Understanding Your Religion
7 Major Doctrines that Define Christianity
The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
The Doctrine of the Kingdom
Teaching Strategy
The focus of this lesson is a review of the nature of the “Kingdom” in the Bible compared to the concept from secular history. Of special note in this lesson is the description of our King and His Kingdom as described in the New Testament.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Know: The identity of God’s Kingdom on earth.
- Feel: Express loyalty to our King and His Kingdom.
- Do: Seek to be granted citizenship or to maintain citizenship in God’s Kingdom.
Body of the Lesson
Discussion Questions
Below are suggested questions to use during the guided discussion portion of the lesson. There are also suggested responses to questions to help students grasp the various concepts. These are provided to assist the discussion and are not considered as "right or wrong" responses.
Theocratic rule means ruled by God. This was how God's people were ruled in the beginning and much of its early history. It was how God wanted His relationship with His people to be established and operated.
Human kings over God's chosen people began with the selection of Saul in I Samuel 8-9. Israel wanted to be like the nations around them ruled by human kings.
Samuel warned the people that they were going against God's will. The king would require their sons for his military use and to serve him. He would also press into service their daughters. He would take a portion of their wealth for his use. Later they would cry out to God against the King but God would not listen.
All of these prophecies came to pass even from the start. Although some of Israel's kings were honorable men, many more were not, at least for a period of time.
As a result, the people drifted further away from God's will until eventually He allowed the nation to be destroyed and the people dispersed.
This is the idea that a human could be a divine ruler of sorts; a "god king." This is seen in various nations through history. To the Jewish mind, God is king over man although they desired and accepted a man to rule over them. The human king was seen as having been appointed by God to rule therefore, he had absolute power.
In the New Testament we see the idea of the divine king taking on human form (Jesus), dwelling among men and inviting them into His divine Kingdom.
Our Lord as our Messiah is characterized as a ruler (King). The Jews mistakenly saw this as a physical king and kingdom, but Jesus taught that the Kingdom He brought would be a spiritual Kingdom, thus an eternal Kingdom.
John the Baptist taught that the Kingdom was at hand and that the people must prepare for it, through their baptism as a purification action. Jesus took up this teaching telling them that the Kingdom had arrived. His miracles and teachings were used to validate His authority and divinity as the King of this Kingdom.
Roman Catholicism – Augustine: Catholic theology, originally formed by Augustine in the 4th century taught that the kingdom and church were the same with the Pope ordained to head the church on earth. A strong hierarchy was developed to teach and enforce this theology.
Protestants – Reformers: Protestant reformers emphasized the spiritual aspect of the Kingdom without the strict hierarchy of the Catholic church.
Modern theology: Modern theology injects an element of a "social gospel" in an effort to make the world a better place.
As Christians we must look to scripture, specifically the teachings of Jesus to guide us in becoming aware of Him as our King and the church as His Kingdom. As such we learn that:
Jesus is the center of the Kingdom.
The church is a physical manifestation of the spiritual Kingdom here on earth.
The complete church will be seen when Christ returns.
The church will be fully integrated with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. In other words, we will be united with God into the relationship He originally created.
Our role is to obey our Lord's teachings to be granted citizenship into His Kingdom and to faithfully obey His teachings. In doing so, when He returns, we will be granted entry into eternity with God. (Matthew 25).