PMW 2023-088 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.
God’s redemptive kingdom develops gradually over time, unfolding incrementally. It begins small and will eventually grow to dominance. In a number of verses, we can see this principle of gradualism in God’s providence.
An historical indicator of kingdom gradualism appears in the Promised Land’s conquest. In Deuteronomy 7:22 we read: “And the Lord your God will clear away these nations before you little by little; you will not be able to put an end to them quickly, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you.” Here Moses specifically informs Israel that gradual conquest is for her good, allowing her people to conquer where they could secure and maintain control.
In Daniel 2:31–45 Christ’s kingdom comes down to earth as a stone smiting the world kingdom, which exists under a fourth imperial rule. As we read through the passage we learn that the kingdom grows to become a great mountain in the earth: “You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces . . . . And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth” (Dan. 2:34–35).
The Truth about Postmillennialism
By Ken Gentry
A group Bible study guide for explaining the optimistic prophetic hope for this world to be accomplished before Christ’s Second Coming. Establishes the postmillennial system in both the Old and New Testaments. Touches on key eschatological issues, such as creation, covenant, interpretive methodolgy, the great tribulation, the Book of Revelation, the Jewish Temple, and more. It presents and answers the leading objections to postmillennialism.Twelve chapters are ideal for one quarter of Sunday School.
See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com
In Ezekiel 17:22–24 God promises to establish the kingdom as a small “sprig from the lofty top of the cedar.” Then he will nurture it until it becomes “a stately cedar.” It produces great boughs so that “birds of every kind will nest under it.” This growth is certain for “I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will perform it.”
In Ezekiel 47:1–9 redemption flows forth from God’s temple in stages. The waters of life initiate from under the altar, first “to the ankles” (v. 3), then to the knees (v. 4a), then to the loins (v. 4b), then it “was a river that I could not ford” (v. 5). This is the river of life (v. 9).
In Matthew 13 the Kingdom Parables speak of the kingdom’s increase in size and transformational influence. Matthew 13:3–9 portrays the kingdom as scattered seed that gradually grows to bear abundant fruit. Matthew 13:31–33 speaks of its growth as that of a mustard seed becoming a great plant and as a little leaven leavening three bushels of meal. In Mark 4:26–29, God’s kingdom begins as mere seed (v. 26), then it puts forth the blade, then the head, and the mature grain (v. 27).
Amillennialism v. Postmillennialism Debate
(DVD by Gentry and Gaffin)
Formal, public debate between Dr. Richard Gaffin (Westminster Theological Seminary) and Kenneth Gentry at the Van Til Conference in Maryland. The debate focuses on whether the church is called to perpetually suffer in history.
See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com
In Romans 13:11–14 and 1 John 2:8 the apostles see the kingdom light as already shining, ready to dispel the darkness. “The manifestation of the Messiah is regularly termed by the ancient Jews yom, day, because previously to this all is night.” “The apostle considers the state of the Gentiles under the notion of night, a time of darkness and a time of evil practices. . . . He considers the Gospel as now visiting the Gentiles, and the light of a glorious day about to shine forth on them.”
Satan will not be able to thwart the kingdom’s progress and growth, for the “gates of Hades will not be able to prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). Though slow, it will advance in God’s good time.
Postmillennial Worldview 
So…the Kingdom is being established/grown much like “The Divorce of Israel”, over an uncertain, but lengthy period of time. We knows its coming, but “no man knows the day or the hour”. Alas, humor is an integral part of God’s image/likeness, which ours is reflective of. 🙂
To the advancement of the government placed on the shoulders of King Jesus there will be no end.
This plays out as the pagans are called out of the secular political community, reconciled to God, and adopted into the Kingdom of Heaven that is manifest in the body of Christ here on the earth.
The Kingdom is within every believer. Therefore, wherever on this earth a spiritual man of God stands he is always standing in the Kingdom of Heaven which is at hand and has come and is coming in all its fullness as it now is in Heaven.
One must completely come out of the secular body politic and completely come into the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Thereby the light of the Kingdom of Heaven will become ever brighter as it drives out the darkness of the secular kingdoms as one soul at a time comes into the Kingdom of Heaven. God’s people are still physically in the world but the world is not their source of origin.
It is impossible for a spiritual man of God to serve two sovereigns or masters. You either completely belong to and serve Sovereign King Jesus or you completely belong to and serve the earthly sovereign secular humanistic state. You cannot sit on the fence for then you would have both feet firmly planted in midair. Choose this day whom you will serve.
As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD and HIM only.
Peace
Yes. The commentary is a parable about the Now/Not Yet principle of NT theology. The publisher has the commentary (Now, since 2014!) but have waited to release it in the next couple of months (Not Yet).
I am not a teacher and I am not attempting to teach anyone anything. I am only sharing my understanding of the complete change of status or standing that I believe occurs at the point of regeneration and conversion to Christ.
To my understanding, the Kingdom of Heaven has “NOW” come, is at hand, and IS within each of God’s children within the body of Christ. At the point of our being born anew ALL things at that point in time and history also become new including our STANDING in relation to the secular civil government and the unregenerate people in the political community.
We are no longer under the civil or municipal laws, rules, and regulations of the secular civil government. The civil laws pertain SOLELY to secular citizens and non-citizen inhabitants who have established a permanent residence within the state of the forum.
However, God’s people are still under the natural, common, or criminal law. (Romans 13) You know, do no harm to another man or his property and you OUGHT to have praise from the civil “rulers” who are acting as ministers of God to administer and enforce the common or criminal law on all people, and in that sense, they are not supposed to be a terror to good works.
