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The  ‘already, not yet’ kingdom of Jesus Christ

1. Already a Kingdom in which the King has accomplished redemption through his death and resurrection; not yet a kingdom in which redemption is consummately applied to all things.
2. Already a Kingdom which one sees and enters through repentance and faith; not yet a kingdom which one sees with the physical eye.
3. Already a spiritual kingdom in which the King rules over the hearts and lives of his subjects, not yet, a geo-political kingdom in which all  the universe is in subjection to His righteous rule.
4. Already a kingdom in which the subjects of the King are learning to love one another and live in unity; not yet a kingdom in which the subjects of the King perfectly love one another and live in unity.
5. Already a kingdom in which its subjects possess a spiritual inheritance; not yet a kingdom in which the subjects are in full enjoyment of the inheritance.
6. Already a kingdom in which its subjects are granted the New Heavens and Earth; not yet a kingdom in which they possess the New Heavens and Earth.
7. Already a kingdom which is advancing over the powers of darkness; not yet a kingdom which is fully triumphant over the powers of darkness.
8. Already a kingdom in which the power of the King over death, disease, and the devil is evident; not yet a kingdom in which death, disease, and the devil are banished forever.
9. Already a kingdom growing mysteriously and gradually (Matt 13); not yet a kingdom manifested in power and glory.

The Congruence of Grace and Discipleship

¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

(1Co 15:10 ESV)

I believe in gospel grace.  Free undeserved grace. God’s saving grace. Grace personified in Jesus. Grace that forgives and grace that transforms.

I also believe in gospel discipleship. Costly and demanding discipleship. Obedient discipleship.  Life-altering and life-consuming discipleship. Discipleship that rejoices in suffering. Discipleship that says no to sin and yes to holiness. Discipleship that loves the outward facing mission of God.

I believe in the congruence of grace and discipleship. Grace that gives birth to discipleship. Discipleship that flows from grace. A grace and discipleship that are intimate friends, inseparable companions – one never found without the other.  Bound together they are a missional grace and a missional discipleship – rooted in the gospel.

I see a counterfeit claim to grace. A grace without humility. A grace with an air of self-righteousness. A grace that leaves one in bondage. A grace that tolerates sins. A grace lying stagnant in mediocrity. A grace that knows no discipline and no discipleship.  A religious grace, not a gospel grace.

I also see a counterfeit claim to discipleship.  A discipleship without joy. A burdensome discipleship.  A formulaic discipleship – compelled from without.  A powerless and ineffective discipleship. A discipleship without mission.  A discipleship without gospel grace.

I believe in a gospel grace that matures. Grace that fosters greater humility. Grace that grows in gratitude. Grace that loves and obeys Jesus more. Grace increasingly overwhelming us with the saving goodness of God. Grace undiminished by time. A growing grace fostering a greater discipleship.

I believe in a gospel discipleship that matures.  A discipleship that invests more and sacrifices more for the gospel.  A discipleship growing in love for the church. A discipleship increasingly agonizing for the lost. A discipleship that knows grace, loves grace, reflects grace.

This is the life to which Christ calls us – a life experiencing and growing in the congruence of grace and discipleship, for a life without gospel discipleship is a life without gospel grace and a life without gospel grace is incapable of producing gospel discipleship.