The number of existing websites about the Kingdom of God is quite large, an indication that this topic is central to the Christian faith.  This is not surprising given that the kingdom of God, also called kingdom of heaven, was the primary focus of Jesus’ message.

Overall, the sites draw attention to the fact that there are conflicting views on the proper definition of the kingdom of God. Those who make an attempt to incorporate and reconcile, in their definitions, the seemingly conflicting biblical references to the kingdom of God, point out the following:

• The kingdom of God should be understood as God’s reign or rule on earth as well as in heaven.  It is the way the world would be like if God, rather than the human rulers of the world, were king. This corresponds to a new order that conforms to God’s vision and intent for his creation.
• The kingdom of God was ushered in by Jesus and is present among us today, but will be consummated through divine intervention at the Second Coming of Christ.
• Entering the kingdom of God requires belief that Jesus is the Son of God.  That belief should lead to an inner transformation that drives humans to become more inclined to obey God’s rules for his creation.

The various Christian denominations seem to agree that correctly defining the kingdom of God is a critical Christian requirement.  It is therefore rather surprising, even alarming, that Christians hold greatly diverging views on what it means to please God. This is seen more specifically in their diverging attitudes on two issues that were central to Jesus’ teaching: violence and social inequalities. Some Christians correctly recognize that Jesus taught his disciples to be peacemakers.  They also recognize that Jesus deeply cared about the poor and the disenfranchised.  Other Christians have a tendency to justify violence and warfare.  They also seem comfortable with the division of society between the few who own all the wealth and the masses that barely survive on a daily basis.  This last group often reduces the Christian faith to a set of “correct beliefs” that converts must adhere to.  Then many of the important expectations stated by Jesus become secondary to them because, supposedly, salvation does not come from works.  Adherence to “correct beliefs” in itself  becomes a sufficient condition for salvation, and the radical inner transformation demanded by Jesus is no longer important.

Becoming a Christian usually involves some form of baptism.  In baptism, Christians admit that they are sinners,  and accept Jesus as the Son of God, God’s true self-revelation to mankind.  They also accept the idea that, through Jesus’ death and resurrection, God forgives their sins, which makes their salvation possible.  They seem to understand that their baptism is merely the starting point for a new life during which their primary concern should be to do God’s will.  However, understanding God’s will is problematic:  Christians quote, sometimes out of context, a variety of biblical verses to justify their assumptions on what constitutes God’s will.  As a result, they emphasize creeds and other “correct sets of beliefs” at the detriment of Jesus’ more basic teaching.  As a starting point to understanding God’s will, it makes sense to consider what Jesus called the greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30).  That commandment is immediately followed by the second one: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31)

It is clear from Jesus’ teaching that loving one’s neighbor includes loving those considered society’s rejects, and even loving one’s enemies (Matthew 6:43-48).  His teaching about unconditionally forgiving others and turning the other cheek (Matthew 6:38-41) leaves no room for warmongering.  His exaltation of the poor in the kingdom of God (Luke 6:20) means, at the very least, that Christians are not to vilify the poor.  In fact, when Jesus urges a rich young man to give his possessions to the poor and follow him (Mark 10:17-31), he reveals himself as a redistributor of wealth, an idea many conservative Christians today seem to consider heretical.

One must ask the question: how is it possible to be a Christian and at the same time reject some of the most basic teachings inherited from Jesus?  The purpose of this website is to promote discernment on such matters.