The Nature of the Kingdom of God
by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr.
via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015
“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21; KJV).
No doubt, the Pharisees had in mind restoring Israel as an earthly kingdom with an earthly head (the Messiah of the Davidian dynasty), with the geographical territory of old Israel to save them from Roman domination. Jesus made it plain that His kingdom was not a kingdom that could be observed in that way. The domain of His kingdom would be in the hearts of its citizens. This is the nature of the kingdom into which saved people were later translated (Colossians 1:13) or church (number) to which they were added (Acts 2:47). They recognized Jesus as both Lord and Savior (II Peter 1:11; 2:20; 3:2, 18). This is what the terms of the Great Commission demand of them (Matthew 28:19-20). They accepted Him as Savior by being baptized “into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” It is here that they were saved from sin by being forgiven (Acts 2:38). They also accepted Him as Lord by committing themselves to “obey all things commanded.” Many are eager to accept the Savior part, but not as eager to accept the Lord part.
Hence, the biblical kingdom of God is that of being in the hearts of its citizens rather than an entity that is structurally or geographically observable. This is where “kingdom” and “church” are used interchangeably. The kingdom is made up of all, everywhere, who are ruled in their hearts by Jesus, the King. The church (Gr. ekklesia) means a called-out assembly or body, used in two senses - locally and universally. Whether viewed as an ekklesia with Jesus as Head or as a kingdom with Jesus as King, it is not physically assembled nor structurally organized. It is simply all who are ruled by Christ in their hearts, reflecting that subjection in their lives daily.
This differs from the “historical church” because the “historical church” can be pointed to as being ‘lo here!” and “lo there!” It came into play after the “universal church” took on organizational structure with earthly “officers” and “headquarters.” This was a departure from the New Testament concept of the kingdom. It historically evolved into a body with even more powerful earthly “officers,” with larger “headquarters,” up to and including the papacy. The so-called Reformers, during the “Reformation Movement,” made valiant efforts to reform what were considered excesses of the historical church. They failed. The only way to “reform” this church would be to do away with it and recognize the New Testament concept of the kingdom or church. There is no way to tell how many people there may have been over the years of the historical church who were not part of it, but who lived their lives having been saved from their sins and in submission to the Lordship of Christ in their hearts. Even at this moment, because of the nature of the kingdom (or universal church), we cannot know how many and who they are over the world who are saved, having obeyed the gospel, and who are submitting to the will of Christ in their hearts.
The only organized manifestation of those who have the King ruling in their hearts is the local church. They recognize that the Bible shows that early citizens of the kingdom (those in whose hearts Jesus was King), in various geographical locations, joined with others of like precious faith near them to form local organizations, called “churches,” to meet in physical assemblies for worship and mutual edification, planning and doing collective spiritual work, and operating with recognizable organizational structure, with qualified local men being appointed and serving as elders and deacons. It is the work of the local church of which we speak when we speak of “the work of the church.” As organized entities, they were easily recognizable as being “lo here” or “lo there.” They conducted business as autonomous units, yet they had an interest in the welfare of other such units. They were at physical locations that could be identified. They received and sent communications and goods between them (Colossians 4:16; Acts 15:23; Romans 15:26). They operated in the spiritual realm and recognized that the members had another realm of operation (secular) to be kept separate from the local church’s spiritual realm (I Corinthians 11:22, 34).
Citizens in the kingdom are always subject to the lordship of Christ in their hearts, even as they operate in the secular realm apart from the spiritual activities of the local church. Please note the number of times their relationship to “the Lord” is appealed to as the motive of parents, children, servants, and masters (Colossians 3:18-4:1).
