MY TESTIMONY: Growing up, I mostly heard the gospel of salvation (that we were sinners in need of a Savior), and rarely (if ever) heard of the gospel of the Kingdom (that we could actually reign with Him). If I heard about the Kingdom of God, it was from the perspective as some future and distant reality—not one that we are called to live from. (More on this in later blogs)

Therefore, I never seemed to get past the “sinner saved by grace” message, and mostly lived trying to “not sin” (I call this living sin-conscious). However, a few years ago, the Lord began to reveal a different aspect of the gospel and since then I have been coming alive to the covenant we have in Him—it has been a game changer.

Since then, the Lord has been giving me language for this aspect of the gospel. It’s the one John the Baptist and Jesus preached, and is why I’m writing this series of blogs called the “Gospel of the Kingdom…”

THE TWO-FOLD GOSPEL

The term gospel simply means “good news”—the good news that Christ died, rose, ascended, and is now enthroned. As we died with Him, we are also raised with Him, to where we now inherit an unshakable Kingdom (His presence).

In the Scriptures, we see the gospel of salvation and the gospel of the Kingdom, as they each have a specific role in bringing sons and daughters into fullness and maturity. 

• Gospel of salvation is the good news of Jesus’ death (our reconciliation). Through the work of the cross (death), we are reconciled (made one) with the Father. The gospel of salvation relates to Jesus as Savior.

• Gospel of the Kingdom is the good news of Jesus’ resurrection, ascension, enthronement (our co-glorification). Being crucified with Christ, we were also raised with Christ. The gospel of the kingdom relates to Jesus as King.

GOOD NEWS: FROM DEATH TO ENTHRONEMENT

The apostle Paul mentions both aspects of the gospel:

“For we’ve been buried with him into his death. Our “baptism into death” also means we were raised with him when we believed in God’s resurrection power, the power that raised him from death’s realm. This “realm of death” describes our former state, for we were held in sin’s grasp. But now, we’ve been resurrected out of that “realm of death” never to return, for we are forever alive and forgiven of all our sins!”  Colossians 2:12-13  (TPT)

The message of the Kingdom is that which sustains, empowers, and brings us into sonship (maturity):

“So if while we were still enemies, God fully reconciled us to himself through the death of his Son, then something greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, and because we share in his resurrection life, how much more we will be rescued from sin’s dominion!”  Romans 5:10  (TPT)

The gospel of the Kingdom became the most prevalent message in the early church. In fact, the focal point of the Acts 2 sermon was the resurrection—the gospel of the Kingdom (Acts 2:24-33; Acts 10:37-43). 

ADVANCING INTO MORE

Let us advance into maturity by embracing the Kingdom gospel. Although the gospel of salvation (that we have been saved from sin by His death) is a necessary (foundational) aspect, it’s not the full one. As one teacher says, the gospel of salvation is a great place to start, but a terrible place to stay. In other words, we must continue to move into the realm and message of the Kingdom—it is essential to stepping into full maturity and establishing heaven on earth. (more on this later…)

-RA