a The Kingdom of God	3Back to Home

4 Navigation --------------- Homepage St. Matthew St. Matthew 2 St. Mark St. Luke St. Luke 2 St. John St. John 2 Acts of Apostles Acts of Apostles 2 --------------- The Letters --- Romans --- 1. Corinthias --- 2. Corinthias --- Galatians --- Ephesians --- Philippians --- Colossians --- 1. Thessalonians --- 2. Thessalonians --- 1. Timothy --- 2. Timothy --- Titus --- Philemon --- Hebrews --- James --- 1. Peter --- 2. Peter --- 1. John --- 2. John --- 3. John --- Jude --------------- The Apocalypse

This Biblical notion is shot full of eschatological significance. The Kingdom of God is central to Jesus' ministry. He preaches about it, he tells parables about it, he performs "mighty works" which exhibit it. And yet -- are you sure you know what it means? It has been subject to a greater variety of interpretations than almost any other Biblical idea. A good Roman Catholic : The Roman Church is the gateway of entrance to the Kingdom of God. If you want to be in the Kingdom, you must be in the Roman Church. A good Protestant sectarian : My sect is the gateway of entrance to the Kingdom of God. If you want to be in the Kingdom, you must be in my sect. A rugged activist : The Kingdom of God is built by the intense effort of men of good will. If we band together, we can bring in the Kingdom here on earth. A stern literalist : I have studied the Bible carefully and discover that the Kingdom of God will come on March 14, 1987, slightly before 2 P.M. Woe to those who have not forsaken their evil ways before then! A dedicated individualist : The Kingdom of God is in my heart. No matter what happens, the Kingdom is alive within me. We have, then, such extreme interpretations as . . .  "Rise up, O men of God! His Kingdom tarries long; Bring in the day of brotherhood And end the night of wrong." *    Sit down, O men of God, His Kingdom he will bring, Just as and when and where he will, You cannot do a thing.    . . . and everything in between. God conquers death God gives us the power to conquer The Only Real "Answer" A Question You Can't Avoid Some Current Answers -- a Dime a Dozen The First Part of the Biblical Answer What Is the "Image of God"? Some Consequences The Second Part of the Biblical Answer What Sin Is Supplying Some Documentation What Sin Is Not Getting Straightened Out How Can I Be Changed? The Third Part of the Biblical Answer The First Step After the First Step The Heart of the Matter Not Once and for All Some Hints for Growing -- Tried and Tested A Final Warning Why Isn't "Individual Religion" Enough? The Case Against the Church -a Bagful of Objections When Did the Church Get Started? Just What Is a "Covenant"? The "New Covenant" Becomes a Possibility Those Words of Jesus to Peter Those "Upsetters of the World" A Rebuttal of the Case Against the Church Why the Church? Last Judgment? Second Coming? What Do They Mean? The Inescapability of Eschatology The Point of Biblical Eschatology: History Is Going Somewhere The Dangers of Literalism Exploring New Testament Eschatology The Kingdom of God A Few Bits of Help The Gift of God Schatology and "What I Do Today" What Happens When I Die? Sheol -- Where God Is Not Present The Community of the Resurrection Paul's Attempt to Describe the Christian Fact A "Spiritual Body" The Facts of the Case I Try to Live a Good Life. Why Isn't That Enough? The "Micah" Variation The "Worship and Action" Variation The "Therefore" Variation The Biblical faith that God is the Creator