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The Spiritual Kingdom of God
When the long-awaited Messiah finally appeared in the history of Israel, He acted surprisingly differently than expected. The Jews expected a militaristic leader who would throw off the yoke of Roman domination. He would come to free them from this irritation and embarrassment. He would once again bring the pagan nations around them under control.
He would have brought financial prosperity and peace. He would have come to control Judea and reign on the throne of David. It would have been a wonderful time for the Jews. The Messiah would have brought back respect and prestige to the Jewish people and restored their position as the people of God.
However, the Jews were deeply disappointed when this did not happen. Contrary to expectations, Jesus entirely ignored Roman rule. He disregarded both the local Roman government and the Jewish representatives within it. The Jewish representatives in the local government were religious leaders. He ignored and rejected these leaders and their religious beliefs. On the contrary, his way of life and his teachings were radically contrary to the norm and generally accepted beliefs of the entire Jewish population, which included traditional practices and values upheld by the religious leaders he ignored.
The Jews eventually realized that Jesus Christ was on another mission. They began to question His actions. They questioned His motives. They questioned Him. Even John the Baptist sent some of his disciples to Him to get confirmation from Him that He was indeed the One who would come. Is He really the Messiah? was the question asked. The Jewish leaders became more and more hostile towards Him. Even though He did good, even though He healed people and delivered them from evil, they were unsympathetic to Him and what He did. However, Jesus was here to do his Father’s will. He was certainly not here to establish an earthly kingdom for the Jewish nation. He was establishing a heavenly kingdom.
Matthew 4:17
From that time, Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Jesus and the apostles referred to the kingdom of heaven on several occasions. This kingdom is a spiritual one. It belongs to God. He established the kingdom of God. He established the laws, regulations, and spiritual principles that govern this kingdom. We sometimes call them “kingdom principles.” We are well acquainted with Isaac Newton’s law of gravity. This law is always in force. It works anywhere, and it always works. We are also familiar with our country’s laws. These are laws that govern the functioning of the government and the state. They also always work for all the citizens of the country until they are officially amended or abolished, ensuring that the rights and responsibilities of individuals are upheld consistently under the law.
These principles were already established even before Jesus made his appearance in the history of mankind. God had already determined everything before He sent His Son to save mankind and to receive them into His kingdom. Man was not involved in establishing the kingdom principles of God at all, as these principles were divinely ordained and set in place by God alone, independent of human influence or action.
Man is a spirit and, as a spiritual being, has become part of this spiritual kingdom of God. Everyone in the kingdom of God is a spirit. God is spirit, and He is the head of this kingdom. All heavenly and earthly beings included in this kingdom are spirits. Why? God is Spirit, and his kingdom is a spiritual kingdom.
It cannot be perceived with the physical or natural eye except for humans. Yes, only the physical bodies of the children of God can be perceived with our natural eyes. They are actually the spiritual temple of God. They are the spiritual body of Christ. They are the spiritual bride of Christ. Except for humans, nothing can be seen in this kingdom. If we could see with our spiritual eyes, we would be able to behold the real kingdom of God in all its glory and splendor. It is more real than this natural world in which we live. However, it is not of this world; it is a divine kingdom, and it is ruled by Jesus Christ.
John 18:36-37
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate, therefore, said unto him, “Art thou a king then?” Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world…
The church of God is part of the kingdom of God. The church is a spiritual being in the divine kingdom of God. The church belongs to Jesus, as the kingdom of God belongs to Jesus. Earthly kingdoms are only temporary and always subject to the kingdom of God. The stone that fell from heaven crushed the image of Nebuchadnezzar, and the wind blew away the dust. This passage implies that Jesus does not consider any other king or any other kingdom. They are only temporarily allowed to exist
Even when Herod wanted to kill Him, He simply ignored him.
Luke 13:31-32
And that same day some of the Pharisees came to him, saying, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I am finished.’”
Jesus never fled from Herod at any point. He did not bother Herod. He did not engage in discussions or reach any agreements with Herod. Even today, He allows earthly kingdoms to exist temporarily.
