In developing a landscaping plan one must discern the contours of the land. The contours, the way the land lies will effect how water flows, the amount of sunlight plants receive and the type of plants that grow. In this chapter the contours of God’s kingship and the kingdom of God for Christian education will be explored. The exploration of these contours is primarily the responsibility of theologians, yet they contain far reaching implications for the understanding and practice of Christian education.

The selection of God’s kingship and the kingdom of God as a paradigm for Christian education is rooted in the fact that it was the central theme of Jesus’ teaching and the crystallizing point around which it naturally gathered. Jesus’ understanding of the kingdom was rooted in the Old Testament teaching on God’s kingship and involved life-changing implications for his followers.

In order to accurately describe the contours of the Bible’s teaching on God’s kingship and the kingdom of God for Christian education it will be necessary to offer a working definition of the kingdom of God, examine its Scriptural basis, and identify eight beliefs that form the foundation of a paradigm for Christian education.

Defining the kingdom of God is a difficult task because Scripture does not contain a succinct definition. Jesus did not define it; although, he did describe it. The task is further complicated by the reality that those who heard Jesus teach on the kingdom of God understood what he meant by it. Therefore a definition must be discerned from the Old Testament teaching on God’s kingship and the New Testament teaching on the kingdom of God.

The Old Testament understanding of the kingdom of God is rooted principally in the teaching of God as King. The Hebrew term for king, malkuth, refers primarily to the reign or rule (authority) of a king and only secondarily to the realm over which the reign is exercised. God, Israel’s King, in the Old Testament is spoken of as King over all the earth, over Israel, and being both a present reality and future hope.

The kingdom of God may be defined as the reign of God. This is an essential definition, it tells what a thing is. Understanding the kingdom of God as the reign of God forces one to ask questions about the nature and extent of his reign. The answers suggested above, will be developed in the next section.

This essential definition is rooted principally in the Old Testament teaching on God’s kingship. The New Testament teaching expands the Old Testament understanding by describing the nature and character of the kingdom of God. Therefore, the definition of the kingdom of God to be offered is descriptive. An acceptable definition is:

This definition must be unpacked in order to demonstrate its consistency with the Scriptural teaching on God’s kingship and the kingdom of God. (It should be noted, that due to the overlapping nature of the discussion, God’s kingship will be subsumed under the kingdom of God concept, when appropriate.) Therefore, the biblical teaching on the kingdom of God will be examined in greater detail in order to demonstrate its Scriptural validity and describe in greater detail its nature and character.

The Scriptural teaching on the kingdom of God will be investigated by examining three inter-related themes: (1) God is king over all the world; (2) God is king of Israel and the Church; (3) God’s reign is both a present reality and future hope.

God is king over all the world

The Scriptures consistently claim that "God is the great king over all the earth." God’s kingship is a fact whether it is acknowledged as truth or denied. In order to grasp the significance of God’s kingship, one must understand his role as creator, sustainer, and redeemer of the world.

The Bible opens with these words, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) It acknowledges the existence of God. No attempt to explain his origin is offered. God just is. It is in his creative activity that he reveals what type of God he is.

When God creates, it is obvious that he is independent and that the nature and shape of creation is dependent on him. As VanTil and others have noted, God is independent and creation is dependent and therefore the creature can never become the Creator. The account of God’s creative activity is orderly and purposeful. God creates the world and all in it. The high point of creation is the fashioning and the breathing of life into the man - who was created male and female. It was to the man that the Creator entrusted the care of the created world as his representative.

The created order was good because God had declared it good. The Creator was responsible for establishing the standard for the created order. The initial standard was simple - the man and woman were not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They were to develop a God-like knowledge of good and evil - to love the good in such a manner that anything which compromised or was contrary to it would be repulsive. God is king over all the world because he created it and established the standards for it.

God also sustains and governs the world. The originally good creation was devastated by the Fall (Genesis 3). In the Fall, the man and woman said we are no longer dependent on God, we are free to make our own decisions on our own terms. In spite of what they believed, however, declaring independence does not make one independent. God is still God; creatures are still creatures. God is still the creator; humans are still the creation. Thus, God is still independent and people are still dependent. God, in spite of the disobedience of the man and woman, sustains and governs the world.

