You Can Know You Have Eternal Life
#56 Gods Standard for Mankind (40)
The Bible has Two Testaments! Why? (5 of 6)
The Kingdom of the New Covenant
by Jim Mettenbrink
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Under the Old Covenant, God was
King of Israel and Canaan was the territory in which Israel lived.
Several passages in the New Testament state that Jesus
is King of Gods New Covenant (Matthew 2:6; Acts 2:30-36).
So, Jesus being God, is the territory (Canaan) of ancient
Israel Jesus kingdom? If not, where is His kingdom?
The answer is viewed from a couple, but not contradictory,
perspectives.
Jesus said His kingdom was not
of this world (Matthew 18:36). Thus we reasonably conclude
that Jesus kingdom is not a territory with earthly boundaries,
nor a nation or empire like the kingdoms of men. Jesus
kingdom is a spiritual, not a material, territory.
Still, based upon Peters
acknowledgment that Jesus was the Christ (Messiah), the Son of
the living God, Jesus said And I say also to you, that you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates
of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to
you the keys of the kingdom of heaven....
(Matthew 16:18-19). Note, Jesus used My church and the kingdom of heaven synonymously, thus His church
/ kingdom is on earth. Jesus was the one who would open
the kingdom, via Peter on Pentecost (Acts 2). Immediately,
those who were saved, i.e. became Christians, were added to the
church (Acts 2:41, 47). This is the first mention of Jesus
church in the New Testament, thus we conclude that Jesus
church began on the day of Pentecost, AD 33.
Some 30 years later, the apostle
Paul referred to the Christians at Colossae as being translated
into the kingdom of Gods son (Colossians 1:13). Thus,
the church at Colossae was also the kingdom of Jesus and the
kingdom of heaven. This passage implies that Christians
are the citizens of the kingdom and members of the church on
earth. Jesus is the head of the church (Colosssians 1:18)
and king of the kingdom (Acts 2:30-36), but located in heaven.
In these respects, Jesus kingdom is both in heaven and
on earth, but with no nation, national boundaries, nor military
to enforce His will.
There is one other and more important
perspective of the territory of Jesus kingdom. Whereas
kings are primarily concerned with maintaining their kingdoms
boundaries, Jesus territorial boundary is far different.
The peace of God guarded the hearts of the
Christians at Philippi. Their hearts are the territory
that is important to Jesus (Philippians 4:7). The usage
of heart in the Bible usually refers to the spirit
or eternal part of man. The heart (spirit) of each Christian
is Jesus territory to guard and keep as His own kingdom.
Ultimately the kingdom will be moved to heaven (1 Corinthians
15:24), i.e. Christians will be moved to their eternal home in
heaven in the day of judgment.
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