gospel of the kingdom

[jtheb]

Would anyone like to try to help me by defining it?

[jtheb]

Thanks! That is the clearest explanation I have read.

[Flora Preston]

Thanks, IHA. Your explanation helped shine light on this for me.

But at a future time during the Tribulation the Gospel of the Kingdom will be presented to the whole world, since the Kingdom comes at last when our Lord Jesus Christ comes in power and great glory at the end of it. Matt 24:14 ...And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

If this gospel is preached to the whole world during the tribulation period, what is in store for those who respond? Are these the ones who will inhabit the new earth? How is their future different from the redeemed?

Lord bless,

Flora

[anne]

If this gospel is preached to the whole world during the tribulation period, what is in store for those who respond? Are these the ones who will inhabit the new earth? How is their future different from the redeemed?

I believe the Gospel will still be preached during the Tribulation even though I believe Gods day of Grace as far as the church is concerned will be finished.
As for the Saints they will be indeed gone to be with Him in Glory
The people who are left and come out of the Tribulation will continue into the Millenium reign and still re produce children, Jew and Gentile.
As the church is the only people promised in scripture ''to be like Him'' I believe the new earth will be given to the Jew who was promised it in the first place and King David will reign once again among his people with God reigning over all.
After all the Jews were given eternal promises differant from the church.
Ezekial 37:24-25

24 My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them. (A) They will follow My ordinances, and keep My statutes and obey them. (B)

25 "They will live in the land that I gave to My servant Jacob, (C) where your fathers lived. They will live in it forever with their children and grandchildren, and My servant David will be their prince forever. (D)

[magog99]

I confess I am by no means an expert on this subject, but I have always understood that The Gospel of The Kingdom is to The Jews, and during and after the Tribulation it is The Gospel of The kingdom............ to the Jewish people that once more becomes operative. God has not forgotten His promises to Abraham, and He will fulfill them. The Church represents God's heavenly people; the Jews God's earthly people. In due time God will make all things NEW............... a new heaven and a new earth "wherein dwelleth righteousness" . Heaven, for the Christian; an earthly kingdom for the Jews, with perfect concord between the two.

As I say I am not an expert,but the foregoing is what I understand the "Experts" to say. But given that "God is UNCHANGING......"The same yesterday; today and forever", I confess I find these destinctions, and "prophetic programmes" rather confusing, but I hope nevertheless that this wobbly contribution helps some one some where.

Whatever the "TRUTH" of the matter, William Cowpers lovely hymn, "God moves in a mysterious way" sums it up beautifully for me..... "His purposes will ripen fast; unfolding every hour. The bud may have a bitter taste, but SWEET will be the flower." So, Dispensational "TRUTH" apart; Rapture; Partial Rapture,Kingdom Age, Millenium, The Tribulation ???... so what ! !; Who cares ! whatever the format, I am just happy to sing that, "Jesus shall reign where'er the sun, doth it's successive journeys run; His kingdom WILL stretch from shore to shore, 'til moon shall wax and wane no more" In that day, "there will be no more pain; no more sin; no more death, and God shall wipe all tears from all eyes". Now ain't that just GOOD NEWS. Thats good enough for me, and I am sure looking forward to it ! Are'nt you ?.

[jpurssey]

Let me offer you an alternative understanding of the Good News of the Kingdom of God (or Heaven as Matthew prefers to call it).

The central feature of the preaching and teaching of Jesus was his belief that, in and through him, God's kingly reign had begun to break into human history. For Him, the kingly reign of God was no longer a vague vision of the future. The royal reign of grace, the time of joy for the down-trodden, the sinners and the outcasts, the era of good news for the poor, the moment of table-fellowship with the little people of society had begun to dawn in his life and teaching, his death and resurrection.

Jesus was so convinced that God's absolute future was breaking into human history through his life and work that he healed the sick and cast out the demons. He ignored the sabbath regulations and proclaimed the end of the temple. He abolished the rigid food regulations and associated with the outcasts of society. He pronounced God's blessing on the poor and demonstrated His presence with the persecuted. He declared the forgiveness of sins and invited outcasts and notorious sinners to share with him the messianic banquet of the kingdom. All, without exception, were invited and all, without distinction, were welcome for this was to be a festival of grace and joy, a festival celebrating God's kingly reign.

In light of this inbreaking of the kingdom, Jesus taught with authority, preached the good news, invited sinners to repentance and faith and, in an action without parallel in the ancient world, took the initiative and called disciples to follow him. He invited them to leave the security of families and jobs to be with him as he travelled the length and breadth of Palestine, preaching the good news and teaching the ways of the kingdom, healing the sick and casting out demons. In an intimate way they were his people, for he was calling them to share his mission in the world.

The radical nature of the life of discipleship is seen already in the well-known story of 'The call of the fishermen':

Now after John was handed over to the authorities, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the good news of God and saying, The time is fulfilled, the kingly reign of God has drawn near. Repent and believe the good news!'
Jesus was walking along the shore of lake Galilee when he saw Simon and his brother Andrew on the lake working with a casting net, for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, `Come with me and I will make you fishers of people.' Straight away, they left their nets and followed him.
When he had gone along a little further he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, and they were in the boat overhauling their nets. Straight away he called them and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired workers, they went off after him (Mark 1:14-20).

After the first Easter, Christians, living in settled communi­ties scattered throughout the ancient world, continued to remember and retell the stories of how Jesus called the disciples and how they followed him throughout Palestine. Even those who had never seen the sea of Galilee and knew nothing about fishing found definitive examples of God's action with his people in the world in these simple stories.
In the retelling of these narratives about Jesus, the Lord of the church continued to call his people to faith and service in the world. Hence they never became mere reminiscences of the heroes of the faith, simply tales about the good old days; rather, they continued to embody the proclamation of the good news. They continued to call women and men to faith―whoever they were and wherever they lived. They retained their essential character of contemporary preaching in story form.

The Fringes of Freedom, pp19-20 Athol Gill, 1990. From an address to Servants in a Strange Land Radical Discipleship Conference, Melbourne, June 1982

I believe that the Gospels are not merely a telling of history, but they are the message of Good News for us and for us to bring to others.
The Good News is that the Kingdom is still breaking into this world for those who have eyes to see it. We lose so much if we see it as just a phase of history that was unsuccessful in bring Israel back to God.
Are we fisherpeople also? Or did that also pass with the end of the trial of the Kingdom of God as understood in the first explanation?

Surely, all the parables to explain the kingdom: the sower, the growth of seed, the mustard seed, the weeds, yeast, are to help us understand the Kingdom with us now.

Matthew 13:44-52
The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he found a pearl of great value, he went out and sold everything he had and bought it.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea that caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, they pulled it ashore, sat down, and put the good fish into containers and threw the bad away. It will be this way at the end of the age. Angels will come and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace,where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

“Have you understood all these things?” They replied, “Yes.” Then he said to them, “Therefore every expert in the law who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his treasure what is new and old.”

