What is "the Kingdom of God " ?
Where can we find IT ?

The kingdom of God is within us.

From explorefaith.org --

"Jesus taught us that the Kingdom is within our grasp if we can learn to love God with all our soul, with all our heart, and with all our mind, and to love our neighbors as our self. God's Kingdom is less a place or an idea than it is a total commitment to love one another, for it is through our love of one another that we become the agents of God willing to work to bring about God's Kingdom on the earth in the present time. That Kingdom is a union of free human beings united to God and to each other. The Kingdom is already here, yet is still to come, and it will come by God's grace with the free cooperation of the human race."

(Now that you are totally confused, maybe others will add their two cents.)

Wondergirl's answer was about as good an answer that is possible to this important question.

"The Kingdom of God is within you", said Jesus, over and over again.

You find Gods kingdom by accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, as a believer and follower of Christ you are part of his family.

Fr. Chuck, that is certainly true for some, but not for all. Hindus. For example, may find the Kingdom is ways unimaginable to you, and Jews and Buddhists similarly. The Kingdom of God is within you, Jesus said. His "you" embraced the whole world - not just some.

This is, after all, a Christian thread. I agree with Fr. Chuck.

Surely A Christian "thread" is open to understanding. Didn't Jesus tell us about the Samaritan?

The important breakthrough is to understand that the Kingdom of God is available now, it is within, as Wondergirl's quote opines... it is not a magic Kingdom where you go after you die.

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Originally Posted by Athos

Fr. Chuck, that is certainly true for some, but not for all. Hindus. for example, may find the Kingdom is ways unimaginable to you, and Jews and Buddhists similarly. The Kingdom of God is within you, Jesus said. His "you" embraced the whole world - not just some.

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I will disagree first this is the Christianity board, so the person is asking for the Christian perspective, not the jewish or not the teachings of Budda.

And of course as such on the Christian board I can call the other teachings false or mislead teachings and that the only correct teachings are that of Christianity.

You're right, it's not a magic kingdom--but it is a very 'glorious' kingdom of heaven where the saved in Christ will go when they die.

The Kingdom of God is Within... that's what Jesus said.

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Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

I will disagree first this is the Christianity board, so the person is asking for the Christian perspective, not the jewish or not the teachings of Budda.

And of course as such on the Christian board I can call the other teachings false or mislead teachings and that the only correct teachings are that of Christianity.

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I'm a little bit at a loss here, Fr Chuck. You seem to be saying that only "Christian" answers are permissible here. E.g. that "...other teachings are false or misleading..." I hope this is not the case. This site represents, I hope, a free exchange of ideas, not a party line of Christianity. Surely, in the 21st century, we are past such primitive beliefs that only "my belief" is true and all others are false?

I agree with Donna Mae, the kingdom of God is heaven. When Jesus said the kingdom of God is within you He is talking spiritually, it's in our hearts because of our belief in it's existence. It's like God being in your heart because you believe in Him. When you are saved you receive the Spirit within you, and with your salvation you inherit the kingdom of God. It is also spoken of as the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of Heaven in the Bible. All three are talking about one kingdom because God, Christ and heaven are not going to be separated. There are few verses too that let us know the kingdom of God is heaven, the place in which those who are saved will go to as Donna Mae said.

James 2:5 "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?"

John 3:3 "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Acts 14:22 "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exorting them to continue in faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."

So the kingdom of God is an actual place, which is heaven, because heaven is God's kingdom, in which those of us who love God and are saved are promised to inherit and enter. This is not a contradiction to what Jesus said about the kingdom of God being within us. The kingdom of God is within us because we believe in it's actual existence with all of our hearts.

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Originally Posted by Athos

I'm a a little bit at a loss here, Fr Chuck. You seem to be saying that only "Christian" answers are permissible here. E.g., that "...other teachings are false or misleading..." I hope this is not the case. This site represents, I hope, a free exchange of ideas, not a party line of Christianity. Surely, in the 21st century, we are past such primitive beliefs that only "my belief" is true and all others are false?

