Biblical Reasons Why We Should
And Practical Suggestions on How We Can
Create Heaven on Earth
Is it in our power to bring about the Kingdom of Heaven on earth before the Second Coming of Christ?
Obviously nobody is going to do anything unless it's God's will that it be done. And even if God commands us to plant and water, it's God who makes the garden grow. Nobody is saying that human beings are ultimately the ones who "bring in the Kingdom."
So the question is whether it is God's will for Christians to be about bringing in the Kingdom of Heaven on earth before the Second Coming of Christ? It that our duty in this present age?
We have already seen that the Kingdom grows. It isn't just handed to us on a silver platter, full-grown and complete, "no assembly required." The question is, has King Jesus given us duties that contribute to the progressive growth of His Reign?
As far as I know, no theologian who believes that we are not in the Kingdom of Heaven now also believes it is our duty to do something which will commence the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. It is not our duty, nor is in in our power to initiate or begin the Kingdom of Heaven. But there have always been many theologians who have believed that Christ initiated the Kingdom of Heaven at His first Advent, and it is our duty to build it up, working according to the blueprints of Scripture, building on the foundation laid by Christ and the Apostles:
1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are God's servants, working together; you are God's field, God's building.
10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it.
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.1 Peter 2:5 like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal [basileios] priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:Revelation 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
We are a Kingdom of Priests, building the Kingdom.
There are basically two different views of the Kingdom. One view holds that Christ will bring it to earth in all its fullness in a great discontinuity "in the twinkle of an eye" at the Second Coming. The other view of the Kingdom is that Christ laid the foundation of His Kingdom at His first Advent and we are now building the Kingdom on that foundation, stewards of its growth.
The Bible repeatedly states that the Kingdom grows. [more]
And the Bible also tells us how we are to grow the Kingdom [ more ]
And the Bible also tells us how we are not to grow the Kingdom [ more ]
But contrary to those who say we must wait until the Second Coming before we can experience "the Kingdom," or Micah's Vine & Fig Tree vision, or "heaven on earth," the Bible says man's very nature and the reason he was created was to re-create heaven on earth. And in a fascinating and neglected sense (a sense which the Bible repeatedly affirms), we are in heaven now.
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