As Jesus is the cornerstone upon which the Church is built, so are his teachings the unifying cornerstone of Christian doctrine.

The Kingdom

Jesus informed certain Jewish leaders that the kingdom of God would be taken away from them (Matthew 21:43). What does that mean? We often think of the kingdom of God in future terms and miss the important present dimension. The Greek word for kingdom can also be translated as God’s sovereignty and rule. In modern western democratic cultures monarchs may be despised because of their selfish greed and injustice, yet God’s rule is always generous and fair. Jesus’ message was of a kingdom both now and forever. That means that salvation is for now as well as for the next life. God can save us out of our present troubles as well as from death. When we are saved, we begin a special relationship with God, allowing him to rule over our lives, becoming citizens of his eternal kingdom.

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