Is The Kingdom Not The Church?
Spiritual Questions with Scriptural Answers.
As we continue our study, we want to consider a very important question: "What is the Kingdom of God and is it here?”
The Bible teaches that His Kingdom is “not of this world” (John 18:36). It is a spiritual kingdom that can only be entered through a spiritual birth (John 3:3, 5); thus obedience to the Gospel of Christ enables one to be added to the body of Christ, which is the church (Eph. 1:22-23; Gal. 3:27; 1 Cor. 12:13).
In this article, and the next, we will notice that the Kingdom is the church for which Jesus died (Acts 20:28).
Considering Isaiah 2:2-4.
In the Old Testament, several prophecies were uttered and written down looking forward to the Kingdom being established.
We want to examine one of these prophecies which was penned by Isaiah who wrote the following by inspiration:
“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isa. 2:2-4).
There are several important points to be made from this text.
“The latter days.”
First, we notice the time will be “in the latter days.” This refers to the Christian dispensation (Acts 2) and more specifically, in the days of the Roman Empire (Dan. 2:44).
“The Lord’s house.”
Second, we notice the phrase, “the Lord’s house” and “the house of the God of Jacob.”
When Paul wrote to Timothy, he referenced the Lord’s house as a description of the church:
“but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15).
“All nations.”
Third, we learn that “all nations shall flow unto it.”
The Gospel truly is for all (Mark 16:15-16)!
“Zion.”
Fourth and finally, we learn of the location: “For out of Zion…from Jerusalem.”
Zion and Jerusalem refers to the same place (Hebrew parallelism) and is extremely helpful when we go to the New Testament.
The kingdom (the church) began in the city of Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost when 3,000 souls obeyed the Gospel of Christ as it was preached by Peter (Acts 2:36-38, 41, 47).
Considering Matthew 16:13-19.
In the New Testament, we find several passages connecting the Kingdom to the church (please read and consider Pt. 2 of this study next week for a more in-depth examination).
One passage to consider comes from the Book of Matthew as Jesus made a powerful promise regarding His church:
“When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar- Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 16:13-19).
Jesus made a promise to build His church. This shows ownership and it also shows the single nature of the church.
In the very next statement, Jesus said, “I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom.”
There is a very clear connection between the church and the kingdom.
Once again, we will continue and then conclude this study next week looking at several more passages which prove that the kingdom is the church. It was established in the first century (33 AD) in the city of Jerusalem.
It is not something in the future that will be established; it is here now!
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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Sorry Drew, self-justification of a clearly dis functional Laodicean “church” does not cut it. Jesus hates the institutional “church” we see today. See the letter to Sardis. The “church” was corrupted by Roman Catholicism ( see Thyatira) and has never recovered. Satan, the great deceiver, lives in many of our Laodicean “churches”.