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On the religiouis discussion board, or the other religion board, there is much more open discussions, but on a Christian board, and as a Christian, a Christian believe that only Christianity is the real faith, They feel that sadly the Jewish people have not accepted their "Christ" who came first for them, and they feel that Islam was based on teachings that were written from a combination of varioius other teachings. An example of this is the part about christianity that was included, that came from Christian Sects in that area that had certain beleifs, not fully accepted by Christians in other areas, those beliefs are taught and shown in the Quran.
So on the Islam board I would expect that when someone comes to the Christian part of the board, they want to hear a Christian answer to their questions, not a WICCA answer, not a atheist answer, and not a Islamic answer.

When someone wants to know what a christian faith teaches those coming in to merely disagree with christian faith, are not here to answer the question as asked, but merely to cause trouble, Those that do it here on any regular basis are obvous. Just as I don't go into the WICCA threads and tell them they are doomed to hell because of their faith, I see no reason why they would come onto a Christian board and tell people that there is no Christ or no God. **** not that any WICCA on here does that, in fact their group are better behaved than those that claim no faith at all.

Very well said MoonlitWaves.

When someone wants to know what a christian faith teaches those coming in to merely disagree with christian faith, are not here to answer the question as asked, but merely to cause trouble, Those that do it here on any regular basis are obvous. Just as I don't go into the WICCA threads and tell them they are doomed to hell because of their faith, I see no reason why they would come onto a Christian board and tell people that there is no Christ or no God. **** not that any WICCA on here does that, in fact their group are better behaved than those that claim no faith at all.[/QUOTE]


What about Christians who see Christianity differently than you? Are they allowed? Who determines who is Christian here? I know you must be aware that among themselves Christians have innumerable beliefs about their faith that are not compatible with other Christians.

It seems to me that an internet site answering questions about Christianity would be open to Christians of whatever flavor (and with all the differences among them) and historical perspectives on the faith (just as other faiths - Wicca, Islam, Jews, etc.) and anthropological points of view. In other words, not limited to a specific viewpoint which you may espouse but others do not.

Surely you don't mean to imply that only your belief is the only one allowed here?

When Jesus was on earth this Kingdom was the main theme of his preaching. (Matthew 4:17; Luke 8:1) However, he did not establish the Kingdom at that time, nor at his resurrection. (Acts 1:6-8)

We yet await the establishment of that Kingdom.

John 8:21-23
Jesus speaking to the people, "I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come."... "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I a not of this world."

John 18:36
Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."

John 13:36
Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?"
Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later."

John 14:1-2
Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms: if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."

The kingdom of God is a very real place. Just reading these scriptures should tell you that.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: No man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

While it is true that not all Christians see everything alike, we all acknowledge Jesus Christ as LORD, and that is the main thing. As to other beliefs, yes, sadly, if you believe what Jesus said on the subject, you are forced to accept that Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life. That's why we preach Christ to everyone we can reach, because we want to share this life with every one of them. Is that so terrible?

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Originally Posted by Athos

When someone wants to know what a christian faith teaches those comming in to merley disagree with christian faith, are not here to answer the question as asked, but merley to cause trouble, Those that do it here on any regular basis are obvous. Just as I don't go into the WICCA threads and tell them they are doomed to hell because of thier faith, I see no reason why they would come onto a Christian board and tell people that there is no Christ or no God. **** not that any WICCA on here does that, in fact their group are better behaved than those that claim no faith at all.


What about Christians who see Christianity differently than you? Are they allowed? Who determines who is Christian here? I know you must be aware that among themselves Christians have innumerable beliefs about their faith that are not compatible with other Christians.

It seems to me that an internet site answering questions about Christianity would be open to Christians of whatever flavor (and with all the differences among them) and historical perspectives on the faith (just as other faiths - Wicca, Islam, Jews, etc.) and anthropological points of view. In other words, not limited to a specific viewpoint which you may espouse but others do not.

Surely you don't mean to imply that only your belief is the only one allowed here?

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Paul instructed Timothy in (1 Timothy 6:4, 5) to “turn down foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing they produce fights,” and to instruct the congregations “not to fight about words, a thing of no usefulness at all.” (2 Timothy 2:14, 23) Much religious debate in our time has fit this description and has proved to be a pointless waste of time.

If you have a question about Christianity please feel free to ask it.