 -29 New Kingdom of God Superior to Old Israel n The Church: “kingdom which cannot be moved” 14

III. The Present Reality of the Kingdom of God on the Earth Today n Rev. 1: 5 -6; 5: 9 -10; 11: 15 -18; 12: 9 -11 Christ’s Kingdom to Defeat Satan’s Kingdom— Kingdom of God Indestructible! Carnal power used to attack the church n God’s kingdom victorious by obedient faith in the blood of Christ & the gospel (12: 11) n n 1 Cor. 15: 24 -26; 2 Pet. 1: 11 Christ’s Rule in the Kingdom on Earth Completed: Its Citizens Enter Everlasting Kingdom in Heaven 15

Conclusion n Truth is clarified & confusion removed: The kingdom of God on the earth today is the church of Christ, the spiritual rule of Christ for the salvation of our souls. Not generic for God’s rule over all things: Col. 1: 15 -17 Christ creator, possessor, sustainer of all things Col. 1: 13 -14 “The kingdom” his spiritual rule n Not a separate 1, 000 year rule on an earthly throne n Fully established on Pentecost not at the fall of Jer. in A. D. 70 n Not social reforms or political utopia on earth 16 n

Conclusion n The citizens of the kingdom of God enter the everlasting kingdom to be with God and all of the saved of all ages in heaven! Enter the kingdom of God now (Acts 2: 38 -39). n If fallen back into a life of sin, return now (Acts 8: 22 -24). n 17