What is the Kingdom of God?

 

Christians frequently mention the "Kingdom of God." Jesus also taught His disciples to pray, "Your kingdom come." Theologians interpret the Kingdom of God according to their theological traditions. Liberal theologians generally understand it as an earthly kingdom, an ethical realization. Evangelicals view it as a kingdom that will be established in the afterlife. So, what exactly is the Kingdom of God?

 

George Eldon Ladd's book "The Gospel of the Kingdom: Scriptural Studies in the Kingdom of God" is a well-known work that examines the theme of the Kingdom of God in the New Testament. Ladd, a prominent 20th-century New Testament scholar, is best known for his "inaugurated eschatology" view, arguing that the Kingdom of God is both a present reality and a future hope. According to Ladd, Jesus inaugurated the Kingdom through His life, death, and resurrection, but its complete fulfillment will occur in His second coming.

 

George Eldon Ladd's book "The Gospel of the Kingdom: Scriptural Studies in the Kingdom of God" is a well-known work that examines the theme of the Kingdom of God in the New Testament. Ladd, a prominent 20th-century New Testament scholar, is best known for his "inaugurated eschatology" view, arguing that the Kingdom of God is both a present reality and a future hope. According to Ladd, Jesus inaugurated the Kingdom through His life, death, and resurrection, but its complete fulfillment will occur in His second coming.

 

Ladd's work has influenced evangelical theology, particularly regarding how Christians understand eschatology and the nature of God's reign in the world.

 

Ladd's book is the foundational text for students interested in eschatological studies or the biblical concept of the Kingdom of God.

 

George Eldon Ladd's view of the Kingdom of God is one of the most influential interpretations in modern Christian theology, particularly within evangelical circles. His concept is built around the idea of inaugurated eschatology, which holds that the Kingdom of God has already begun through the work of Jesus but is not yet fully realized. Ladd's theology of the Kingdom focuses on its present reality and future fulfillment, emphasizing a dynamic tension between the "already" and the "not yet."

 

1. The Kingdom as God's Reign, Not a Geographical Realm

 

For Ladd, the Kingdom of God is not a physical or territorial realm but the reign or rule of God. It refers to God's sovereign authority and kingly power. This idea shifts the focus from thinking of the Kingdom as a literal place to understanding it as the manifestation of God's active rule over His creation. It encompasses God's reign in the hearts of believers (the spiritual dimension) and the future reign over the entire world (the eschatological dimension).

 

2. The Present Reality of the Kingdom ("Already")

 

Ladd said the Kingdom of God was inaugurated during Jesus' earthly ministry. When Jesus began His public ministry, He announced that the Kingdom of God was at hand (Mark 1:15). Through His teachings, miracles, and exorcisms, Jesus demonstrated that God's Kingdom had broken into the present age. For instance:

 

Miracles were signs that the powers of the Kingdom were active, showing God's breaking the power of sin, sickness, and death. Exorcisms demonstrated the defeat of Satan and the beginning of God's reign over the forces of evil.

 

However, Ladd points out that the Kingdom must still be fully consummated in this present age. Although Jesus has inaugurated the Kingdom, sin and evil still exist in the world, and Satan remains active. Believers experience the blessings of the Kingdom—such as forgiveness, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the power of God—but they do so within the context of a world that is not yet fully redeemed.

 

3. The Future Fulfillment of the Kingdom ("Not Yet")

 

The complete realization of the Kingdom of God will occur in the future at the Second Coming of Christ. This future aspect of the Kingdom will bring The final defeat of evil, sin, and death—the resurrection of the dead. The restoration of creation is where God's will is perfectly done on earth as in heaven (cf. Matthew 6:10).

 

God's reign will be visibly and universally established in this future fulfillment. All opposition to God will be destroyed, and His Kingdom will fully manifest in a renewed heaven and earth.

 

4. The "Already, But Not Yet" Tension

 

Ladd's most distinctive contribution to the theology of the Kingdom is his emphasis on the "already, but not yet" nature of God's reign. Believers live in the tension between the present experience of the Kingdom and the future consummation of that Kingdom. Christians already experience the blessings of the Kingdom (e.g., salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit). However, they still await its full realization (e.g., the defeat of death, the end of suffering, the final judgment).

 

This tension shapes Christian life. (1) Present Victory: Christians are called to live in the reality of the Kingdom now, enjoying its blessings, advancing its mission, and experiencing God's presence and power.

 

Future Hope: At the same time, they live with an expectant hope for the future, knowing that God's reign will one day be fully realized and that justice, peace, and righteousness will prevail.

 

5. Kingdom and the Church

 

For Ladd, the Church is not the Kingdom but the community living under God's rule. The Church's mission is to witness the Kingdom of God, proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, and live in such a way that the reality of the Kingdom is reflected in their lives. The Church is a sign and instrument of the Kingdom, but the Kingdom is broader and more comprehensive than the Church.

 

6. The Kingdom and Eschatology

 

Ladd's theology of the Kingdom is deeply connected to his understanding of eschatology (the study of the end times). He argues that eschatology is both present and future, not just about the distant future. By inaugurating the Kingdom, Jesus initiated the last days. Thus, eschatology in the New Testament is not just a future hope but an ongoing reality that has already begun. The "last days" are, in essence, the time between Jesus' first and second comings.

 

7. The Role of Jesus in the Kingdom

 

For Ladd, Jesus is the central figure of the Kingdom of God. In His person, the Kingdom was inaugurated. His teachings reveal the nature of the Kingdom (e.g., the parables of the Kingdom), His miracles demonstrate the presence of the Kingdom's power, and His death and resurrection secure the defeat of the powers of evil that oppose the Kingdom. Jesus' return will bring the final consummation of the Kingdom.

 

8. The Ethics of the Kingdom

 

Ladd highlights that living in the Kingdom has ethical implications for believers. Because the Kingdom has already come, Christians are called to live according to the values of the Kingdom: Justice, mercy, and love are central to the Kingdom's ethics.

 

Believers are to live as citizens of the Kingdom in the present, which involves pursuing righteousness, caring for the poor and marginalized, and reflecting God's character to the world.

 

The Sermon on the Mount (Gospel according to Matthew 5–7) provides a fundamental picture of life in the Kingdom. It is a life marked by humility, peacemaking, love for enemies, and a rejection of worldly values like greed and violence.

 

Conclusion

 

In summary, Ladd's view of the Kingdom of God is characterized by the tension between the present and the future. The Kingdom is already here, initiated by Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and experienced by believers in the power of the Spirit. However, it is not yet fully realized, as its ultimate fulfillment awaits Jesus' return when God's reign will be fully established in a transformed world. This "already, but not yet" framework has been influential in helping Christians understand how they can live out the realities of God's Kingdom in the present while still longing for its future fulfillment.

 

Rev. Doug Choi, President of Peniel Theological Seminary, Busan, Korea