By:
e-mail: frolylelengbotohorn@hotmail.com
The term, "Kingdom of God" brings with it a variety of connotations and implications to different people depending on one's accumulation of experience, understanding, background etc. For many people, including Christians, the Kingdom of God is an abstract concept that has been thrown around a lot in churches but has almost nothing to do with their personal lives, and is always obscure in meaning. Others still refer to the kingdom of God as something that is still to come at the return of Jesus Christ at the climax of history. However, more and more the average Christians are beginning to realize that the kingdom of God is not merely something in the distant "by and by", but is already present in the various aspects of human affairs, to some extent.
To set the focus of the essay, I'd like to start with the word picture
presented by Revelation 5: 9,10. This is a glimpse of the kingdom of God in its
fullness, when God's divine plan of redeeming every human from every tribe,
language, people and nation that ever exists on earth reaches its ultimate
fulfillment and His kingdom is finally established in its perfection. More
often than not, evangelical Christianity only focuses on the impact that the
kingdom of God has on the need of the individuals (spiritually, physically,
mentally or emotionally). But does the kingdom of God impact the wider
community in aspects like culture, economy, social or politics? If the picture
in Revelations is a future reality, then the answer to the question will be
yes. This particular prophetic picture clearly indicates that the different
cultures are distinguishable at the climax of the age. Obviously, the Kingdom
of God does not intend to do away with any people group's cultural identity or
expression. The reverse is true, the redeemed people along with their culture
seem to be very much a part of God's kingdom: "You have made them to be
a kingdom and priests to serve our God."
A disturbing question for the Church at the moment is then: what happens
to the indigenous people groups and their culture when they encounter the
message of the kingdom of God? What kind of kingdom message is presented to
them?
Let's at this point, revert for a moment to the Old Testament, for to
understand an idea in the New Testament, we must first delve into the Old
Testament background. Although the term "Kingdom of God" cannot be
found anywhere in the Old Testament, the idea of God as the King is highly
significant. We find two main lines of thought highlight the Old Testament
theology regarding divine kingship:
Firstly, Yahweh as the reigning King. This line of thought is related
with God's relationship with creation and God's relationship with Israel (Psalm
47:1-3: Isaiah 43:15). Being the creator, God possesses and asserts sovereignty
over His creation, including all those who rule on earth.
Israel, by virtue of her covenant with God, should be a theocracy. Under
the Old Covenant, Israel was called out by God to be a nation in covenant with
Him through Abraham (Gen.15) However, in 1 Samuel 8, Israel
"rejected" God as their king (v.7) and demanded a human king to rule
over them. By right as the creator, God reigns over the universe, but in
reality when it comes to human sphere, His kingship can only exist where human
beings choose to submit to His rule. Throughout Old Testament, we find a
consistent thread that shows us the plan of God overall to establish His reign
over all the nations of the earth (Ps. 96; Gen. 18:18; Is.42:6; Is.49:6).
Now in the New Testament, God has called and is still calling out a
people for Himself through Christ. This time though, His people are coming from
all tribes and nations (Matt.8:11;Luke 13:29; Eph.3:6 ; 1 Pet.2:9-10). The
kingdom of God is not external, nor is it exclusively for the Jews only. Anyone
who believes in Christ, regardless what people group he or she is from, is
included in that corporate body who has made a covenant with God that now He is
their God and they are His people (Gal.3:28-29, 1 Pet. 2:9).
Secondly, Yahweh as the coming King. This line of thought that emerges
out of a strong hope based on God's own promise to Israel and prophetic
utterances by His prophets, that He would establish His own eternal Kingdom in
the future (Zech. 9: 9-10; Zech. 14:9).
This line of thought that God is the coming King, continues on under the
New Testament in greater dimension. Through Christ, God will establish His Kingdom,
made up of all people from every nation and tongue who have been washed by the
blood of the Lamb, at the climax of the ages and He will be their King forever
(Rev. 15:3; Rev.17:14).
In the mean time, we would look first at some contentious questions
which remain among Theologians through out the years, regarding the Kingdom of
God: Is the Kingdom of God already here, or is it yet to be fulfilled at the
end of this age? Moreover is the question involving what the Kingdom of God
actually is. How do we define it, in other words.
