THE KINGDOM AND THE CHURCH There are striking similarities between the kingdom of the New Testament and the church of the New Testament. For example, they both involve the rule of Jesus Christ. He is king over the one and head over the other. And they both involve and include Christ's faithful followers. in this study let us examine these and other areas where the kingdom and the church parallel to such a degree they seem to be referring to the same thing. 1. They evidently began at the same time. At the outset it should be noted there is no single verse that states that either the kingdom or the church began in a certain hour in a given day. What we know about the beginning of either must be deducted from the references before and after they began. First, regarding the kingdom. It is obvious that when it was first announced God would set up a kingdom it was to be done later.(Dan.2:44) When John came preaching in the wilderness the time for the kingdom to be set up was nearer. John said it was "at hand." (Matt. 3:2) Jesus also said it was "at hand." (Matt. 4:17) Jesus was more specific in Mark 9:1 where He announced some standing with Him would not taste of death till they had seen the kingdom come with power. So, during the personal ministry of Christ, to this point, the kingdom had not been established. Although Jesus was born to be King He was not, in fact, ruling over His kingdom. But before the close of the New Testament the kingdom is a reality. It had been established. John the Apostle claimed to be in it and Paul said men were being translated into it. (Heb. 12:28; Rev. 1:9; Col. 1:13) Sometime between Mark 9:1 and Col. 1:13 the kingdom that Daniel said would be set up was set up. The kingdom John said was at hand became a reality. We may be able to learn more. In Mark 9:1 Jesus predicted some who stood with Him would not taste of death till they had seen the kingdom come with power. The power came on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was sent, at which time the apostles were baptized with the Spirit. (Acts 1:8; 2:1-4) This is the logical time, for before Christ's ascension He was not on David's throne. He was raised up to sit on it. (Acts 2:30) And seated on that throne at God's right hand, He was ready to begin His reign. What of the beginning of the church? When did it become a reality? During Christ's personal ministry, He promised to build it. (Matt. 16:18) It was not yet built. But by the end of the day of Pentecost, following Christ's ascension, men were being added to the church. (Acts 2:47) Pentecost was the beginning according to Peter in Acts 11:15. In what way? It was the beginning of the church and the kingdom. 2. The Kingdom and the Church Have the Same Head. We should not be confused with the different descriptions of the kingdom and the church, for there is only one kingdom and only one church. When we read of the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of Christ there is only one. God planned for it in heaven and Jesus gave His life for it on earth. (Acts 20:28) When we read of the church of God and the church of Christ it is one and the same. The church was a vital part of God's eternal purpose. (Eph. 3:10,11) Jesus purchased it and is head over it.(Eph. 5:25) As Jesus is King over His kingdom He is head over His church. There is no contradiction in the terms kingdom and church. The family of God on earth may be described by either word depending on what is being emphasized. When one speaks of God's family as a kingdom he is emphasizing its type of government. When one speaks of God's family as a church he is speaking of its relationship to the world. It is made up of people who have been separated from the world that is opposed to God. The word "church" means the "called out" ones. Both words, church and kingdom, refer to the same institution. (Matt. 16:18,19) 3. The Descriptions Given of the Kingdom May Also Describe the Church. For example in Matthew thirteen Jesus is discussing the nature of the kingdom. He said several things about it ---that it is like a sower going forth to sow, that it is like the grain of a mustard seed, that it is like the leaven and that it is like a treasure hid in a field. These describe various aspects of the kingdom: The source of its growth -- from seed; the potential for the growth of this seed from something small, similar to a mustard seed, to something large similar to a mustard tree; its silent growth as leaven, in that spiritual growth takes place in the hearts of men, and finally its value which is like treasure hid in a field. It is easy to see the idea of the sower, the mustard seed and so forth just as readily describes the same things with regard to the church. The church grows when the seed, the word of God, is sown in the hearts of men, etc. These four parallels are representative. In fact, there does not seem to be a significant difference anywhere along the line. Find a description of the kingdom and you find one that applies equally well to the church. 