What Does the Bible Teach About the Kingdom of God?
The Kingdom of God is one of the central messages of the Bible—and it was at the heart of the gospel Jesus Christ preached.
Jesus began His ministry proclaiming:
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” — Mark 1:15
But what exactly is the Kingdom of God? Is it simply God’s rule in a Christian’s heart? Is it the church? Is it heaven? Or is the Bible describing a real Kingdom that Jesus Christ will establish when He returns?
The articles below provide a step-by-step introduction to what Scripture teaches about the gospel, the return of Jesus Christ, the future Kingdom of God, resurrection, judgment, and God’s ultimate purpose for humanity.
1. Start Here: What Is the Kingdom of God?
What Is the Kingdom of God? Understanding the Bible’s Central Message
Begin with the big picture.
Discover why the Kingdom of God is not merely a symbolic idea or another name for heaven. Scripture describes a real Kingdom under the rule of God that will transform the world.
Read: What Is the Kingdom of God? Understanding the Bible’s Central Message
2. What Is the Gospel Jesus Christ Preached?
What Is the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
What did Jesus mean by the “gospel”? The biblical gospel includes the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ and the coming Kingdom of God.
This article provides the broader foundation for understanding Christ’s message and why the Kingdom is inseparable from the gospel.
Read: What Is the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
3. The Gospel of the Kingdom
What Is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God?
Jesus traveled throughout Galilee “preaching the gospel of the kingdom” (Matthew 4:23).
Explore what that message means, why the Kingdom of God is good news, and what Christ’s coming Kingdom will mean for humanity.
Read: What Is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God?
4. Did the Apostles Continue Preaching the Kingdom?
Did the Apostles Preach the Kingdom of God?
Did the Kingdom message disappear after Jesus’ death and resurrection?
The book of Acts shows that the apostles continued teaching about the Kingdom of God. Even near the end of Acts, Paul was still “preaching the kingdom of God” (Acts 28:30-31).
30 Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.
Read: Did the Apostles Preach the Kingdom of God?
5. Is Heaven the Reward of the Saved?
Did Jesus Teach Heaven as the Reward of the Saved?
Many Christians have been taught that the ultimate hope of believers is going to heaven after death.
But is that the hope Jesus and the apostles actually preached?
Examine what Scripture says about resurrection, inheriting the Kingdom of God, and the future of those who belong to Christ.
Read: Did Jesus Teach Heaven as the Reward of the Saved?
6. Why Isn’t the Kingdom Message Heard More Often?
Why Most Churches Don’t Teach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God
If the Kingdom of God was central to Jesus’ preaching, why does it sometimes receive relatively little attention in modern Christianity?
This article examines how the biblical emphasis on Christ’s coming Kingdom became overshadowed by other ideas about salvation and the afterlife.
Read: Why Most Churches Don’t Teach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God?
7. Where Is God’s Plan Ultimately Going?
What the Bible Says About the End Times: Resurrection, Judgment, and the New Earth
The return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of God’s Kingdom are not the end of God’s plan.
Scripture reveals resurrection, judgment, Christ’s millennial reign, and ultimately a new heaven and new earth where God dwells with humanity.
Read: What the Bible Says About the End Times: Resurrection, Judgment, and the New Earth
8. God’s Holy Days and His Plan
What Are God’s Annual Festivals (Holy Days)?
God’s annual festivals provide a remarkable framework for understanding His plan of salvation.
From Christ’s sacrifice to His return, the gathering of God’s people, the Millennium, and the eventual opportunity for salvation extended to humanity, these biblical observances point toward major stages in God’s purpose.
Read: What Are God’s Annual Festivals (Holy Days)?
Coming Soon: What Happens at the Return of Christ?
What does the Bible say will actually happen when Jesus Christ returns?
This future study will examine Christ’s visible return, the resurrection of the saints, His rule over the nations, and the beginning of the millennial Kingdom.
The Kingdom of God Is the Good News
The biblical story does not end with humanity abandoning the earth for an eternity in heaven.
It points toward God restoring His creation, Jesus Christ reigning as King, the resurrection of the dead, and ultimately God dwelling with humanity forever.
The Kingdom of God therefore isn’t a side issue in Christianity.
It is at the heart of the good news Jesus Christ proclaimed.
“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” — Matthew 6:10
Begin with Article 1 and follow the studies in order, or choose the question you are most interested in exploring.
Don’t simply take my word for it. Look up the verses in your own Bible, examine the Scriptures for yourself, and believe what the Bible says.