God’s governance of the world is perhaps most clearly seen in his redemptive activity. From the Fall onward God has sought to redeem humankind and creation from its devastating effects. His redemptive activity is seen in his choosing of Israel and in the sending of his Son, Jesus Christ. The God who created, sustains and governs the world is active in the world.

God who is king over all the world has made himself known through his Word and mighty acts. God created, sustains, governs and redeems his creation. He "is a spirit, whose being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth are infinite, eternal, and unchangeable." It is to this God that the creation is accountable and responsible. Francis Schaeffer, poignantly summarizes this truth when he writes,

God is King over Israel and the Church

God’s authority extends over the entire created order, but in the counsel of his own will he raised up a people, Israel, to be a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6). The election of Israel to be his own nation and to receive an inheritance was based on God’s love for their forefathers, not in any inherited righteousness (Deuteronomy 7:7-9, 9:4-6). Israel was chosen by God to be his people, to worship him alone and to obey the covenant law.

Israel, the people of God, was originally intended to be a theocracy with the Lord as their king. However, Israel asked God for an earthly king.

Israel believed God was active in the created order accomplishing his purpose. Israel also believed, in light of the Abrahamic covenant, that she was to play a unique role among the nations - testifying to God’s faithfulness and his intervention in history. Israel was not always faithful to God’s calling, yet she continually acknowledged that her ultimate hope was in the Lord God her king.

Israel, God’s chosen people, was to worship the Lord her God as he instructed them. "Worship is the work of acknowledging the greatness of our covenant God." A proper understanding of worship is predicated on a correct understanding of the relationship between faith and works.

Israel’s relationship with God was grounded in faith, not works. Israel’s obedience to the covenant was to be an expression of her faith, not determination to keep the law. In the giving of the Ten Commandments, God set the context with these words, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery" (Exodus 20:2). God, in rescuing Israel, revealed who He was and through his actions what type of God he was. Just as the man and woman in the Garden were to live by faith based on their knowledge and experience of God, so was Israel being called to live by faith based on their knowledge and experience of God. Faith is believing something to be true to an extent that it shapes one’s understanding of self and impacts how one lives. Israel was to live by faith; their faith was to be demonstrated in their obedience to the law. The law was to be obeyed because God was good, holy and righteousness and thus his law was, too. Tragically, Israel confused this by overemphasizing obedience to the law - it became a means to an end rather than the end - and neglecting the role of faith within the community. It is for this reason that Samuel’s words were so striking to Saul, "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you rejected the Word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king" (1 Samuel 15:22-23). For Saul’s faith was in himself and his ability, not God’s. This misplaced faith allowed him to believe he was fulfilling the law when he was actually violating it. Israel was to be a people of faith, a people whose faith was manifested in their obedience to the law and whose disobedience was confessed to the gracious and merciful God who rescued them from Egypt.

The Old Testament reveals two Israels, physical and spiritual. Physical Israel is composed of the descendent of Jacob’s twelve sons who were heirs of the Abrahamic covenant. Spiritual Israel is the believing and faithful remnant spoken of by the prophets. The defining characteristic of this remnant, spiritual Israel, is that their faith was in the Lord God who rescued them from Egypt and that they sought to live in faithfulness to the covenant. God called Israel to a life of faith, it was the remnant who lived by faith not the nation as a whole.

The New Testament records God breaking into the created order in the person and work of Jesus Christ. In order to understand Jesus’ teaching on the nature of the kingdom three relationships need to be examined: (1) Relationship between Christ and the kingdom of God; (2) Relationship between faith and works; (3) Relationship between Israel and the Church, and the Church and the kingdom of God.

A proper understanding of (1) the relationship between Christ and the kingdom of God is rooted in Jesus’ mediatorial role. The mediatorial role of Christ is most clearly seen in light of his three offices: (a) prophet, (b) priest and (c) king. In each of these three offices Christ stands in a unique relationship to the kingdom of God.

