“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17).
The Kingdom of God is defined not by its absence or perfection as a kingdom, but rather as the realm where God reigns supreme, and Jesus Christ is King. It is characterized by God’s sovereign rule and reign, where His authority is recognized, and His will is obeyed.
Examining the profound declaration of the Apostle Paul in Romans 14:17, we understand that the Kingdom of God is initiated within our hearts, manifesting as a fresh internal reality, a transformation of life orchestrated by the Holy Spirit. Our innermost being is thus renewed and restructured.
Here we see three defining factors of this Kingdom:
1) Righteousness– Apart from Jesus, we are unrighteous. We must be clothed in his righteousness, and God has provided us this through faith. The holy Son of God’s perfection is credited to us by grace through faith. By faith in Christ, we die to our old self and are made a new creation by which we are able to walk in righteousness. God’s kingdom is defined by the righteousness of Christ being given to his people and, in turn, his people continually being reshaped and reformed into Christ’s likeness (i.e., living out this righteousness).
2) Peace– God’s people have peace with God, his people, and as far as is possible with them, are to be at peace with all men. This peace is a distinguishing factor of God’s kingdom. This type of peace eliminates hate, promotes love and creates a community that is safe and free.
3) Joy– there are many things in life that could bring one joy, but the joy that defines God’s kingdom is the joy that comes from him. It is deep-rooted and unaffected by earthly situations but affects how we are able to respond here on earth.
All of these are rooted “in the Holy Spirit.” As we seek to obey God by living out his righteousness (our sanctification), we will walk in step with the spirit, seek his filling, grow in his fruit and utilize his gifts which in turn build up the Body of Christ and promote a peace which surpasses all earthly understanding in our communities.
If the Kingdom of God is in you, you should leave a little bit of heaven wherever you go.
Cornel West
Reflection: The Kingdom of God is a completely different way of life lived out now by believers. It is heaven’s culture infused into the lives of people through His words and His indwelling Holy Spirit. It is NOT us simply changing a few outer behaviors. It is a whole new perspective, a whole new value system, a whole new purpose, and a whole new life force coursing through our veins by the Spirit. This is the Kingdom of God.
Prayer: God, grant us the courage to continually surrender our lives back over to you, therefore, allowing our inner workings to be recreated and reordered. May we not strive to change, but allow your Spirit to bring the righteousness, peace, and joy we each long for. We choose to live within your Kingdom, experiencing Heaven’s culture today. Amen.
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