What Is The Kingdom?

What Is The Kingdom?

By President Frederick N. Larsen

Volume 19, Number 1, Jan/Feb/Mar/Apr 2018, Issue No. 74

The First Component of One Endeavor

Among the first counsel given through the prophetic office to the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was, “to study to understand the fullness of my gospel …” and “The kingdom of God awaits your response” (R-145:7a-b). One component of the One Endeavor program addresses the “Fundamentals of the Fullness of the Gospel,” which is addressed in the following article. Here, however, we address the question, “What is the Kingdom?” In a reading of the Scriptures, with
its many references to statements including the word “kingdom,” there is no one clear definition. One can say that Jesus himself never gave a specific definition of the kingdom. However, if we are to respond to a waiting kingdom, we must define as best we can just “What is the Kingdom?”

Revelatory direction to the Remnant Church about the kingdom is helpful:

“I [the Lord] have set in my church those offices of priesthood necessary to bring to pass the building of my earthly kingdom” (R-147:5a).

“[Y]ou are among those chosen to bring to pass my kingdom in these last days” (R-151:5b).

“[T]he temporal law…with the spiritual law come together under the celestial law, … culminating in the attainment of the kingdom of God on earth” (R-152:4).

There is a kingdom of heaven and a kingdom on earth!

The third chapter of Matthew describes the coming forth of the Lord Jesus, as “the hour of his ministry drew nigh” (Matthew 3:26). John the Baptist, declared, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:28).

This referred to Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son, came from the presence of the Father, the realms of glory, to bring the essence of righteousness, the kingdom of heaven to an
earthly form, the kingdom of God on earth.

He taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven” (Matthew 6:11; emphasis added).

Jesus taught the gospel of the kingdom, the gospel of salvation, the gospel of peace, etc.

He declared, “Except a man be born of water, and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). He counseled, “seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness” (Matthew 6:38; emphasis added).

Jesus and the kingdom are the essence of righteousness.

Our mission statement declares, in part, for us, as members of the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ, “to prepare and gather a righteous people for the building of the Kingdom of God on earth, Zion.” Righteousness is definitely a component and a requirement of the kingdom of God.

Let us faithfully remember prophetic guidance from the prophet Joseph Smith, Jr.:

“[B]e prepared for the days to come, in the which the Son of man shall come down in heaven, clothed in the brightness of his glory, to meet the kingdom of God which is set up on the earth; wherefore, may the kingdom of God go forth, that the kingdom of heaven may come, that thou, O God, may be glorified in heaven” (D&C65:1e-f).