Picturing Theology

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P i c t u r i n g T h e o l o g y

Empowering People for Freedom, Wholeness, and Justice (continued)

1.1 The Kingdom of God as the Basis for Mission “Missiology is more and more coming to see the Kingdom of God as the hub around which all of mission work revolves” (Verkuyl 1978, 203). Evangelism, church-planting and development work are not based on a few isolated “proof- texts,” but are an abiding response to the theme of the Kingdom which is woven throughout the scriptural record. The Kingdom of God embodies the essence of what God’s mission ( Missio Dei ) in the world is and provides a basis for seeing how our own activities are intended to fit into God’s overall plan. 2 1.2 The Kingdom as Restoration The Scriptures assert what human experience everywhere reveals; something has gone dramatically wrong with the world. The Bible teaches that the basis of this problem is humanity’s rejection of God’s rulership. The Genesis account of the Fall shows humanity repudiating God’s right to give direction and boundaries to their decisions. From that time forward, evil filled the void left by the absence of God’s loving rule. The world ceased to function correctly; death replaced life; disease replaced health; enmity replaced friendship; domination replaced cooperation; and scarcity replaced abundance. All human relationships with God and with each other were poisoned by the inner desire of each individual and social group to replace God’s authority with their own rule. In a response of grace to this situation, God decided not to reject and destroy the world, but to redeem it. He set in motion a plan to liberate the world from its bondage to evil powers, and to restore all things to perfection under his Kingly rule. Throughout the Scriptures this plan of reclamation is described as the “ Kingdom of God ,” and insight into its nature and means of coming are progressively revealed. Johannes Verkuyl summarizes the message of the Kingdom in this fashion: The heart of the message of the Old and New Testament is that God . . . is actively engaged in the reestablishment of His liberating dominion over the cosmos and all of humankind. In seeking out Israel, He sought all of us and our entire world, and in Jesus Christ He laid the foundation of the Kingdom. Jesus Christ the Messiah “promised to the fathers,” is the auto basileia 3 : in Him the Kingdom has both come, and is coming in an absolutely unique way and with exceptional clarity. In His preaching Jesus divulges the riches, the thesaurus of that Kingdom: reconciliation, the forgiveness of sins, victory

1. The Kingdom of God as the Basis of Evangelism, Church Planting and Development

2 See George Eldon Ladd (1974, 45-134), for an introduction to a biblical theology of the Kingdom.

3 That is, the One who in his own person fully embodies the rule of God.