In a similar vein from Middle Earth's Fourth Annual Convention on Discipleship and Lifestyle, Sydney, May 1980

The kingdom of God in the preaching Jesus

`Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preach­ing the good news of God and saying, "The time is fulfilled, the kingly reign of God has drawn near; repent and believe the good news" (Mark 1:14-15). `From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingly reign of heaven has drawn near"' (Matthew 4:17). `The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim release for the captives and recovery of sight for the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord' (Luke 4:18-19; see also v43: `I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose'). With these words the three Evangelists present what they believe to have been the essence of the preaching of Jesus. Though they express it in words appropri­ate to their differing situations and theologies, they are united in their testimony that in the parables and miracles of Jesus, in his life and ministry, in his death and resurrection, God's reign of grace had begun to break into human history.

The idea of the kingdom of God did not begin with Jesus. It had a long history behind it. From early days the people of
Israel had celebrated God's kingly reign in their temple liturgies, particularly in the Psalms and enthronement festi­vals (Psalms 49; 93; 96-99). However, as time went by they came to the increasing realisation that all was not well within Israel and that the present occupants of the throne of David fell far short of divine and human expectations. They began to dream of a day when God's kingly rule would be revealed in all its glory (Isaiah 24:23; 33:22; Zephaniah 3:15; Zechariah 14:16-17). This hope for a new future flowered during the Exilic and post-Exilic periods when Israel was under the domination of the Gentiles. Labouring under the oppression of foreign rule the people looked forward in eager anticipation to the day when God's rule would break into their world, when Israel would be free and all the nations would acknowledge that Yahweh was king (Isaiah 24:3; Zechariah 14:9,16). At present his royal rule might be hidden and unrecognised by the majority of people, but they believed that one day God would fulfill their hopes and dreams, vindicating his word and liberating his people (Zephaniah 3:15; Malachi 1:14).

Jesus came preaching and teaching that the time of fulfilment had drawn near. It was knocking at the door! With an authority that was recognised even by his opponents, he affirmed that, contrary to all appearances, God's kingdom was a present reality. When asked for a word of assurance he pointed to the fact that his reign was already breaking into human history as, in his words and works,. Satan was being defeated (Luke 11:10,20), the blind were receiving their sight, the lame were walking, the lepers were being cleansed, the deaf were hearing, the dead were being raised and the good news was being preached to the poor (Matthew 11:15).
The words and actions of Jesus were controversial and ran counter to the religious and political ambitions of the authorities (Mark 2:1-3:6;11:27-33). Convinced that, through him, God's absolute future was breaking into the present age, he healed the sick (Mark 129-34,40-45) and cast out demons (1:23-28; 5:1-20), ignored the sabbath regulations (2:23-28; 3:1-6) and proclaimed the end of the temple (13:2;14:58). He abolished the rigid food regulations (7:14) and associated with the nobodies of society (2:13-17; Luke 7:36-50). He pronounced God's blessing on the poor and demonstrated his presence with the persecuted (Matthew 5:1-11; 25:31-46). He declared the forgiveness of sins (Mark 2:1-12) and invited the outcasts and infidels to the messianic banquet (w15-17; Luke 14:15­24). All, without exception, were invited and all, without distinction were welcome, for this was to be a festival of grace and joy; a carnival celebrating the coming of God's kingly reign.

Though the kingdom had begun to break into the world it was in many ways still veiled and hidden. It could only be described in parables and metaphors (Mark 4:1-34) and could only be understood by faith. In these stories which Jesus related from everyday life, those who were listening were gripped in their hearts and minds and they responded either in faith or in unbelief. Drawn irresistibly into the drama of the story they either affirmed `Yes, that is how it is with God!' or denied that God could ever act in such a way.

Many of the religious and political leaders were unable to understand the truth of Jesus' teaching and they were indig­nant at the way he behaved. Spending so much time in bad company! Surely God approved only of the upright, the moral, the religious (Mark 2:15-17,18-20), the sort of people with whom they associated. After all, a person may always be judged by the company he keeps and for a wandering charis­matic preacher from Galilee to associate with the riff-raff of society was to invite both the wrath of God and the ready condemnation of the authorities.

The little people of society, however, instinctively recog­nised in the stranger from Nazareth the fulfilment of their desires and ambitions. Wherever he went in Galilee the poor and the outcasts, the women and the children, the sick and the demon-possessed flocked to greet him. When they arrived, they found that they were not only welcome, but especially invited! The messianic banquet had been prepared for them (Luke 14:16-21). The kingdom was theirs (Matthew 5:3,10; Mark 10:14). What a celebration! But what a reversal of values: the first were finding out that they had now become last, whereas those who were considered to be last were now being invited to take their places in the kingdom of God (v31).
The Fringes of Freedom, pp36-37 Athol Gill, 1990.

[Rob]

I wrote a short course for new converts I teach. This is the first of 3 units on the Kingdom of God. Its a view of the KIngdom as a present dynamic reality, rather than just a postponed prophetic hope. I do not expect its wide aproval by most here but nevertheless offer it for your consideration.

Unit 12 – Kingdom of God:

Jesus taught us to pray ‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’! But what are we praying for? What is God’s kingdom? How does it come?

What Is The Kingdom of God?

The gospels record Jesus mentioning the kingdom of God 117 times it is His central teaching and provides a knowledge base for furthering His activity in our own time along the lines outlined in the New Testament. The word kingdom in Greek is basilea and in Hebrew malkuth both primarily carry the older English meaning of the term ‘kingdom’ i.e. the reign, rule or government of a king Luke 1:33, Isa 9:6-7. The term ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ is just a Hebrew way of speaking of the Kingdom of God. The gospels use these terms interchangeably, compare text of Jesus statements in various gospels.

How Does The Kingdom of God come?

A King must get his will done somewhere. Jesus declared ‘the time is fulfilled the kingdom of God is at hand (near). Through Jesus God’s getting his will done on earth! The Kingdom of God is present where Jesus is reigning in people who are living in obedience to Him. Jesus' words and actions brought the kingdom near. Near enough for us to get hold of it through repentance Math 4:17. We can see what the kingdom is like what our lives should be like by looking at Jesus! It’s a totally new way of living as we make Jesus Lord (King) of our lives. We can ‘reign in life’ as Jesus reigns in us Rom. 5:17.

This has present and future implications. Unbelievers are spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, and produce ‘dead works’ or worthless works. We should live by faith and experience the reign of God’s grace in our lives, because being ‘born again’ we can see and enter the kingdom Jn. 3:3-5, Rom. 5:21 and produce works of faith here and now. This will include triumph over all sorts of trials and problems Rom: 8:37. Paul desired for Christians to reign in life 1 Cor. 4:8 and experience the kingdom’s righteousness peace and joy Rom. 14:17, and power from the Holy Spirit 1 Cor 4:20.

