77. Church and Kingdom

The church and the kingdom of God are closely related, though not identical. When the Bible speaks of the kingdom of God, it is referring to the reign of God in the world. The church is the people of God who live under His loving rule now, anticipating the full manifestation of God’s kingdom in the future. The church’s mission is to witness to God’s kingdom, proclaiming God’s message of salvation through Christ and demonstrating the power of the gospel through good works so that others may be brought to live under God’s reign.