Article - Kingdom and Acts (part 1)

In the book of Acts we learn that preaching the gospel includes preaching things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Acts 1:3: Jesus spent many days with His apostles before ascending into heaven, “speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” Paul also preached and explained the kingdom of God, Acts 20:25; 28:23-24, 30-31 (preaching the kingdom is part of the gospel message, Matthew 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; Mark 1:14-15). In the book of Acts we also learn that the kingdom is spiritual (it is the church of Christ). Acts 1:6: The apostles were expecting a physical kingdom for physical Israel (as do the premillennialists today). Jesus had already told them that the kingdom was to be established during their generation, Mark 9:1. They, however, failed to recall that Jesus’ kingdom would not be of this world (that is, it would be spiritual), John 18:36. In fact, Jesus had already made it clear that the kingdom was to be His church (Matthew 16:18-19). And it would involve a spiritual communing with Jesus under the new covenant, Matthew 26:28-29. Finally, we learn from the book of Acts that the kingdom has been established. Acts 2:1, 47: once the church of Christ was established around A.D. 30 on the Day of Pentecost, the kingdom/church is spoken of in the present. John the apostle describes himself as being “in the kingdom” in Revelation 1:9. Paul states that the church of Christ at Colosse had been delivered from darkness and translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son, Colossians 1:13. Being translated into Jesus’ kingdom means the same thing as the Lord continually adding those who are being saved to Jesus’ church, Acts 2:47. Only the saved are in the kingdom/church (no one outside the kingdom/church is saved, Ephesians 5:25-27).



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