In Matthew we see some of the things that happen and what it means for us when Jesus is Lord:- The sick will be healed 4:23, people are freed from demons 4:24, brothers will learn to live in peace 5:23-24. It will mean – not taking revenge 5:38, loving our enemies 5:44, not worrying 6:33, not judging others 7:1-5, caring for outcasts 9:9-12, valuing children 19:13-15. The benefits of the kingdom are spiritual, forgiveness & salvation Lk. 5:20; psychological, emotional healing Matt. 11:28-30; physical, healing Lk. 4:38-39 and material, justice and the relief of poverty Lk. 4:18; and social acts of mutual assistance Acts 2:40.

You see we bring the kingdom into our lives and the lives of those around us as we allow Jesus to reign in us according to His words. As we pray for the kingdom to come we are praying for God to have His way in and through our lives. Coming under the authority of Jesus we experience the kingdom (his rule in our lives) and begin to share in administering the rule of God in the world through the power of the Holy Spirit. Through being born again and filled with the Holy Spirit we see and understand the kingdom, how it works and enter into active participation in it John 3:3-5. Being born again is not the same as entering the kingdom its the precondition for seeing and entering it.

Future Implications: Rewards of The Kingdom:

Some who become Christians and although forgiven do not ‘overcome evil’ they fall back into their former ways. They are saved, but saved as if from a fire all their potential rewards are burnt up as worthless works I Cor. 3:13-15. These people do not inherit the kingdom of God 1 Cor 6:3, 9-10, Eph. 5:5, Gal. 5:20-21.
All the future rewards of the kingdom of God are not guaranteed to all believers. ‘If we’ endure ‘we’ shall reign with him 2 Timothy 2:12. ‘Those’ who overcome are promised to reign see Revelation 2:10. ‘They’ have a crown, 2:26-27 and are given authority to rule, 3:21, ‘they’ sit on Christ throne. ‘They’ reign through the millennial kingdom (the 1000 year reign of Christ) 20:46 and ‘they’ reign forever with Him in a renewed world 22:5. Such rewards were referred to in Jesus’ parables of the kingdom e.g. the parable of the talents and of the ten virgins and in Paul’s teaching 1 Cor. 15:41-42, 2 Cor 5:10. This does not mean that ‘they’ will lord it over others. God reigns in love. Jesus ministry demonstrated God’s reign as a servant king.

Jesus has promised to return, then He will bring God’s kingdom of love to earth completely. Satan’s final defeat will take place and the whole of mankind will recognise God’s reign. The book of Revelation is full of pictures about this time. We are already seeing a part of this love as the kingdom of God begins to come into our lives together but when the good news of this kingdom has been preached to the whole world the end of ‘this evil age’ will come Matt. 24:14.

‘I (Jesus) am coming quickly, an My reward is with Me’. Rev. 22:12.

The Kingdom is Jesus Love in Action:

“What we call the ministry of Jesus it is the Kingdom of God” (G. E. Ladd)

Where Jesus is active the kingdom of God is exercised Matt 12:28. Jesus did not just come with a message about God’s reign and activity i.e. a message about the kingdom of God. He simply said “the time is fulfilled the kingdom of God is near” Mark 1:15. The kingdom was near because he had brought it in His person and exercised it, taking authority over the works of darkness. God was getting His will done through Jesus, His Messiah by His Spirit on the ground amongst the people because the king was with them. It was God’s love that sent Jesus to do the work of the kingdom, to start ruling on earth Jn. 3:16.

Luke introduces Jesus’ ministry by recording His activities in Nazareth Luke 4:18-21. Luke clearly intends us to understand two things from this introduction:-

a) The good news that Jesus was proclaiming was His government manifesto, the description of what the kingdom would bring into effect in lives Lk 4:43 Jesus was good-newsing the Kingdom of God.
b) The kingdom had arrived Luke 4:21 Jesus claimed that the promise of Isaiah 61 were fulfilled by his declaration. Jesus did not promise a better future, that they would soon enter the kingdom. He boldly announced the kingdom of God had come. He promised a better NOW. The Kingdom was an event taking place the action of God fulfilled in the action of Jesus.
c) He began to take from Satan by force what He would not receive as a bribe Luke 4:5-7.

The Continuing Activity of the Kingdom: Entering, Suffering & Working:

When you became a Christian you turned away from the past and turned to God, you are know under His authority and God has brought you into the realm of His kingdom Colossians 1:13-14. As you begin to let God’s rule increase in your life, so His kingdom begins to come Matt. 6:10.
The kingdom of God is not experienced because you are intelligent or sophisticated but by those who accept it like children Matt. 18:2-4.

Being born again is a condition of entering the kingdom, but is not guarantee of being involved in exercising our kingdom rights (i.e. spiritual authority). To enter the kingdom involves us in tribulation and conflict with evil forces both human and spiritual, it will require perseverance Acts 14:22. Rev 1:9. Tribulation or persecution directed towards us for the sake of Jesus indicates that we are entering into the kingdom and is a reason for us to rejoice Matt. 5:10-12. He calls us to respond and enter in 1 Thessalonians 2:12-13. Will we respond and be counted worthy of the kingdom? 2 Thessalonians 1:5.

Jesus is still with us by the Spirit, He gave us the authority of His name lets use it and see His kingdom come! Acts 1:1-8 implies that the work of the disciples in the book of Acts was actually the continuing work of Jesus in the world through them. The disciples ask Jesus about the kingdom in relation to Israel but His answer is that we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit to accomplish the work of the kingdom at this time. Being involved in the kingdom means that Jesus continues His service (ministry) to the world through us by the power of the Spirit. We have the privileged opportunity to be workers for the kingdom of God Colossians 4:11. will you be one and offer acceptable service to God because of the kingdom you are being offered Hebrews 12:28.

The Kingdom Comes by Words: When we live as Jesus taught us others see the kingdom of God through what we say and do. When the apostles asked Jesus if the kingdom was coming He told them they would be sent out as witnesses for Him through the power of the Spirit. So as we tell others about what Jesus has done for us the kingdom comes Acts 1:8.

The Kingdom Comes by Works: as we do practical things for others to show the love of Jesus, just like the good Samaritan Lk. 10:30-37.

The Kingdom Comes by Wonders: We have seen that Jesus brought the kingdom into peoples lives through healing, deliverance and miracles. We can take part in this work as we are obedient and have faith Mk. 16:14-20, Jn. 14:12-15, 1 Cor. 2:4-5.

