Two Kingdoms

“To rescue us from the present evil age”

(Galatians 1:4)

Reflection:
The Bible divides history into two age – this age and the age to come. The present age is seen as evil, an age of wickedness or the age of the wicked one – the devil. The age to come is the age of the kingdom of God ‘on earth as it is in heaven.’

The Bible teaches that this second age has begun already, inaugurated by Jesus Christ Himself. The two ages are for the moment running together in parallel and overlapping each other. Becoming a Christian means that we have been rescued by Christ from ‘the present evil age’ and have become instead members of ‘the age to come.’

However we have not been removed from the present age but are instead called to live our new and Kingdom of God life within it. Here we will be both ‘the light of the world’ and ‘the salt of the earth.’ Like the Lord Himself we will live amongst the citizens of the world but as different people, citizens of another kingdom who are here temporarily as representatives of the true King and His Kingdom.

It is important to remember who we are – for ourselves in terms of our identity, calling and commission; for others in terms of our responsibility towards them; and for the Lord Himself as we seek to live to His glory under the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Response:
I am an eternal child of God and a member of His glorious Kingdom.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, please help me to live to Your glory and that of the Kingdom into which You have rescued me. Amen.

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