Even though the future of the Church in America looks bleak, I believe we are seeing the rise of the Kingdom Christian.
One day, years ago, when my daughter and I were having lunch, she asked me what “Kingdom Christian” meant. She heard me use the term often in contrast to just plain “Christian.” She was ten at the time, so I contemplated how to give her a simple explanation. After some thought, I told her that a Kingdom Christian understands that Jesus wants to establish His Kingdom through their everyday lives. They are surrendered and all in with Kingdom vision and mission. In other words, they are Kingdom builders, not just churchgoers. Her next question was inevitable. “What is God’s Kingdom?”
This is a common question, and in this article, I want to unpack three critical questions about the Kingdom of God: What is the Kingdom of God? What kind of a king is Jesus? What does the Kingdom of God look like?
We’ll begin with the first question by looking at one of the biggest Kingdom tensions: God’s kingdom is now and not yet. The Kingdom was inaugurated through the life of Jesus on earth, but it will be consummated when He returns. It’s come, but it’s still coming. This is a key tension followers of Christ must learn to hold. We believe God’s Kingdom can break through any moment with miracles and healing, and it often does. But we also know that until the Kingdom has fully come, we will experience suffering and loss. We are called to pray in faith and trust God in the tension.
“The Kingdom isn’t a geographical place that people can see with their natural eyes or point to. In fact, Jesus said, ‘Nor will people say, See here! Or see there! For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.’ (Luke 17:21 NKJV)”
If Jesus lives in your heart, the Kingdom is within you, and when we believe and obey Jesus, the Kingdom is manifested. The Kingdom doesn’t exist on earth when people don’t believe or obey. Jesus didn’t only come to save us from the consequences of our sins but to establish His Kingdom through our very lives. Our King speaks, and when we obey His voice, the Kingdom is established through our words and deeds.
R.C. Sproul said, “The only way the kingdom of God is going to be manifest in this world before Christ comes is if we manifest it by the way we live as citizens of heaven and subjects of the King.”
We are not citizens of this world. We are citizens of Heaven. We are subjects of the King of Kings! But while we’re here, we get to partner with God to expand His Kingdom through how we live out our faith, grounded in His matchless love. Being a Christian is so much more than going to church! Of course, church attendance is vital in the life of a Christian. We are called to gather and worship in community, but that’s only a part of the Christian life. We are called and empowered to represent Christ to a lost and dying world outside the church building. God’s plan to reach the world is through His children. We are Plan A. There is no Plan B. As we see the culture crumbling, I believe we are partially to blame. Although we know ultimately that the devil is responsible for all rebellion against God, the Church has failed in many ways to teach that God wants to establish His Kingdom through our lives beyond the church walls.
Many churches focus more on growing the number of church attenders and making sure they feel comfortable than teaching and preaching the full counsel of the Word of God that convicts, teaches and encourages us to set our lives apart to build His Kingdom, rather than our own. We often think that the number of church attenders means success, which cultivates a Christianity that is a mile wide and an inch deep. The way of Christ calls us to die to ourselves, to crucify our flesh for the cause of Christ, not to mix a little Jesus into our way of life.
Sometimes people misunderstand Kingdom and build empires instead. An empire is a group of countries or regions controlled by one ruler or government. Often this mindset causes us to align ourselves with political parties and to try to dominate culture with our religion and morality. Of course, Jesus followers should want and work for righteous laws for society, but I think our understanding of Kingdom dramatically impacts how we go about that. We tend to lean on laws to transform culture rather than understanding that when we obey Jesus in our own lives, the Kingdom is established, and culture is transformed.
When Jesus is the king of your heart and the Lord of your life, people can experience the Kingdom through you. Jesus isn’t only our Savior sent to save us from our sins; He is the mighty King over all Creation who rules and reigns with authority, mercy, humility, truth and love. His majesty has no equal, yet He rules His people with meekness and compassion. This leads me to the second question, “What kind of King is Jesus?” This is an essential question because He invited His disciples to follow His example throughout His earthly ministry. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are transformed more and more into His image. This means we become more like Him. He is our pattern to follow. We aren’t called to follow a church but to follow Jesus Himself. People will learn what Jesus is like by watching our lives, not only by our words. Through us, His disciples, His Kingdom will bring blessing to all the people of the earth.
King Jesus differs significantly from the kings we read about in human history. While many were selfish, power-hungry, war-mongering men out to amass their fortunes at any cost, Jesus is a long-suffering King longing to fill His Kingdom with whosoever would believe in Him. But make no mistake; He is no wimpy weakling! He is an almighty, all-powerful King full of blazing glory and eternal light. He has the power and authority to destroy anything that would come against Him with one word. Yet, He is also a Servant King, daring to stoop down to His own creation to serve us, rescuing us from the dominion of darkness and bringing us into the Kingdom of Light, where we will one day rule and reign with Him forever. He even beckons us to come boldly to His throne of grace as His heirs!
Our last question is, “What does the Kingdom of God look like?”
I like to use the term “Kingdom culture” to express what the Kingdom looks like lived out. Kingdom culture is powerfully represented by the greatest sermon; the Sermon on the Mount preached by Jesus. God’s Kingdom is often referred to as the upside-down Kingdom because it’s completely opposite of any worldly kingdom. It’s opposed to worldly systems and governments. Where the world exalts power, fame, pride, money, status, pleasure, and politics, God’s Kingdom elevates humility, forgiveness, meekness, righteousness, mercy, pure heartedness, peace and love. His Kingdom is pure and simple and flows in reverse. In God’s Kingdom, the least are the greatest.
Matthew 5:1-12 (NKJV) teaches us the values and behaviors that those in the Kingdom should live out.
“And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Obviously, it’s impossible to live out the Beatitudes without the power of the Holy Spirit to convict and empower us. But nothing is impossible with God. This is our clarion call. The Sermon on the Mount is a radical manifesto that may seem almost naïve and impractical to those without the Holy Spirit. Maybe even to those with the Holy Spirit. But we must remember that Jesus wasn’t naïve, and He certainly wasn’t unfamiliar with suffering, loss and hardship. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus cuts right through the issues of life to the heart of the human condition; that is our need for God. In this sermon, Jesus shows us that as enemies surround us and trials overwhelm us, life’s true meaning and purpose are found and cultivated in living out these Kingdom values. This is a perspective shift that transforms minds and hearts and, yes, cultures.
I’ve always had a heart for transformation, a desire and call to transform culture with the Gospel, but years ago the Lord began to speak to me on a deeper level. He said it’s not about transforming culture, but about transforming hearts. Transformed hearts transform cultures. This is an important distinction because rather than focusing on behavior modification and domination, Jesus focuses on changing hearts. He’s always after our hearts. When He has our hearts, our behavior will follow.
Hebrews 12:27-29 (NIV) speaks of a great shaking.
“The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken––that is created things––so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire.”
As God continues to shake our world, stripping the idols from our grasp to reveal His unshakable Kingdom, we see the rise of the Kingdom Christian. We are being shaken from our slumber. We are a rising remnant. Those who have eyes to see are being prepared, but not all will see. Many in the Church will stay asleep and will eventually fall away. But God is using these perilous times to raise up powerful Kingdom Christians who will transform this next era. Those who stand for the Upside-Down Kingdom and surrender their kingdom for His––in repentance and holiness––will bring His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.
The least will be greatest.