Jesus was and still is absolutely in control of his spiritual church. However, he does not control the institutional church. The institution is controlled by the people because it belongs to them. It is an earthly kingdom, and He allows it to exist temporarily. The Head of the kingdom of God does not consider any man, king, government, or earthly kingdom. He rules his kingdom according to spiritual principles established by God himself, and all other kingdoms are subject to him.
Many children of the Lord are under the impression that official constitutions and the official organization of church structures, church policies, and even leadership in churches make the institution “legal”. A church that meets all these requirements is “legal” and therefore has a right to exist. To people, such a church is “safe,” and they are under the impression that it therefore also carries God’s approval. In reality, the church only complies with the “business principles” or the “tax laws” required by the state. God’s church is in reality a spiritual being that has nothing to do with laws and the state. Yes, children of God are expected to obey the laws of the land, but that is where it stops. Because the church functions as an “institution” like a business, it is therefore a legal requirement that denominations must register as a “non-profit company”. Other business requirements must also be met, specifically with regard to taxes, which include filing accurate tax returns and adhering to local tax regulations to maintain their legal status.
All of these requirements then also provide the denomination a right to exist. People view this legal right of existence as a legal foundation and legal authority to preach the word of God and to function as a congregation. However, to God, this “earthly approved” right of existence of the church means absolutely nothing. The church of God is a spiritual kingdom that has absolutely nothing to do with the state and business regulations. Children of God are responsible for personal taxes like any other citizen and are also subject to the laws of our country as individuals. However, the spiritual church of God is not responsible to or subject to any authority apart from God.
People view children of God who meet informally as “illegal” when, in fact, the opposite is true. The church belongs to God, and therefore He is the only Person who provides it legitimacy.
A registration certificate, church constitutions, mission statements, and similar policy documents do not afford the church a right to exist. Man-made denominations are actually part of worldly systems. The image, according to Daniel 2:34-35, represented the kingdoms of the earth before the coming of Jesus Christ. The legs of iron and the feet made of clay mixed with iron represented the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire conquered all nations that rose against it and defeated all kingdoms. It exerted its control over the entire biblical world.
Before the coming of Christ, Rome had already systematically risen as a world power. The Roman Empire grew larger and stronger. This powerful empire influenced the entire world in all areas of society. This influence is still with us today. The Roman Empire eventually became almost 1500 years old. No other empire will be able to imitate it. If we compare it to the USA, it is as beneficial as comparing a giant to a gnat. The USA is less than 250 years old, and it has less global impact and influence than the Roman Empire had. It was truly a powerful empire.
Jesus Christ even ignored this mighty earthly kingdom. However, when the Roman emperors and civil servants began to cruelly persecute the children of God, the King of kings did not just accept it or tolerate it.
One day, he also asked Paul: “Why are you persecuting me?” because when the church of God is persecuted, Jesus is persecuted because the church is his body. I would like to summarize what happened in a few sentences: Jesus Christ quickly brought about the downfall of this mighty kingdom. He did not leave the emperors and people who were responsible for this persecution unpunished. In addition to all sorts of misfortunes that came upon them, he brought each one to a fall, leading to the eventual collapse of their power and influence. He also systematically absorbed the people of this empire from within into his kingdom, which included not only the common citizens but also influential leaders and elites who were drawn to the new faith.
Millions of Roman citizens converted to the Christian faith. Even emperors and individuals from all levels of society converted to Christianity. Ultimately, he brought the entire empire to a fall. But he never made any concessions to this powerful force. The Rock of God crushed this kingdom.
Nothing and no one can stand against the kingdom of God. His kingdom is an eternal one. Nothing and no one can stand against the Son of God. He rules his kingdom according to the counsels of God and the spiritual principles that he has established. He is always in control.
Ephesians 1:22-23 (ABA translation)
God made Christ victorious over all his enemies. He made Christ the Head over all. God did this so that the church would be well. The church is the body of Christ. He alone truly gives life to the church; he gives life to everything.
