God's kingdom:is it possible to define it ?

by Koiné 18 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • Koiné
    Koiné

    Since I am working on an essay about "Gods kingdom or the kingdom of heaven" I would appreciate how people describe or define this expression,apart from the watchtower definition.

    Is it only another metaphor for God's eternal universal reign?

    Do we have to see it in a pre-post- or amillenial setting?

    Is it only something in the mind and heart,or will it like, Daniel2:44 says, one time be the only government over (or on) the earth.

    If it started his activities after Jesus death and ressurrection in the 1st century what has been the influence since then?

    Has it any influence on us now ? so that we have obligations due to our "citizenship" as christians?

    Thanks for your reactions.

  • insearchoftruth
    insearchoftruth

    Can get a JW definition from Chapter Eight of the Bible Teach book........

  • cameo-d
    cameo-d

    Gods kingdom is a theocratic government set up by elitist men.

    It has been in the works for some time now and is soon to come to fruition.

    When the right wing extremists finally incite people to rise up against the government, then you will see the kingdom begin to take over.

    All these years, people thought they were giving offerings to feed the hungry and help the poor. Fact is, the wolves lived the high life and used that money to build stock portfolios and pay lobbyists and bought politicians. Now these people do the bidding of the xtian dominionists.

    First on the agenda, in the midst of chaos and uproar, will be to get rid of the people who are exposing the lies of religion. It will be easy enough to do this when the masses are distracted with political uprising.

    As you have all been told, housecleaning begins at the house of god, and those who have left the churches will have to be silenced so that the churches can maintain their hold on the ones they have left.

    Gradually, the xtian extremists have already begun to infiltrate. Gradually they began to have inter-faith activities. Then, the churches of various denominations have come together to form groups, which are now becoming legitimized "societies" in order to be in charge of distribution of food, shelter, and medical care.

    We are entering the age of Judgements. In Kingdom rule, the slogan will be "Christians serving APPROVED Christians."

    The secret Order of Melchizedek will come forward as the "christ class" and will speak on behalf of Jesus now. This replaces the FDS speaking on behalf of God.

    Very soon the country will be at the mercy of these folks who will hold the power of distributing goods. They also have plans to take over the health care industry. Digital Angel brings you good things. (Not!)

    The "mark of the beast" will actually be administered by these charitable societies. It started with the masons CHIP program. I doubt it will ever get to the point of the implantable chip. That really will not be necessary. Already they pretty much have all the info they need through the bio scans...fingerprints, face recognition, iris scans, DNA, and now even brain scans are being discussed to be put in public places like airports.

    If you do not submit to these invasions of privacy you will not be on the receiving end to buy or sell. Of course, some will keep looking for the implant to happen and will go along with all this because they do not see that this bio info is marking them.

    All of the good points of this marking system will be brought out. Timely info available by scan in an emergency, no more lost children, criminals will be found, etc. etc. It will all sound good. Why would anyone not go along with it? Only those who are criminal or have something to hide would object.

    Later the religionists will point out why you should not help those who refuse the mark. It will be said that those who do not accept the marking are making the wrong choices. It will be a passive aggressive cut off for un-cooperatives.

    Once this marking is done, the world will be declared to be a "safe and secure" place. Once everyone can be monitored, then the world will indeed have peace and security.

    Soon, all the self righteous people will realize they are gradually being eliminated from the new system due to their imperfections. They will never be able to live up to the expectations. Christians serving APPROVED christians. One slip and you will no longer be approved. It's the age of judgements, remember?

  • BurnTheShips
    BurnTheShips

    According to Jesus, the Kingdom of God is within (or among) people, is approached through understanding, and entered through acceptance like a child,spiritual rebirth,and doing the will of God It is a kingdom peopled by the righteousand is not the only kingdom.

    Maranatha!

    BTS

  • cameo-d
    cameo-d

    ^^^

    Oh yeah, the new age teaching "YOU are god. The kingdom is within you." (as per BTS)

    BTS:" the Kingdom of God is within (or among) people"

    There is a big difference between the meanings of "within" and "among". One is internal; the other is external. It is not one and the same.

    "You are god" is a Mormon teaching also. They believe that they will actually become demi-gods during this new system of emlightenment. They will then go into outer space to RULE new worlds as gods.

  • BurnTheShips
    BurnTheShips
    There is a big difference between the meanings of "within" and "among". One is internal; the other is external. It is not one and the same.

    The ambiguity of the word is problematic, unless we realize that it is supposed to hold a double meaning. Then difference is slight and it is because the Kingdom of God is both at the same time.

    The Kingdom of God is something planted in the hearts of men. So it is within, but it also grows in the heart, and bears fruit and goes to grow in other hearts, so it is among.

    I believe the Kingdom of God is both on earth and in heaven. The kingdom of God is spread upon the earth and men do not see it. The Kingdom of God is when men are good to each other, and follow the ways of Christ. The Kingdom of God is also when we are returned to God to be reunited with Him.

    "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."

    I don't know what the Mormons teach, but I believe that God became Man so Man could become God.

    BTS

  • wantingtruth
    wantingtruth

    Hi Koine

    you said :

    "Since I am working on an essay about "Gods kingdom or the kingdom of heaven" I would appreciate how people describe or define this expression,apart from the watchtower definition."

    here I wrote a few words about God's Kingdom (see posts 28 & 30 )

    http://www.topix.com/forum/religion/jehovahs-witness/TBS8EEGHFU1G1U88B/p2#c28

    it can be said much more

    and it will be.

    wantingtruth.

  • Pistoff
    Pistoff

    According to Thomas Sheehan, Stanford, the word for kingdom may be substituted with rule, the rule of God; when Jesus used this expression it was always with behavior that a person might emulate. When one was humble, charitable, etc, the rule of God had really approached.

    I don't believe Jesus was referring to or promising anything but a better life through transcending the religious/political regimes of his day.

    Paul turned the kingdom into something resembling the apocalyptic structures that were already in place among both jews and non jews of the day.

    Just my take.

    P

  • Narkissos
    Narkissos

    A metaphor with a long story and a lot of different uses...

    Think of the davidite kings sitting on Yhwh's throne as his "sons," the memory of which provides the background for many Psalms where "Yhwh is king" vs. the anti-royal passages in the OT where Yhwh is the only king; the hope of ideal monarchic restoration in the Prophets, vs. the non-royal role of the "leader" in Ezekiel's vision of the temple; the hopes for a rule by Yeshua (Jesus) the high priest and the davidite Zerubbabel after the exile; the Antiochus / Maccabees crisis providing the background for Daniel (where the kingdom of God is envisioned as a rule of Israel after the manner of the Hellenistic kingdoms) and the subsequent Hasmonean (priestly) kingdom; the "Son of Man" in the Enoch tradition and Melchizedeq the king-priest in Qumran, all of which are echoed with royal overtones in the NT; the hopes of restoration in the wake of the temple destruction in 70 AD; the "spiritualisation" of the kingdom in the Synoptic parables, especially in Luke (cf. 17,20, mentioned above), its equation with "eternal life" in John; the spiritual "kingdom of the Son" in Colossians; the rule of the Son at the right hand of God in the Synoptics and Acts; the hope of a 1000-year kingdom of the elect following a sudden and violent destruction of imperial Rome in Revelation...

  • Mastodon
    Mastodon

    God's kingdom: is it possible to define it?

    Simply put: Fiction

    It's right up there with Middle Earth, Tattoine and Spaceball One.

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