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So, where do you stand as to whether it is present, future, or has both a present and a future aspect?Luke 16:
6 The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is being zealously urged into it.
Yes.So God's kingdom started ruling in the past and will extend it rule into the future.
Yes, but even more than that.What domain will it be ruling over in the future? Is it possible that rule will one day dominate the entire literal planet earth?
Isn't that what you are waiting for?2 Peter 3:13
But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Can you explain how God's kingdom will bring about the conditions described in the scriptures below? And why, since in your opinion God's kingdom has "come" since the beggining of time (ie since God first made a decision) they are not prevalent today?Checkpoint wrote:YesWhat domain will it be ruling over in the future? Is it possible that rule will one day dominate the entire literal planet earth?
JehovahsWitness wrote:Matthew 6 v 10 Young's Literal Translationn "Thy reign come: Thy will come to pass, as in heaven also on THE EARTH."Isaiah 11: 9
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for THE EARTH shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea." -- New American Bible
Ecclesiastes 1: 4
"One generation goes and another comes; but THE EARTH is forever."
Proverbs 2 v 21, 22 Douay-Rheims Bible
"For they that are upright shall dwell in THE EARTH, and the simple shall continue in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it. -- King James Bible
Matthew 5: 5 American Standard Version
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit THE EARTH."
Psalms 115:16 "The heavens belong to the LORD, but he has given THE EARTH to all humanity." New Living Translation (©2007)
PSALMS 72v8
May he also rule from sea to sea And from the River to the ends of THE EARTH. New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Psalms 37:29 "The righteous themselves will possess THE EARTH, and they will reside forever upon it."
Psalms 37:11:
"But the meek ones themselves will possess THE EARTH, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace."
Jesus said that his kingdom is not of this world where moth eats and rust destroys.Checkpoint wrote: Some seem to think it is entirely future, while others give the impression they are always thinking of it as present, and to not be looking at the future in kingdom terms at all.
Jesus had much to say about the kingdom, including this:
So, where do you stand as to whether it is present, future, or has both a present and a future aspect?Luke 16:
6 The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is being zealously urged into it.
On what basis?
According to which scriptures?
ImCoCheckpoint wrote:It is what I said, "whenever God's will is done......"JehovahsWitness wrote:Does that sum up what you believe the kingdom of God is?
It is not so much "the good actions of believers", but rather, God's actions and choices as King and ruler of a largely alien world, where His kingdom authority is welcomed by the few and ignored or rejected by the many.
Good questions, onewithhim, each of which I will be answering as soon as I can.onewithhim wrote: [Replying to post 124 by Monta]
"The training ground" for what?
So you all believe that the Kingdom has always been, right? I'm still not clear on what you and Checkpoint and others think about Jesus teaching us to pray for the kingdom TO COME. Please answer the additional questions I have.
1) Why pray for the Kingdom to come?
2) If it has always been here, why is the world still suffering?
3) What does it actually mean that there will be new heavens and a new earth?
4) What do these two scriptures mean: Isaiah 9:6,7; Daniel 2:44 ?
I will appreciate any answers to these questions.
Because that was what Jesus both taught and exampled.1) Why pray for the Kingdom to come?
So, what is he conveying here?Luke 17:
20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed,
21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.�
Jesus examples the kingdom coming in this present age, not once but time after time, here:Matthew 23:
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
That's progress!JehovahsWitness wrote:So God's Kingdom (which can be defined as "God's actions and choices"), for which Jesus taught his followers to pray, started ruling at some point in the past and will extend it's rule into the future. I think I understand what you are saying now.Checkpoint wrote:Yes, it will never end..So I take it you mean that the one kingdom (reign) extends its rule into the future. Please feel free to correct me.
No, as I said above, "The ruling began as soon as there was something to rule".JehovahsWitness wrote:But you said the kingdom is "God's actions and choices": God has always been acting and making choices, even before he created anyone to rule over. So if God's Kingdom is his "actions and choices" then God's kingdom must have began before there was anything to rule over, no?Checkpoint wrote: It does not "come" one time, but multiple times in answer to that prayer in multiple expression of God's will being done.
The ruling began as soon as there was something to rule.
