Christian Internet Forum

The Kingdom of God - What is a Kingdom?

The following is adapted from God's Unshakable Kingdom, by Scott D. Allen, Darrow L. Miller, and Bob Moffitt, YWAM Publishing.

" The dominate image used in the Bible to describe God's redemptive purpose in history is the Kingdom of God. Jesus suggests that the kingdom of God is where God's will is done. We can deepen this definition by answering three questions: (1) What is a kingdom? (2) What is God's will? and (3) Where is God's will to be done?

What is a Kingdom?

Every kingdom has four universal components: (1) a king who rules; (2) subjects, or those over whom the king rules; (3) laws, ordinances, and a government that administers them; and (4) a realm of territory over which the king rules. The Kingdom of God is no different. God is the ruler, and Christ is His appointed King (Ps. 2:4-9; Rev. 19:11-16). The angels are those who accept the kingship of Jesus through repentance, faith, and obedience to God's will are the subjects. God's will - His revealed laws and ordinances - form the government by which the Kingdom is administered. The realm of God's Kingdom encompasses every part of creation that submits to God's will.

What is God's Will?

In the New testament, the Greek word for will is "thelayma", meaning intention or desire. When the Bible speaks of God's will, it refers to His intentions for us, and in many cases, it relates to direct commands in Scripture. The apostle Paul describes God's will as "good, pleasing and perfect" (Rom. 12:2).

Like God Himself, the will of an infinite God is unknowable by finite, human minds, except as He chooses to reveal it. Thankfully, God has made Himself known to us and has revealed a portion of His will to human beings - the portion we need to flourish on the earth. The will of God for humanity is revealed at several levels: (1) through general revelation, or the knowledge of God that is available to all people through the witness of creation and their own reason and conscience; (2) through special revelation, or God's supernatural revelation of Himself and His will, as witnessed to by the Bible, including the consummate revelation of Himself through Jesus, the Living Word; and (3) through the continuing witness of the Holy Spirit.

Because God has made Himself known to us, we know how to rightly relate to Him, other people, the spiritual realm, and the rest of creation.

Where is God's Will to Be Done?

God's desire is that His will be obeyed at all levels on earth - now - as it is in heaven. God desires this because He loves us and wants the best for our lives.

Imagine what would happen if God's will were truly done on earth as it is in heaven. What would happen if we obeyed all of God's intentions in the areas of personal holiness, integrity, care for our bodies, and relationships? What would happen if all family members obeyed God's intentions in their relationships to one another? What would happen in churches if all the leaders and members truly loved one another, served one another, advocated for the powerless, and lived in unity? What would happen if community leaders worked together for the common good with honesty and integrity? What would happen if there were no corruption in a nation? If there were real justice?

When God's people seek His face - when they hear and obey His will - He promises to heal the land (2 Chronicles 7:14). The healing of the land and the coming of God's peace to our communities, our nations, and the world directly relate to God's people doing His will. The Kingdom of God reflects God's original intentions for the earth and all who inhabit it. Human sinfulness interrupted those intentions, but it is God’s purpose that His Kingdom be reestablished. "

By George Konig
1/6/2008
www.konig.org



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Copyright ©1999-2008 George Konig
www.konig.org

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