The Church and the Kingdom

This is the third post of a 3-part blog on The Kingdom. Click to read the first and second posts.

 The ecclesia (church) stands as the visible embassy of the basileia (kingdom). The church – the King’s renewed people – doesn’t need to adopt the methods, songs, strategies, or resources of the world, of Caesar. We have a true and better reality, a true and better song, a true and better doctrine, message, and methodology to promote! If Christianity is “just a religion”, this will cause the gospel message to be “substantially neutralized as a force in the world beyond the realm of private spirituality and an escapist heaven”.[1] We must look at our church gatherings not as a means solely for individual spiritual growth in peoples’ lives (the reign) – but also the kingdom citizens uniting as God’s renewed people to advance the gracious work of Christ on earth as it is in heaven (the realm). Pastors must constantly shift away from enabling to equipping & empowering – away from answering ‘felt needs’ to beating the war drum and calling God’s covenantal people to spiritual arms. There is much work ahead for us, so praise God for an empowering Spirit who is ready and willing to supply all that we need to accomplish it!

The Way

Understanding the kingdom helps us seek not a love of power, but the power of love. The way of the kingdom is not through acquiring political power but through humility, suffering, and service. Throughout time many have come against Christianity. Today we see the rise of the New Atheists, but there really is nothing new about them. They’ve been around as far back as when the Bible describes them as the fool who has said in his heart, "there is no god" (Psalm 14:1). Many have and many will come to defy God, but God gets the last laugh (Psalm 2). As early as the third century, the Roman Emperor Diocletian was fully convinced that he had defeated Christianity, even creating a medal with the inscription: “The name of Christianity (has been) extinguished”. However, Caesar is now just a salad – and Jesus is Lord!

The Germanic tribes of Europe who defeated the might of Rome were themselves conquered, not with brute militaristic force, but through a war of attrition – peaceable, graceful suffering that demonstrated the love of Christ in action. Christianity outlived Rome and settled in the hearts and homes of the warlording tribes because faithful presence and demonstrated love always outlives and exceeds pomp and power. As N.T. Wright beautifully wrote, “When God wants to take charge of the world, he doesn't send in the tanks. He sends in the poor and the meek."[2] We don't use force or military might to advance His kingdom; no, we suffer, turn the other cheek, and take up our cross as we follow Him. We don't seek to push our influence to coerce or manipulate; no, we lay down our lives and overcome evil with good. We don't achieve greatness by lording over others but through serving. We gain prominence through humility; we gain our lives by dying to self. We take up our cross as we usher in His kingdom through gospel proclamation and faithful witness. 

Restoration of All Things

Christ's kingdom is ushering in the new creation that began that Easter morning when He rose again triumphantly. It is setting things back rightly - because ever since the Fall the world is not as it should be. Sickness, disease, pain, death, and despair crept into the world like unnatural, uninvited Orcs raiding Middle Earth. The curse of the Fall is not the norm in God's order - disease and despair are the interruption. Pastors – and every Christian – has the mandate and mission to call people continually out of darkness into the glorious kingdom light of the Gospel of Christ the King’s realm and reign, and to advance His rule through suffering, love, and faithfulness to YHWH in a dark and despairing world. 

 Our Sovereign Lord and our Gracious King – may Your kingdom come, may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven!

Bibliography

Wright, N. T. (2016). How God Became King: the Forgotten Story of the Gospels. New York, NY: HarperOne, An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Wright, N. T. (2018). Simply Jesus: A new version of who he was, what he did, why it matters. New York, NY: HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins.

[1] Wright, How God Became King, 165

[2] Wright, Simply Jesus, 218