(a) A prophet is one to whom God reveals himself and who then instructs the divine revelation to the people. Scripture recognizes that not all prophets are from God and therefore the people are called to discern between true and false prophets based on their character, truthfulness and consistency with previous revelation. From the Genesis 3:15 through Moses’ description of a prophet who was to come, the Abrahamic covenant, the Davidic covenant, Isaiah’s description of the Servant of the Lord, Jeremiah’s New Covenant, the Old Testament looked forward with great anticipation to the coming of the Great Shepherd, Christ Jesus.

In the New Testament Jesus Christ is understood as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. He claims to be a prophet and was recognized by the people as one. His role as a prophet is clearly described in Hebrews when it states, "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things and through whom he made the universe." As the promised prophet, Jesus was responsible for announcing the coming and demonstrating the reality of the kingdom of God in his person and work, and teaching it to others.

(b) A priest is one who represents God before the people and speaks on his behalf as well as representing the people before God. The responsibility of a priest is described in Hebrews 5:1-3 as representing the people, offering gifts and sacrifices for sins, and interceding on behalf of the people. The title "Priest" is applied to Christ only in Hebrews; although, there are other references to his priestly work in the New Testament. The priestly office of Christ was prefigured in the Old Testament and is best examined in light of the three priestly responsibilities.

The priest was to represent the people before God; he mediated the relationship between God and humankind. The apostle Paul declared the "There is one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ." Christ’s role as a mediator can only be properly understood in light of the sacrifice he offered. (This is the uniqueness of the Christian message.)

The priest offered sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. The Old Testament sacrifices taught that in order to provide for the forgiveness of sins an innocent victim had to be substituted for the guilty party. The New Testament critiques the value of the Old Testament sacrificial system in light of Christ’s priesthood, stating, "Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins." Christ on the other hand was a perfect sacrifice, without sin, who willingly submitted to the crucifixion in order to provide atonement for the sins of the people. He voluntarily submitted to crucifixion and is appropriately called the "lamb of God" and "Passover lamb." Christ’s sacrifice does not need to be offered again and again because "after this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God."

In his priestly capacity Christ offered himself for the atonement of sins. His atonement was substitutionary, he stood in the place of fallen humanity and willingly bore the penalty of their transgressions for them. His sacrifice was sufficient and complete. Because he was without sin, God raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand. The priestly work of Christ is accurately summarized by the apostle Peter when he writes, "For Christ died for the sins once and for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit."

Christ also intercedes, pleads the cause, for those whom he has made atonement. He not only intercedes but also pleads their defense. Louis Berhof accurately describes Christ’s intercessory role when he writes,

Christ stands in a unique relationship to the kingdom of God in his priestly office. He states that in himself the kingdom has come into the world, the rule of God in the person of Christ is present in the creation. In Christ the kingdom was present and it is only through Christ that one enters it, becomes a citizen of the kingdom of God. In Jesus’ words to Nicodemus, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." Jesus Christ in his priestly role is the mediator between God and human beings; he provided the means for people to enter the kingdom and intercedes for the citizens of the kingdom.

(c) The third office of Christ to be considered, and the one that generally receives the most attention in relationship to the kingdom of God, is that of king. As in the Old Testament, the New Testament term king, baselia, refers primarily to the reign or rule of God. Christ refers to himself as a king before Pilate, is called a king by those present during the Triumphal Entry and is referred to as a king by Paul and John.

Jesus’ kingship is attested in his words, "All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me." It is also described by Paul when he prays that the church at Ephesus would:

He will reign as king until his last enemy, death, has been destroyed and will then hand the reign of the kingdom over to the Father.

Christ is the king, he is purposefully ruling over the created order, directing its affairs towards a predetermined end. The special relationship between Christ’s kingly office and the kingdom of God is that he is currently ruling over the kingdom he announced as present, inaugurated, and about which he instructed the people. All creation is thus subject to Christ’s kingly authority.

(2) The relationship between faith and works in the New Testament is consistent with the Old Testament teaching. Faith - believing and trusting in Christ alone for one’s salvation - is to produce fruit. Faith is rooted in the objective work of Christ, shape’s a person’s understanding of self and impacts how one lives. James is quick to note that faith which does not manifest itself in a lifestyle consistent with God’s character is not true biblical faith.