The Kingdom of God is Governed by Spiritual Principles
Jesus Christ controls his spiritual kingdom by the power of the Spirit. Before he ascended to heaven, he promised that the Holy Spirit would come to help us. He is our Comforter and our Helper. He will remind us of everything that Jesus taught us and told us. He will stand with us, and He will guide us. The spiritual church of God does not submit to men. She looks up to her bridegroom. He is the head of the church. She submits to God. She is led by the Holy Spirit. This approach includes everyone. The Holy Spirit guides everyone, from the fivefold ministers to all the members of the local congregation.
There is no difference in their ways of living as Spirit-filled children of God. There is no difference in their experience of their heavenly Bridegroom. They all live by the indwelling Christ. They all live by the indwelling Spirit of God. They are all led by the Holy Spirit. There never needs to be any intermediary between God and his children. This makes us children of God.
Romans 8:14
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
God showed in the Old Testament that He had very clear instructions regarding the way of life of the Jewish people. The Jewish people were chosen to demonstrate to other nations that there is a God in Israel. They could not live as they wanted. God laid down laws and rules for them. Go and read the first five books of the Bible. There, you will see that it was critical to Him how the people of Israel lived.
He did not leave us in the dark regarding the kingdom principles for his church. Read the four gospels and the epistles of the apostles. God wants us to live right. He wants us to be obedient, and he wants us to live according to his word. He has laid down clear guidelines for us, and He wants to interfere with us. We know exactly what His will is regarding our relationship with Him, our relationship with other Christians, and our relationship with our enemies.
He leads us by His word. He leads us by His Spirit. He speaks to us by His Spirit. He shares with us through His Spirit. He deals with us through His Spirit. We maintain a vibrant and loving relationship with the living God. On the contrary, every spiritual being in this kingdom is in a personal relationship with the heavenly Bridegroom. There is no separation of any kind. Everyone worships Him. Everyone prays to Him. Everyone serves Him. In His kingdom, there is not a substandard spiritual being. Everyone is equal. Everyone is filled with the Spirit of God, and everyone has become partakers of the divine nature. The institutional church has formed a group of individuals whom its leaders deem substandard. I do not believe this situation was intentionally planned this way, but unfortunately, it is one of the consequences of the organized church. This view has practically made the common man substandard by fostering an environment where individuals feel marginalized and undervalued within the church community. It was insurmountable.
This is not how God sees his spiritual church. He sees everyone on an equal level as full priests and kings in his spiritual kingdom. In the spiritual church of God, there is a loving relationship and mutual interaction on an equal level, where each member supports and uplifts one another in their spiritual journey. We all need to grow and develop, but we are all kings and priests with the same potential in our spiritual DNA. We are all brothers. The official means of communication or language of these spiritual beings is spirit language, which allows for deeper connections and understanding among members of the church. Why? The church of God is a spiritual entity.
Everyone is born of God. Everyone is born of the Spirit of God. Jesus also said in one place that the words He speaks are spirit and life. In the early church, God Himself controlled His church. He Himself ruled His kingdom.
The Church Made Compromises
Unfortunately, a day came in the history of the church when consultations were held with earthly kingdoms. Agreements were reached, and compromises were made. This happened at a time when a period of peace had come for the church. Constantine declared the cruel persecution of Christians by the Roman emperors and civil servants illegal.
The Christian faith was not only declared legal but also became the official religion of the entire Roman Empire. Christians began to occupy prominent positions in society. The church now began to cooperate with the government of the Roman Empire. Systematically, more and more compromises were made, and the Christian church of God increasingly allowed an earthly king who ruled over an earthly kingdom to take control of the spiritual kingdom of God. The compromises were made in critical areas: control, leadership, and influence.
This necessarily meant that the Holy Spirit’s guidance was seriously compromised. The Englishman says that “The leading of the Holy Spirit was seriously compromised”. It also meant that the way of life of the children of God was seriously compromised by the indwelling Jesus. How do you allow Jesus Christ to live in you and through you when the rules and regulations of the institution require other activities?
