Page 133 - TH130 Kingdom of God A4 Final

The Holy Spirit and the Kingdom

Characteristics of the New Kingdom Community

What are some characteristics of Christ’s new kingdom community?
In Acts chapters 1 and 2, the new Spirit-anointed community is depicted
in six ways:

A Kingdom Community

The empowering of the church on the Day of Pentecost occurred in
the context of things pertaining to the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). The
church is thus the present representative of God’s kingdom on earth.
It was established to declare the good
news of the Kingdom to all nations
before Christ returns (Matthew 24:14).
In doing this, it would demonstrate The last days
the power of the kingdom of God began with Christ’s
(Mark 3:13–15; 16:15–20).
first coming and
Through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, will continue until
believers are empowered for Kingdom
ministry (Luke 3:16; Acts 1:4–8; 2:4). His second coming.
Roger Stronstad comments, “Through
the exercise of this power the disciples
became partners with Jesus in manifesting the kingdom of God—liberating
captives from the bondage to the spirit world and restoring many others
to health” (Stronstad, 51).

An Eschatological Community

When we say that the church is an eschatological community we
mean that it is a last-days community. At Pentecost, Peter quoted the
prophet Joel. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Peter changed Joel’s word
afterward (compare 2:28) to last days (Acts 2:17). Why did he do this?
He was announcing that the outpouring of the Spirit was an end-time, or
eschatological, event.

The last days began with Christ’s first coming and will continue until
His second coming. They are a time when salvation is being offered to all
people (Acts 2:21). Both the outpouring of the Spirit and the expectation of
Christ’s soon coming were great motivating factors for the New Testament
church. These truths should also motivate the church today.

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