Jesus summoned people to a life of faith and at the same time proclaimed the demands to which a Christ-follower would be obligated too. The ethical demands of the kingdom are absolute - they are rooted in God’s character. Jesus’ teaching emphasizes the correlation between faith and works for the citizens of the kingdom. The ethics of the kingdom form the basis for personal ethics, which should then provide a basis for social ethics. Social ethics are a corporate expression of personal ethics. The ethical demands of the kingdom are therefore different than the standards of the world. Christian-followers experience tension in this area because they are citizens of two kingdoms. The application of the kingdom’s ethical demands should transform one’s personal standards and thereby impact the individual’s understanding of the ethical issues faced by society. Likewise, "the church must also be concerned about the implementation of Christian principles in every area of life as part of its mission.

(3) The relationship between Israel and the Church, and the Church and the Kingdom needs to be explored. The Church or the Church Universal consists of "everyone in the world who professes the true religion together with their children." The Church is the Israel of God, the continuation of spiritual Israel. Jesus is responsible for calling the church into existence and providing the foundation upon which it is based, his death and resurrection.

In order to understand the church’s role as a visible expression of the kingdom of God, three essential distinctions must be maintained between the church and kingdom of God.

The church cannot be equated with the kingdom of God. The church is composed of those who have submitted to God’s rule, yet it is also "subject both to impurity and error." The church being a mixture of truth and error is sometimes a visible expression of the kingdom and sometimes it is not. The church cannot be equated with the kingdom of God; however, it may be a visible expression of the kingdom.

Second, citizenship in the kingdom of God includes participation in the church; whereas, membership in a church is not necessarily synonymous with citizenship in the kingdom. One’s entrance into the kingdom is synonymous with membership in the Church and it should be visibly expressed by participation in a church.

Third, the church is God’s instrument; whereas, the kingdom is God’s rule. The church fulfills her mission in two ways. First, she is the only divinely established institution for the proclamation of the gospel. And second, the church is God’s instrument for opposing evil, that which is contrary to the dictates of Scripture in the world. It is to have a stabilizing influence on society.

God who is king over all the creation in his wisdom chose Israel to be his people and in and through Christ established the Church. The kingdom of God, the reign of God, calls Christ-followers to live life’s of faith which demonstrate the reality of one’s commitment to Christ. The kingdom of God intersects with the fallen world in the Church of Christ.

God’s Reign is a Present Reality and Future Hope

Israel knew that the Lord God was her King and that he ruled over all the nations of the earth. Israel also looked forward to a time when God’s reign would be visibly established and all the nations subdued. Ladd captures the significance of this future hope for Israel when he states,

Israel’s expectations regarding the establishment of God’s kingdom played a significant role in the life of the people.

The establishment of the Kingdom, a future hope, in the Old Testament involved three components. First, the Lord would come and judge his people. Second, the Lord would visibly establish his reign as King. Third, his coming would result in the conversion of the nations and the pouring out of His Spirit.

The present reality of God’s kingship and the future hope possessed by Israel placed the nation in ethical tension. This tension is seen in the writings of the prophets who recount God’s past actions and predict judgment for Israel’s continual disobedience and blessings for obedience. The future kingdom to be established by God is one of hope and promise to those who have been faithful and therefore an ethical demand is placed upon the nation to turn from sin and demonstrate her faith through adherence to the law.

As Old Testament history drew to a close, Israel was filled with expectation about the cataclysmic in-breaking of God’s kingdom. This in-breaking of God’s kingdom is viewed as a single event in which the kings of this world will be destroyed and the created order will be filled with righteousness.

Israel’s expectations provide a basis for understanding two complimentary characteristics of the kingdom of God. First, the rule of God is a present reality. God’s reign is purposeful, he is active in the world. His present reign over the created order is a reality whether it is acknowledged or not. Second, the kingdom is also a future hope. At some point in history God will break-in and personally establish his rule over the world. The kingdom as a future hope looks forward to a time when all people will recognize God as their King and all will be holy because the Lord God their King is holy. The reign of God is both a present reality and future hope.

