The Kingdom of God

2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ ushered in the Kingdom of God and the world has never been the same.

But what is the Kingdom of God? A former mentor of mine said he liked to think of the Kingdom of God as God’s ideal being realized in the world. I, too, like that definition; however, for me, it still seems somewhat abstract. Instead, I view the Kingdom of God in two ways, which I believe are interconnected: as reformation and eternal perspective.

What goes through your mind when you hear the word “reformation?” I was awakened to how little I understood the idea of reformation when I began studying what it truly means. I have since discovered that this simple word is filled with great meaning and significance. From just picking up a dictionary, I learned that contained within the word reformation are the ideas of revival, renewal, awakening, restoration, and even overhaul. Thus, when Christ entered the scene, he sought not only the reformation of individuals but a renewal, restoration, and even an overhaul of society. Nothing could remain status quo after his arrival. His teaching turned individual contentment, and religiosity, and societal business-as-usual upside-down.

Contrary to much misunderstanding today, God is not merely concerned with the salvation of individuals. Of course, God is radically concerned about that. However, God wants a revolutionary overhaul of an autonomous and fallen world. As I have considered these words, I have come to realize that the coming of the Kingdom of God was and is a divine reformation, for authentic reformation is a visitation from God. As our Lord Jesus Christ ushered in the Kingdom of God, he brought forth revival and renewal to people’s hearts, minds, and spirits. He awakened them to their great need for the living God. He brought forth restoration where only brokenness existed before. He turned existing ideas about God and humanity upside-down as he revealed God and God’s good news. Christ declared that we must exchange our fallen temporal perspectives for God’s eternal perspective. Because of this, I have come to see the need for the reformation of the Kingdom of God, biblical reformation, in two essential areas of life.