Jesus then teaches two important truths. He first notes that if it is by the "finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you" (20). The kingdom of God is not just about ideas and words; it is also about power and confrontation. The children of the kingdom should expect to be involved in a power encounter with the evil one, a conflict between kingdoms that requires reliance on God's power for victory.
The second point Jesus teaches on this occasion is that God's redemptive reign as inaugurated in the person and presence of Jesus has defeated and bound the strong man, Satan. The children of the kingdom are now to participate in this great redemptive drama by plundering the strong man's stronghold. They are to reclaim lost territory by bringing back to right relationship with God what was lost in the fall. The enemy has been defeated and is bound. Although his power still operates, he has encountered someone stronger. Greater is he who is in the children of the kingdom than he who is in the world.
Page 83, emphasis mine.
This fires me up! Go plunder the strong man's plunder!!
8 comments:
Hey trike. Like the quote by that dude. Does he actually try to add some clarity to exactly what the "Kingdom of God" is? I'm finding that to be a notoriously hard thing to nail down in the teachings of Jesus. He just says so many different (sometimes seemingly conflicting) things about it. I feel like that is one of the concepts we tend to just glaze over as if we know what it is. It can seem like such an "elementary" concept in Chrstianity, when in reality, it may be the key to understanding everything else. Hmmm...in process on this one.
Actually, Timmer, it has one of the best sections I have ever read about the reign of God in the earth and beyond. I'd really encourage you to pick up a copy of this book - since I know you can get it on the cheap too! I'd love to talk with you about it when you finish it --- it's a quick read.
Trike
That was a great little passage. I completely agree that this kingdom of heaven/God thing is both a bit abstract and yet is probably still the key to understanding everything else. Somehow, it seems Christians began speaking about "the gospel" in a way that was independant of The Kingdom of God. But what else is the gospel if it is something other than the good news that God's salvation, judgement and grace have come and this is now restoring the creation to reflect and become God's Kingdom? The good news ("the gospel of Jesus Christ") is that in Christ, you will find that God's Kingdom is here! Yes, Right now! and in an age to come,perhaps even more than we can imagine. But for now, let the revelution begin!
Timmer,
quick note on the potentially contradicory nature of the kingdom. I see two possibilities, both are probably true to some extent.
#1 Perhaps some contradictions in the kingdom are ok, it is possible that God's choosen world simply is not as rational as we believe it is or want it to be. Rationality may just be a human invention with no eternaly significant truth.
However, I can not very well think outside of rationality, therefore I will sughgest another option.
#2 Perhaps some contraditions are a result of bad systematic theology. I think we have swallowed much systematic theology that gave us contradictions where there should not be. For me, some strands of "Reformed Theology" jump to mind with the created contradictions in God's Kingdom bringing salvation, judgement and grace all at once. Maybe it is our systematics that got it wrong when we pitted God's judgement against his grace. Maybe God's judgement is graceful, his graceful judgement is our salvation, and and the kingdom is the arrival of all this made known to us in Christ.
Hey Steve. Yeah, I think it's definitely a possibility that we have added some contradiction where it didn't exist. There are probably a number of things that we have a hard time swallowing simply because we put something in our mouths that we shouldn't have!
I think it's important though to just let some of the seeming contradictions in the Bible exist in tension. To me the whole free will/predestination thing is just a little tired. Does God know all of the "future?" Absolutely. Do we have real choices? Absolutely. Do I understand how those two things can exist simultaneously? Nope. Do I need to? Nope. Maybe I'm just THAT postmodern. Or maybe I'm terribly confused. Or maybe those things exist in tension as well :)
I like The Essence of the Church too. Van Gelder always sticks close to the text and is sharp in his analysis of history and culture. Not that I'm biased or anything.
I've been trying to work through understanding the "kingdom of God" concept myself for a bit as it plays a pretty big role in Missional Church as well as Essence. I have found it hard to pin down, but I like post_f's explanation. Van Gelder recommended a book by Herman Ridderbos when I asked for help on the subject last fall. I wish I could remember the name of it - I haven't got around to reading it yet!
Trike,
I'll be in MN from this sat (16th) until a week from wed (27th) and would dearly love to chat with you if you have the time. Call me 612-702-8771.
Aaron Engler
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