The New Testament also sees the kingdom of God as a present reality and future hope. Jesus, throughout his ministry, testified that the kingdom of God was in there midst and summoned people to enter it. The kingdom was present in Jesus and is still present spirtually in the hearts of Christ-followers. Christ followers experience the kingdom of God in part now. For example, the Christ-follower has peace with God but does not experience complete peace in this life. The parable of the wheat and tares reminds one that the kingdom of God and this world will coexist until they are separated at the second coming of Christ. The Christ-follower is thus a citizen of two kingdoms - this world and the kingdom of God. Anthony Hoekema describes this tension accurately,

The current state can be diagrammed as follows:

Kingdom of God

1^st Advent of Christ

Creation

Fall This Age

The kingdom of God is also a future hope in the New Testament. Jesus spoke often about his second coming. It is at the second coming that the created world will be redeemed, Christ’s enemies destroyed, and the originally good creation rescued from the effects of sin. At the second coming the kingdom of God will come in completeness - literally and spiritually. Christ-followers long for Christ’s second coming because it is at that time they will, for example, experience perfect peace in all their relationships. This can be diagrammed as follows:

Kingdom of God Eternity

1^st Advent of Christ

2^nd Advent of Christ

Creation

Fall This Age

The tension between the present aspects and the future hope of the kingdom of God are generally designated by the terms ‘already’ and ‘not-yet.’ ‘Already’ refers to the present reality of the kingdom of God and ‘not-yet’ to the fact that though the kingdom has come it is not yet complete. This tension is the mystery of the kingdom which Jesus spoke of in Mark 4:11-12. The term "mystery designates the secret thoughts, plans, and dispensations of God which are hidden from human reason, as well as from all other comprehension below the divine level, and hence must be revealed to those whom they are intended." The mystery of the kingdom may be understood as "the coming of the Kingdom into history in advance of its apocalyptic manifestation. It is in short, ‘fulfillment’ without ‘consummation.’" Or to put it differently, "that the kingdom which one day changes the entire external order has entered into this Age in advance to bring the blessings of God’s kingdom to men and women without transforming the Old Order."

Although the New Testament understanding of the kingdom of God is deeply rooted in the Old Testament, its teachings differed dramatically from Israel’s expectations regarding the nature and purpose of the kingdom. Israel expected a political king who would establish a political kingdom. Jesus’ announcement that "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" at the beginning of his ministry would have been understood by all present; although, it was interpreted along political lines. His teaching on the kingdom throughout his ministry was both corrective and instructive - correcting the popular misconceptions regarding the kingdom of God and instructing the people on how to enter it and its character. Jesus’ instruction on the kingdom builds on the Old Testament understanding and reveals that God, in Jesus Christ, is in the process of literally establishing his rule over the created order.

The Kingdom of God as a Paradigm for Christian Education

The Biblical teaching on the kingdom of God enables one to critique the presuppositions and beliefs which govern a person’s perception of the world. This foundation is provided because it offers a basis for understanding and interpreting the world that is both consistent with scripture and one’s experience. Drawing on the previous material, eight beliefs which form the foundation for a paradigm will identified and briefly described.

The implications of a paradigm cannot be explored unless one is conscious of the beliefs which govern it. Those beliefs, on the part of any individual, are held either tacitly or explicitly. It is vital in the area of Christian education that these beliefs be evaluated so that they are held explicitly rather than implicitly. For only then can they be examined against the light of Scripture and their implications adequately explored. The kingdom of God paradigm is composed of eight foundational and interrelated beliefs which should govern one’s perception of the world and understanding of Christian education.

These eight beliefs provide the foundation for the kingdom of God paradigm. They form the core of a worldview that will shape one’s understanding and interpretation of scripture and life. Worldviews always function in this manner, so it is vital that to evaluate one’s presuppositions against the Scriptures. In this case not only have they been tested, but their implications for understanding and doing Christian education will be explored. There are still some gaps to fill, but for the most part Christian education must be concerned with passing on of a worldview consistent with Scripture that enables one to learn and live faithfully in spite of the ‘already’ ‘not yet’ reality of the kingdom of God. Christian education must be about equipping people for kingdom living.