4. The Kingdom and the Church are Both Entered by New Birth. According to Jesus one cannot enter the kingdom unless and until he is born again. (John 3:3) This new birth consists of being born of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5) The birth of water refers to the water of baptism and the Spirit, in this case, refers to the Holy Spirit who calls for the new birth and who is given to those who are born again. And this new birth is the condition for entrance into the church. By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, which is the church. (1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:21,22) In other words, when one obeys the gospel he enters the kingdom and the Lord adds him to His church. The kingdom and the church are words which describe the family of God on earth. 5. The Kingdom and the Church Involve the Same Ruler, the Same Subjects, the Same Laws and the Same Territory. There are said to be four essentials to a kingdom. These are: a ruler , subjects, laws and territory. In the case of the kingdom of Christ, Jesus is the King, Christians are the subjects, the New Testament is the law and the world is the territory. The parallel to the church is obvious. Christ is the head, Christians make up the body, the creed book is the word of God and the territory is the world. 6. The Kingdom is Not of This World and the Church is a Spiritual Body. What did Jesus mean when He said His kingdom was not of this world? (John 18:36) Did He mean His kingdom was not to be in any sense in this world? He means His kingdom is not of the nature of the kingdoms of this world. It doesn't have marching armies and literal swords. It does not recognize national boundaries. There is alot of difference in thinking of the kingdom of Christ as though it is now or is to be a literal kingdom with Christ sitting in Jerusalem on a literal throne enforcing His will with military might, and thinking of His kingdom as being spiritual. Not of this world means it is not of the nature of worldly kingdoms. It is spiritual. Jesus sits on a spiritual throne, ruling over a kingdom made up of people who are bound to Him by spiritual ties. Those who think of a future literal kingdom simply have the wrong idea about it. The church also is a spiritual organism. Here too the members make themselves the spiritual subjects of the head. The are bound to Him by spiritual realizations and they receive spiritual blessings. All spiritual blessings are in Christ Jesus. (Eph. 1:3) It should not be difficult to think of the kingdom as the family of God in this present age. Nor should it be difficult to think of it as the church. The king is Jesus. The throne, meaning the place of authority, is at God's right hand. The kingdom is made up of spiritual Israel. People are born into this spiritual Israel by a spiritual birth. Those in the kingdom were once lost in sin but now are redeemed. They were aliens and now are citizens. They are the same ones who have been called out of the world and who make up the church. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1. Is there any difference between the kingdom and the church? The church includes all who belong to Jesus by virtue of the fact they have been saved. The kingdom may include more, in that it includes everyone Jesus claims, everyone untouched by sin and everyone forgiven of sin. Some think the kingdom is larger than the church in that the kingdom includes infant children (Matt.19:14), and angels. It is certain that good angels and infants are not in the kingdom of Satan and if they must be in one kingdom or the other they would be in the kingdom of Christ. They are under His protective care. If it be true the kingdom includes both the saved and the sinless then the kingdom would include the church but the church would not include all of the kingdom. It would be something like a smaller circle (the church) within a larger circle (the kingdom). 2. Was Jesus ever king over national Israel? It was not intended that He be. He was born to be king of the Jews, but the Jews involved were not those of a literal descent from Abraham but those who are the spiritual descendants of Abraham. Paul defined the New Testament Jew by saying, "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and the circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God" (Rom. 2:28,29) The real descendants of Abraham are those who have the faith of Abraham. Paul said "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye [be] Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Gal. 3:27-29) Abrahams real heirs are those who have been baptized into Christ. 3. When Jesus returns is He to set up a kingdom and will He rule from Jerusalem over such a kingdom? He was raised up to sit on David's throne -- the seat of authority, at God's right hand. The nature of His rule stands opposed to a return to set up some future earthly kingdom. When He comes again He is to deliver up this spiritual kingdom to the Father. (1 Cor. 15:24) 4. Can an alien sinner enter the kingdom today? He can, by being born again. (John 3:3,5) And when he is born again he is added to the church. The new birth involves hearing the word of God, believing it, repenting of one's sins, confessing faith in Christ and being baptized for the remission of sins. From baptism one is raised up to walk in the new life. (Rom 6:3,4) This new life is as a citizen of the kingdom and as a member of the church. -Delton Haun Copyright by Haun Publishing Co.* Box 3426 * Pasadena, Texas 77501 Downloaded from: The Christian Connection of Palm Beach 300 - 14,400 bps 407/533/5216