Understanding the Nature and Scope of God’s Kingdom

Not Under the Control of The Church… But The Very Essence of Life Itself

Last Sunday, I squirmed my way through a sermon by a young Baptist pastor, who is also a wonderful young man and someone I believe has great possibilities as a man of God. I say squirmed because he seemed to see God’s Kingdom through the narrow lens of what he called “the local church.”  Yep, according to him, the local church can demand your loyalty no matter how heretical or apostate that church is or may become.

One thing I thought of right away is that most of his congregation came from other local churches. The truth is, many have left their local churches, hoping that this pastor would be more scriptural than the local church they were attending. I hope you’re seeing the absurdity in all this.

Here are his exact words… “Any theology that leads to devaluing the local church for the sake of some other way to serve God is bad theology… broken theology. You’re off-balance.”

Can you see the issue? Seems like a small issue, right? Nitpicking? Well, maybe. The hard truth is that this young man is a Southern Baptist because Martin Luther refused to stand down in his church. The “here I stand” speech was Luther’s attempt to love his local church. The higher-ups didn’t like the challenge to their authority, and the rest is history. The Reformation is full of men who left their local churches for some very good reasons.

Further, Baptist church history is also replete with men who left their local churches to form another church because they had a worldview that transcended the church they attended. Their Kingdom Theology allowed them to do this. Bottom line: Their local churches were not the final reference point in all predication. Instead, they looked to the Word of God for truth.

That said, I wanted to give a very brief description of the Protestant view of Kingdom Theology.

Why did Jesus Come to Earth?

Jesus came not just to forgive individual sinners but to reestablish God’s rule over the whole world. While “local church ideology” often becomes quite abstract, the concept of God’s kingdom is deeply practical and should guide the local church.

Christ’s mission was to undo the chaos caused by sin and rebellion. The world was and is broken… from politics to families to personal lives… and the Kingdom of God is God’s answer to that brokenness. When Jesus came, he didn’t offer vague spiritual enlightenment and churchy opportunities; he announced the arrival of God’s rule in history.

Christ the King: From Birth to Battle

Matthew’s Gospel opens with Jesus’ kingship. At his birth, the wise men asked, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2). From the start, Jesus is seen not just as a Savior but as a ruler. Kings rule, right? This kingship immediately threatened political authorities like Herod, setting the tone for Jesus’ entire ministry: his authority especially challenged the world’s corrupt powers. In those days, this was especially true in the Temple and synagogues.

Later, Satan tempts Jesus with all the kingdoms of the world if only he would bow down (Matthew 4:8–10). But Jesus refuses… God’s kingdom will not be built through demands and compromise.

Instead, Jesus demonstrates his kingship by defeating Satan’s forces: “If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28). Jesus didn’t say the kingdom was delayed… he said it had already begun. This seems very plain.

The Kingdom Is Here… But Not Everyone Sees It

Although Jesus inaugurated God’s kingdom, not all experience its blessings. Again, the kingdom is not only about salvation, but also about judgment.

Jesus preached in parables to reveal truth to some and conceal it from others: “Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom… but to them it is not given” (Matthew 13:11). The kingdom divides. Some hearts are soft soil, receiving the Word. Others are rocky or thorny, rejecting or distorting it.

In the parable of the wheat and the tares, Jesus describes the kingdom as a field… “the field is the world” (Matthew 13:38)… where good and evil grow side by side until the harvest. God rules over all, even those who defy him, but only some experience the joy of that rule.

The Church: Gateway to the Kingdom’s Blessings

While the kingdom includes the whole world, the church is supposed to play a vital role. Jesus told Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:19). Through preaching and gospel ministry, the church opens the door to the blessings of the kingdom. The church does not contain the whole kingdom, but it is the steward of the message by which people enter into its blessings.

Important: It’s in the church that the Word is proclaimed, discipline is exercised, and sacraments are administered. These things are not ends in themselves… they are the entry points through which Christ’s saving reign is received and activated.

The Kingdom Grows Like Yeast and Mustard Seed

Jesus described the kingdom not as a sudden revolution but as a growing force. “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed… it becomes a tree” (Matthew 13:31–32).

