God’s Administration Concised

[This is a supplement to the previous blog, which should be read in preparation to best understand this one. Today I am using the traditional--and appropriate–term, The Kingdom of God.]

Jesus’ theme was “The Kingdom of God”; the Kingdom is thus the core of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, but nowhere does the New Testament define the meaning of the Kingdom. Dozens, if not hundreds, of books and lectures have done this for us, but in ways that continue to controvert each other.

Debate about this meaning has raged for more than a century. Few of these touch on more than just one part of the meaning. What follows is a concise definition, one that fits each biblical occurrence of the term.

The Kingdom of God is: Wherever God is King.
The Kingdom of God is: Wherever God rules.
The Kingdom of God is: Wherever things are done the way God wants them done.
The Kingdom of God is: Wherever God’s will is done.

The Kingdom of God, on the scene of human history, is: Wherever God is allowed to rule.
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Some would claim that God is King everywhere, thus the rephrasing: wherever God rules. Again, many would claim that God rules everywhere, thus the rephrasing: wherever things are done the way God wants them done (which, paraphrased, means: wherever God’s will is done).

Most thinking people would agree that many things are done in this world that are not done the way God would have them. In the biblical story, God repeatedly says so. This invalidates the claims that God is King everywhere, and that God rules everywhere. In an ideal kingdom, things are done as the king desires (dictates). God’s dictates are not always done.

Wherever (“wherever,” not meant geographically, but, wherever it is the case that) God is found in control, there is the kingdom of God. Wherever there is a church, a family, an individual, or anything that operates like God wants it to operate, there is the Kingdom of God.

Thus, it is possible for someone to be, “not far” from the Kingdom, in other words, nearly ready for God to rule. The Kingdom is “within,” or “among” you; that is where God rules when he does. Jesus says that we should pray: “Thy kingdom come, they will be done (the same idea reiterated), on earth as it is in heaven.” In heaven things are done God’s way. We are to pray to God that his rule might come on earth as it already is in heaven. Jesus told Nicodemus that without a fundamental change in who we are, God cannot rule in our lives.
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Moving now from the core definition to actual human history, God rules only where he is allowed to. Again, I can almost hear the objections coming: God can rule wherever he wants to. He is not dependent on human co-operation. He is the sovereign (later we’ll devote a day to the idea of sovereignty).

No, God does not impose his will on us. He does not coerce. He is not a tyrant. Read the Bible carefully and you will find that, after the creation of the human and until the end of human history, God works in this world only where there is co-operative human trust and obedience.

Note that in Mark 6:5-6, the Bible says that, in his hometown, “[Jesus] could not do any miracles there,” because of their unbelief. It does not read that he did not do any miracles, or that he would not do them. Rather it says that he could not do them, not because he lacked either the power or the desire, but because of their unbelief.

Here where we live, within the time of human history, God works in relation to us. He works relative to our cooperation. We can disrupt God’s work, God’s rule, by failure to trust and therefore to obey him. God will not force his way on us. God is not a dictatorial tyrant.

Remember, however, that the New Testament makes it clear that a time is coming, beyond human history, when God will rule completely, whether or not anyone believes. God’s rule will, one of these days, be total. It might be a good idea to get on good, cooperative terms with him before that unpredictable day arrives.