The Kingdom of God

Many, following George Eldon Ladd, speak of the kingdom of God as the eschatological realm of salvation.  While this fits a good deal of data and evidence, I'm not persuaded that it is comprehensive enough.  It perhaps has helped contribute to a truncated worldview and Christianity.  It is helpful, but perhaps also damaging.  I'll explain why I think this is so, but I confess the need to work through these matters still more. 

This notion of the kingdom of God as merely the eschatological realm of salvation is too narrow.  The kindgom of God no doubt includes the realm of salvation, but it also includes more.  Check all the texts, and see for yourself.  It seems to me that a better way of describing it would be this:  the kindgom of God that dawned with the coming of the Sun of Righteousness is the eschatological reign of God in Christ broken into the present in the life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection, accension, and session of King Jesus.  And this cannot be confined to touching only those who are touched by saving grace, for all--saved and unsaved alike--live under this eschatological reign not yet consummated, some sweetly and submissively (enjoying it in a peculiar way), some bitterly and sinfully (experiencing it in a different way). 

Jesus is Lord of all, including unbelievers--but not savingly.  Obviously.  Nevertheless, since he has been given all authority in heaven and on earth, he is the Lord of the whole world.  He is King of kings, Lord of lords.  All must be told to bend the knee, for all are under this reign that moves on into eternity.  American democracy and secularization does not mean that Jesus is only Lord of the church!  Ladd's view is plausible, I suggest, because of our context, and I'm thinking particularly of our silly notions of the separation of church and state. 

Well, more on this later.  I'm still working through the texts on this one, but thus far Ladd is not totally satisfying.  I rather marvel that so many have been so impressed with his work, even though I acknowledge that there is much that is valuable there.