The Kingdom of God -- Simplified Suggestion

by FusionTheism 14 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  FusionTheism

  Depending on the context, the phrase "Kingdom of God" can have a few different simplified meanings:

  1: The authority of God manifesting itself through miracles, love, or judgment.

  2: The authority of God in people's lives.

  3: The Lord Jesus, the 12 Apostles, and others who will sit on Thrones and wear Crowns in the New Heavens and the New Earth.

  4: The 1,000 Year Reign of Christ on Earth (if that is literal instead of symbolic).

  5: (In the Old Testament:) The nation of Israel under godly kings such as David or Josiah.

  There are a few passages of Scripture I can think of which could support the idea that the Kingdom is made up of those who rule in Heaven, as opposed to those who live on earth. These are Matthew 11:11-13, John 3:13, 31, Acts 2:34. Delving into those Scriptures will be the subject of a future post.

  As always, the immediate context of a passage, and the context of that particular book as a whole, helps determine the meaning of the phrase.
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  Viviane

  What is the new heavens? What is wrong with the old heavens? If they are spirit, how to they wear crowns? What is the spirit made of? the crowns? How do we determine what is a miracle? God's judgement?

  So many questions...I look forward to your answers.
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  FusionTheism

  Basically those are symbolic or anthropomorphic ways of attempting to express truths about the invisible spirit realm.

  My best guess on "New Heavens" would be because Revelation says Satan and the demons are vanished from the Heavens, so now they are "made new."

  "Crowns" and "Thrones" just represent rulership and authority.
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  Viviane

  Basically those are symbolic or anthropomorphic ways of attempting to express truths about the invisible spirit realm.

  But what is the spirit realm? What is spirit? What is it made of? Is it something physical that a crown that sit on? If not, how will they wear crowns or sit on a chair? How can we tell if something made of spirit is near us? Can we detect it? If not, why not?

  My best guess on "New Heavens" would be because Revelation says Satan and the demons are vanished from the Heavens, so now they are "made new."

  Someone you don't like leaving your house doesn't mean your house is "made new". Is that purely symbolic? If so, is it simply a feeling? How can spirit creatures have feeling since feelings are a chemical reaction in physical body? Does that mean spirit creatures are physical? If so, why can't we detect them? If not, how can they interact with us?

  My best guess on "New Heavens" would be because Revelation says Satan and the demons are vanished from the Heavens, so now they are "made new."

  But that's not what the Bible says. It says they will wear crowns. Are you disagreeing with the Bible? Are you telling us that it's poetic? If so, how do you know? Do you have special knowledge unavailable to the rest of us? Have you been gifted from God with the the ability to tell us what is symbolic or not? If so, how can you prove this to us? Do we just have to trust you? Can you demonstrate those abilities? If you don't have those abilities gifted from God, why should we trust you? If you do disagree with the Bible, are you saying it's wrong?

  So many questions... I look forward to your answers.
• 

  DJS

  FusionTheism,

  You are the latest of an apparently never ending stream of people who come to this site to amaze us with your awesomeness and knowledge of all things scripture and show us your sage-ness. Just a few days and two dozen OPs started. And you seem to have a fan club, so others likely already know you. There can't be that many stupid people (well I guess there can, but I'm just not feeling the coincidence right now).

  I typically stay out of theist OPs, but we have had so many bible and jesus loving newbies recently that want to show us all their amazingness that I am at least temporarily setting aside one of my prime directives.

  What an arrogant piece of work you are. I don't know who you are but it is clear who you think you are - someone entitled to preach and chastise others who have more knowledge, more education, more wisdom and more humility than you.

  So I just might join Viviane, Village Idiot, Cofty and the others until you leave or learn humility. They do not need my assistance.
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  FusionTheism

  DJS,

  Ah, yet again I can definitely see that "friendly and tolerant" attitude that the Home Page of this website so proudly advertises. (Sarcasm alert)

  Why do so many atheists, who maybe, barely, make up 9% or 10% of the population, consider themselves the only ones who have the truth and are superior to everyone else?

  I've always wondered that?
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  Doug Mason

  The word "kingdom" does not mean territory or people. For example, when the Babylonian kingdom ended, the territory was still there, the people still existed.

  A better idea of the Biblical concept of "kingdom" is to recognise its meaning in older English. You would need to look at a comprehensive multi-volume OED, where you would see that "kingdom" includes the concept of "kingship", of the exercise of power of the king. In other words, the "kingdom of God" is God's rulership, which belongs to him. The church is not the kingdom of God but it is produced by God's kingship. Thus the true church is not bounded by human regulation, human structures, or position. The true church transcends denomination, religion, beliefs, but is "written in heaven" because the kingdom/kingship is God's and not man's.

  I suggest that "googling" for: kingdom kingship
  

  Doug
  
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  Ruby456

  fusiontheism, wouldn't you also agree that to a jew the kingdom of God would have had nationalistic connotations.
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  DJS

  FT,

  "Delving into those Scriptures will be the subject of a future post."

  Why the fukk would we care about this or any other future posts from you? Why do so many x-tians think they have the right to come on this site or any other and start preaching to others. I'm not preaching Buddhism or Hinduism. Others aren't preaching Islam. You and those like you would be screaming, whining and complaining if we were.

  Why do you think you have a right to preach to us? Why are there so many like you? Why don't you come on the site to learn rather than show us your awesomeness? Why do you arrogantly assume we want to hear about make believe gods and your particular brand of jesus theology?

  Again, if you changed your arrogant tone and asked questions or began discussions in your OP rather than preach your awesomeness I wouldn't be typing into my keyboard when I should be asleep. I would leave you alone. Try discussing rather than preaching.
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  FusionTheism

  Viviane,

  There are accepted rules that scholars and experts in the fields of Bible/book research use to determine which parts are symbolic, which are poetic, which are apocalyptic, which are narrative/prose, which are songs, etc.

  There is nothing magical or mystical about it. I never say anything without checking it against the scholars and experts and their accepted rules of exegesis and interpretation.

  Now, as far as what "spirit" is, the Bible simply defines it as unseen forces/beings which have a different "body" than humans do. Anything beyond that knowledge is a mystery.

  The book of Revelation tells us it is a book of "symbols" or "signs," so we know it's symbolic for sure.

  Bible scholars are pretty much in agreement that "wearing a crown" or "sitting on a throne" are phrases that mean "king" or "ruler."

  This isn't rocket science or magic here.