The kingdom of God.

[Checkpoint]

Some seem to think it is entirely future, while others give the impression they are always thinking of it as present, and to not be looking at the future in kingdom terms at all.

Jesus had much to say about the kingdom, including this:

Luke 16:

6 The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is being zealously urged into it.

So, where do you stand as to whether it is present, future, or has both a present and a future aspect?

On what basis?

According to which scriptures?

[OneWay]

Some seem to think it is entirely future, while others give the impression they are always thinking of it as present, and to not be looking at the future in kingdom terms at all.

Jesus had much to say about the kingdom, including this:

Luke 16:

6 The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is being zealously urged into it.

So, where do you stand as to whether it is present, future, or has both a present and a future aspect?

On what basis?

According to which scriptures?

In the beginning was the Kingdom of God.
There is no end to it.

Where does it say that the Kingdom was "in the beginning"? Contrarily, the Scriptures say that the Kingdom is coming.

"Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven." (Matt.6:9,10)

"The God of heaven will set up a Kingdom that will never be destroyed....It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it alone will stand forever." (Daniel 2:44)

"A child has been born to us, a son has been given to us; and the government will rest on his shoulder....To the increase of his government and to peace, there will be no end, on the throne of David and on his Kingdom in order to establish it firmly and to sustain it through justice and righteousness, from now on and forever." (Isaiah 9:6,7)

Does this not look like the Kingdom hasn't been set up yet? It is something that will come, as Jesus taught us to pray for. It will be "established firmly" in the future.

I did not say at what point in time the Kingdom of God came into existence I stated:
In the beginning was the Kingdom of God.
There is no end to it.

In the beginning, could be at any point in time with God.

[JehovahsWitness]

The state of being of the kingdom is to be united with Christ, to have Christ in our hearts...

Okay, so the kingdom of God is the condition or state when people feel united with Chist in their hearts. Its a feeling or a mental state. Is that about right?

No, that is not about right. It is far from what Aquinas wrote and meant....

I think Aquinas can speak for himself; the heart is generally understood to represent biblically the source of our deepest feelings, if he was not thus referring to feelings or a mental disposition he is more than capable of speaking for himself and clarifying what it *is* he meant.

Thank you anyway , goodbye


JW

[AquinasForGod]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness in post #1138]

This is a prophecy about the Jewish early kingdom being done away with and God incarnating as our king.

Also, I will add that words spoken do not always have their dictionary definition. For example, we know what dog means and what cat means and what rain means, yet the meaning of "it is raining cats and dogs" does not follow from the dictionary definitions of these words.

It is clear that Jesus is using "Kingdom of God" and "Kingdom of heaven" in a similar way.

Luke 17: 20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”

Other translations say the kingdom of God is within you.

God's kingdom is not in a place because God is not in a place.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness in post #1138]

This is a prophecy about the Jewish early kingdom ... and God incarnating as our king.

I see .... "Gods incarnation as our king". So when God is incarnating as our king would He not be reigning? I ask because you earlier seemed to object to the idea of God reigning.

To say the kingdom of God is his rule or reign would be anthropomorphic. It is not like God exists in a place. That is not the God of classical theism, and I would argue is not a god at all.

In short can God still {quote} "be a God at all" AND reign as king ?

ZECHARIAH 14:9 Jerusalem bible

And Yahweh will be king of the whole world

JW

[MissKate13]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness in post #1126]

I’m sorry for your confusion. I’ll try to be more clear,

The Present Kingdom

A kingdom cannot exist without the following four elements: a king, subjects, laws, and realm/territory. The kingdom is spiritual in nature (John 18:36) and is here now. We know this because

1. Jesus is King. He is indisputably reigning now (1 Cor.15:25).
2. Christians are His subjects.
3. We live according to the Law of Christ
4. The territory/realm of Christ is His church.

We know that if we have been born again, “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14)

Jesus received His kingdom when He ascended into heaven (Daniel 7:13-14). The first Christians were added to His kingdom, the church, Pentecost AD 33. (Acts 2:41, 47) The church is Jesus’ kingdom.

Not everyone in the world is in the kingdom of our dear Lord and Savior. The majority of humanity is outside of it. Unless they are born again, they cannot enter the kingdom.


The Past Kingdom
Before Jesus established His Kingdom on Pentecost AD 33, YHWH’s kingdom was fleshly Israel. He was their King. The Israelites were His subjects. They lived according to the law of Moses. Their territory was Canaan land. It was a physical kingdom, unlike the kingdom of the NT, which is by nature, spiritual.

The Future eternal Kingdom will be in heaven.

[AquinasForGod]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness in post #1144]

God is not a king in a literal sense, but by analogy for God is above all, so God is not literally reigning.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness in post #1144]

God is not a king in a literal sense, but by analogy for God is above all, so God is not literally reigning.

He is figuratively reigning ?

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness in post #1126]

I’m sorry for your confusion. I’ll try to be more clear,

The Present Kingdom

[...]

1. Jesus is King. He is indisputably reigning now (1 Cor.15:25).
2. Christians are His subjects.
3. We live according to the Law of Christ
4. The territory/realm of Christ is His church.

...
The Future eternal Kingdom will be in heaven.

Thank you, that is much clearer; can you do the above 4 points for the future kingdom ?

[AquinasForGod]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness in post #1144]

God is not a king in a literal sense, but by analogy for God is above all, so God is not literally reigning.

He is figuratively reigning ?

He reigns by analogy.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness in post #1144]

God is not a king in a literal sense, but by analogy for God is above all, so God is not literally reigning.

He is figuratively reigning ?

He reigns by analogy.

So he is reigning analogically?