This essay, “The True Gospel (Part Four),” was sent into the world as a CGG Weekly essay on August 24, 2001.
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.”
—Mark 1:15a
Many church of God members recall Herbert W. Armstrong frequently turning to Mark 1:14-15 to thunder out the truth that the gospel Jesus Christ proclaimed is focused on the Kingdom of God. In fact, Jesus’ own words bear this out: Only once does He modify the word “gospel,” and He does so with the phrase “of the kingdom.” In accordance with the Savior’s usage of the term, Matthew, Mark, and Luke call it nothing other than this. In several other places, Jesus speaks of “preaching the kingdom of God” to the people.
The Kingdom of God is an immense subject in itself, but its basic meaning whittles down to God’s dominion, rule, governance, or realm. In many places in the Gospels, such as His parables (Matthew 13) and the Olivet Prophecy (Matthew 24–25), Jesus points to a future establishment of God’s Kingdom on the earth. Notice Matthew 16:27: “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.”
On the other hand, the Kingdom of God is now ruling over those whom God has called (Colossians 1:13), though they have not yet fully inherited or entered it because they are still flesh (I Corinthians 15:50). The called and chosen await the return of Christ at the last trumpet when He will change their mortal, corrupt physical bodies into immortal, incorruptible spirit bodies like His (I Corinthians 15:51-52; Philippians 3:20-21; I Thessalonians 4:14-17; I John 3:2).
God's Kingdom is a present reality in a spiritual sense for those who believe the gospel, as God rules over them already. Click To TweetThus, the Kingdom of God has both present and future implications; it is “at hand,” as Jesus says, and also coming (see Matthew 6:10; 16:28; Luke 22:18; etc.). It is a present reality in a spiritual sense for those who believe the gospel, as God rules over them already. As such, they are subject to all the laws and responsibilities that being part of God’s Kingdom entails. When Christ returns and sets up His government on earth, the gospel will have prepared them for rulership with Him (Revelation 19:7-8). They are presently watching for, praying for, and expecting its fullness at any time (Matthew 24:32-44).
As a future event, the Kingdom of God implies that the gospel concerns itself with prophecy as well. Though many biblical prophecies foretold the coming of Jesus Christ as a human to die as our Savior, many more prophecies concern His second coming as King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:11-16). The Christian hope revolves around the belief that He will come again, put down all rebellion against Him, grant eternal life to His saints, and establish a Millennium of peace, prosperity, and spiritual growth for surviving humanity. The gospel includes this message of a future utopia.
What we see, then, is that “the gospel of the Kingdom of God” is a general term that covers more than just an announcement of God’s rule. It contains the teaching about the soon-coming establishment of God’s government on the earth, as well as its present lordship over those whom God has called. It includes instruction for preparing the elect for their responsibilities in His Kingdom, particularly regarding character development in God’s image. In a way, “the gospel of the Kingdom of God” is an umbrella term that encompasses God’s entire revelation to man in the Bible, which Paul calls “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).
