(^) Thr Church and the Kinndom (of Heaven) af Oorf.— The fundamental concej>tion underlying the various meanings o( the kingdom of God is that of the Kinnship {fSxfiXttei) of Uo<l or Christ. lU^Ai^a in Greek was a word with a wider range of significaricp than we genenilly attach to the Eng. word ' king- dom.' and the shades of meaning which it bore determine also tin* <JiiTerent conceptions of the kingdom ot heaven. Wo have thus («) the abstract »cnse of ^atnui; i.e. those moral and spiritual qualitiea which are In consonance vith the will ol
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God. It 1b thus that St. Paul says, 'the kingdom of God is . . righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost * (Ro 1417) ; or that Christ compares it to the hid treasure and the pearl of great price (Mt la**--*'^) ; or that He says, *Seelt ye finst his kiiifclom and his righteousness' (Mt 633, Lk 12'1). 'The k. of God is \vithin you' (Lk IT^i). It is prohably also used in this sense in the expressions, ' the glad tidings (or the gospel) of the kingdom' (Mt 4-', Lk &i etc.), 'to preach the kinjjdom' (Lk 4-*3. Ac 2025 etc.). (J) In a concrete sense the estjibhshing or such a rule considered as an rvt^nt. We have here two (>ointa of view from which such an event might be considered. (1) As soon as Christ's teaching found disciples, the kingdom was already established ; or if we regard the miraculous power of Christ over nature, we might say with Him, ' if I by the spirit of God cast out devils, then is the k. of God come upon you' (Mt 1-228, cf. Lk 1120). From the point of view of the kingdom already established, it is compared to the rapid growth of a mustard tree (Mt 1331-82), or leaven spreading through meal (lb. 83). (2) A future establishment of the kingdom. This idea is especially connected with the second coming of Christ 'with the angels of his power, in flaming flre' (2 Th 1*, cf. ift. 6.810)^ tile establishment of the kingdom in power (cf. Mt 32 610, Lk 17ai, 1 Co 15W4J). A third but rare use is (3) the present rule of God in heaven (2Ti 418, cf. Lk 23''2.43, Jn 188«). (>•) Ba.iriUii^ = sphere of rule, not so much local, as in the prevailing use of ' kingdom,' but in the sense of the society or community over which the rule extends. This meaning has also two variations corresponding to the first two meanings of (>3). They are (1) the actual society of professing Christians, including good and bad members : so in Parables of the Tares (Mt 132*30), the Draw-net (ib. «-60), and the Wedding Garment \ib. 221 18), but always with a reference to (2) the blessed society of those who are admitted to the kin^om at the second coming, when it is established with power m its perfection. As the society of the blessed, to be rejected from which is eternal misery, its membership is the reward of faithful service ; cf. the expressions, ' Theirs is the k. of heaven * (Mt 68. 10, cf. Lk 620), -to enter into, to inherit the k." (Mt 620, Ac 1422, Gal 621, Col 113, and many other places).
Of these meanings ix»Xr,r'cx. coincides only with the last. It does not per se connote any moral or spiritual qualities, e.g. we would not say, 'The Church is righteousness and peace and joy,' etc. Nor could we use the word ixxkr.e-iix. of an event. It IS properly a collective noun, denoting the people of God. Even when it is spoken of ideally or as a person, the fundamental meaning is still that of God's folk.* The 'kingdom of God' is then a very much wider conception than 'Church.* Where che two occur side by side (Mt 1018), the 'kingdom' appears as the future and heavenly counter^iart of the Church. The 'bindings' and 'loosings' of the latter shall be counted valid in the former; cf. the words 'on earth' ("Church), 'in heaven' ( = kingdom), ib. 19 1818, cf. Jn 2023.
II. The Actual Church is the society of Christians, or a part of it.
{A) Membership. — The necessary qualifications for memhership were repentance of former sins and submission to baptism in the name of Jesus Christ (Ac 28*), which carried with it the demand of faith in Christ. The privilefies of membership acquired at baptism were : (1) The Christian became recon- ciled with God through appropriating to himself Christ's satisfaction for sin (Ro S"" 6*"', Col l^-"'). His past life of sin no longer stood ar;ainst him in his account with God. He was justified. (2) He was sanctified, and henceforth was called ' holy ' (47105), because he belonged to God by the conse- cration of baptism (1 Co 6"). (3) He received the gift of the Holy Ghost (Ac 28*) as a supernatural power within him. (4) He was admitted to the com- mon life and sacraments of the Christian brother- hood. On his part, in turn, he was bound, so far as he could, to live up to the high standard of that life, ' to put on the new man, which after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth' (Eph42<).
{B) The Life of the Church.— The new life, to • hich the convert was introduced by his baptism, was the practical expression of the relation in which he stood to God as a member of His 'people.' His life was henceforth given up to the service of God. And that service was the worship of God in the public gatherings of worship and in the holiness of his private life. So we may consider the life of the Church under these two aspects : (1) the public worship, (2) the Christian conduct.