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Kingdom of God in Embryo
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Matthew 13:11  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) Jesus' frequently uses the words "Kingdom of Heaven," especially in Matthew 13, as in "The Kingdom of Heaven is like..." We should be careful not to be fooled by this. It does not mean "the Kingdom of God when Jesus Christ returns." That is not what Jesus means. The Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven is not just a future matter, but also a present reality. It is not on earth right now as a government, in the form of a nation or a kingdom, but the Kingdom of God exists. Colossians 1:13 says that we have already been translated into the Kingdom of the Son of His love. The word translated is better rendered as "transferred." This is not the Protestant idea of "the Kingdom of God is within you," but the Kingdom of God does exist. Notice Matthew 12:28: "But if I cast out demons by the spirit of God, surely the Kingdom of God has come upon you." It was present then in the person of Jesus Christ and working. Mark 12:34 contains another example: "So when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, 'You are not far from the Kingdom of God.' And after that no one dared question Him." In Luke 10, Jesus uses the term in a present-tense situation. The Kingdom of Heaven is something that happens now or can happen now. Jesus is speaking to His disciples, telling them what they are to do when they go out preaching the gospel: "And heal the sick who are there, and say to them, 'The Kingdom of God has come near to you'" (Luke 10:9). This is similar to what He says to the scribe in Luke 17:21: "Nor will they say, 'See here!' Or 'See there!' For indeed the Kingdom of God is among [as it is better translated] you." These examples show that Jesus taught His disciples that the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven exists now, but it is in a different form from what it will be when Jesus returns and sets up His government. When we yield to God, and when we are accepted by Him as His embryonic sons and daughters, as it were, we become citizens of the Kingdom of God. In a sense, then, we all are in the Kingdom of God now, but in the begotten sense, not in the born-again sense. Nevertheless, we are aiming for that future reality when Jesus Christ comes back and sets His throne upon this earth—when all people will stream to Jerusalem to become part of God's Kingdom. The entire Bible looks forward to this time, but there is a present reality of the Kingdom among His sons and daughters. Paul concurs: "Our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20); "We are ambassadors for Christ" (II Corinthians 5:20; our allegiance is to Christ, the King of the Kingdom of God); we are "strangers and pilgrims" in a foreign land (I Peter 2:11). Our land is the Kingdom of God. The country we live in is an alien nation. In true members of God's church, the Kingdom of God is already ruling in them. This is what Jesus means when He speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven. Some scholars want to throw out the word kingdom when it is used this way, feeling that it is a misleading translation. Of course, many of them are Protestants, who look at it from the understanding of "the Kingdom of God is within you." Nonetheless, they believe that the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew 13 should be rendered the realm, dominion, or reign of God. He is already our King, reigning over us right now. Another rendering is a word we should all be familiar with—the sovereignty of God. Have we come under the sovereignty of God? Yes, indeed. We did it voluntarily when we accepted Christ as our Savior. So in this sense, we are in the Kingdom of God, and its rules apply to us. This is what Jesus means in Matthew 13. He is not doing away with the idea that He will return to this earth and set up His government here after putting down all other government's rule, but He is saying, "Those of you whom I have called out are in the Kingdom of Heaven right now—in a spiritual sense—and you have to live by its rules and fight its enemies. So beware! This is what your life in My Kingdom now will be like." Richard T. Ritenbaugh Parables of Matthew 13 (Part 1): The Mustard Seed

John 11:51-52  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) Christ died for our sins so that the children of God can be gathered in one. One family. One kingdom. It begins with the one church; that we all have one spirit, that we are in one body that becomes the Kingdom of God that is Elohim—the Godhead. John W. Ritenbaugh The Nature of God: Elohim

Acts 2:1-4  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) The New Testament church was founded on the day of Pentecost in AD 31, when about 120 were begotten by God's Holy Spirit. And it is by God's Spirit which resided in all the prophets, apostles and other church brethren that they shall be resurrected (or changed, if still alive) to immortality at Christ's second coming in power and glory! Thus the church—the Kingdom of God in "embryo"—is composed of the very first of all humans who shall be born into the Kingdom of God as God Beings! What and Why the Church?

Ephesians 3:14-15  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) The Family of God is located both in heaven and on earth. In heaven there are two Beings of spirit who are part of the Godhead. This flies right in the face of the concept of strict monotheism! But even more startling is that God considers true Christians to be part of the Godhead already! It has been said that the church is the Kingdom of God in embryo. Currently two members of the Godhead are spirit. But God—Elhoim—said, "Let Us create man in Our image" (Genesis 1:26), and what is evident from the beginning of the Bible all the way to the end is that Elohim is expanding! God is increasing what Elohim is. God is increasing the number of those who are in the Godhead. This is not hard to understand. Now we are already children of God. We are in His Family. To us, monotheism indicates that one is worshipping one distinct and unique almighty personality, and if anyone claims anything more than that, that person is considered to be a polytheist—worshipping many gods. This is hard to accept here in this Western world, and this resistance to accepting what the Bible clearly reveals about the Godhead has in large measure led to the introduction of the "Trinity." People just cannot accept the simple truth of the Bible, that God is expanding. He is increasing His number. We will be part of that Godhead. John W. Ritenbaugh The Nature of God: Elohim

Philippians 3:20  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) While some may spiritualize this fact away, Paul's words come across as literal and real to those who understand that God has called us out of this world (John 15:19) and transferred us into His Kingdom (Colossians 1:13). Having our citizenship (conversation, KJV) in the Kingdom of God by definition makes us aliens in the physical country in which we live. Like ambassadors of a foreign government, we cannot participate in the politics of another country, a practice that would distract us from our real spiritual goal. However, we realize that the apostle Paul has challenged us to be ambassadors for Christ: "Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God" (II Corinthians 5:20). Martin G. Collins Parable of the Persistent Friend

Colossians 1:13  (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up) Everyone of us knows that we are in the church. Are we aware that we are already in the Kingdom of God? We are! It is not here in fullness, nor as a physical reality. This verse says very clearly that we are already in the Kingdom of His dear Son. This is a spiritual reality that we must consider in relation to the church to grasp the importance of the church. The church is a portion of the Kingdom of God. It is not its fullness but a part. John W. Ritenbaugh Unity (Part 8): Ephesians 4 (E)

 

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