How do you think of the kingdom of God?

When we hear the word kingdom, it is easy to think of a metropolitan location and maybe even a grand palace where the royal family lives. The same is likely of christians when they think of the kingdom of God. Sometimes a characteristic of older christians is their desire to be welcomed into heaven and the presence of God. This is an expected promise, but our belief and acceptance of God’s Word is another element of God’s kingdom that can be overlooked.

Matthew 3:1-10

The word for kingdom in this passage is “basileia, points fundamentally to God’s rule, not to the realm over which he rules.”1 God’s rule is not limited to geographical locations. When we understand this we can find His mercy that is given to us. If we misunderstand this or refuse to understand God’s rule, we leave ourselves open to the power of prideful knowledge that John comforts the Pharisees and Sadducees with in verse 10.

The realization and acceptance of God’s rule is not merely a location, but leading and interaction with our lives that allows us to bear the fruit that keeps us with repentance (Matthew 3:9).

Chamblin, J. K. (1995). Matthew. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 727). Baker Book House.