Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives – Historic & Scriptural Baptist Position Concerning the Kingdom of God – PART FIVE of NINE
August 7, 2019
Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives – Historic & Scriptural Baptist Position Concerning the Kingdom of God
PART FIVE
The Present Kingdom – #3
While the realm of the Kingdom of God is broad, the only visible manifestation of it until the Lord’s return is the New Testament church. The Lord’s church is therefore the depository of His kingdom at this time. This is much in every way as an embassy on foreign soil. An embassy is commissioned by a sovereign nation to represent its interests in a foreign country. It is vested with authority to act on its behalf, according to the laws, policies and ordinances given to it.
The embassy does not belong or submit to the nation of its locale, but to the nation that commissioned it. The property on which it sets is considered to be the very soil of the nation it represents. Their nation’s flag, therefore, flies over that property though it may be half a world away from home. When citizens of the embassy’s nation visit or reside in that country they may patriotically identify with the flag of that embassy. They may even determine to be good examples of their country while there. But do they all have authority or appointment to operate in that embassy? Can they stroll in and take part in diplomatic negotiations or special meetings? The answer, of course, is no.
Likewise, the Lord’s church is the seat of authority in a foreign land where we occupy until He comes. No other institution was given this commission. Neither can anyone take this appointment upon themselves. There are many saved people who identify with the cross of Christ in this world. But the authority of Christ is appointed to His church, not to the citizenry of the kingdom of God. Many Christians have undertaken to set up organizations of their own to represent Christ. These are largely a product of divergent doctrines and practices. If they know the grace of God, they are saved as much as anyone in the New Testament church. This is in the same way that an American citizen living abroad is as much an American as any official within the embassy, though they do not officiate within the embassy.
(NEXT – The Coming Kingdom)
Thomas E. Kresal from: “The Mystical Invisible Universal Church” by Les Potter, Chapter 3 pg. 25-33
Book is available at a very reasonable price : www.localchurchbiblepublishers.com
NOTE from Tom: This is a nine part series and I would ask that you please read every segment before you attack the Biblical, age old doctrine held by Baptists through the centuries. Many a Baptist has unwittingly been taught Protestant theology (including yours truly) and I understand the desire to defend your position (been there done that). Please keep in mind “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” (Proverbs 18:13)
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