THE KINGDOM OF GOD
IN GALATIANS
It may be that very few have noticed the term "the kingdom of God" in such a book as Galatians. Once again Paul says that the evil, immoral persons will "not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal. 5:21). Then Paul mentions the fruit of the Spirit (v. 22). This is the church life, the Christian walk, and the Christian walk is the kingdom. He goes on to say that we who are Christ’s have crucified our flesh (5:24). That which has no part in the kingdom of God has been crucified. The flesh and all its lusts have been crucified. We are a crucified people. However, this is just the negative aspect; we also have the positive aspect. In verse 25 we are told that since we have life in the Spirit, we should also walk in the Spirit. To have life in the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit is the church life, and this church life is the kingdom. From this we can see that the kingdom is not merely something in the future, but also something which is present today.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
IN ROMANS
Romans 14:17 is a wonderful verse. It says that the "kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." In other words, the kingdom is altogether a life in the Spirit. A life in the Spirit is the kingdom, and this kingdom is the reality of the church life.
Many Christians cannot see that the church is the kingdom because Christianity is full of confusion and division. Admittedly, it is difficult to say Christianity is the kingdom. But, in the Lord’s recovery, the kingdom is the church life. The church life is the kingdom of God. The kingdom is not a mere dispensation. Are eating and drinking a dispensation? The kingdom is not eating and drinking; it is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. When we live in the Holy Spirit, we have the spiritual life, and this spiritual life under the ruling of the Lord Jesus is simply the reality of the church life. This is the kingdom which is unshakable (Heb. 12:28). This kingdom can never be shaken because the gates of Hades cannot prevail against it. The church is the unshakable kingdom.
THE KING AND THE KINGDOM
According to the Bible, the kingdom is the Lord Jesus who came to sow Himself into us as the seed of life. When He sows Himself into us. He becomes the kingdom inside of us. In Himself the Lord Jesus is the King. When He comes into all of us, He is the King plus "dom." The kingdom is simply the King plus "dom." Isaiah 53:2 tells us that this Jesus in the flesh had no beauty or attractiveness that we should desire Him. Yet He is the King! He is the seed of the kingdom. However, this King will never be satisfied to remain by Himself alone. He wants to have the "dom." How can He have the kingdom? By spreading Himself into people like ourselves. The Lord Jesus is the King, and we are the "dom." Thus, we are the kingdom.
(The Kingdom, Chapter 3, by Witness Lee)
