4- THEOLOGICAL EXPLANATION OF THE NOW KINGDOM

JFB Bible Commentary explains that this “kingdom of God” spoken of in Romans 14: 17-18 is, in the context of this passage, speaking of a religion. Not just a religion, but a religion sent here by the Lord from heaven. Notice that this acknowledgement does not indicate that Jesus brings it to us, but it is sent from Him. Adam Clarke identifies this religion as a counterpart to the kingdom of heaven.  The passage continues on to acknowledge the Holy Spirit bringing to the individual those things that can only be provisions of the Holy Spirit in man. Namely peace and joy. The kingdom of God is also explained as having attributes that only the Holy Spirit can bring to it – righteousness. As a religion, this must be experienced as a conscious understanding of forgiveness of sin and a manifestation of holiness of heart lived out in the Holy Spirit. This kingdom is a religion of service given by God, led by the Holy Spirit, and joyfully carried out by man.

Peace, joy, and righteousness belong to the Holy Spirit, so, when we experience these things we are experiencing the Holy Spirit in us. When we show these things outwardly, we are allowing the Holy Spirit to act as our will and He guides our actions, thoughts, and motives. Our intentions in the kingdom (religion) are not informed by us, but by the Holy Spirit. This is important to understand as we get deeper into the study of prayer as a tool to develop a deep kingdom lifestyle.

Jesus explains that where the kingdom is the devil cannot be.

On first reading, it becomes obvious that the kingdom of God, of which Jesus is referring, is not that of the millennial kingdom of heaven, since in that place there will be no demons (devils) to cast out. Although it is well known to Jesus that He will ultimately cast Satan away and set up His millennial kingdom, there will be no such evil to cast out in that place.

Historically, Jews practiced exorcisms using smoke, immersion in water, mixtures, and songs to exorcise demons. There are several references in the Now and Old Testaments of spirits being exercised by people, including by Jesus, which He references in this passage. Jesus is responding to the allegations that He cast out demons by the power of the devil.

The accusers were attempting to discredit Him, but Jesus turns their argument around on them by saying that if it is by the devil that He cast out demons, then it is also the case that they do the same by the power of Satan. Jesus explains that when He casts out the devil, He is doing it by the power of God (His Father). There is no argument for Jesus’ explanation without admitting that they are also guilty. There does not seem to be any interjection by the Jews at this point, suggesting that they understood that Jesus pulled off a checkmate.

God, by casting out Satin, leaves only His power in the abandoned vessel, thereby establishing the kingdom of God in its place. Jesus announces that it is the casting out of demons at that time that represents the building of the [NOW] kingdom.

This is a particularly exciting acknowledgment that Paul made to the church at Colossi. Paul speaks of deliverance from the effects of the power of darkness that include conditions like”

• Temptation toward sin

• The fascination of what one can do with sin

• The conditions of depression, emotional instability and mental affection

• Physical affliction

• and the complete embodiment of despair.

In the darkness one finds death, but God transfers or conveys the believer who accepts the redemption of Christ, into the kingdom of His Son. This transfer happens according to Paul upon their acceptance of Jesus, which means the transfer is into the NOW kingdom of God. Remember that this is where, according to Romans 14:17, the Holy Spirit provides a righteous environment of peace and joy.

The vessel that makes the NOW kingdom possible.

These passages lay down plenty of foundation for the existence of a NOW kingdom and provide enough knowledge to point us to the Holy Spirit for the solution to the problem. We can see that the Holy Spirit has a place with us while we do a task for Jesus. He is to keep us focused on the building of the church, which He will bring to the Kingdom of Heaven on earth when it is time.

The necessary vessel providing the place for Jesus’ kingdom to exist on earth in the NOW is the Holy Spirit. The disciples asked about the coming kingdom, which I believe is a reference to what we know to be the millennial kingdom, although they were likely only considering their expectation of a kingdom that would free the Jews from the Romans. But Jesus clearly instructed on the development process of collecting up those who would be the royal subjects of the millennial kingdom.

The announcement that the Holy Spirit would come upon them, so they could have the power to take the Gospel to the world, seems to be a directive toward the continuation of the kingdom development work that began as a part of Jesus’ earthly ministry. The sending of the Holy Spirit as the provider of power may be the first act that indicates that it was the Lord’s design that the NOW kingdom would exist. By the time the whole world knows, the power of God will no longer need to be extended to man for this purpose: His kingdom will have come!

So, the dilemma of how the kingdom of God can exist among the people of free will and a world of sin starts to clear up. Our position must be that the only way the kingdom of God will exist on earth is that God must reside in a holy place. It seems that the necessary holy place is that place made holy by the presence of God - the Holy Spirit. That place must be in the people of Christ’s church. A spiritual realm where God is King and is present to lead and be followed.

The Church

Not that the church and the kingdom are the same thing. Jesus told Peter that it would be on Peter’s faith that He would build His church, and on that faith, Jesus is doing so. It is also by that faith that the grace of the Lord is advanced. Pastor and author Jeremy Treat explains in his book Seek First, that “Christ’s kingdom is built on His grace and advances with compassion. In His kingdom, the throne is a cross and the King reigns with self-giving love.”

This self-giving love is perpetually given and represents the work that is being done right now in preparation for the coming kingdom of heaven – through the work of the Holy Spirit in man and the heavenly preparation of Christ in heaven. Man’s part is accomplished in the cooperation of the church with the Holy Spirit.  The work of the church of Jesus' followers, led by the Holy Spirit, is to spread the love of Christ to all who will hear. It is the body of believers who have repented and fully believe the “Good News that “Christ is King” (Mark 1:15) and faithfully seek to do the work with the Holy Spirit of preparing the subjects for the coming kingdom of heaven. The sharing of the Good News is an act that may not come naturally to the flesh, but it is the natural perpetuating response of love in the believer – this Love is God.

When a person accepts the love of God, the Holy Spirit brings a holy place where Jesus can rule and abide in spirit, establishing the person as a subject of the kingdom of God and giving the will (Power) to carry out His work as assigned in Acts 1. The Holy Spirit also binds the Christians together in faith and spirit, which is the establishment of a body known as the Church. The church is the assembly of the people of the NOW kingdom of God, which will do the work of building up the Bride of Christ for Christ to take to the place he prepares for her in the millennial kingdom of Heaven.