The Doctrine of the Kingdom

WE AFFIRM that the Kingdom of God is the rule and reign of the Triune God in and over all creation. We believe that in one sense, God has always been King—fully and exhaustively the sovereign authority in and over all of creation. In another sense, we believe that Jesus Christ has been established as King, and this mediatorial reign will end when Jesus hands the fully conquered world over to the Father. We believe that the Kingdom of God reflects to the world what it looks like for peace and righteousness and justice to reign in all areas of life. 

WE DENY that the establishment of the Kingdom of God means the forceful, violent imposition of God’s standards by Christians upon unbelievers. We deny that regeneration plays no role in the ministry of the Spirit and Church. We deny that the Kingdom of God has nothing to do with justice and abolition. We deny that the Kingdom of God has nothing to do with confronting the kingdoms of man. 

Genesis 3:15; Psalm 2:6, 45:6, 68:1, 18, 72:8, 103:19, 110:1, 145:13; Isaiah 9:7; Daniel 9:24-27; Malachi 1:11; Matthew 3:2, 4:17, 6:10, 33, 12:28, 13:1-58, 28:18-20; Mark 1:14-15, 16:19; Luke 1:33, 4:43; John 3:3 Acts 1:2-3, 3:21, 8:12, 14:22, 19:8, 20:25 28:23, 31; Romans 8:34, 14:17; 1 Corinthians 4:20, 6:9-10, 15:21-28, 50; Ephesians 1:22, 2:2-3, 4:8; Philippians 2:9; Colossians 3:1-2; 2 Timothy 4:1, 18; Hebrews 1:8, 11:33, 12:28; James 2:5; 1 Peter 3:22; 2 Peter 1:11; Revelation 1:6, 9, 5:10, 11:15, 12:10-11