Many thoughtful Christians today, upon an assessment of the state of the church they see around them, correctly see that much of US church life falls far short of the kind of transformed, Christ-centered life that we followers of Jesus are supposed to display to each other and the world. It is true, I believe, that too much of Christianity today focuses on doctrine to the exclusion of a strong call to basic expression of right theology (things like serving the poor, taking care of orphans and widows) and of a life of self-denial in the pursuit of Christlikeness...
However I fear too many who make this correct assessment allow their reaction to the insight to go a very important step too far: by re-working their definition of "the Kingdom of God" in a way that de-emphasizes the future action Jesus Christ Himself will take in establishing this Kingdom at a definite point in the future.
When I read Isaiah 65:17 - 66:24, especially alongside Revelation 20 & 21, I get some very definite impressions:
- The Kingdom comes from God, not from the efforts of man
- It is a cataclysmic and revolutionary act, not a progressive manifestation
True, my own personal faith is a journey, and Christ's coming to become central and most high in my thinking and lord over my flesh is a progressive thing in its manifestation... but does that same progression apply to the coming Kingdom? I'm not sure, but I don't think so, based on what I read above.
Now I won't into pre-millenial vs. amillenial... nor the Emergent Church... mostly because I don't yet what I believe regarding those things... and also because I'm hungry, it is about dusk, and I want to walk the few blocks to the Inner Harbor (Baltimore).
P.S. I personally am falling short of how much thought, prayer and effort I put in to serving others. I'm glad for that reminder today.
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