Category: kingdom

Is the Church the Kingdom of God? Why Christ Reigns Now (Part 1 of 2)

Brent Pollard

Jesus succeeded in establishing His kingdom. The church is not just a temporary solution or a substitute for God’s original plan. Christ reigns today, and His church is made up of people redeemed by His blood who live under His authority.

This belief shapes how I see both the church and biblical prophecy. I do not expect a future earthly millennium where Jesus will start the kingdom He spoke about. I also do not think that denying such a millennium means denying the kingdom itself. The kingdom is real. Its King reigns. Its citizens are already here.

Church and Kingdom: Two Descriptions of One Redeemed People

When we say the church is the kingdom, it helps to see what each term highlights. “Church” refers to Christ’s gathered people. The Greek word ekklēsia means “assembly,” and the New Testament describes this as people God has called through the gospel, out of darkness and into His light (2 Thessalonians 2.14; 1 Peter 2.9). “Kingdom” focuses on Christ’s royal authority and those He rules. The church is these redeemed people seen as an assembly, while the kingdom is the same people seen under Christ’s rule.

These words do not always mean the same thing in every Bible passage. God’s rule covers all creation, even those who resist Him. But when we talk about Christ’s redeemed people on earth, we are not talking about two different groups with separate futures. The people Christ saves and adds to His church are the same ones He brings into His kingdom.

Jesus brought these ideas together. In Matthew 16.18–19, He promised to build His church and then promised to give Peter the keys of the kingdom. This shows a clear link between the community He would build and the kingdom that the gospel would welcome people into. If we separate the church from the kingdom by thousands of years, we lose that connection.

When Did the Kingdom Come? From Mark 9.1 to Pentecost

The timing is important. In Mark 9.1, Jesus said that some people standing with Him would live to see God’s kingdom come in power. Even if the transfiguration that follows is a preview of His glory, this promise means the kingdom would arrive during the lives of those listening. It does not make sense to say the kingdom would wait thousands of years to be established.

Acts tells us that the risen Christ promised the Spirit’s power (Acts 1.8), which was fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2.1–4). Peter explained Jesus’ resurrection and exaltation by referring to God’s promise about David’s throne and to Psalm 110 (Acts 2.29–36). On that same day, those who accepted the gospel repented, were baptized, and the Lord added them to His people (Acts 2.38–47). These passages together show that Pentecost was when the church was established under the risen King.

New Testament Evidence That Christ’s Kingdom Exists Now

Other New Testament passages clearly show that the kingdom exists now. Paul told Christians that God had already moved them into His Son’s kingdom (Colossians 1.13). John said he shared in the kingdom with his readers, even while they faced hardship (Revelation 1.9). Hebrews says believers are receiving an unshakable kingdom (Hebrews 12.28). These Christians were already citizens of a real kingdom, not just waiting for one to be created.

Amillennialism and Revelation 20: Christ’s Reign and the Thousand Years

This is why I think the term “amillennialism” can be confusing. It might sound like it simply denies the millennium, and maybe even the kingdom. But this view actually affirms that Christ is reigning now. It sees the thousand years in Revelation 20 as a symbol for the full period of Christ’s reign and His people sharing in His victory, not as a literal future period of exactly one thousand years on earth.

Revelation uses many symbols, like a dragon, beasts, lampstands, a chain, and numbers. Interpreting the thousand years as a symbol fits with this style. The real question is what the symbol means. In this view, John’s vision encourages persecuted Christians that even death cannot take away their life and victory with their King. The martyrs who seem defeated by earthly rulers actually live and reign with Christ.

Satan’s binding has a clear purpose: to limit his ability to deceive the nations (Revelation 20.1–3). This does not mean he is completely inactive. Peter still warned Christians about the devil’s dangerous activity (1 Peter 5.8), which does not go against Christ’s victory over him. Satan’s power is limited, his opposition continues, and his final defeat is certain. The spread of the gospel around the world shows that the enemy cannot keep the earth away from Christ.

For these reasons, I do not believe in a future earthly millennium, but this does not mean I deny the kingdom or Christ’s victory. I also do not accept the postmillennial idea that a golden age must happen before Christ returns. The church’s confidence is based on Christ’s current authority and His promised return, not on the idea that the world must first become mostly Christian.

Was the Kingdom Postponed? Why the Church Is Not Plan B

My main objection is to the idea of a postponed kingdom, especially as taught in classical dispensational premillennialism. This view says that because Israel rejected the kingdom, God delayed its establishment and the church filled the gap in the meantime. Not all premillennialists believe this, and those who do usually affirm God’s sovereignty and foreknowledge. My issue is with the explanation itself: the Bible shows the church as the fulfillment of God’s purpose, not as a backup plan because He could not establish His kingdom.

