The Kingdom of God As Scripture’s Central Theme: A New Approach to Biblical Theology, Part 2
The New Covenant ratified by Christ through his death on the cross fulfilled all the promises of prior covenants, both in intent and purpose (Lk. 22:14-20; Rom. 15:8; Heb. 9:15). The New Covenant is the last and final covenant to be established by God in his work to re-establish his Kingdom on earth. Consequently, it embraces both this age and the age to come. Under the New Covenant all who accept Jesus as their Messiah and Lord enter into the blessings of the New Covenant, chief of which is eternal life (Jn. 3:16). However, those who reject him face the curse of the New Covenant, eternal separation from the presence of God (Jn. 3:18)
The Kingdom of God and the Early Church
The early church in continuity with the ministry of Jesus carried on his mission of proclaiming the Kingdom of God. The power and presence of the Holy Spirit in their ministry served as a sign that the Kingdom of God had come and was continuing to be in their midst:
When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. … 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women (Acts 8:6-12).
Paul and … Barnabas … returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said (Acts 14:19-22).
Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. … 11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul (Acts 19:8-11).
At the core of the Apostle Paul’s teaching was the fact of our citizenship in the Kingdom of God. As a result of his victory over death, Christ was granted the power and authority to invade Satan’s domain, rescue us from our captor, and safely transport us to his Kingdom: “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves” (Colossians 1:13). Since we are part of God’s Kingdom, Paul stresses repeatedly in his epistles the necessity of living according to the ethics of that Kingdom: “For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12). His teachings regarding the putting off of the old man and the putting on of the new man all have to do with living lives consistent with being Kingdom citizens (Eph. 4:22-5:5; Col. 3:5-4:6).
Category: Biblical Studies, Spring 2001
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