Everything has changed upon being born anew. Our citizenship IS NOW in the better heavenly county in “a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. We are to live, move, and have our being in Jesus Christ, and “we by faith sojourn in the place where God has planted us and we like Abraham are to live “as if we are in a foreign country” which we are. (Hebrews 11:9-16)
The apostle did see the Gentiles – i.e. unregenerate pagans – in the community as a force of darkness, a community of which God’s people have been called OUT. And as these unregenerate natural men, human beings are called out the darkness becomes a little less dark and the light of the Kingdom of Heaven NOW on the earth becomes brighter and so it goes and even the gates of Hades will not be able to prevail against the “light” and growth of the Kingdom of Heaven.
But to me the problem today is that God’s people do not fully “come out” of the darkness of the secular humanistic political community. And so the brightness of their light is very dull because they are attempting to do the impossible and that is to serve both light and darkness – i.e. serve a sovereign of darkness – the secular state – and also serve the sovereign of light – King Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven.
We simply cannot serve two masters. We cannot pledge our absolute allegiance and fidelity to two sovereign countries at the same time. In the same situation If we attempt to do so “we will either hate the one and love the other; or else we will hold to the one, and despise the other.” To attempt to sever two sovereigns, one of darkness and One of Light is evidence of being double-minded.
The civil courts have held that one’s citizenship and domicile is a MATTER OF CHOICE, not a matter of law. To-wit: “Citizenship is a STATUS or CONDITION, and is the result of both ACT and INTENT. An adult person cannot become a citizen of a state by INTENTION to, nor does anyone become such a citizen by mere RESIDENCE. The RESIDENCE and the INTENT must co-exist and correspond; and though, under ordinary circumstances, the former may be sufficient evidence of the latter, it is NOT CONCLUSIVE, and the contrary may always be shown; and when the question of citizenship turns on the INTENTION with which a person has RESIDED [or sojourned] in a particular state, his OWN TESTIMONY, under ordinary circumstances, is entitled to GREAT WEIGHT on the point.” (Sharon v. Hill, 26 F. 337 (1885))
Since my “testimony” is entitled to “great weight” on the point of where I choose to establish my domicile and citizenship then I choose to establish my domicile and “citizenship” in the heavenly country in the Kingdom of Heaven. Since my being born anew I have become a “sojourner” and “stranger” on this earth. I am NOW a soldier and Ambassador for King Jesus who is King of kings and Lord of lords.
I have the Bible as my evidence to support my claim of citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven as well as my being a sojourner and stranger in the world. My STANDING was changed by the Holy Spirit when I was “called out” of the secular world and adopted into the “household of God” in the Kingdom of Heaven. I am a child of God and God is my Father. I belong to my Father, not to the secular state.
NOW after being born anew, I am to do whatever lawfully needs to be done to fully come out and be separated from the unclean kingdom of darkness and STAND UP, STAND UP for Jesus as a soldier of the cross and as an Ambassador for King Jesus I am to then call the unregenerate people in the political community to repent and believe and as they do so be reconciled to God and that means those reconciled are to come into the Kingdom of Heaven with both feet firmly planted therein. God has provided a lawful way to come out and separate ourselves from the unclean secular humanistic body politic and its civil or municipal laws. What prevents God’s people from doing so?
Yes, God’s people have a bright future but we must completely come out of the worldly secular system of government and completely come UNDER the government of King Jesus and His perfect Law of Liberty to enjoy the present blessings of liberty in Christ.
Please correct any errors in what I have written above.
Peace
Would you say that the Kingdom of Heaven has come in the earth but not yet come in the earth as it now is in Heaven – that is in all its fullness?
Would you say that God’s people are now fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God owing their complete and absolute allegiance and fidelity to King Jesus?
Since all men are supposedly born free can you tell me how a free-born man acquires Amendment 14 federal citizenship and in so doing submits himself to the dominion of such a form of government and thereafter owes his absolute allegiance and fidelity to the United States federal government?
I should have spoken with you before I submitted myself to secular government by paying a recent parking fine! I recommend you study the biblical concept of the Now/Not Yet aspect of salvation. We have the life of the future (eternal life) already, but not in its fullness. Check out “two ages” on my blogsite. I think it might help.
We must honor kings and all those in authority. Unless they obligate us to sin against God.
The governmental structure in general and the current political situation in our country presents a challenge for believers to comply with Romans 13:1-7. This might help: The ones ordinarily possessing authority and the “sword” for enforcing the law in our communities are the sheriffs and police. It can also include the municipal courts. They are enforcers of the laws, which are derivatives of the overarching laws of our Constitution and Bill of Rights, filtered down through federal, state, and municipal levels. However, their authority of the law is limited for the most part to the jurisdiction to which they’ve been appointed to serve. At a minimum, the Romans passage applies to such for the Christian. That’s why we should be careful to respect and support the local law enforcement and help them fulfill their roles given in Romans 13.
Let me add that in my direct dealings with the local law enforcement and courts, I’ve found them to be very dedicated to their roles and service to the community, acting with integrity and equity. They especially appreciate and “have the back” of law abiding citizens. That has been my experience time after time.
The whole discussion as to the situation of the kind of law being practiced today (civil, Babylonian law) versus the law jurisprudence originally intended by our country’s founders and the Constitution (common law) is another extensive topic relevant to Christians and perhaps ties into theonomy.
The common law does not require our CONSENT. The civil or municipal law requires our consent. Civil law is for secular citizens. Common law is for all living people and is the law referred to in Romans 13.