Seeking First The Kingdom of God

We began by looking at the personal implications of the Kingdom of God in rather selfish terms. What does it mean for me? What do I get out of it? This is not entirely wrong Jesus encouraged those He taught with promises of rewards in His kingdom for faithfulness. As we have seen the apostles Paul in 1 Corinthians and John in Revelation also refer to rewards, these relate to this time and the coming age.

However we must remember it is God’s kingdom and a mature attitude is for us to be concerned with what He gets out of it. To be concerned with furthering His will and purposes and to do our part to see Jesus satisfied with His ministry and kingdom work in us Isaiah 53:11 Ephesians 1:18.

John Wimber a converted professional pop musician coined the phrase ‘doing the stuff’. After he attended a church but was totally confused about what was going on he asked the ‘Minister’, ‘when do you do the ‘stuff’, the healing and casting out demons like in the book’ (the Bible)?

We must ‘do the stuff’ through the gifts of the Spirit and ‘live the stuff’ by the fruit of the Spirit. Only then is Jesus Lord in our life, only then will the kingdom of God come!

Reading Assignment: Read as many of the verses quoted in this unit as you can.
Memory Verse: Matthew 6:33
Books To Read: The Kingdom Factor by R. Mitchell.
Destined For The Throne by P. Billheimer.
The Kingdom of Jesus by R. Forster.
What on Earth is This Kingdom by G. Coats
The Kingdom of God” G. E. Ladd

[Stephen Rodgers]

It would be appreciated if IHA coudl explain how he came to this conclusion;

The last offering of the Kingdom to Israel is found in Acts 3:19 where the formula is clearly implied.

[Stephen Rodgers]

John came preaching the Kingdom of God comes with repentance and the baptism of water implying new birth, the same was taught by the 12 Apostles. It was Paul alone who taught our entrance into heaven is not through a new birth but a New Creation. Does not new birth imply the old being made new again [sort of recycling] but a new creation something entirely new?

And what is this kingdom one enters into? Strong's concordance refers to 'Kingdom' as 'Dominion'. Dominion is primarily about power, who rules.
From Scripture it is Nimrod the direct descendant of Ham that sets up the first Kingdom or dominion in opposition to God. [Gen.10:10]

It is fascinating to discover this Kingdom is called Babylon. It means "confusion" a multitude of tongues, just like the multitude of sects that make up Christendom. Like Esau another mighty hunter [Gen.25:27]Nimrod knew how to play the game of catching his prey.
This reminds me of Christendom Today the Great Babylon with it's 40,000 sects. There are many Nimrod's hunting today seeking to ensnare their prey.

To understand the Kingdom of God we must first understand it's modus operandi. Nothing in this Kingdom functions like man's kingdoms, or his institutionalised religious dominions.This Kingdom is not based on belief, but faith that gives the substance. [see Heb.11:1] This Kingdom has no need to be organised, for it never was in confusion. It has no beginning or end, no specific or final revelation, it defies every concept of the carnal religious mind that so seeks order in confusion. It is eternal and not of time, it is spiritual and not of matter.

God's Kingdom is a spiritual kingdom and cannot be organised like the kingdom of matter. No mere man can give us this Kingdom, nor take it from us. Indeed to look for it in this external world or in outward signs is to lose it within.[Luke 17:20-21] God originally gave Adam dominion over all the work of His hands. God did not sit on some white throne high up in the heavens delegating orders, but exercised His authority from within Adam.

So when Adam disobeyed and no longer listened to the voice within but that outside of Eve, he fell. It was this fall, "to be as God" through the wisdom of others and deny that dwelling in Adam's own heart, in the garden of his own thoughts, that set the stage for Babylon. Any departure from listening to God directly within the garden of our Christ thoughts, gives way to Babylon and it's Gospel of confusion. It started at Eden.[See also Ezek.28:13]

[jpurssey]

It would be appreciated if IHA could explain how he came to this conclusion;

The last offering of the Kingdom to Israel is found in Acts 3:19 where the formula is clearly implied.

I think this must be a typo or a mistake. The reference is not to an an offering of the kingdom (Acts 3:19 "Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out")

Certainly in Acts 8 Phillip proclaimed the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the people of Samaria and Paul proclaimed the kingdom of God.

Luke-Acts even ends with Paul "28:30-31 Paul lived there two whole years in his own rented quarters and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete boldness and without restriction" Surely this means we are continue with the same message of the Kingdom.

In 1 Cor 4 Paul sees his own actions as demonstrating the Kingdom of God "4:18-20 Some have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not only the talk of these arrogant people, but also their power. For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not in idle talk but with power.

In Romans 14: 13-18 the life of the community of Christians is also the Kingdom of God "Therefore we must not pass judgement on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister. I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean. For if your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what you consider good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. For the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.

I agree with Stephen that Luke 17:20-21 says that the KOG is not like other Kingdoms (a revived Davidic kingdom for example) "Now at one point the Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God was coming, so he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” but both the Corinthians passage and the Romans passage above demonstrate that it is possible to see evidence of the Kingdom breaking into the life of a Christian community.

So i now realise why I was surprised when IHA said that "The Gospel of the Kingdom is not appropriate now" I cannot agree with this view in light of these Gospel and Epistle passages. I am surprised this is a brethren view. It was not a teaching I heard.

The term ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ is just a Jewish way of speaking of the Kingdom of God. The gospels use these terms interchangeably, compare text of Jesus statements in various gospels.

Rob, some further information. "Kingdom of Heaven" is the term used in Matthew in all but three instances. This is because The Gospel of Matthew was written to the Jews or for Jewish Christians whose scruples did not allow them to pronounce the name of God and substituted metaphors for the divine name. Mark, Luke, John and the Letters always use "Kingdom of God", though the term is only used twice in John.
BTW, I like that you are teaching about the KOG. I hope that some of the passages I have quoted may be of help to you and your community of faith.

[Stephen Rodgers]

While I agree with a lot of jpurssey well thought out comments and no doubt reflects the current theological view of most evangelical christians, this is a huge subject, absolutely so huge that rarely is it given even a one per cent look at in orthodox Christian circles. Let me amplify this.

How can it be good news if people converted under this Gospel still live in bondage to sin? If it all awaits or depends on a coming Kingdom to walk in it, of what possible benefit is it in this world or this life? What sort of "ambassadors for Christ" can we be if we constantly falter and err like those around us, even if on a lower degree? How can we claim to be "sons of God"? And does it not lower our Gospel that we preach is also found to be so similar to others, even those who have homosexual Ministers and favour abortion, if our Gospel be similar in the basics?

