"What is the Kingdom of God?" A talk by Dr Ian Ellis-Jones. Copyright © 2024 Ian Ellis-Jones. All rights reserved.

Dr Ian Ellis-Jones (born 1955) is an Australian lawyer, academic and author. He has also worked as a minister and a teacher of mindfulness and meditation. He regularly gives talks and lectures to community groups and other organisations on philosophy, practical psychology, religion and spirituality. He is a member of the International New Thought Alliance (INTA) and the Theosophical Society of Australia and was formerly president of both the Humanist Society of New South Wales and the Council of Australian Humanist Societies (CAHS).

------------------------------

WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD?
by Dr Ian Ellis-Jones

[A precis of the talk]

Who or what is God? Some theological abstraction? For starters, the Bible tells us that God is love (1 Jn 4 v8). Listen to these words: ‘Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love’ (1 Jn 4 vv7-8). The Bible also tells us that God is Spirit, that is, the very spirit of life (Jn 4 v24). Another way of understanding the spirit of life is as pure Being. All things come from the One Source of all Being. God is pure Be-ing—the self-existence and self-consciousness of life itself—and we have our be-ing-ness in God. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being' (Acts 17 v28).

The Kingdom of God was an expression familiar to the Jews from the prophets and from later apocalyptic literature. However, whereas the Jews of Jesus’ day were expecting the coming of the Kingdom, it was an earthly kingdom they were expecting. Jesus spoke of an altogether different type of kingdom, namely, a spiritual or heavenly one. Jesus preached the 'Kingdom of God'.

The Kingdom of God is a past, present and future reality, all at the same time. Let’s look at those three things.

First, the Kingdom of God is a past reality because it has been in ‘preparation’—and been prepared for us—from the very foundation of the world (‘the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’ (Mt 25 v34)).

Secondly, the Kingdom of God is also a present reality. Jesus said many things about the Kingdom of God but perhaps his greatest pronouncement on the Kingdom was this—‘the kingdom of God is within you’ (Lk 17 v21). This is the true ‘good news’ of the Christian gospel. As a present reality, Jesus revealed that the Kingdom of God was already present in his own life, and he said repeatedly that the same could also be true for you and me. (He never claimed anything for himself that he did not also claim for you and me.) Jesus as Way-Shower formed a community of likeminded people who strove, in steadfast service, to be a living model of God’s reign on earth. It was Jesus who said, ‘I have come that [you] may have life, and that [you] may have it more abundantly’ (Jn 10 v10). Abundant life—that’s what he’s on about. Life with a capital ‘l.’

Thirdly, the Kingdom of God is also a future reality. Yes, the Kingdom of God has always been, and is now, but is also not as yet. Such is life. It is forever unfolding from one moment to the next. It is always in a state of completed uncompleteness—or, if you wish, uncompleted completeness. It amounts to the same thing.

The Kingdom of God is the very livingness of life itself, as it endlessly and ceaselessly unfolds from one moment to the next. That is the spiritual understanding of the reign or rule of God, the One Presence and Power active in the universe, in all things, as all things, and over all things. You live and move and have your very be-ing-ness in this kingdom.

The Kingdom of God is eternal life, that is, abundant life. In other words, we aren’t talking so much about ever-enduring life but life of a certain quality and intensity, that is, life lived abundantly. Entrance to this kingdom is not dependent on race, sex, gender or anything like that. Rather, it is dependent upon one’s character of conduct. For Jesus, the Kingdom of God was in the sphere of the hearts and minds of people like you and me. When the Kingdom of God rules in your heart and mind—that is, in your personality—the kingdom has come here on earth. The kingdom is the One Presence and Power active in the universe and in our lives right now.

So, never forget this. The Kingdom of God, which always has been, is here now—but the kingdom is also not as yet. Stay awake. Be ever mindful—as the kingdom continues to becomes an ongoing future reality as well … from one moment to the next.