It’s also like leaven that gradually spreads through the whole lump (Matthew 13:33). In other words, Christ’s rule expands over time… through the preaching of the gospel, through changed lives, and through communities shaped by his Word.

This growth includes not only spiritual change in individuals but transformation in all areas of life… family, business, education, and government. God’s kingdom is not limited to private religion or little church circles. Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). That prayer is not escapist. It is a call for God’s will to shape every sphere of human existence.

The Kingdom Is Here… But Its Fulfillment Is Still Future

Jesus made clear that the kingdom is both present and future. In Matthew 7:21, he warns, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father.”

There is a coming day when the full reality of the kingdom will be revealed… when the true and the false will be separated, and only the righteous will remain.

This final judgment shows that the kingdom is not just a current experience of blessing… it will one day be complete, pure, and unshakable. As 2 Peter 3:13 declares, “We are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

You Must Be Born Again to Enter the Kingdom

Jesus told Nicodemus, “Except one be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). The entrance into God’s kingdom begins with spiritual rebirth. The gospel of the kingdom is not just about power or forced cultural transformation… it’s about redemption and the blessings that are a byproduct of changed hearts.

As Paul writes, “God delivered us out of the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love” (Colossians 1:13).

The kingdom is about forgiveness of sins, new life through the Spirit, and belonging to Christ. That’s why Romans 14:17 says, “The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

The Kingdom Is Cosmic in Scope and Christ Is Supreme

Though salvation is central, the kingdom touches everything. “All things were created by him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). Christ is reconciling all things to himself (verse 20), so “in all things he might have preeminence” (verse 18).

Every part of life… science, politics, family, economics, education… is under Christ’s authority. The church is not called to cloister up, escaping the world, and into private, “churchy” community groups, but to proclaim Christ’s rule in every area of life.

Faith That Works: The Kingdom Affects Behavior

True religion changes lives. James writes, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). Religion that does not change how we talk, act, and care for others is vain.

Also, kingdom citizens must bear fruit… “he who hears the word and understands it… bears fruit” (Matthew 13:23). Whether in caring for widows, visiting the sick, controlling our tongues, or practicing holiness in daily life, kingdom people live under the reign of Christ first and the local church second. (and then, only if it’s faithful)

Jesus Rules Now… and He Will Subdue All Enemies

Jesus reigns even now. Paul writes, “He must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25). Not everyone will love Jesus, but all will be subdued in some sense. His victory is certain, and we are called to live as faithful citizens of that kingdom now, even as we await its final triumph.

Not From This World… But Definitely For It

Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). He meant it does not come from human origin or operate by worldly power. But it’s absolutely for this world. Christ’s kingdom touches every life, every structure, every culture. It’s a heavenly rule with earthly consequences.

Thy Kingdom Come… Now and Forever

God’s kingdom is not just a future hope or a spiritual abstraction. It is a present, growing reality rooted in Jesus’ kingship. It begins with salvation, spreads through gospel proclamation, and reaches into every area of life.

God’s kingdom extends far beyond just the church or the Christian household… it embraces all of creation. As the Creator, God holds authority over everything He has made. To suggest otherwise is to imply that Satan, by way of Adam’s fall, somehow gained a legitimate claim over a portion of creation.

But that is not the case. Adam was never the rightful owner… he was a steward appointed by God. He had no authority to surrender ownership to Satan because it was never his to give. Therefore, I believe God’s kingdom encompasses the entire earth and all of life. It includes every sphere where people live out their salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12). Wherever sin is found, that place becomes a target for reconquest under God’s rule.

Though it will only be perfected at Christ’s return, we are called to live now as loyal citizens… praying, proclaiming, and obeying: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Final Thoughts

Let me reverse this young pastor’s comments about Kingdom Theology: Any local church theology that devalues what Jesus said about His Kingdom is not just broken or off balance… it’s dead in the water. It’s not a church.

That’s Protestant history in general and Baptist history in particular. We can all learn from this. If this sort of category error can come from a good fellow like this pastor, it can happen to any of us.  Be careful of making rash, unqualified, and unbiblical statements. And lastly, if we’re going to paint with broad strokes… we should always check the paint can to see if we’re painting with the right color paint.

Source: https://www.offthegridnews.com/religion/understanding-the-nature-and-scope-of-gods-kingdom/