Posted by PS on January 12, 2004 at 12:11:12:
In Reply to: more thoughts posted by giveawayboy on January 12, 2004 at 09:53:08:
: what is the nature of the kingdom? what are it's marks? what does it mean to be a resident there?
If it exists today, what will we show of its substance that will convince anyone they want to live in it? Perhaps the bigotry, the polemics, the hatred, the wars, the persecutions, and the invalidation of every other form of religious expression non-Christian? Maybe hunger, sickness, oppression, murder, inequalities and injustices galore? Where is this kingdom we speak of? Many religions don't acknowledge the messiahship of Jesus because it has not produced the peace, love, and suppression of evil it was prophesied to usher in. In this estimation, these oft demonized "enemies" of the cross at least seek REAL, substantial, tangible expressions of the ideals of beauty, truth, and goodness in their hope for the kingdom. We Christians, however, are content with our right theology, our revealed truth that surpasses all others and answers every question fully, and with our true faith, which produces a smug disdain for all other religions (which we esteem deceptions, incompletions, or perversions). This doesn't look much like the glorious kingdom to anyone among the uninitiated.
If this kingdom exists somewhere else, how can we certainly know all about what it really is? How can we pretend to be the doormen, permitting or denying entry? It's fine to say peace and love exists somewhere--in some spiritual realm, or within us, or within the true fellowship--as we lie, cheat, steal, and murder our enemies. All is done in the name of Jesus. As long as you believe the right thing about who Jesus is, all manner of conquest done in his name is seen to be ordained. We are to go spread the gospel--go colonialize for Jesus. So go bomb Iraq, the enemy of God. Our intelligence about the weapons of mass destruction is not nearly as flawed as our intelligence about God's will and the nature of the kingdom of God. I don't buy the exclusivity and world domination interpretations. Right thinking isn't worth a damn if it kills his neighbor.
Best to go back to the One who taught of the kingdom and proclaimed its coming, to see what HIS "marks" were (to use your word). The kingdom would at the very least have to be in full harmony
with those exalted ideals. Jesus is my Messiah. The Christian church has been found wanting.