The Kingdom Of God (Contd.)

by John Drain, Derby | Category: The Kingdom Of God (Contd.) | Mar 1977

At the beginning of His public ministry the Lord called to Him certain men. These men, drawn by a divine attraction, "left all, and followed Him". Their hearts were won by the lovely Man whom the many despised and rejected, and they became His sheep. On one occasion the Shepherd said to some Jews, "Ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish..." (John 10:26-28). It is important to observe that eternal life is given personally to each one who believes. The Lord referred also to His sheep as being a flock. This noun describes the sheep as gathered in one flock in collective subjection and obedience to the one Shepherd. It was to this flock that the Lord said, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). We believe that these words identify the nation of which the Lord spoke (Matt. 21:43). The kingdom of God, taken from Israel, was to be committed to the little flock of the disciples of the Lord Jesus. To individual believers is given eternal life and no believer in Christ can ever lose this gift. The kingdom of God is a collective endowment, and we shall see that forfeiture of its privileges is a solemn possibility.

The harrowing and bewildering happenings in the crucifixion of Christ led to the temporary scattering of the little flock. Shortly before His death Christ said to His disciples, "All ye shall be offended in Me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad" (Matt. 26:31). We notice that to the words of Zechariah, the Lord, by sovereign divine authority, added "of the flock", thus identifying the sheep that were to be scattered. Having uttered this prophetic announcement the Shepherd made a post-resurrection, reuniting appointment with His sheep. During forty days after His resurrection the Lord Jesus paid periodic visits to His disciples. One reason for these visits was to re-establish in the minds and hearts of His followers the responsibilities which were to be shouldered by them in the new dispensation soon to begin. We would here ask each reader to

consider carefully the question, What were the matters about which the Lord spoke to His disciples? There is, of course, no doubt whatever as to the answer. He was "speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3). This is very clear in the word of God and it is greatly to be regretted that many children of God have refused to examine the implications of what is recorded. The Lord was preparing His men for their task. When the kingdom of God was founded at Sinai it was impressed deeply upon Moses that all things were to be done according to the word of God. Moses, a man instructed in all the wisdom of Egypt, was not permitted to introduce from his store of human knowledge any ideas for the fulfilment of God's purpose. Similarly, for the purposes of God to be effected in the new expression of the kingdom of God in the new dispensation the Lord told His disciples what was to be done and how and where they were to do it.

For brevity's sake we now submit concisely six propositions concerning the kingdom about which the Lord instructed His disciples.

(1)This kingdom is a divine kingdom.

For many centuries there have been on earth kingdoms of human origin and ownership. This kingdom is of divine origin and ownership. It is the kingdom of God. It is on earth a kingdom for God. The conception of such a kingdom is in the mind of the divine Being and the implementation of the conception is in the activity of divine power. It is far removed from any thought of people just deciding to group for the purpose of some collective action.

(2)It is a kingdom having a divine constitution.

A kingdom requires a constitution to establish the rules by which will be determined the conduct, the rights, the privileges, the responsibilities of those who form the kingdom. In Israel of the old dispensation the constitution of the kingdom was embodied in the law given through Moses. By this instrument God ruled His people, defining their responsibilities to the Lord Himself, to one another and to the nations around. In the present dispensation that which answers to the law of Moses is the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the teaching of the apostles and prophets which has been preserved for us and is presented to us in the New Testament Scriptures. The Faith covers every sphere of our lives and activities. It reveals the privileges of God's kingdom today and the responsibilities with which those privileges are linked. It is God's doctrine for His people and it shows the behaviour and conduct which are proper to the kingdom.

(3)It is a kingdom embodying divine authority.

On the occasion of one of His visits to the disciples during the forty-day period the Lord Jesus said, "All authority hath been given unto Me in

heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them ... teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you..." (Matt. 28:18-20). The lordship of Jehovah was emphasized at Sinai. On the mountain in Galilee that same authority was stressed but with more remarkable implications. To the Man who was despised all authority has been given. The authority of Jehovah is vested in Christ and by it He controls the kingdom 6f God. By the authority of the Lord divine rule operates in God's kingdom, and for this purpose men are raised up by the Holy Spirit to have responsibility in maintaining rule. Such men are referred to as elders and as overseers (see Acts 14:22,23; Acts 20:17 and 28; 1 Tim. 3:1-7; 1 Pet. 5:1,2).

In our English Bibles we have several times the words "bishop" and "bishops". It may be helpful here to quote from the writings of three respected ecclesiastical dignatories.

Dean Alford, "The episcopoi of the New Testament have officially nothing to do with our bishops. It would be better... always to render episkopous overseers. Thus we would avoid the chance of identifying it with a present and different office".

Dr Lightfoot, "but what must be said of the term bishop? It has already been shown that in the apostolic writings the two (that is, bishop and presbyter) are only different designations of one and the same office".

Dean Stanley, "It is as sure that nothing like modern episcopacy existed before the close of the first century, as it is that nothing like modern Presbyterianism existed after the beginning of the second".

These observations carry considerable weight because of the identity and position of those who made them.

(4)It is a kingdom expressing divine power.

If a kingdom is to survive it must have not only the authority but also the power to deal with wrongs occurring within its territory. When writing his first epistle to the Corinthians the apostle Paul obviously felt the necessity of dealing with certain irregularities which had gained a foothold in the assembly. Early in the epistle he says. "For this cause have I sent unto you Timothy... who shall put you in remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in every church. Now some are puffed up... but I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will; and I will know, not the word of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power" (1 Cor. 4:17-20). What Paul taught in every church was the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. This carried the authority of divine legislation, but it also gave the power to deal with evil. There was power to enforce the Faith. There could not be tolerated sin in the churches of God.

(5) It is a kingdom enjoying privileges of divine service.

This service includes witness and worship. It was said to those disciples to whom the Lord spoke so much about the kingdom of God which they were shortly to become, "Ye shall be My witnesses". In his ascription of praise to the Lord in the opening words of the Revelation John said, "Unto Him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by His blood; and He made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto His God and Father..." (Rev. 1:5,6).

(6) It is a kingdom manifesting divine characteristics. See Rom. 14:17-18. To this we shall return next month (D.V.).

John Drain, Derby | Mar 1977
The Kingdom Of God (Contd.)