Can this be Paul's Gospel that he says he was "separated unto" and calls "my Gospel" "I am not ashamed of the Gospel" "the Gospel of peace" "the Gospel of Christ" "Gospel of God" "Gospel of the uncircumcision" "Christ's Gospel" "Gospel that is hid, hid in those lost" "Light of the glorious Gospel" "Gospel of your salvation" "mystery of the Gospel" "faith of the Gospel" "truth of the Gospel." Then Paul goes onto the activity of this Gospel "Partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel","laboured with me in the Gospel" "the bonds of the Gospel" "subjection unto the Gospel" "I abuse not my power in the Gospel" "I have begotten you through the Gospel". So Paul was the great exponent of the Gospel and declared that" In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL." Rom.2:16

So what is this Gospel of Paul's " hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN. {Can you see now the mystery of the Gospel?} It gets better ""But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to Light through the Gospel" 2 Tim.1:9-10

Paul's Gospel takes you beyond death into immortality, you will never understand thsi until your experience the power of Paul's Gospel of glory. For it is all based on the resurrection, if not Paul's Gospel is folly. Here we are laying aside the wisdom of this world, and preaching what man's wisdon calls foolishness......how can you not die? Yet "the folishness of God is WISER THAN MEN" 1 Cor.1:25
"The natural man receives not the things of God" for instance : "made us sit together in the ehavenly places in Christ" "present every man perfect in Christ".......... yes this Gospel makes you perfect, and seats you in the heavenlies and "sets your affections on the things above, not on things of the earth."

Foolishness to the religious mind set, whose feet like lead are set firmly on terra firma. Such Christians have not "mortified their members on earth." And these spiritual "are judged of no man." Call them Christian mystics, call them what you like, but this is some Gospel. I am a very imaginative person, but I cannot conceive of greater news than Paul's Gospel...."filled to all the fullness of God" so God may be all in all. This Gospel makes death the greatest non-event in history.The supreme Divine Joke....on man's wisdom. Yes it is divine to laugh, have you seen your dog laugh? Humour is a divine faculty.

How many truly understand this? What is this "dispensation of the Gospel?"
Those that do will understand the Mystery of Paul's Gospel, of which other Christians living under law, sort "to pervert the Gospel of Christ" "to hinder the Gospel" and so "enemies crept in" to "Especially those of the circumcision...who subvert whole households, teaching what they ought not for filthy lucre's sake[$]. Why does Paul refer to these as of the circumcision?

Who are these legalists living under law Today? Not hard to look for in exclusive fellowships. Many who have made millions in receiving tax free donations. Also reminds you of the Tele-evangelists. Why did Paul say "work with your own hands " neither did we eat any man's bread.... if any man not work, let him not eat." Does not these Preachers accepting money even donations bring their Gospel into disrepute? Early brethren were on track here but quickly fell from the truth. The thin edge of the wedge is always the mighty dollar.

"Paul said we are to "live the Gospel" not live OFF the Gospel as many would twist it for their own personal gain. Yes God told man to earn his keep with the sweat of his own brow, sobering thoughts. Paul's Gospel provided an Evangelist that not only paid for whose own needs but those with him! They would make tents and sell them where ever they could, they were no laid back couch potatoes that only got up to to an audience, whose only activity "was to tickle their ears' as Paul's Gospel put it. Does any follow what Paul is saying here, today? Even most Brethren now have fallen into paid ministry...."for filthy lucre's sake."


The "Kingdom of Heaven" occurs 31 times in Matthew. It is noteworthy that it appears nowhere else in the New Testament. It does appear in the Book of Daniel.

"The Kingdom of God" occurs 63 times in the New Testament, 9 times in Acts and Paul's epistles, only 5 times in Matthew -- the rest in Mark, Luke and John.

As to why Matthew preferred "Kingdom of Heaven" to "Kingdom of God," the explanation has long been as jpurssey has mentioned that Matthew, writing to specifically Jewish readers, inserted "heaven" for "God" so as not to offend the sensibilities of the Jews regarding pronouncing the name of God. This is probably correct for some suggest the synoptic Gospel of Matthew was first written in Hebrew. But this still gives no explanation why 5 times Matthew failed to make the switch, and why he uses "God" in over 50 other instances.

Let one state there is enormous confusion about the Gospel Today. The Churches have composed and compounded the problem by spreading a Gospel which carries bad news as much as good news. If you do not accept this Gospel you go to hell. It is like having a gun pointed at you....what an heretical thought to have, how dare I suggest such a thing but is there not some truth in it? Yet if God who has "shut up ALL mankind in stubbornness and unbelief" it would appear then, that it would be God's Will that releases one from unbelief and not our will....for how can man's will resist that of God's?

Yet is is "God's Will that all men should be saved", yet somehow man can overide God's will, OR have we got the Gospel wrong?
Have we accepted a lesser Gospel, an inferior and less powerful one, that on the whole fails to save mankind even though "God is Saviour of all men"?[1Tim.4:10] And is it rascist inasmuch as "All Israel shall be saved?"Rom.11:26

No doubt because of the incredible lack of understanding of the Gospel, even a conceited arrogance, having really a Gospel what Paul calls an admixture, a compound of Gospels or Commissions that have not been as Paul said "rightly dividing the Truth." Paul calls this Gospel in the strongest terms an abomination.

Let one mention the 5 different Gospels in the New Testament:
1.The Gospel of the Circumcision/Jews [where Christ told them not to go to the gentiles/samaritans Math.10:5-7]
2.The Gospel to the Gentiles/Uncircumcised Galatians 2:7
3.The Mystery of the Gospel Eph.6:19
4.Gospel of admixture "A different Gospel, which is not another" Gal.1:7-8
5.The Everlasting Gospel Rev.14:6

It seems to me that something vital has been left our of this Gospel, that popular Theology unfortunately focuses on sin and forgiveness of sin but gives nothing of the true nature of the Gospel of the Kingdom which is about Dominion. Why has man lost Dominion and become a slave to sin, constantly needing forgiveness? Where is the power of this gospel?

This Gospel of the Kingdom [or as Strong's Concordance puts it Dominion], is about man again exercising his dominion.

[RAP]

I have been sitting the sidelines for some time watching the dialogue on a number of the threads. This one intrigues.

JND says that the Matthew references could alternately be translated "kingdom of the heavenlies" and the thought conveyed relates to the rule of the heavens upon the earth. In that sense it probably should not be viewed as universal as is the kingdom of God. Said another way, the kingdom of heaven is a sphere of divine influence that is in mystery form and not fully revealed to mankind. It is sphere of profession and potentially divided or false loyalties - four kinds of ground, wheat and darnell (tares), drag net, & etc. Recognition of what is true and what is false in the kingdom of heaven is a study akin to the intrigue that goes on in any earthly political system. Yes there is Jewishness to it, but make no mistake, it covers the entire earth but not the earth entirely. This we know because the drag net does not take in all the fishes of the sea but rather a broad sampling of all the fishes of the sea (both good and bad). The great tree grows and "fills all the earth" and has birds nesting in it but not all of the birds.