Ephesians 3.10–11 places God’s work through the church within His eternal purpose, fulfilled in Christ. Acts 2.23 shows that even the crucifixion was part of God’s predetermined plan. The cross was not an emergency response to an unforeseen rejection. Through the very event in which His enemies seemed to triumph, Christ defeated the powers opposing Him (Colossians 2.15; Hebrews 2.14).

I cannot see how Christ’s victory fits with the idea that the church is just a substitute for a kingdom that Satan and human unbelief managed to stop. If opposition could block the promised kingdom once, what would make it succeed the next time? Those who support postponement would say God was not frustrated. Still, I think the New Testament gives a better answer: God fulfilled His purpose through Jesus’ rejection and crucifixion. The King rose, ascended, and now reigns.

To be continued…

The Kingdom Is Here Today

Brent Pollard

The author of Hebrews uses the example of the Melchizedekian priesthood to establish the priesthood of Christ. Jesus belonged to the tribe of Judah, which Moses did not mention regarding the earthly priesthood. Therefore, there was a need for a covenant change to allow a non-Levite to serve as a priest. The writer of Hebrews spends chapters eight and nine explaining how the New Testament replaced the Old Testament in line with prophecy (see Jeremiah 31.3–14). In summary, the Holy Spirit confirmed that it was God’s will for Jesus to be a priest, but since He could not serve as a priest on earth because of Moses’ Law, Jesus instituted the New Testament so that He could be our High Priest in heaven.

Some believe that Jesus will reign as King from David’s throne in a future Jerusalem-based kingdom. However, there is an obstacle preventing Jesus from doing so on earth. God cut off David’s seed from sitting on David’s throne, as mentioned in Jeremiah 22:30, making it impossible for any of Jeconiah’s (or Jehoiakim’s) descendants to reign in Judah. This fact is relevant because Jeconiah was an ancestor of Joseph, Jesus’s foster father. Matthew traces Jesus’s legal lineage through Joseph in Matthew 1:12. Since Jesus is a descendant of Jeconiah, he cannot reign as an earthly king even though it was God’s will for Christ to be King. If God had not taken away the right of Jeconiah’s descendants to reign in Judah, Jesus could have certainly been an earthly king.

So, how is Christ a king? Jesus promised to establish a kingdom (Matthew 16:18–19). When Pilate pressed him, Jesus admitted to being a king (John 18.37). However, consider how Jesus qualified the nature of His kingdom in John 18.36. “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm” (NASB 1995). This truth means that Christ’s kingship is spiritual rather than earthly, as is His priesthood. It is worth noting that Jesus also accomplished this through His New Testament.

Many people misunderstand the truth and think that the apocalyptic language of a millennial kingdom in Revelation 20.6 refers to a future earthly kingdom that Christ will rule in Jerusalem. This misunderstanding is because they do not understand the interchangeability of the terms “kingdom” and “church” in Matthew 16.18–19. The word “church” is a Latin loanword that does not appear in the Bible. The actual word for church is “assembly.” Thus, the church represents the people. The word for “kingdom” is “basileia,” which means a kingdom or realm over which a king has sovereign authority. Therefore, God’s will was for Christ to choose a group of people from all over the world willing to submit to his authority.

According to the Book of Daniel, God showed King Nebuchadnezzar a prophetic dream about the future (see Daniel 2). In the dream, a cut stone struck a large image at its feet, causing the entire image to shatter and signifying the end of all worldly authority. Different materials comprised the image’s body parts, representing different empires. Babylon was the head of gold, Persia was the chest and arms of silver, Greece was the belly and thighs of bronze, and Rome was the legs of iron and feet of iron and clay. The feet mingled with clay represented the internal weakness of Rome. Commentators are familiar with this dream’s timeline. However, some believe that the Kingdom of God, symbolized by the cut stone, is yet to appear. However, according to Daniel, the kingdom emerged during the reign of the Roman emperors, referred to as “those kings.”

Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power” (Mark 9.1 NASB 1995). For those who refuse to believe that Jesus established His kingdom as He intended, there must be more than one person of advanced years who can prove they are older than two millennia! We understand that the power to which Jesus referred was the Holy Spirit, who descended on the apostles on the day of Pentecost, around 33 AD (Acts 2.4). As a result, Jesus reigns as King today and will continue to do so until His return. Following His return, Jesus will hand over His authority to the Father and the redeemed from all ages (1 Corinthians 15.24).