The Gospels clearly show us that Jesus preached about the Kingdom of
God. But His teaching has been understood and interpreted very widely and in a
variety of ways. According to G.N Stanton, in "The Gospel and Jesus",
there are two main reasons for such an eclectic mix of interpretation:
"First, Jesus left no clear explanation of his precise meaning….secondly,
…Jesus seems to have used 'kingdom of God' in many different senses."[1].
Some of Jesus' sayings refer to the entry of the kingdom (Mark 9:47;
Mark 10:15), however some sayings refer to the Kingdom of God as a possession
or something to be sought (Mark 10: 14-15; Matt. 5:3; Luke 6:20). In other
occassions, the kingdom of God is referred to as something in the future (Mark 9:1;
Mark 14:25). Still some sayings imply that the Kingdom is here or has come or
at hand (Mark 1:15; Matt.12:28; Luke 10:20, 23).
G.N Stanton offered two different extremely opposing views of the
kingdom from two nineteenth century's scholars. A. Ritschl insisted that 'for
Jesus the kingdom had come through his own actions and words. He also put
strong emphasis on "the gradual permeation of society by the
kingdom." Another scholar, J.Weiss, believed that Jesus's concept of the
kingdom was totally influenced by the apocalyptic thought of his day. A thought
which looks at the kingdom as a reality, not so much moral cause, initiated by
God in the future which man "can neither further nor influence". [2]
More recent scholars have rejected both approaches. Instead they take a
middle stance. George E. Ladd is one of those with such an approach, he says:
"The Age to Come is still future, but we may taste the powers of that
Age." We see a clear statement of Jesus that the Kingdom has already
broken through in the affairs of human beings through the demonstration of the
Kingdom power in casting out demons and healing the sick, in at least two
occassions. First in Matthew 12:28 , "But if I drive out demons by the
Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." (NIV),
second, in Luke 10:9: "Heal the sick who are there and tell them,'the
kingdom of God is near you."(NIV).
For Ladd, the two Ages, the present and the future, are overlapping,
where the "blessings of The Age to Come remain no longer exclusively in
the future but have become objects of present experience in This Age."
[3]. G.N Stanton put it this way: "Jesus proclaimed that the kingdom was
in some ways partly present in his actions and teaching…though its full and
final disclosure lay in the future.[4]
Having touched the "when" question, let's move on to the
"what" question regarding the kingdom of God. According to Chris
Marshall, the word "kingdom" is an umbrella word that draws out a
variety of thoughts and concepts. The "kingdom of God" cannot be
"tied down to a single thing". It is unidentifiable. This term
embraces all the "diverse ways in which God's sovereignty impinges on
human life." [5]. In its simplest definition the kingdom of God simply
means "God's way of doing things" says Marshall.
To paraphrase the statement made by R.T France in "Biblical
Interpretation and the Church", the phrase "Kingdom of God" is
more about God rather than the kingdom itself. "It is simply the state of
affairs which was intended to result from Jesus ministry." [6].
In other words, the Kingdom of God is about the rulership or the
kingship of God in Christ made manifest through the ministry of Christ on
earth, which continues on through the ministry of His Church in the present
time. To borrow Chris Marshall's definition: "The kingdom of God is all
about God exerting his kingly power, through Jesus, to put right what is wrong
in the world; to initiate a process of redemption that will climax in the
renewal and renovation of the world ... (it is) not a static locality to be
entered but a dynamic event to be experienced." [7]
If the two concepts above can be combined, we will come to an
understanding that the Kingdom of God is, in the nutshell, the governing
activity of God as a ruler in and through the life of individuals or corporate
societies, which will reach its completion in the age to come.
Throughout the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament, whenever one
receives the message and the activities of the kingdom, there always follows a
great transformation in one's life. Many times the change in the individual
would then affect his or her surrounding. One example is in the case of the
Samaritan woman in John 4:1-42, who was a major influence in bringing the rest
of her town into faith in Christ. Surely, it would not be too hard to assume
that what happened here would have had a direct effect in how that community
carried out their daily affairs from then on. Another example is in the life of
the jailer in Acts 16. When he came to have faith in Christ, the rest of his
family followed his decision to be followers of Christ. What about the story of
Paul who was dramatically transformed from a murderous christian-hater pharisee
to an Apostle of Christ. Paul became an effective ambassador of the Kingdom of God,
whose ministry impacted the known world of his time.
