“‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news’” (1:15)
The kingdom of God where it is near to us should be differentiated from the world or the earthly countries we are living in. If there exists only the kingdom of God, or if the kingdom of God is the same as the worldly ones, it is meaningless to say that the kingdom of God is near.
Yes. Definitely the kingdom of God is different from the worldly ones and it should be differentiated. It would be inappropriate to say that the world in which we experience today could be the same as the kingdom of God in various fields. According to Christian doctrines this world is “reality” in which the descendents from Adam and Eve being kicked out of Eden are supposed to live. In Eden, there must be a way of living, so different from ours in this world. It is not that important to suppose what it could be in details, but we could sketch outlines according to the Old Testament. It is a life burdened without existential pain after Adam and Eve’s Falling. After Falling, they should have taken some destiny. Man should work so hard for a living, and woman should take pain of labor. And to both of them the final destiny was death. So we could imagine life before Falling did not include labors and death.
The Bible explains that human beings losing life in Eden should have lived reality. It is the kingdom in this world. In here we should sweat for a living. We should take a pain of labor for descendant. And then we should progress for death. That is reality for the people who are living in this world. I do not want to mention if it is God’s punishment or not, because it is much serious theological argument. But according to the Bible, life in this world is basically different from the foundation of creation. And we are living in a much more different way of living from perfect life of creation.
Of course the earth is beautiful. With the rivers, mountains, flowers, clouds, winds, and also children, young lovers etc., the earth we are living in is beautiful and so are lives of human beings. Sins are not so much serious problems, comparing with this beauty. Life in this world is existentially beautiful because it is only one time reality for us. Even though it is not that much beautiful, we should try to make it more beautiful together.
Even though we try hard, there must be some limit. The form of life in this world is not everlasting. Of course we could accept immortality itself positively, but nevertheless we cannot regard every phenomena of life in the world as absolute. Youth and health pass away like an arrow. Every living creatures including human being dies. Through death, another life begins, but we cannot think this circulation of life as absolute.
The Bible makes promise for new heaven and new earth to us. It means the kingdom of God comes to us. Christian faith is based upon the fact that the kingdom has come by a hidden way, but it would be achieved at the end of the world. That means the faith of Jesus’ Second Coming. By the way can we anticipate the perfect time full of life? Do we really hope for it now?
Lord, we like to live as a person who regards this land so precious, but who longs for the kingdom of God eventually. Amen.
The kingdom of God where it is near to us should be differentiated from the world or the earthly countries we are living in. If there exists only the kingdom of God, or if the kingdom of God is the same as the worldly ones, it is meaningless to say that the kingdom of God is near.
Yes. Definitely the kingdom of God is different from the worldly ones and it should be differentiated. It would be inappropriate to say that the world in which we experience today could be the same as the kingdom of God in various fields. According to Christian doctrines this world is “reality” in which the descendents from Adam and Eve being kicked out of Eden are supposed to live. In Eden, there must be a way of living, so different from ours in this world. It is not that important to suppose what it could be in details, but we could sketch outlines according to the Old Testament. It is a life burdened without existential pain after Adam and Eve’s Falling. After Falling, they should have taken some destiny. Man should work so hard for a living, and woman should take pain of labor. And to both of them the final destiny was death. So we could imagine life before Falling did not include labors and death.
The Bible explains that human beings losing life in Eden should have lived reality. It is the kingdom in this world. In here we should sweat for a living. We should take a pain of labor for descendant. And then we should progress for death. That is reality for the people who are living in this world. I do not want to mention if it is God’s punishment or not, because it is much serious theological argument. But according to the Bible, life in this world is basically different from the foundation of creation. And we are living in a much more different way of living from perfect life of creation.
Of course the earth is beautiful. With the rivers, mountains, flowers, clouds, winds, and also children, young lovers etc., the earth we are living in is beautiful and so are lives of human beings. Sins are not so much serious problems, comparing with this beauty. Life in this world is existentially beautiful because it is only one time reality for us. Even though it is not that much beautiful, we should try to make it more beautiful together.
Even though we try hard, there must be some limit. The form of life in this world is not everlasting. Of course we could accept immortality itself positively, but nevertheless we cannot regard every phenomena of life in the world as absolute. Youth and health pass away like an arrow. Every living creatures including human being dies. Through death, another life begins, but we cannot think this circulation of life as absolute.
The Bible makes promise for new heaven and new earth to us. It means the kingdom of God comes to us. Christian faith is based upon the fact that the kingdom has come by a hidden way, but it would be achieved at the end of the world. That means the faith of Jesus’ Second Coming. By the way can we anticipate the perfect time full of life? Do we really hope for it now?
Lord, we like to live as a person who regards this land so precious, but who longs for the kingdom of God eventually. Amen.
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