The Kingdom and the Church
What is the relationship of the Kingdom and the Church? Is it Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom but the church came instead. Thus, “give me Jesus not the church.” Or is I kingdom of God and the Church, two different realities. Now we live in a totally mundane realm called the Church, but there is coming a wonderful heavenly Kingdom. Or is it the reverse? The Church not the kingdom. This is all we have, there is nothing out there. So, let us build a good Church. Perhaps the solution is that the Kingdom is the Church. They are one and the same. The Church and its authorities rule and control things. Follow them. These four alternatives are hopelessly inadequate. I call your consideration to four descriptions of the relationship of the Kingdom and the Church proposed by George Elton Ladd in The Presence of the Future. They have been very helpful to me.
1)The word “kingdom” denotes a dynamic powerful activity of God. When you read kingdom think rule. As Ladd puts it, “The Kingdom is primarily the dynamic reign or kingly rule of God.” As the Church we are people of God’s rule who enter it, live under it, and are governed by it. “The church is the community of the Kingdom but never the Kingdom itself.” Based on this dynamic understanding Ladd continues.
2)The Kingdom Creates the Church. “The dynamic rule of God present in the mission of Jesus, challenged men to respond bringing them into a new fellowship.” “The Church is the result of the coming of God’s Kingdom into the world by the mission of Jesus Christ.”
3)The Church Witnesses to the Kingdom. “It is the Church’s mission to witness to the Kingdom.” “The Church cannot build the Kingdom or become the kingdom.” It witnesses to God’s redeeming acts in Christ both past and future.”
4)The Church Is the Instrument of the Kingdom. “The disciples of Jesus not only proclaimed the good news about the presence of the kingdom; they were also instruments of the Kingdom in that the works of the kingdom were performed through them as though through Jesus himself.” “The Church is the organ of the Kingdom as it works in the world.” This continues today by the indwelling of Christ through the Spirit.”
—Tom Yoakum