It seems that God's kingdom would come, not by way of external
establishment, but through internal transformation within an individual whose
transformation would then spark changes outwardly to take place in the
immediate or wider community. From all biblical examples and real life
experiences, it would seem that the effect of Christian faith extends far
beyond the boundaries of what we call "church". The kingdom is much
more than just the sphere where God reigns, it is more about "God's way of
doing things." John Drane, in his book "Introducing the New
Testament" suggests that "we can expect to find models for how
discipleship might impact politics, economics, or other tangible
realities." [8]
History tells us of how God's way transforms a society, outside the
"church", through an individual in the life of William Wilberforce, a
Christian British Member of Parliament. Through the influence and resolve of
Wilberforce, Parliament put an end the West Indian trade in 1806. Slavery
itself was formally abolished in the British Empire in 1833. This is a perfect
a example of the kingdom of God impacting a society, for the kingdom of God, as
Jurgen Moltmann says, is about "justice...making things right."[9]
During the Middle Ages, many theologians followed the teaching of St.
Augustine which identifies the kingdom of which Jesus preached with the
"organised society which they knew in the church." [10] Many who held
to this concept believed that the church "was a legitimate successor to
the Roman Empire." Taken further, this view played an important part in
influencing the emergence of colonialism.
A wholesome understanding of what the Kingdom of God is, will determine
the extent and the kind of impact Christians will have on a community. The
implications of such impact, be it negative or positive, would not often become
evident after a long period of time.
Being messengers of the kingdom of God, the westerners brought the
Gospel to many indigenous people groups. Sadly, along with the introduction to
the saving grace of Christ, came also the end of the dignity and culture for
many indigenous people groups. If foundational philosophy of colonialism was a
belief that the church "was a legitimate successor to the Roman
Empire", then it is easier to understand why missionaries saw it as their
duty to impose their so-called "christian" culture upon the
indigenous, as a part of their effort to establish the Kingdom of God. They
sincerely believed that their culture was the "right culture."
Centuries after the first western missionaries were sent out to spread
the gospel to the Asians, Polynesians, Africans, American Indians etc., the
world are now presented with whole groups of people who suffer the consequences
of the loss of their culture and dignity. Visit churches in China, Indonesia,
India, Korea, Japan, and we will find a people of God who stand before God in
worship western style, sincerely believing that this is the way christians
should worship and be. The issue goes far deeper than the style of worship. The
issue is whether or not the "true message of the kingdom of God" has
been presented to them in a way that it penetrates to the very core of their
worldview, and not so much as converting them into westernised indigenous
Christian.
The westernisation has produced several disadvantages among indigenous
Christians, one of them is dependency upon 'the western Church'. Steve Saints,
a missionary to the Huaorani (the Aucas) - son of the late Nate Saint, an American
missionary, who was martyred by the
Aucas along with his 4 friends in 1956 - commented regarding the Huaorani
Christians: "They have become spectators because they see that these
outsiders can do it much better." [11]
Another disadvantage caused by westernisation is the loss of identity. A
good example for this case is the Maori of New Zealand. After being with and
ministering to the Maori people, I observe a strange phenomenon that is: not
many Maori Christians go on to be mature, strong disciples of Christ. I have
talked to different pastors, and most of them acknowledge a frustration
regarding this issue. Karen Bishop, a Maori woman leader in our church
(Southside Vineyard Christian Fellowship), is of the opinion that one of the
key to the growth of Maori Christians is the restoration of their dignity and
culture. Karen said in an interview: "The Maori people are at a lost, for
they were stripped of their language and culture, with that their dignity as a
people. It is only a generation ago that the Maori language was forbidden at
schools." She then told me how her father, Alan Bishop, used to endure
physical discipline, in other words smacking, as a punishment for speaking
Maori. This is a tragic historical fact for the generation of Alan Bishop's.
It is tragic that missionaries of old did not recognize or acknowledge
that some aspects of indigenous cultures are not in confllict with biblical
values and teachings, and therefore are as legitimate as some aspects of the missionaries' culture.
For these people groups, the message of the kingdom of God has not come
to make them whole, but the reverse. For them the so-called message of the
kingdom of God has stripped them off their dignity as a people. For
generations, the culture of the Maori, in particular, has been labeled
"wrong" and unacceptable by the Church, therefore those who choose to
follow Jesus have willingly separated themselves from their own culture
believing it to be the right thing to do. Even their language, a crucial part
of a culture, was taken away from them. those who choose to follow Jesus have
willingly separated themselves from their own culture.
