jkk@aiai.ed.ac.uk (John Kingston) (11/09/90)
>> Robert Johnson writes: >> >> >I would like to take this opportunity to correct a misconception that many >> >have concerning Christianity. That is, many confuse the Kingdom of God >> >with Heaven. The Kingdom is the 1000 year reign of Christ on this earth >> >immediately after the end of the current age (age of the Gentiles). The age >> >of the Gentiles will last approximately 2000 years and is about over. Then >> >their is the millemium, or 1000 year reign of Christ called the Kingdom in >> >the Bible. The kingdom should not be confused with heaven. Robert, you're absolutely right that the Kingdom of God should not be confused with Heaven. Matthew's gospel uses the phrase "Kingdom of Heaven" in an identical fashion to the other gospel writers' use of the phrase "Kingdom of God". Most explanations of this assert that Matthew, as a good Jew, refused to speak or write the name of God, whereas the other writers had no such inhibitions. However, I would disagree with the suggestion that the Kingdom refers to the 1000 year reign of Christ referred to in Revelation. Instead, I would suggest that the Kingdom of God is *already* here. It was instituted when Jesus rose from the dead and broke the power of death (Rev 1.17 - "I have the keys of hell and death"). The definition of "kingdom" is "the place where the King rules", so the Kingdom of God exists in every Christian, at least. The best analogy I have heard comes from John Wimber of the Vineyard Christian Fellowship - he compares the situation to World War II, when the Allied Forces broke into the area under German control on D-Day. From then on, the outcome of the war was fairly inevitable, but the Allies did not control the whole theatre of war until VE-Day. Biblical support for this: the best reference is Luke 11:20 - "If I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you." (AV). In the context of my view, the next two verses refer to Satan as being the "strong man" - 11:21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 11:22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. Jesus also frequently preached that "the Kingdom of Heaven/God is at hand" (Matthew 4:17, 10:17). Objection: I know that Jesus also said "So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand" in Luke 21:31, where "these things" refer to dramatic signs which are similar to those described in Revelation. However, in the next verse Jesus says "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled", which doesn't seem to apply to a "Kingdom of God" some time in the future. I don't claim to understand this passage, only to suggest that it does not provide unequivocal support for Robert's view. The crux of this whole argument is the accuracy of a dispensationalist approach to the Bible. Dispensationalism, which assumes that the lifespan of the earth is divided into different ages or "dispensations", has been very popular and influential amongst Protestant churches. It has become a controversial issue recently because of the rise of (publicised) divine healing. Dispensationalists often assume that God acts in different ways in different ages; hence miracles were appropriate for the time of the 12 apostles, to validate their ministry and the fledgling church, but we are now in a different age when such miracles do not occur. Those with a healing ministry counter that they are able to heal either because of the benefits associated with forgiveness of sins, or as a demonstration of the presence of the Kingdom of God (Jesus appeared to heal for both reasons - John 9:3, Luke 5:20 - 24). To conclude: I see little Biblical support for a dispensationalist viewpoint; I believe the Kingdom of God is here, now. I fear for the freedom fighter who chose the bloody road Who tried to harness evil to try to lift an evil load And I understand the righteous wrath that drove him to what he's done But forgiveness lies in nail-scarred hands, not in the hand with a gun -- Garth Hewitt, **Road To Freedom** John Kingston, AI Applications Institute, University of Edinburgh, 80 South Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1HN, Scotland E-mail jkk@uk.ac.ed.aiai, phone 031-225 4464 ext. 229 FAX: 031 226 2730 Arpanet: J.Kingston%uk.ac.ed@nfsnet-relay.ac.uk TELEX: 727442 UNIVED G