Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God is a foundational concept in
Christianity. The Greek term Basileia
tou Theou is used in all four canonical
gospels and by Paul. Matthew also used the term Basileia tōn Ouranōn or Kingdom
of Heaven when writing to Jews.
Three
major doctrines are affirmed. The first is the belief in the parousia (appearance/coming) in which
Jesus will return to the earth. The second is that on this return Christ will
establish or completely manifest God’s rule and reign of love and justice. The
third is that God will create or renovate this creation into a new heaven and
new earth that will endure forever. While all Christians agree that resurrected
and redeemed humans will live with God, and he with them, there is disagreement
as to whether this will be an entirely new creation or one that is continuous
with the current creation. Our ultimate hope is because of ‘who is coming to
this world’, rather than what the world is coming to.
Jesus
believed in both a current heavenly rule and reign of God, and an
eschatological consummation and manifestation of that reign. This can be seen
in the Disciples prayer where he taught them to pray ‘Your kingdom [will] come’.[1]
Paul also referred to this now/already but not yet paradox in 1 Cor 15:24-28.
Imago Dei (Image of God)
Human beings, both male and
female, are created in the image and likeness of God. No other creatures were
created this way. In the New Testament the words eikon (image) and homoiosis
(likeness) are used to describe both Christ and humans as being in the image of
God. This is not a bodily likeness, or likeness of countenance, but rather a
multifaceted, diverse collection of Godlike qualities in humanity that together
may be called personhood, defined by our relations with God and others. The
identity of human beings can be seen as a gift from God, intrinsic to their
very being. God is creative,
creation-sharing and relational, and will be faithful to that way of relating
to those created in the divine image. As part of reflecting this image,
humanity was given three tasks: the God-given ability to multiply; to have
dominion over the creation in terms of care-giving and nurturing; and to subdue
the earth by bringing order out of disorder, drawing what is already good to
its fullest possible creational potential.
Christianity has always viewed
humanity as having a paradoxical but not contradictory nature – humans are both
animal and spiritual; they are God’s special creatures who possess the gift of
God’s own image and likeness; but are damaged goods, being both corrupt and
condemned. We are only fulfilled through God’s saving grace.
The Church
For Paul and the apostles the
early church was seen as the corporate community of God's people, and although
made up of many individuals, is united, with Christ forming the cornerstone.[2]
The Nicene Creed refined these beliefs, declaring the church one, holy,
catholic and apostolic. The Christian consensus is that of a
divinely-instituted community where Christ is present by his spirit, which
cannot be divided. The critical and essential ideas of this unity with Christ
are those of one Lord, one Spirit, one faith, one baptism. It is the
‘indispensible vehicle of Christian spiritual life, the locus of Christ’s
special presence and the Spirit’s power.’[3]
While there are different interpretations between Roman Catholics, and
Protestants, both have a have a strong belief in the church as a sacred means
of grace.
Sectarianism is one of two main
alternatives to the Christian consensus, where the unity of the church is
unimportant and the practice of sacraments or ordinances are rejected.
Sectarianism can be seen in latter day prophets and self-proclaimed messiahs
such as Heaven’s Gate and David Koresh. The second alternative is the rejection
of water baptism and the Lord’s Supper by groups such as the Society of Friends
(Quakers) and the Salvation Army also go against the consensus of the Great
Tradition. Olson describes this as ‘a heresy of neglect’.[4]
Application
By dying on the cross and rising,
Jesus reconciled us to God so we can live forever in unbroken, creative
fellowship with him in the Kingdom of God. As creatures made in the image of
God, we can already begin to experience the new creation, even while we wait
for the complete renewal.[5]
There is a fundamental missional calling on the church as a whole, and every
individual member to fulfil God's mission right where we are, and in the global
mission field.
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