<\/p>\n
\u201cBut when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women\u201d (Acts 8:12).<\/p>\n
STUDIED TOGETHER, THE WORDS \u201cKINGDOM\u201d AND \u201cCHURCH\u201d HAVE A GREAT DEAL TO TEACH US. The first emphasizes authority, and so the expression \u201ckingdom of God\u201d has to do with God\u2019s rule or authority as King (1 Timothy 1:17). The second conveys the idea of an assembly of persons \u201ccalled out\u201d from the world to belong to Him (Matthew 16:18). Perhaps we might say that \u201ckingdom\u201d focuses more on God and His sovereignty, while \u201cchurch\u201d looks more specifically at the people \u2014 those who have answered the call to come back to God, be forgiven, and live under His rule.<\/p>\n
As far as the citizens of the kingdom are concerned, one cannot be a member of the Lord\u2019s church and not be a citizen in His kingdom. The reverse is also true. To be in the kingdom is to be in the Lord\u2019s church (with some responsibilities to other \u201ccalled out\u201d ones). This is an important point because of the popularity of the \u201cspiritual but not religious\u201d concept. Many who speak favorably of the \u201ckingdom of God\u201d would quickly say they have no desire for anything that could be called \u201cchurch.\u201d However, in the New Testament, those who were members of God\u2019s kingdom were the same people as the members of Christ\u2019s church, and vice versa. They weren\u2019t two different groups; they were the same group.<\/p>\n
In regard to kingdom and church, there is another confusion we need to avoid. The Scriptures do not teach that we are in the \u201cchurch age\u201d now but the \u201ckingdom age\u201d will begin when Christ comes back and establishes a government on the earth. The kingdom age is right now, and so is the church age. In fact, the very thing that defines<\/em> the church is that God has \u201ctransferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son\u201d (Colossians 1:13). That\u2019s what a Christian is: a loyal subject in God\u2019s kingdom, joyfully accepting all that Jesus taught about how God\u2019s rule should govern our lives. Jesus Christ did not fail. He began His kingdom, as He said He would. We can accept the gospel \u2014 and the kingdom<\/em> \u2014 right now.<\/p>\n \u201cAs saints and faithful brethren in Christ at Colossae were delivered from the power of darkness and \u201ctranslated into the kingdom of the Son of His love\u201d (Colossians 1:12-14), so the true people of God today are citizens in Christ\u2019s kingdom and a manifestation that His power is yet very much alive\u201d (Robert F. Turner).<\/p>\n Gary Henry \u2013 WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com<\/p>\n