The gospels tell us that right from the very beginning of his ministry, Jesus' teaching focussed on the kingdom of God.
Most of the parables begin, "The kingdom of God is like...". And in The Lord's Prayer we pray that God's kingdom should come "on earth as it is in heaven".
What is a kingdom?
A kingdom is the territory in which a king reigns and the people obey his will and live according to his laws.
Thus the kingdom of God exists wherever God reigns supreme. So if the word of God rules in our hearts then the kingdom of God is already present in us.
The kingdom of God is sometimes described as the 'kingdom of God's just and gentle rule'. This is because the key features of God's rule are his justice, his love, his mercy and his compassion.
The kingdom of God is also said to be 'a present and future kingdom'. The kingdom already exists wherever people accept God's rule. And, of course, the rule of God is already established in heaven. But Christians also pray that in the fulness of time, or when Jesus returns at the end of the age, God's rule may be accepted everywhere and by everyone. Thus the kingdom of God will become complete. The kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven will be one and the same.
© J D Yule 2003