The church permitted the state and its leading figures to alter their religion by transforming it into an official institution. The clergy took on a natural identity. It replaced the spiritual principles that governed it with human or natural rules and regulations, leading to a shift in focus from divine guidance to societal norms and expectations. The church became a religious order, like many other religious orders, within society, governed by the rules of society. When this is allowed, the natural breaks down the spiritual. It distorts and perverts the spiritual. The institutional church still bears the brunt of this regrettable event today. Its consequences are clearly engraved in the history of every denomination that has emerged from it.
Church as an institution of society is, regrettably, built on the same governing building blocks of the world it wants to reach. The same rivalry that is out there, and the same yardstick for success and relevance, now applies to the running of churches. Little wonder denominations spend millions trying to outwit their rivals, and if need be, they will eliminate them – literally and figuratively. It was the same when the institutionalized Roman Church murdered fellow Christians called Reformers. The latter also became a ‘church’ and massacred fellow believers called the Anna-Baptists. And so today this still goes on. Every time a movement of obedient people becomes a religious institution, it happens—albeit today in a more disguised and sophisticated way. This cannot but happen, because the spirit of the world we need to reach is now ruling in and through the Church.
– Johan Carstens
Where Jesus Christ was once in charge of the church, people now took over this role. Someone else was now in charge of church affairs. The fivefold ministry and the elders underwent a drastic transformation. They were appointed by a leader of an earthly kingdom, the emperor of the Roman Empire (Constantine), into positional leadership positions. They were even paid state salaries for this service they rendered. This “service” was not only rendered to the church but to some extent also to the emperor. The fivefold ministry underwent drastic changes.
These positional leaders took the functions of the children of God out of their hands. The functions that were once a way of life for the children of God, characterized by all-participation and all-functioning through the indwelling Christ, were transformed into a professional occupation. Influential people now began to replace the God-given spiritual principles that govern the kingdom of God with human rules and laws, leading to a shift in the focus of the community from spiritual guidance to institutional control.
The organization began to take over the work of the Holy Spirit. Meetings were held, decisions were made, doctrines and dogmas were determined and established, and implemented in the “kingdom” of God.
These statements sound harsh, but that is precisely what happened. The very existence of the institutional church proves it. I would like to highlight a few facts about the history of the institutional church:
For just over 300 years, the church was a spiritual kingdom, as Jesus established it on earth.
All in unity on an equal level served the Lord Jesus Christ in spirit and in truth as the head of the church.
In 313 AD, Constantine legally declared the church the official religion of the Roman Empire with the “Edict of Milan”. It was now a state religion that became known as the Roman Catholic Church. All sorts of changes were introduced and made in all areas of church life.
In 431 AD, with the “Council of Ephesus,” a small group of people split off from the Catholic church and founded the Assyrian church.
In 451 AD, with the “Council of Chalcedon,” another small group of people split off from the Catholic church and founded the Eastern Orthodox church.
In the 11th century, a massive schism occurred when the Catholic Church (Western Church) and the Greek Orthodox Church (Eastern Church) split from each other. There were now two main streams in the institutional church.
In the 16th century, four different denominations splintered from the Catholic Church: the Protestants, the Anabaptists, the Anglicans, and the Restorationists.
This process has repeated itself continuously throughout the history of the institutional church. By the 1900s, there were just under 2000 denominations in the institutional church.
This number has grown dramatically since 1900. In a 2001 survey, the World Christian Encyclopedia counted 33,830 Christian denominations. Currently, there are more than 43,000 Christian denominations in the world, according to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity.
The Christian faith can be historically divided into the following branches: Restorationists, Anabaptists, Protestants, Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Assyrian, Pentecostal, Charismatic, and Neo-Charismatic.
These branches are further divided into approximately 40 sub-branches.
From these sub-branches come the approximately 43,000 denominations, which are all further sub-branches.
By nature, there are a myriad of different views on every subject of Christianity in these denominations; different doctrines on different biblical subjects are legion; there is hostility between the different denominations; suspicion towards each other prevails constantly; some denominations look down on others; there is intolerance towards each other; there was and still is persecution, and the list goes on.
These facts surrounding the institutional church raise many questions:
Which denomination out of the 43,000 is correct?
Which of the 43,000 were appointed by God?
Which leaders were appointed by God?