Another interesting feature is that, of the 7 parables of the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 13, only 2 are repeated in Mark and Luke. John, of course, makes no reference whatsoever to these parables. The two repeated parables are of the sower and the great tree (mustard). The only parable in John's gospel maybe in John 10 although JND translates this one allegory because the Greek word is different. In John's view of the Son of God, there are no mysteries. The Word has become flesh and we have beheld His glory -- fully manifested as declared in the purpose for his writing of the gospel in chapter 20.

Rambling a bit here but I suggest that an examination of the 2 repeated parables should help in understanding the difference between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God because, in a Venn diagram sense, here we have the overlap.

Maranatha!

[Stephen Rodgers]

I agree RAP it does not say the Kingdom IN Heaven but the Kingdom OF Heaven. You know I am not trying to be clever, or wiser than anyone here, I just want the Truth and I am my own greatest critic. May the Hammer of the Lord crash down on me if my hand departs from the truth. Not that I can do anything against the truth, "For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the Truth" [2 Cor.13:8]]Truth just IS, it is self evident and needs none of us including JND to expound it. Truth is always instantly recognisable to an honest heart.

So why does one bother? Because so many do not have the truth, truth needs no defence BUT I WILL TELL YOU FOR A CERTAINTY FALSEHOOD NEEDS DEFENCE...... constant defence and you have to constantly shift their boundary fences, for they are all built on shifting sand.

When I was in Exclusive Brethren they constantly maintained they had the truth, they even put out a book called: "The Recovery and Maintenance of the Truth." by AJGardiner. Their truth was constantly changing around establishing the authority of whoever was the Leader at the time. They proclaimed the heavenly nature of the Body of Christ but at the same time had this idea THEY would rule over the earth in the millennium not Israel, they were beginning to lose having their mind on heavenly things above. So they were instructed to do well in business, make lots of money, they had confused the Gospel of the Kingdom with the heavenly truth of the Assembly.

The Gospel of Mark starts with "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" that was preached to all those in Israel, [and strictly instructed by Christ not to go to the samaritans Math.10:5]]this Gospel is only found to differ, in Mark 16:15 where they are told to preach to the whole creation, but there is a serious problem here as the paragraph of Mark 16:9-20 are missing in the two earliest codices of the Sinaiticus and the Vaticanus but turns up in the later Alexandricus codice.I may add that the commission of Christ before His ascent from the Mt. Olivet to the Apostles was to preach to "the uttermost part of the earth" and should be translated " to the utmost parts of the Land/Palestine" [Acts1:8]

It is impossible to lose truth and impossible to find it. Why? Because the carnal mind which "is at enmity with God" [Rom.8:7] cannot find Truth in the first place to lose it! What ever can be remembered can also be forgotten. Truth can never be forgotten and never remembered, for it is not written in the brain but the "fleshy tablets of the heart."[2Cor.3:3]

Truth is not some commodity, for there is no commodity on earth to compare it with, no material yardstick in this universe to measure it by. Why are there 40,000 sects in Christendom if there be one truth.......let me tell you there are 40,000 falsehoods. And they are all blaspemously seeking to maintain falsehood in the holy name of Truth.

"Does not wisdom cry, and understanding put forth her voice" [Prov.8:1] "She crieth at the gates" [Prov.8:3 ]She wisdom/truth is never found within a man made religious establishment, only at her gates "at the entry into the city." So how do we find truth? Alas, not in all the dead words of men from all ages, for it is always fresh manna "present truth" [2Pet.1:12.] Alas in our own wisdom we too often seize the words of other persons idea of truth as our own. Especially if they are charismatic, influential and of popular reputation in the circle they may move in. Even if we can clothe them in a better robe of words, of our own highest ideals, one is still drinking secondhand from stagnant waters; and no matter how much we add our own exotic flavours, it is forever dead for it is not from The Holy Spirit direct...nor from that state of mind where we "lead every thought captive to Christ" [2 Cor.10:5] and only in that "Mind of Christ" [ 1Cor.2:16] will you "find a well of water springing up into eternal life" [John4:14.]

Alas so many bed their newly found truth, as if she/truth was a virgin of highest ideals, but find her ultimately frigid, a phantom with nothing but cold feet. Especially when divorce comes, or their children run amuck. Yet a man still clings to her, as she in turn clings to him, demanding back from such what he sought to endow her with from the beginning. Such truths protest too much, underneath their painted masks lie's the face of a harlot. Give me truth she cries, give me life, you who created me as truth, so that I may shine before the world!

Thus a man is ever dissatisfied as he lies beside her, while his life is ebbing out all the way to the grave, she sucks him dry. Ever pregnant she is. Ever does she spawn falsehoods. Overrun is this man's house, until haggard, weak kneed, he finally totters and staggers under her bewitchments. Such were the Galatians with their corrupted Gospel.

How many Christian mystics do you know? Not many. The true role of a Christian mystic is to challenge and disrupt the very comfortable living zone you have made for yourself. Why? So you will start to "examine yourself"[ 2Cor.13:5], to look deeper than you ever have before into yourself. Stop looking and judging others,[Rom.2:1] what sort of Christian are you, what sort employer or employee are you, husband, son........how really diligent are you in your spiritual growth? Are you self satisfied and complacent? Are you an authority on your self? Or are you just an authority on others? Just how healthy is this Temple of God your body? Is it full of rusty pipes that need replacing? Is it congested and full of garbage? And are we really living off that garbage analysing it and declaring it to be our truth?

You know the world itself cannot contain the things that could be written about our Master[John 21:25], just over three years. What motivates me and drives me on like one horsewhipped is the glory of this evangel of Christ...."the unsearchable riches of Christ."[Eph.3:8] "blest with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ " [Eph.1:3]

It is far greater than fine wine, it's healing far greater than any medicant could give, it's intoxicating beauty greater than all the fairest daughters of men. Daily I am filled with this intoxicating "not of this world" [John 17:4] elixir, that enables me to live in this chaotic world, a world constructed out of the nightmare of an individual identity separate from Christ.

Sorry for being longwinded just explaining what the Gospel of the unsearchable riches of Christ, means to me.

O.K. back on track as RAP said this is not the Kingdom in heaven. Indeed every verse in Matthew refers to this Kingdom as OF heaven. So this Kingdom is on earth.....indeed to be correct in the Land/Palestine. Jerusalem over which most of the world travails at the moment afflicted with terrorism worldwide, yet out out of this travail is seen the Divine hand that will birth the City of the Book of Revelations 21 that rules over the nations of men. But it will have a heavenly Government and a heavenly Kingship....this time purposed, determined and planned in heaven and not of earth.

Having said that the Kingdom of the heavens is not to be confused with the Kingdom of God. This Kingdom of Heaven is mentioned some 30 times and always in relation to the Kingdom of heaven ON EARTH or what some may call the millennial Kingdom of Israel.