Jesus came to the earth with the Kingdom message as a Jew. He moved and
worked within the culture of the Hebrews and became one of them. Apostle Paul
is another example of kingdom of God's messenger. He brought the Gospel to the
Gentiles without stripping them off their cultural identity. One instance in
Athens, Paul even used one of their object of worship, an altar of the Unknown
God, as a starting point to preach the gospel to the Greeks (Acts 17:23).
The plight of indigenous people around the world has become a serious
social concern. If the Church in the past had been a part of the colonial
efforts in westernising indigenous people which, more or less, contributed to
their social problems, then today's Church should be the means of the Kingdom's
restorative solution for these people groups.
Brian Hathaway reminds us that "social concern reflects the
character of God...God is a God of justice, mercy, love and compassion."
[12] More often than not, this concern demands our (the Church's) involvement
in the restoration process. For the Maori people for example, there first needs
to be a restoration of their own language and culture, as instrument through
which they serve God and express their worship to God in Jesus Christ. Other
indigenous groups, like the Huaorani, will need people like Steve Saint who
helps them take care of their own needs thus breaking away from an unhealthy "dependency"
towards the western church in particular.
Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God to the poor of His time, which
included children, those materially poor, and women. The Maori people, and
other indigenous people groups like them, are the poor of today. Jurgen
Moltmann says that "The one who brought the kingdom of God close to us
brings the poor ...close to us too. They are his family, his people, for they
too represent God's kingdom in this world of violence."
The Church as the messenger of the kingdom of God, needs to extend
kingdom justice, restoration and the pure message of the Gospel to these people
groups, in order to: 1. Be faithful to God's heart towards the poor and the
needy, which is included in the Kingdom's directives (Luke 4:18,19), 2. Be
faithful to the statement in Revelation 5:9,10 where people from every tribe is
presented wholly and redeemed as God's kingdom and priests. Revelation 5:9,10
shows us different people groups, who are washed by the blood of the Lamb,
stand before the throne with their cultural identities remain intact.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
DRANE,
John. Introducing New Testament. London, England: Lion Publishing plc
1996
FRANCE,
R.T. Biblical Interpretation and the Church. Thomas Nelson, 1984
HATHAWAY,
Brian. Beyond Renewal: The Kingdom of God. Milton Keynes: Word, 1989.
LADD,
George. E. The Gospel of the Kingdom. Ca: Paternoster Press, 1978
MARSHALL,
Chris. Kingdom Come. Auckland,
New Zealand: Impetus Publication, 1998
MOLTMANN,
J. Jesus Christ for Today's World.
London: SCM, 1994. pp. 7-29
STANTON,
G.N. The Gospels and Jesus. Oxford: OUP, 1989. pp. 189-200
WOOD,
Beulah. Our Cultures in Today's Context. Auckland, New Zealand: Houhanga
Rongo, 1991
WOOD,
Rick. Fighting Dependency Among the "Aucas", from May-June
1998 Mission Frontiers Bulletin
END-NOTES
1. STANTON, G.N. The Gospels and Jesus. Oxford: OUP, 1989, pp.
191
2. STANTON, G.N. The Gospel and Jesus. Oxford: OUP, 1989, pp. 191
3. LADD, George. E. The Gospel of the Kingdom. California, US:
Paternoster Press, 1978, pp. 41
4. STANTON, G.N. The Gospel and Jesus. Oxford: OUP, 1989, pp.
191-192
5. MARSHALL, Chris. Kingdom Come. Auckland, NZ: Impetus
Publication, 1998, pp. 18
6. FRANCE, R.T. Biblical Interpretation and the Church. Thomas
Nelson, 1984, pp. 32-33
7. MARSHALL, Chris. Kingdom Come. Auckland, NZ: Impetus
Publication 1998, pp. 44
8. DRANE, John. Introducing the New Testament. London, England:
Lion Publishing plc, 1996, pp. 112
9. MOLTMANN, Jurgen. Jesus Christ for Today's World. London: SCM,
1994, pp. 17
10. DRANE, John. Introducing the New Testament. London, England:
Lion Publishing plc, 1996, pp. 112
11. WOOD, Rick. "Fighting Dependency Among the Aucas - An
interview with Steve Saints"
Mission Frontiers Bulletin, May- June
1998.
12. HATHAWAY, Brian. "Beyond Renewal". Milton Keynes:
1989