Which of them are the official mouthpieces of God?
Who among them acts and functions in the will of God?
Which denominations really have a right to exist?
Which denominations function in the authority of God?
To which of them should you, as a child of God, submit?
Can you believe what these leaders tell you?
How do you know which one truly knows the word of God and the will of God, since there are so many varieties in views and beliefs?
If everyone claims to be led by the Spirit of God, then why does He lead them in 43,000 different directions?
Is the denomination where you worship legitimate?
What makes your denomination different from other denominations?
How do leaders of denominations make decisions?
Why are there such wide varieties in making decisions regarding the same issues?
The Road to Restoration
I am convinced that complete restoration does not lie in the institutional church. There is no way this jumble of chaos within the institutional church can be restored. It was a human invention. It was put together by “man” with “material” of this world. It is an earthly kingdom. It is built with hay, stubble, and wood. It is not the spiritual church of God.
God is systematically restoring the spiritual church that is trapped within the institutional church. Eventually, the institution will have to be dismantled. Eventually, the human structure will have to make way for the original spiritual church structure that Christ came to establish, which emphasizes a direct relationship with God and community over institutional hierarchy. Time will eventually bring about this change.
God is still using the institutional church. He has not abandoned the institution. God will sustain the institutional church until its members, the true church within the institution, function again according to the spiritual principles that He has established. I believe He will free His spiritual bride from the institutional church.
The path of restoration is a path to true, uncomplicated spiritual worship. It is a path to a love relationship with our heavenly Bridegroom. It is a path to a family love relationship with our spiritual brothers and sisters. It is a path to the true family way of life of the family of God. This is God’s will regarding our way of life and regarding true worship. By true spiritual worship, we mean a spiritual way of life and not the practice of a religion.
It is a path to the “Jesus life” as He came to demonstrate it when He walked the earth.
The early church was truly led by the Holy Spirit and by Jesus Christ as Head of the church through the “Jesus Life” in every child of God, who controlled the church from within. There were no rules and regulations that controlled the church from without, as we see today. If we were to ask the question, “Is there any Holy Spirit guidance in the institutional church?” The answer would be yes, but there are many limitations to this guidance.
If we compare the man-made structure, the leadership system, the decision-making process, church constitutions, and the general activities of the institutional church with the early church, then I think we are quite accurate if we make the following statement: Percentage-wise, the Holy Spirit guidance in the institutional church varies from 0% (in some denominations) to about 20% (in the most obedient denominations). This is just an estimate, but I would not be surprised if the figure is too high. Church activities in the institutional church are mainly the living out of the rules, customs, rituals, and constitution of the particular denomination. For this reason, church activities in the institutional church are mainly a soul product or a flesh product.
The man-made structure within the institutional church is one that exerts control. The indwelling Christ in the church and the Holy Spirit controlled the New Testament church. Therefore, it was a way of life. The Jesus life. The hierarchical leadership structure of the institutional church replaced Spirit guidance. It took over Holy Spirit-inspired decision-making. The church not only instituted these decisions but also rigidly perpetuated them by formalizing their implementation. These steps severely restricted Spirit-led interaction between the children of God but also between them and God, leading to a diminished sense of community and personal connection in their spiritual practices.
We, as the church of God, must not suffer from the proverbial “denial” syndrome regarding these events in the history of the church. We must not try to wish away or deny the consequences of these events. We must confront the reality. With the right attitude, we have already achieved our first victory. Ignoring or denying the truth will not benefit us. God is now restoring his church. I want to be part of God’s restoration and have already chosen to pursue a dynamic love relationship with Him. To cultivate an intimate love relationship with our Heavenly Bridegroom, we must reject religion.
We cannot embrace both. I have already decided to reject religion in my personal life. My house and I want nothing more to do with religion. We want to be part of the spiritual church of God.
I know the content of this chapter was not easy for many to digest. These were challenging words for many. However, I prefer to hear the truth so that I can be well-informed. I have never been afraid of the truth. The truth may hurt, but the truth always brings liberation. We should never shy away from it.
The Practical House Church Manual was written by ASR Martins