Combining biblical texts and prophecies creates a deep understanding of Jesus Christ’s position as King and High Priest, which goes beyond worldly limitations. Jesus fulfills the roles God has designated for Him, not as a political leader or a member of the old priesthood, but in a heavenly and everlasting sense through the New Testament and His heavenly kingdom. This understanding challenges traditional beliefs about a future earthly kingdom, instead emphasizing Christ’s spiritual reign, which began during His ministry and continues today. As Christians, we have the honor of living in this heavenly kingdom that Christ, our eternal King and High Priest, rules over in a merciful and benevolent manner. Recognizing this broadens our spiritual understanding and strengthens our faith in the eternal truth of God’s word and His ultimate plan for redemption.

Understanding The Parable Of The Mustard Seed Through The Story Of Kudzu

Brent Pollard

I found an old commercial promoting kudzu for groundcover while researching my family’s history on Newspapers.com, an Ancestry.com extension. Given the plant’s current status as an invasive species plaguing the southeastern United States, this revelation made me laugh. This year, particularly, has seen a remarkable increase in the kudzu crop.

Looking through historical documents, I discovered that kudzu first appeared on American soil in 1876 during the Centennial International Exhibition. This exotic vine proudly displayed in the Japanese pavilion at the World’s Fair in Philadelphia, captivated spectators so much that it was quickly renamed the “Jack and the Beanstalk vine.”

Early twentieth-century newspapers like The Boston Globe recommended kudzu for backyard gardeners, praising its rapid growth, pleasant aroma, and low maintenance requirements. By the 1950s, however, the federal government was forced to acknowledge the drawbacks of kudzu’s rampant spread, a species they had promoted for decades for erosion control. The USDA designated kudzu as a weed in 1970 and was redesignated as a “noxious weed” in 1997.

This story of kudzu—initially celebrated, then reviled—resembles the Parable of the Mustard Seed, which appears in Matthew 13.31–32, Mark 4.30–32, and Luke 13.18–19. Jesus uses The mustard seed in this parable to demonstrate the profound potential that can emerge from humble beginnings. 

In the parable, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven, God’s divine rule, to a mustard seed. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, when planted, it grows into the largest of garden plants, even becoming a tree. This tree then becomes a haven for birds, providing shade and a place for them to nest in its branches.

The mustard seed’s growth, from small to great, signifies how God’s kingdom begins as a tiny seed in our hearts and develops into a powerful influence. Similarly, kudzu started as a tiny seed in the United States and grew into a major ecological force. Instead of providing a haven, it became an uncontrollable pest, engulfing large areas of the southern United States.

So, what can we learn from the Parable of the Mustard Seed and the story of kudzu? Both teach us about the potential consequences of small beginnings and remind us to consider the possible long-term impact of our actions. We have the free will to choose our efforts. Let’s aim to plant excellent seeds that enrich our environment through activities that align with the divine and benefit the world (as taught in Luke 8.11).

…

A Surprising Find

Thursday’s Column: Captain’s Blog

Carl Pollard

I recently read a news article about a bargain hunter that went to an estate sale in Portland, Maine, to find a KitchenAid mixer. Rather than finding his kitchen appliance, he ended up walking away with a 700 year old treasure. Will Sideri stumbled upon a framed document hanging on a wall that caught his eye. It had an elaborate script in Latin, along with musical notes and decorative gold edges. Based on what he’d seen in a manuscripts class at College, he figured that this document was from the medieval ages. And it was a bargain at $75. Academics confirmed the parchment was from The Beauvais Missal, used in the Beauvais Cathedral in France, and dated to the late 13th century. It was used about 700 years ago in Roman Catholic Church. An expert on manuscripts said the document, first reported by the Maine Monitor, could be worth as much as $10,000. Will Sideri walked away with a priceless treasure that cost him just 75 bucks.

This news story reminded me of a parable taught by Jesus in Matthew 13:44. It reads, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” In this short verse we read that: 

  • The treasure is hidden 
  • The treasure is valuable 
  • Sacrifice was needed to gain the treasure
  • The field was bought, but the treasure came free 

What did Jesus mean with this parable? You can’t find The kingdom without looking (the treasure was hidden). Seek and you will find (you’ll never find it if you aren’t looking). The kingdom of God is valuable, and sacrifice is required to obtain the kingdom. The man in this parable joyfully went and sold everything. The Kingdom is freely given. When we seek and sacrifice for Christ, he freely gives us grace, mercy, peace and salvation. 

Will we recognize the value that is found in the Kingdom of God?