German theologian Deitreich Bonhoeffer visited the United
States in the 1930s. In one of many
letters home he writes, “I often wonder whether it is true that America is the
country without a reformation. If
reformation means the God-given knowledge of the failure of all ways of
building up a kingdom of God on earth, then it is probably true.”
If
that was the perceptive Bonhoeffer’s take on the Christian church as it existed
in the United States nearly one-hundred years ago, I wonder what his assessment
of current American Christianity would be?
What
do we pray when we pray, “Thy kingdom come”?
Do we pray with the God-given knowledge that it is impossible to build
the kingdom of God on earth?
When
our Lord began His earthly ministry, He came “preaching the gospel of the
kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is
at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.’” (Mark 1:14-15)
Nearly all of Jesus’ disciples
expected Him to establish an earthly kingdom.
They hoped that Jesus would free Israel from Roman rule and bring an end
to poverty and disease. But notice how the
kingdom of God is established, according to Christ Himself: by repentance and
belief in the gospel. “Except a man be
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) “And when He was demanded of the Pharisees,
when the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, The kingdom of
God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there!
for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21) So also Christ instructed His followers not
to worry about food or clothing, but to seek “first the kingdom of God, and His
righteousness.” The apostle Paul added, “The kingdom of God is not meat and
drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Rom.
14:17).
Jesus also taught that His
kingdom, though at hand, was not yet fully realized. “My kingdom is not of this world: if my
kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be
delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” (John 18:36) The thief on the cross recognized this when
he said, “Lord, remember me when Thou comest into thy Kingdom.” Jesus responded, “Today thou shalt be with me
in paradise.” (Luke 32:42-43)
In Lord’s Day 48 of the
Heidelberg Catechism, the second petition of the model prayer is broken down
into four parts.
Thy kingdom come; that is,
1) Rule
us so by Thy Word and Spirit, that we may submit ourselves more and more to
Thee. “Know ye not that the
unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?” (1 Cor. 6:9)
2) Preserve
and increase Thy church.
“And when they [Paul and
Barnabas] had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they
returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of
the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must
through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:21-22)
3) Destroy
the works of the devil and all violence which would exalt itself against Thee;
and also, all wicked counsels devised against Thy holy Word.
“Again, the devil taketh Him up
into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth Him all the kingdoms of the world,
and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee,
if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written,
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” (Matt.
4:9-10)
“Till,” the answer concludes, “the
full perfection of Thy kingdom take place, wherein Thou shalt be all in all.”
Is that the kingdom for which
you pray?
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