Paul and Jesus

The term “kingdom of God” refers to the reign of God, usually understood in Jewish apocalyptic texts in this period as the time when God decisively intervenes in human affairs to bring about a new age of God’s righteous rule. God’s anointed one, or Messiah, was expected to usher in this dramatic halt and turnabout of human history. The Messiah would be exalted above every other authority so that through his reign the will of God would be done on earth, as it is done in heaven. Paul taught that Jesus, who was a royal descendant of David, had fulfilled the role of the expected Messiah. But more important to Paul, he had been “declared Son of God in power by his resurrection.” Paul believed that Jesus had been raised from the dead and glorified to sit “at the right hand of God” (Romans 1:3–4). Since his reign was a heavenly one, the kingdom of God had already arrived and would shortly be manifested to the surprise of the entire world.

As we have seen, Christ’s rule from heaven, not just over the earth, but the entire cosmos, will continue until he destroys all rule, authority, and power, putting “all things” under his feet (Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:25). Paul’s cosmos is a disrupted one, a cosmos in rebellion, currently controlled by Satan, “the god of this age.” But Satan’s time is short-lived. Paul triumphantly declares to the Christians at Rome: “The God of peace will shortly crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20). This was in the late 50s A.D., during the reign of Nero.

The final result of Christ’s heavenly exaltation and reign is that every knee will bow, every tongue confess, that Jesus is Lord. The word “Lord” (Greek kurios) means master, ruler, or potentate. It is the same word that the Roman emperors put on their coins and demanded in oaths of allegiance. That Jesus is already “Lord” means that his reign has been inaugurated. It is already here, but not yet consummated.

Stage one in the plan for extending the reign of God to the entire cosmos was the selection and preparation of a special group of human beings who would receive the same exaltation as the Messiah, in order to share in his reign. Those “in Christ” were already “in the kingdom.” There was indeed a battle raging, not with “weapons of worldly warfare” but divine power to destroy strongholds, particularly the grip of Satan and his demons upon those whom God had chosen (2 Corinthians 10:3–6). Paul says that once those “in Christ” learn to complete their own obedience, they will then be ready to punish every disobedience—empowered as co-rulers with Christ.

During this interim period, as the reign of Christ is being extended, there will be persecution and outside opposition. This the group could handle, even if it might seem to contradict their faith that Christ was the new cosmic ruler. They had been taught that in order to be glorified they must first suffer, as Christ had suffered. Paul tells them they should even “rejoice” in sufferings, since it will result in great reward (Romans 5:3). They expected the natural world to continue, temporarily, on its tired and worn path of birth and death, disease and decay, and sin and injustice. Paul had told them that Satan was the god of “the present evil age” and that he had “blinded the eyes of the unbelievers” (Galatians 1:4; 2 Corinthians 4:4). Satan had been attacked by Christ’s victory over death, but not yet defeated. Those in Christ still had to live in the old world, but without being contaminated by it. The tensions, stresses, persecutions, and even temptations were considered necessary tests that would only make them stronger (Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul had taught his followers that “all things work together for good for those called [literally, “invited”] according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). This is not a general promise of divine providence for humankind in general, but a specific promise made only to the elect group. No matter what came their way, even if it had been sent by Satan, God would use it to perfect them: “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

The challenge, and the insurmountable problem, was to work out the conflict between the intersection of the old world and the new in the present. Paul tried his best to provide guidance and instruction. He stressed and sometimes even demanded what he believed was the ideal, but the cost of denying one reality at the expense of another often proved too great.