The Kingdom of God, on the other hand, is not a Kingdom we would ordinarily think of in human terms but rather God's extended family as Paul puts it "the Father of every family on heaven and earth." [Eph3:15 ]Whatever dispensation, whatever administration from Adam to the end of the ages. So the Kingdom of God is really about dominion and how extensive that dominion is to quote RAP "four kinds of ground, wheat and darnell (tares), drag net, & e", and from the point of view of relationship a family of God. Of course some translators have ignored the original Greek words and confused these two kingdoms. So the kingdom of God takes in much broader group of people, and includes the kingdom of the heavens.

Let me tell you Darby and the early brethren was onto something big, about the Assembly Of Christ. So big a problem it created for the God of this world, the "spiritual wickedness in high places" [Eph.6:12] these "rulers of darkness" [Eph.6:12]did their utmost to wipe it out in the leaders that followed, through constant division and arrogant spiritual pride. Yet there we are still a remnant left in Exclusive brethren to keep the faith once delivered to the saints, like my Grandfather who never tried to make a name for himself. Of course if he had he would have been withdrawn from like his brother. The only ministry he followed was J.B.Stoney.

Now this ministry of the Body of Christ is really the kernel of Paul's Gospel, it is the secret administration of our dispensation by which I mean that delivered to Paul [Col.1:25] During this administration[ which I prefer to dispensation] of Divine Grace, blindness has fallen upon a part of God's Kingdom the Israelites, UNTIL the Fullness of the Gentiles are complete.[Rom.11:25] This is a spiritual Kingdom[Eph.3:5 Concordant Translation] we are in now, when many are receiving "spiritual bodies" [1 Cor.15:44] like unto Christ, who are in this world but not of it. In fact kingdom is not the correct word to use, it is the Administration of the Headship of Christ, who has "raised us up and seated us together in the heavenly places in Christ." [Eph.2:6]

The outer man is there but this outer man is being CHANGED as the inner man Christ renews itself day by day [2 Cor.4:16]. Paul said "I die daily" [1 Cor.15:31] this is a constant experience of dying, so one can be changed in an instant, in every moment through Divine Grace.

To refer back again to the parable of the drag net taking a sample, would be perhaps carrying the symbology of a parable too far, just as the Great Tree that fills all the earth would not be able to contain all the birds of the earth. John 10 is just as much a parable as an allegory, that is really semantics, allegory or parable both mean stories with a religious significance. As for John 20 it is strange that those so close to Him first beheld his glory in the resurrection as a gardiner. [John 20:15]

It seems to one that John's Gospel is breaking though to the spiritual side, what is beyond the natural senses, the Divine Sonship of Christ that not even those on the way to Emaus [Luke 24:13] could behold UNTIL He made Himself known to them in a shared meal. It seems to one the Gospels are full of Mystery....the mystery of God manifest in flesh.

John later in his life produced the Book of Revelations [The Unveiling of Christ] takes on the great theme of the Mystery of God and it's completion on earth and it is all about Israel again taking her rightful place amongst the nations. The nations the gentiles are able to walk in it's light [they are saved] but they are without the city....and this City the New Jerusalem has 12 gates containing the names of the 12 tribes of Israel and the foundations the 12 names of the apostles of the Lamb......it is entirely Jewish or of Israel.[See Rev.20]

Paul was not one of the 12 apostles of the Lamb whilst He was on earth. His Apostleship was of the Nations/Gentiles.[Gal.2:8] His commission was from a Man in the Glory of Heaven, that so blinded him on earth.[Acts9:3] Paul's Gospel goes beyond the Gospel of the Kingdom. Why? Because the Gospel of the Kingdom was well known, prior to Paul's receiving a Gospel from Jesus Christ directly in Arabia by revelation.[Gal.1:12] As it says : " By revelation he made known unto me the mystery; as I wrote afore in a few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men" [Eph.3:3-4.]

Now to reveal this mystery of Christ one will have to give the exact rendering of the Greek which almost all translators have failed to do on this passage [that is the influence of Rome which is dedicated to subverting all Scriptural truth] ""in SPIRIT the nations are to be joint enjoyers of an allotment, and a joint body, and joint partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the GOSPEL OF WHICH I BECAME A DISPENSER, in accord with the gratuity of God's Grace. "[ Eph.3:6-7] "I became a dispenser, in accord with the stewardship of God, which was granted me for you, to complete the word of God." [Col.1:25]

Let us not remain in our confinement, as those burdened Israelites who sat by the streams of Babylon and whose harps hung high on willows songless, giving up all hope of being in Canaan again. Heaven is NOW. It is the Divine Presence......"Christ in you the hope of glory."[Col1:27]

[jpurssey]

No doubt because of the incredible lack of understanding of the Gospel, even a conceited arrogance, having really a Gospel what Paul calls an admixture, a compound of Gospels or Commissions that have not been as Paul said "rightly dividing the Truth." Paul calls this Gospel in the strongest terms an abomination.

Let one mention the 5 different Gospels in the New Testament:
1.The Gospel of the Circumcision/Jews [where Christ told them not to go to the gentiles/samaritans Math.10:5-7]
2.The Gospel to the Gentiles/Uncircumcised Galatians 2:7
3.The Mystery of the Gospel Eph.6:19
4.Gospel of admixture "A different Gospel, which is not another" Gal.1:7-8
5.The Everlasting Gospel Rev.14:6

It seems to me that something vital has been left our of this Gospel, that popular Theology unfortunately focuses on sin and forgiveness of sin but gives nothing of the true nature of the Gospel of the Kingdom which is about Dominion. Why has man lost Dominion and become a slave to sin, constantly needing forgiveness? Where is the power of this gospel?

This Gospel of the Kingdom [or as Strong's Concordance puts it Dominion], is about man again exercising his dominion.

Hi Stephen,

On reading those passages I see only one Gospel. Some apostles had the mission of taking it to the Jews, and others to the Gentiles, and this Gospel is everlasting and is also a mystery to be made known through its spoken message. The other (admixture) Gospel is not really a Gospel. Maybe we just differ in our conceptualisations of it.

Popular evangelical theology does focus on sin and forgiveness, and presents mostly a Bad News message and then the Good News as a 'get out of hell free' card.

I am curious about "Gospel of the Kingdom is about man again exercising his dominion." I do not see this in the Gospels. How do you come to this view?

To all who post on this board:
I do not see any value in distinguishing between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven. How would this distinction affect
how I live my life as a disciple of Jesus Christ?

[Stephen Rodgers]

First we must understand that when we use the word "Gospel" it just means "good news". What one has posted is merely a canon of exegesis, which is normal practise to establish a truth. Why should there be one good news, when Scripture says our blessings in Christ are many? Is this not being rigid and inflexible without any Scripture whatsoever to support it, except 18th Century dogma? Why the good news of the blood of the Cross, the good news of salvation, the good news of reconciliation, the good news of forgiveness, the good news of justification, the good news of the resurrection? Are we not splitting hairs over this subject?

