Understanding and Owning Christian Theology

Week 12 (Oct 23): The Kingdom of God, The Church and the World/Society

 The Church ought to be understood in terms of its many different biblical descriptions. She is the Bride of Christ, His body in the world and for the world. It is the assembly of the saints from all ages; the “called out” (ekklesia) ones. It is the new thing that began at Pentecost, but is as old as the world, corresponding to God’s covenant people throughout history. It is the true worshipping community; it is known historically and will be fully manifested on the last day. The church is the chosen people of God; and it is an institution with an orderly life. The church is a family, and is made up of families.

What does the Bible mean when it talks about the Kingdom?

The Kingdom

God has always been King over the world, and most especially His people (Ps. 10:16; 22:27-31; Dan. 2:44; Heb. 1:8-13). God always intended His rule to be, at least in part, administered by men. Adam was commanded to rule and have dominion over all the creation. Not even sin changed this. Men would take dominion, either in obedience or disobedience to God. The kingdom in Israel (1 Sam. was an early manifestation of how God would rule through His people, and promised the Davidic Messianic King to sit on the throne forever.

²⁷All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You. ²⁸For the kingdom is the Lord’s, And He rules over the nations. ²⁹All the prosperous of the earth Shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust Shall bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep himself alive. ³⁰A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, ³¹They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this. Psalm 22:27–31 (NKJV)

⁴⁴And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Daniel 2:44 (NKJV)

⁸But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. ⁹You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” ¹⁰And: “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. ¹¹They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; ¹²Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.” ¹³But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”? Hebrews 1:8–13 (NKJV)

With the coming of Jesus, there was something new that was good news that need to be proclaimed. John & Jesus both said the Kingdom was “at hand” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17, 23). Our prayer is that God’s Kingdom would come, and His will would be done “on earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10), and the disciples were sent to preach the coming of the Kingdom (Matt. 10:7). The miracles of Jesus (and the disciples) were evidence that the kingdom was coming. The new thing is that God will rule through the man Jesus – forever.

Kingdom of God…Christ…heaven – the same thing.

In what sense was it coming?

²⁰Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; ²¹nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20–21 (NKJV

³⁶Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” ³⁷Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” John 18:36–37 (NKJV)

 When did it come? (Matt 16:28; Mk. 9:1; Lk. 21:10, 31 – His Ascension & 70 AD)

 ¹⁰Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  ³¹So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Luke 21:10, 31 (NKJV)

The Kingdom can be defined as: “The new world order that Christ established in His life, death, resurrection, and ascension; a new order of things that will be fully revealed and established on at Christ’s return.” (Peter Leithart, The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church)

Jesus is King and rules from His throne at the right hand of the Father (Eph. 1:19-23; 2:6; Rev. 11:15); it is a real throne and it is actual (not just future) rule – now. He is not being thwarted in His rule; He cannot be defeated; and His will is being realized in time and history. The Kingdom is an existing reality, since the coming of Christ. Revelation 11:15 (NKJV)

¹⁵Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

Are the Church and the Kingdom the same thing? No. We pray and work to see the Kingdom come and God’s will done throughout the world, not just in the church.

The Church is the first form of the Kingdom of God. She forms the pattern for all other manifestations of the Kingdom: The word (law), government, and sacraments (defining who is in, and ongoing peaceful relationships). These are what the world needs. It is a pattern, example and leader for the rest of the Kingdom’s manifestations.

Kingdom manifested progressively through history (It is a present reality, but not fully manifest until the second coming of Christ: “Already and not yet” character of the Kingdom)

Conflict, holy war with the kingdoms of this world. How does the kingdom progress? What is the conflict?

Is everything conflict between us and the world? No. Often we are beneficiaries of contributions made by unbelievers to our wellbeing. We can cooperate together for the common good of all.

Interactions between the world/society and the Church – Common Grace (what it is and isn’t).

Tags: bible study, Church, Kingdom, society, Sunday School

While In Ireland Amy and I visited the Drogheda Catholic Church - Here is the carving on the altar of The Last Supper (with Mary Magdelene next to Jesus?!)

Understanding and Owning Christian Theology

Week 11 (Oct 16): The Lord’s Supper – Why It Matters

The Sunday School Class was recorded and can be heard here: The Lord’s Supper – Why It Matters 

Baptism = Covenant initiation/washing/union with Christ, once for all; Communion = Covenant continuance; ongoing participation with Christ and His body; weekly and for all the baptized.

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Tags: Bible Classes, Church, Communion, James Jordan, Paedo-Communion, Peter Leithart, Reformation Covenant Church, Sunday School, The Lord's Supper

 Doug Wilson Interviews Mark Driscoll: Men & Masculinity

This interview was filmed in the context of the Grace Agenda, hosted by Credenda/Agenda and Canon Press, ministries of Christ Church, in Moscow, Idaho.

In this fun and fascinating discussion between two of the most effective, controversial and interesting Christian leaders of our time, Doug asked a number of compelling questions about Mark’s ministry at Mars Hill over the years. What most appealed to me about this dialogue was Mark’s thoughts about the importance of the Church in the life of young men – and – the importance o f young men to the church.

I really appreciated Driscoll’s perspective on the need to have young men mentored by older men. He said (paraphrasing here) ‘Young men do not want to be controlled, but are glad to be influenced by men who love them and are for them and want to help them. If you hold a young man back for too long you run the risk of the fire going out of them. They need to be trained to do something.’

Mars Hill has done wonderful work, not only in their communities where they have planted churches, but also in the way they have motivated and mobilized young men to take hold of the Kingdom of God and get busy. There may be a good many things to quibble about with the Mars Hill ministries – but we also have important things to learn from them as well.

Enjoy the fellowship of two co-laborers in the Kingdom of God!

“I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.

I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one.

I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.

I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.

I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.” (1 John 2:12–14, NKJV)

Tags: Church, Church Planting, Doug Wilson, Mark Driscoll, masculinity

In a Wall Street Journal article, Michael W. McConnell says, "The Supreme Court weighs whether the feds can decide which church employees are clergy and which aren't."

Today, the Obama administration will invite the Supreme Court to open a new front in the culture wars. Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. EEOC concerns a commissioned minister, Cheryl Perich, who taught elementary school and led chapel devotions at a small Lutheran school outside Detroit. Ms. Perich became ill and was replaced in the classroom by a substitute. In the middle of the school year she sought to return and then, instead of attempting to work out the dispute through the church’s reconciliation process, she threatened to sue.

As relations broke down, the church congregation voted to withdraw her “call” to the ministry, and she ceased to be eligible for her prior job. She sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act, with the support of the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The federal statutes outlawing employment discrimination based on race, sex, age and disability contain no express exception for church employers. But for 40 years lower courts have applied a “ministerial exception,” which bars the government from any role in deciding who should be a minister. Courts have reasoned that the separation between church and state protects the ability of churches to choose their own clergy just as it protects the state from any control by churches. The Supreme Court has never spoken to the issue.

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Tags: Church, clergy, Minister, State, US Supreme Court

The Church: People or Building?

Understanding and Owning Christian Theology

Week 9 (Oct 2): The Church – Why It Matters

 The Sunday School Class was recorded and can be heard here: The Church – Why It Matters

What is the “Church”? Building? People?

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Tags: Bible Classes, Church, Ecclesiology, RCC, Sunday School