The Popular Belief Concerning The Kingdom
The popular evangelical view of the Kingdom of God is that it has a dual nature:
1. Present and Spiritual: Evangelicals believe that the Kingdom of God is active and present in the lives of believers today. The work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of individuals, the transformative power of the Gospel, and the role of the Church in manifesting God's reign on earth are all emphasized. This perspective highlights the importance of living according to God's will and values, as well as sharing the Gospel with others. Increasing the numbers of people who are saved and faithful would be considered “building the kingdom.”
2. Future and Physical: Many conservative evangelicals also affirm the future, physical aspect of the Kingdom of God. This includes the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the establishment of His reign on earth, the resurrection of the dead, and the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel and all believers.
I contend that this dual-nature kingdom is not Biblical and needs to be abandoned. Namely, I reject the portion of the belief that asserts that the Kingdom of God is a transcendent, timeless, and mystical presence, more about an inner spiritual experience or a collective consciousness than a concrete kingdom on earth.
Where did this belief come from? I do not think it is from the Bible. Rather, it stems from these movements, going from most-recent to most-ancient:
New Age spirituality, which emphasizes higher state of consciousness or spiritual unity rather than a literal kingdom.
Modern religious liberalism, which sees the Kingdom as a metaphor for social justice, ethical living, or personal spiritual growth, rather than a future, physical reality.
Medieval mysticism: During the Middle Ages, various mystics and spiritual writers sought to experience a direct, personal communion with God. These mystics often described the Kingdom of God as an inner spiritual reality, emphasizing an individual's transformation rather than an external, physical kingdom.
Catholicism, whose theology of the church is entirely dependent upon a spiritual kingdom-now theology. Protestantism inherited this idea from Catholicism.
Gnosticism, a diverse religious movement in the early Christian era, this system emphasized spiritual knowledge (gnosis) and held that the physical world was evil and corrupt. These beliefs required a view of the Kingdom of God as a purely spiritual realm, detached from the physical world.
Platonism: Influenced by the Greek philosopher Plato, Platonism focuses on the existence of a higher, non-physical realm of forms or ideas. Platonist philosophy has historically influenced Christian thought, including the concept of the Kingdom of God, leading some to view it as a spiritual or mystical reality rather than a physical kingdom.
The Importance of Kingdom Theology
I believe that Kingdom theology serves as the bedrock for many of the most vital doctrines within the church, including ecclesiology, pneumatology, eschatology, and even our present-day worldview. The understanding of the Kingdom of God profoundly shapes our perspective on the nature of the church, the work of the Holy Spirit, the unfolding of the end times, and the way we engage with the world around us. When our grasp of the Kingdom is flawed or misguided, it can have a ripple effect on the core aspects of Christian life and biblical interpretation. Thus, it is essential for believers to carefully study and examine the biblical teachings on the Kingdom of God, as it forms the foundation upon which many other essential Christian beliefs and practices are built.
Challenging the Popular Belief
I see at least four problems with the popular belief. First, the Bible portrays the Kingdom of God as a future, physical reality, rather than a present, spiritual one. In fact, I would say that this is the only portrayal of the kingdom in the Bible. Rejecting the plain sense of Scripture leads many to adopt an allegoristic / spiritualizing view.
Second, the popular belief fails to distinguish between the church and the individual spiritual life and the Kingdom of God.
Third, the popular belief requires that kingdom-realities be experienced in the present-day. This leads to everything from rejecting the sufficiency of the Word of God to dominionistic theology.
Finally, the view leads to ecumenical and social justice movements that are not helpful for the spread of the Gospel nor the strength of the local church.
Practical Implications Of An Exclusively Future Kingdom
Taking an exclusively future view leads to a greater anticipation for the final works of Christ on the earth, from the rapture and beyond, as the ultimate hope for fixing the problems of this world. Further, it leads to a literal understanding of prophecy, which helps the Scripture make more sense. It also leads to an enhanced fervor for missions and evangelism, seeing a relationship with Christ as the only hope for the individual.
