What is the Kingdom? | Already and Not Yet

by Alan Smith

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 1:13–14

Years ago, my dad was selling his truck. The ad he placed in the newspaper generated several calls, and before too long, we had a series of potential buyers kicking tires in the driveway. The fourth one decided to buy it, but wouldn’t be ready to pay the full price for a couple of days. No problem. He gave $500 as a guarantee of the full price he would pay later in the week.

We all understand the concept of a down payment. We receive a portion of something now as a guarantee of the fullness of what we will receive later. The kingdom of God works kind of like that too. Many think of the kingdom only as a future reality, with no benefit in the present. Others consider the kingdom only in terms of the present, with no sense of anticipation for that which is yet to come. But this is not an either/or proposition. God’s kingdom is a present reality. God’s kingdom is also a future reality.

We have entered God’s story during the in-between. Jesus has fully provided for the complete restoration of all that is broken in God’s good creation. One day, when Jesus returns, His full provision will be fully appropriated. What a great day that will be! In the present, God has given us the Spirit as a down payment on what is to come. We can live according to that future reality now by the Spirit; we can begin to implement Jesus’ complete victory now by the Spirit.

When we choose to live as kingdom people, we choose to live in the present in light of that future reality and on the basis of Jesus’ finished work. We are spending the down payment! Our faith determines how much of that future reality we get to experience in the present.

1. What will God’s future kingdom be like?

2. How would your life be different if that future kingdom began to invade your present reality?

3. If faith grows as a result of hearing God’s voice (Romans 10:17), then how is learning to hear God’s voice connected to our experience of the kingdom in the here and now?

What Is the Kingdom? | The End of the Exile

by Alan Smith

Therefore the Lord God sent him out of the Garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
Genesis 3:23–24

He broke the rules and was banned for life from Major League Baseball. How many sports talk shows have filled their airtime discussing whether or not Pete Rose should be allowed in the Hall of Fame? Too many! Few argue that he’s not guilty, but many still desire to see the all-time hits leader restored to the game he was so clearly destined to play.

We too have been banned for life—exiled. God promised that one day the exile would be over. The story of Israel is a story of exile and return. When Jesus arrived, Israel was longing for an end to their exile. They longed for YHWH to forgive their sins, return to Zion, restore the Temple and priesthood, defeat their enemies and vindicate the faithful who truly belonged to Him.

When Jesus announced the arrival of the kingdom of God, this was heard and understood as an announcement that, in Jesus, the exile was finally coming to an end. Of course, they were thinking too small and expected this to manifest in the defeat of Rome, but in a real sense, Jesus came to do exactly what they were expecting Messiah to do. He embodied YHWH’s return to Zion. He provided for the forgiveness of sins. Our bodies are now the temple. His people are now a holy priesthood. He has defeated our true enemy--the serpent, the devil. The exile is over.

Your sins are forgiven. The relational distance between you and God is no more. Your body is His temple, the place where His glory dwells. You are His priest. Your enemy is defeated. Your exile is over. That’s part of what the kingdom of God is—the end of your exile. Start living like it!

1. In what ways do we as believers sometimes live as if we are still in exile?

2. The end of exile means that we are no longer separated from God’s presence. What can you do to live more fully aware of God’s presence in your life each day?

3. Your enemy is defeated! Are there some areas in your life where you need to experience this reality? Take a moment to declare God’s victory through Jesus in each area that comes to mind.