THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRISTIAN TRADITION

 

Chapter 27

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Kingdom of God on Earth

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Text

Luke 8:11-14 "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity."

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Memory Verse

Rom. 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

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​​​​Introduction

What is the Kingdom, really?

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The word “Kingdom” denotes the territory ruled by a King.

 

God made the heavens and earth. But after Satan rebelled and got kicked to earth (Rev. 12:7-9), things got messy.

 

So God launched a plan to extend His heavenly government to earth. That plan is called the ‘Kingdom of God’, and today it is what we know as the ‘Church’ -  not a building, but God’s people ruled by Christ.

 

Objectives

To understand why God set up His Kingdom on earth.

 

To understand that the Church is heaven’s embassy here.

 

To realize that it is a recovered territory, and that we live in it now.

 

Presentation

 

1. Why God Set It Up – The Background

(1) God created the heavens and earth, but it was without form and void (Gen. 1:1-2).

 

(2) Satan (meaning “the Adversary”) ‘beguiled’ Eve and she disobeyed God (Gen. 3:1-5). Satan was cursed as a result (Gen. 3:13-15). He is described as “a murderer from the beginning”, with “no truth” (light) in him (John 8:44). He is the “prince of this world”, cast out as a result of the redemptive work of Jesus (John 12:31).

 

(3) Satan’s job is “opposition” to God’s will (Matt 16:23). He sows “bad seed” - “the tares are the children of the wicked one” (Matt. 13:38).

 

2. Heaven’s Government Extended to Earth

(1) God came down, remade the earth, and set up a “government house” in Eden (Gen. 1:3-25, 2:8-17).

 

(2) Eden was heaven’s embassy on earth - God’s order, God’s rule, lived out here.

 

(3) Adam and Eve gave that territory away to Satan through disobedience. But Jesus, the “last Adam”, won it back through obedience (Rom. 5:12-15).

 

(4) That recovered territory is now called the ‘Church’ (Matt. 16:18-19, Heb. 3:4-6).

 

You can also call it:

1. Satellite Heaven on Earth.

2. The New Earth in the Spirit.

3. The Spiritually Reigning Body on Earth (Acts 28:21-22).

 

3. It is Heaven’s Seat of Power on Earth

(1) It is not tied to one place. God is not locked in a temple (Acts 17:24-25, Eph. 2:19-22).

 

(2) It lives in believers everywhere (1 Pet. 2:9).       If God is localized, He becomes an idol, and sacrifices there go to demons (1 Cor. 10:19-21).

 

(3) This power is so big that most Christians have not even tapped it. Paul prayed for us to get revelation into it (Eph. 1:17-23, 3:16-19).

 

(4) Because of Christ, the Church rules over spiritual powers and principalities (Eph. 2:6, 3:8-11). We are not victims, we are seated with Him.

 

Conclusion

The Kingdom of God on earth is not a political state. It is Christ’s recovered territory, lived out through His people. Wherever believers live under Jesus’s rule, heaven is touching earth.

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Evaluation Questions & Answers​

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1. The heavens and earth were God’s undeveloped properties. Why did God come down to develop them?

   • Because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve, sin entered the world (Rom. 5:17-19). God came to restore order, extend His rule, and set up a place where His will could be done on earth as it is in heaven.

2. Matt. 13:24-26: Did God plant the tree of knowledge because Satan was there? Explain.

   • Not exactly. God planted the tree as a test of obedience and free will. Satan’s presence meant temptation was possible, but the tree itself was God’s way of letting humans choose Him. It showed that God’s rule requires voluntary allegiance, not forced loyalty.

3. Why do we see the Christian Church as a recovered territory in the spirit now?

   • Because Adam sold Eden to Satan through sin. Jesus, as the last Adam, obeyed perfectly, died, rose, and took back authority (Rom. 5:12-15, Matt. 28:18). The Church is that recovered territory - the place where Christ’s rule is re-established on earth through believers.

4. If the Church is God’s seat of power on earth, why is it not a physical place?

   • Because God’s Kingdom is spiritual, not geographical (John 18:36). If it were tied to one building or city, God would be limited and people would start worshipping the place instead of Him (Acts 17:24-25).

   • God’s power now lives in people, His temple (1 Cor. 3:16), so that it can be wherever there are believers.

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​​Prayer

Father, thank You for bringing Your Kingdom to earth through Jesus. Thank You that I am part of that Kingdom now. Open my eyes to see the authority and power I have in Christ. Help me to live as an ambassador of heaven, bringing Your rule wherever I go. Amen.