Is The Kingdom Not The Church? (Part 2)
Spiritual Questions with Scriptural Answers.
As we conclude our study on the Kingdom being the church, we now want to simply allow the Bible to speak.
Connecting the Old Testament prophecies with the New Testament fulfillment is a very rewarding and eye-opening study.
I thank you for taking the time to read and consider the information we are providing on this very important topic. If I misuse or misapply any passage, please let me know so I can correct it!
We should all have the goal to glorify God by accurately studying and applying His Word to our lives!
The Founding of Jesus’ Church.
In our last article, we connected Isaiah 2:2-4 and Matthew 16:13-19 to show that the kingdom the prophets saw is the church that was established on the Day of Pentecost in the city of Jerusalem in the first century.
If the church you attend did not begin in the city of Jerusalem and was not established in the first century, can it possibly be the church we read about upon the pages of the New Testament?
Considering Mark 9:1.
In this article, we want to provide further evidence that the kingdom is in fact the church. Please carefully consider the following passages:
“And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power” (Mark 9:1).
Jesus was speaking and spoke to the crowd of that day to inform them that the Kingdom would come in their lifetime.
Now, either the Kingdom has not yet come or there are some extremely old people walking the earth in that area! The Kingdom of God (the church) would be established in their lifetime.
Considering Luke 24:49.
In another instance, Jesus spoke of the place where the kingdom (the church) would be established:
“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49).
Jesus was speaking to His disciples and instructed them to stay in the city of Jerusalem until they were “endued with power from on High.” No doubt, He is speaking of the Holy Spirit Who would come (John 14:26; 16:13).
Stay with me and notice what Luke records in the opening passage of the Book of Acts:
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
Jesus is speaking to the same audience and tells them that they would receive power and be witnesses beginning in Jerusalem. The Kingdom would come with power in the city of Jerusalem.
When?
When they were “endued with power.”
Considering Acts 2:1-4.
Now consider Acts 2:1-4:
“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).
On this day, the Day of Pentecost, Peter would rise up, lift up his voice, and preach the Gospel. As 3,000 souls obeyed, they were added to the Kingdom, the church (Acts 2:41, 47)!
When one obeys the Gospel today, they are added by the Lord to His church (Acts 2:47).
One is “translated” (“conveyed”) into the Kingdom of “His dear Son” when they hear the truth (Rom. 10:17), believe the truth (John 8:24), repent of sins (Acts 17:30), confess the Deity of Christ (Acts 8:37), and are baptized into Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21):
“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Col. 1:13).
Dear friend, how could one be translated into something that is not already in existence?
The kingdom is the church.
The church belongs to Christ for He purchased Her with His own blood and is the Savior of the body (Eph. 5:22-32). Those who obey His Gospel will be added to the church:
“For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13).
In our next article, we want to ask and answer the question, “Was Jesus truly successful in setting up His Kingdom?”
Drew Suttles is a minister for the Quitman church of Christ in Quitman, Georgia, and one of my best friends in this world. They live-stream all their Bible classes and sermons on their YouTube channel.
Drew also hosts the “Weathering the Storm” podcast on the Scattered Abroad Network. Drew talks about facing life’s challenges as a child of God. His podcast will be a blessing to your life.
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