After all there are two testaments in the Bible, nobody denounces that. Who would say the same good news in the Old Testament is the same as in the New? WE have the Kingdom of God and also the Kingdom of the Heavens in the Old Testament, as well as in the New Testament but who says they are not to be differentiated? I find this very curious how we cling to those beliefs we have picked up from others second hand and cling to them even harder if we are presented with Scriptures that clearly states there are more than one Gospel/Good News.

Even the Word of God is a two edged sword which means it has two sides to it, hence the need to "rightly divide the Word of Truth" 2Tim 2:15 That is not saying the old testament is wrong and the new testament is right, it means understanding the different forms of truth which these testaments take.

It is so hard to stand up for the truth in Brethren, out of 1100 brethren in Melbourne I stood up for the truth, my parents knew I was right but out of fear and continuity of belief, they said nothing and took sides against me. Not one single person stood by me, so I am not phased at all. I showed my parents the sworn statements by 12 reputable brethren, enough to convict James Taylor Junior their Universal Leader in any court of law except infidelity is not a criminal offence in our society. I had my parents listen to his drunken slanderous tapes at Aberdeen, but they would not stand by me out of tradition and fear and the blind belief that they the exclusives had the Truth!

Yes the Apostle Paul encountered the same even with the apostles Peter, James and John, in Galatians 2 and worse, some of the circumcision wanted his life too....not from worldly people but those Christian followers of the Kingdom Gospel and the circumcision teachings. They wanted a Gospel that gave them a kingdom of God on earth, they had no interest in Paul's Gospel that spoke of our commonwealth is IN heaven, yes even further "seated in Christ in heavenly places" with a Gospel and administration "to make God's manifold wisdom known amongst the celestials."Eph.3:10

That my friends is the glorious role of the Church of Christ His body, those called out of this world to a far higher calling......."things eyes have not seen or ears heard, what God has prepared for those that love Him." How sad that brethren who were given insights into this unbelievable high calling of the Church the Body of Christ in their early ministry, especially with Mr. Stoney. What I ma saying is that Paul's Gospel goes beyond either the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of God. It makes us "the fulness of Him who fills all things." Oh boy...... no wonder Paul broke out into so many doxologies in the heavenly epsitle of Ephesians.Yes just like Ephesus all over again, history repeats itself, how quickly they fell into division and left their first love.

Just like all those assemblies in Asia who quickly turned away from Paul's heavenly good news...... all those he ministered the Mystery of His Gospel to in the Epistles of Ephesians, Philiphians and Colossians.
Of course I have not done this subject of the Kingdom or the Gospel the justice it deserves, for really it is the main theme of the Bible and one could literally write volumes on the subject and still not cover the subject.

John you asked:

I am curious about "Gospel of the Kingdom is about man again exercising his dominion." I do not see this in the Gospels. How do you come to this view?

Firstly I have no intention of making the Bible of one's own "private interpretation" particularly as the variety of opinions on the subject of the kingdom of God so manifestly proves. One has to only read the many parables of Christ regarding the kingdom of God to realise, the utter unbelief of man, for Christ to speak plainly on this kingdom.

To answer all these fruitful questions, it cannot be done in a paragraph. One must first answer that question that is so theologically blinkered by theologians focussing on man's state after the fall in the Garden of Eden, forgetting entirely man's prior state.

Let us turn to the Psalmist: "What is man that Thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that Thou visitest him. For Thou hast made him a little lower than Elohim and crowned him with glory and honour to HAVE DOMINION OVER THE WORKS OF THY HANDS, AND PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET." Psm.8
That was David's inspired view of man.
Now let us go back to Genesis One. "And Elohim said let Us make man in our image and after likeness, and let them HAVE DOMINION OVER ALL THE EARTH."
Surely the Gospel is about restoring man to his former glory and dominion, or what sort of Gospel do we have? A Gospel full of shortcomings.

Why does man sin? Because he has fallen short of the glory of God.

Once you received the Gospel of Paul, you will never be the same again, you will walk as if there is no ground under your feet, you will run the race like no other, and no longer see men as trees walking, the shekinah glory will surround you and as such "the spiritual know all things." But you will become smal like Paul and humble, pride and ignorance will fall from your eyes like scales. But only the Holy spirit can separate you to this gospel as it was with Paul in Acts 13:2

But you will be persecuted by other Christians, just like Paul. Solomon said the "face of a wise man shines". Paul spoke of the glory of God in the face of Christ, that even Moses face had to be veiled though having an inferior gospel........ does anyone get my drift?

I have not even really begun to speak of the Mystery of God. But this can only come direct through the Holy spirit a revelation like with Paul, you cannot receive it from man, certainly not from me. You must go directly to Holy Spirit, you must be like that rich merchant, the Master spoke of, that sells all he has to purchase the field that contains the pearl of great price, you must have the spirit of a berean. You must sell every man made belief and go direct and purchase from the Holy Spirit, the same Eternal Spirit Christ offered Himself up through.

So what is "DOMINION" I have already mentioned in Strong's Concordance how Kingdom really implies dominion. Nimrod was the first to establish a dominion in opposition to God, and it continues down until this very day in the Catholic and Protestant Institutions. Now Babylon as I said is based on confusion, and we are already acquainted with a certain confusion over the Kingdom of God.

Now to understand the Kingdom of God we must discover the Truth of God's authority and how it operates. You cannot compare it with the authority of man's kingdoms or religious institutions. We have already discovered that man when Elohim created him, was given dominion over all the earth. How did God do that? Did God sit up on some Throne in the heavens delegating things to Adam? No God walked with Adam in the cool of the day, every day.

Now God is invisible and man is made in His image, so man essentially is invisible to be made in God's image. When man was made in God's image no mention of dust was used, in fact in Genesis One the whole creation was out of water.......a spiritual creation.

The dust-man after the fall was given clothes of skin and flesh of an animal, not much is said considering so much ground is covered of a whole creation in a few short chapters. But it says "God made coats of skin and clothed them" nothing is said of slaying some animal, so many love embellishing what God has said. Such is all "the wisdom of man, which is foolishness to God."

It is interesting to note also the number of Hebrew words for nudity, can also be unclean, or shame. Man in Genesis One comes straight from the hand of Elohim as a creation; but in Genesis Two man is made out of dust, a manufacture not a creation.
I say that all in passing. There are so many mysteries in the Bible, that the Letter of the Word does not really pick up, except by Holy Spirit.

Well you will all need a breather after this, if any find a few talents here I am sure they will multiply....just please do not bury them, I am only passing on my few talents I have been given from above from my heavenly Father albeit they are an abundance.