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. The religion part of it, is our intentional drive to be more like the King and be guided by His kingdom counterpart - the Holy Spirit. In John 5:24 we hear Jesus telling of the behavior or religion that brings one to a place of everlasting life.

He explains that when a person receives His message of redemption and accepts His Father as God, that person will have done the only thing necessary to be granted eternal life. With this religious one-time act of believing in God and accepting the gift of salvation from the Son Jesus Christ, one enters the kingdom with others who point their allegiance to the King of kings and Lord of lords. Notice that Jesus says to submit. This is given in the present tense, suggesting that it is an ongoing process, again sounding like a call to a certain behavior or religion. It is not that a person must accept the Lord and His father more than once, but that the behavior of doing so will continue from that moment on. A religious attention to the will of Jesus Christ.

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 showing the will of the Holy Spirit. In such times, He controls our will, guide our actions, improves our thoughts, and informs our 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 deeper kingdom lifestyle.

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

On first reading, it is 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. Therefore, Jesus is speaking of the NOW kingdom.

Historically, Jews practiced exorcisms using smoke, immersion in water, mixtures, and songs to exorcise demons. There are several references in the New 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.

The Kingdom Established

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 NOW presence of the Holy Spirit. And according to Acts 1, He provides the power to do as Jesus expects.

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. However, Jesus clearly provides instructions on increasing the number of people who will be counted as the bride. Jesus defines the primary objective of the NOW kingdom, which is to assemble the bride for her place in the millennial kingdom.

This work of taking the Gospel to the world is an extension 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, and for what reason. By the time the whole world knows, the power of God will no longer need to be extended to man because: 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 just a little. 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 in the Holy Spirit. Not that this helps us understand that holy place where God can exist on earth, but according to Romans 8:9, that place is in His followers.

This passage gives us plenty of information regarding where the Holy Spirit lives, but does not provide for the how of it. As such, the NOW kingdom remains transcendent. We can experience the existence of the NOW kingdom of God, but we cannot experience or understand how it gets here and how it is possible for it remain. We can only know that the Holy Spirit is powerful and is self-righteous.

This passage talks about how we are now under the control of the spirit - not the world. This passage explains that our bodies had to die for the spirit to be able to enter, and that the Spirit is not in control of us. This seems confusing but suffice it to say that the enemy no longer controls us as he did before we were saved. The holy spirit takes away the enemy's ability to force us to think his way or control our actions in any way. We are under the protection of the righteousness of God. When we think bad thoughts, set poor goals, act selfish or foolish, go on a way set by ourselves - not set by God, or commit any sin, it is us doing so. Likewise, when we think in a way that glorifies God, love our neighbor as we love ourselves, seek the kingdom of God, choose to say yes when called, there is noting the enemy can do about it. We have the liberty in God to think only His thoughts.

We call this a Kingdom Perspective on life, love, and growth.