“Already but not yet” is a phrase often quoted when theologians speak about the Kingdom of God between the first and second advent of Jesus Christ. It means that the Kingdom of God has already come, being established on earth as it is in heaven by Jesus’ first coming, and believers are already partaking its promises and mission; but it will not attain to its fullness of expression, manifestation, and glory until sometime in the future, like when Jesus returns.
While this already-but-not-yet Kingdom Theology is widely accepted, there is often little clarity or unity of mind and judgment as to what the church (“ekklesia“) ought to do as its Kingdom mandate during the intervening period, be it as a local corporate body or a universal corporate body.
To some, the Kingdom of God on earth is a future Kingdom, not a present one, hence they are not supposed to, or unable to, exercise the government of Christ in the present age. To some, the church, although subjects of the Kingdom of God, is to subject to the government of this world until Christ comes to crush the government of the world and establish His government on earth. To some, the church must make the political government of a nation as the administrator of the Kingdom to exercise the government of Christ on the citizens of that nation.
So, what is the Kingdom mandate, if any, for the church to exercise the government of Christ in the intervening period between “already but not yet”?
Isaiah 9:6-7
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.
In the intervening period between the first and second coming of Christ, the Kingdom mandate of the church – as the administrator (“oikonomia“) of the Kingdom, and the body of Christ where Christ’s shoulder of government sits – is to permeate and increase the government of Christ and of peace without bounds, in individual lives and people groups, in the heavens and on the earth.
In other words, the Kingdom mandate of the church as the corporate body of Christ is to command the obedience of the elect to the truth of Christ; build the church according to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ; do the works of Christ in the image and likeness of Christ in the flesh; make disciples of all nations in the authority of Christ; and exercise governmental power as the administrator of the Kingdom of Christ; such that the principalities of hell cannot overcome it, and there is no bounds to the increase of His government and of peace, until we see Him face to face again.
There is no allegiance to Christ without increasing His government and peace in the nations; and only through the corporate body of Christ – living stones built up as a holy temple – in every locality can the increase of Christ’s government and of peace be without bounds in the nations.
However, over the last four years, rather than faithfully reforming the church as the true image and expression of Christ, of His liberating works, of His government, and of His peace to all peoples and institutions in the nation, a large section of the church in the US and the world has made Trump its image, White House its “caliphate” seat, and ‘The Storm’ its revolution (pardon my analogy). This is the reason why God is removing the false image, and refocusing the church on its true image for the increase of His government and of peace without bounds, till Jesus comes again to receive His Kingdom that is already at hand here and now.
The church must recognise that, when He walked on earth, Jesus did not entrust Himself to corridors of power, impose the Law on Romans and Greeks, or incite an insurrection for His Kingdom rule. Neither did Paul and his church in Ephesus, nor Daniel in Babylon. Their social transformation strategies were via preaching the truth of the Word, demonstrating the power of the Spirit, ministering with love, manifesting the manifold wisdom of God, and exercising the transcendent authority of the Kingdom.
That said, as part of the “Seven Mountain” strategy, I do advocate putting righteous men and women, like Joseph, Daniel and Esther, into political office who will express and permeate the divine truth, moral character, Kingdom values, and social justice of Christ’s government and of peace.
However, the governing seat of the Kingdom of God and of the increase of the government of Christ is in the house of God, not in presidential palaces or parliaments of the system of the world; for the Kingdom of God is not a political or religious “caliphate”, but a permeating Kingdom where the living waters from the throne room of God shall flow from the threshold of the house of God and permeate into the social, economic, and political domains of a nation, so that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, and drinks willingly, will live and be in peace (c.f. Ezekiel 47:1-11). This is the temple of Christ’s body that Jesus is building, from which the waters of the Spirit flow; and there is a heavenly pattern for building such a house of God on earth.
Can you imagine how boundless the increase of the government of Christ and of peace will be, when every church in every locality is built up and issuing rivers of living waters in their communities, regardless of whoever is ruling from the corridors of power?
Surely, the gates of hell and enemies of Christ cannot prevail or push back against the church when it is carrying the government of Christ on its shoulder and increasing its reach without bounds and limitations. Despite its growing pains, the church is (potentially) the most powerful and glorious body on earth, and this is the church that Jesus is building. No president, palace, or general assembly of nations can even compete.
With such magnificent promises and power given to the church between “already” and “not yet”, let us keep increasing what is already here from glory to glory until it is fully here.
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