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What is Kingdom Now teaching?

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macuser:


What is Kingdom Now teaching?


 https://www.gotquestions.org/kingdom-now.html

Answer: Kingdom Now theology is a theological belief within the Charismatic movement of Protestant Christianity, mainly in the United States. Kingdom Now proponents believe that God lost control over the world to Satan when Adam and Eve sinned. Since then, the theology goes, God has been trying to reestablish control over the world by seeking a special group of believers—known variously as "covenant people," "overcomers," or "Joel's army"—and that through these people, social institutions (including governments and laws) would be brought under God's authority. The belief is that, since believers are indwelt by the same Holy Spirit that indwelt Jesus, we have all authority in heaven and on the earth; we have the power to believe for and speak into existence things that are not, and thus we can bring about the Kingdom Age.

Among the most controversial tenets of the theology is the belief that secular or non-Christian society will never succeed. Hence, Kingdom Now opposes a separation of church and state. Other beliefs include the idea that, as the Body of Christ, we are Christ. In other words, we have His divine nature. Proponents of Kingdom Now teaching also don’t believe in the rapture, which is explained away as a feeling of rapture or excitement when the Lord returns to receive the kingdom from our hands. In other words, everyone will be "caught up" emotionally when He returns. Also among the unbiblical beliefs is the idea that all prophecies regarding future Israel—both in the Old and New Testaments—actually apply to the church.

Kingdom Now theology sees the second coming of Jesus in two stages: first through the flesh of the believers (and in particular the flesh of today's apostles and prophets), and then in person to take over the kingdom handed to Him by those who have been victorious (the "overcomers"). Prior to the second coming, overcomers must purge the earth of all evil influences. Kingdom Now claims that Jesus cannot return until all His enemies have been put under the feet of the church (including death, presumably).

Although there are people who only partially hold to Kingdom Now teachings, they still share the beliefs outlined above, all of which are outside of mainstream Christianity and all of which deny Scripture. First, the idea that God has “lost control” of anything is ludicrous, especially coupled with the idea that He needs human beings to help Him regain that control. He is the sovereign Lord of the universe, complete and holy, perfect in all His attributes. He has complete control over all things—past, present and future—and nothing happens outside His command. Everything is proceeding according to His divine plan and purpose, and not one molecule is moving on its own accord. “For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?” (Isaiah 14:27). As for men having “the power to believe for and speak into existence things that are not,” that power belongs to God alone, who doesn’t take kindly to those who would attempt to usurp it from Him. “Remember this, and be a man; return it on your heart, O sinners. Remember former things from forever; for I am God, and no other is God, even none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from the past things which were not done, saying, ‘My purpose shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure’; calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my purpose from a far country. Yes, I have spoken, I will also cause it to come; I have formed; yes, I will do it” (Isaiah 46:8–11).

Kingdom Now’s denial of the rapture of the church is also unbiblical. The explanation that the rapture is nothing more than the people of God being caught up in rapturous feelings ignores the fact that such an application of the term "caught up" is strictly an idiomatic expression peculiar to English, not Greek. "I was all 'caught up' in the movie (or other excitement)” is not the equivalent of harpazo, used to describe the catching up bodily into heaven in 1 Thessalonians 4:17; 2 Corinthians 12:2-4; and Revelation 12:5. The word is also used in Acts 8:39, where Phillip is bodily "caught away" by the Spirit to another location.

As for our being Christ and having divine nature, we are not Christ, although we do partake of His divine nature at salvation with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:4). But Christ is the second Person of the Godhead, and no one becomes God. This is a lie from the father of lies, Satan, who first told it in the Garden of Eden when he tempted Eve with “you shall be as God” (Genesis 3:5).

The idea that the church has replaced Israel and that the fulfillment of the prophecies to Israel pertain to the church is known as Replacement theology, and it is unbiblical. The promises to Israel will be fulfilled in Israel, not in the church. God’s blessings to Israel are eternal, and they are without recall.

Finally, the second coming of Christ will be when He, not men, defeats His enemies and puts all things under His feet. The description of the second coming in Revelation 19 is the description of a mighty warrior who comes to put all things to right, not of one who comes to an earth already cleaned up and ready for Him to rule. Verse 15 is clear: “And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, so that with it He should strike the nations. And He will shepherd them with a rod of iron. And He treads the winepress of the wine of the anger and of the wrath of Almighty God.” If the earth has been “purged of all evil influences,” as the Kingdom Now-ers believe, why does Christ need a sharp sword to strike the nations, and why does the anger and wrath of God still exist against them?

Kingdom Now theology is another in a long line false, unbiblical, and misleading philosophies of men whose vain imaginations seek to humanize God and deify man. It is to be avoided.

Hal:
Hi Mac

The author of your article did a good job in describing exactly what we been seeing on the board the last few days. I see that Iconoclast is not responded to your post which most likely means it is accurate. The big problem I see with this theology is not so much that it is different, there are many different theologies  that have some backing in Scripture. For instance there is good case for the pre-trib rapture and the mid-trib rapture, both cases could be made. The trouble here is the denial of God's promises in his covenants concerning the Jews.

Of course it doesn't help that he twist almost every verse in the saying something other than the original intent. The Jehovah's Witnesses do the same thing in their New World Testament, and this is why their translation has so many conflicts. There is no conflict in my Bible.

 Shalom

Fat:
by Olive Tree Ministries with Jan Markell

One of the fastest-growing false teachings in the church today is called by various names: Kingdom Now, Dominion Theology, Reconstructionism, and the Restoration Movement. It is also known as “liberation theology.” It is an effort to use the church to make the world perfect for our Lord’s return. It is embraced and taught in part or whole by the National and World Council of Churches, Jim Wallis, Tony Campolo, Earl Paulk, Bob Weiner, John Wimber, James Robison (who is called “the President’s pastor”).

There are many other names that are focusing on the Leftist social gospel in hopes that this will clean up the world and make it perfect for Christ’s return. No more disease, war, poverty, AIDS, global warming, etc. Jesus will return when the church is unified, vibrant, forceful, spotless, and wrinkle-free. This is delusional and keeping people out of Heaven.

There is no Biblical support for this belief, for the Bible teaches just the opposite. In the end of days, bad things will wax worse and worse until the world calls out for a savior. They first pick the wrong one. And are the likely billions of saints in Heaven now there because they attained perfection or were a part of a movement to make the world perfect? The Bible says our works qualify us for rewards but not for Heaven itself. There is nothing we can do to hasten Heaven except preach the gospel and save the lost spiritually speaking.

This theology is borne out of the Manifest Sons of God movement and Latter Rain movement in about 1948. It also has ties to the positive confession movement. Major points of the theologies teach:

* Prophetic scriptures are denied or fulfilled in 70AD (as is also the belief of Preterism).

* The church is the new Israel.

* Armageddon is the ongoing battle between the forces of light and darkness.

* The Antichrist is a spirit, not a person.

* We are already in the Tribulation, but at the same time, we are in the Millennium. It doesn’t get any stranger! It’s one or the other.

* Rather than following traditional Bible prophecy, they follow “new revelations.”

* Modern-day prophets must be obeyed and not judged for their inaccuracy.

* They want to restore the Edenic nature even though Eden is where sin began.

To add to the tragedy of this false doctrine is the fact that many churches who had this accurate are now switching to these false teachings.

This is not unique to just the Protestant world. Mother Teresa, who selflessly took care of 40,000 derelicts in Calcutta, basically stopped her ministry to them by providing them a clean bed and comfort. She did not share the gospel. She believed many faiths would get to Heaven so she only saw to the physical needs of the body–admittedly, no small task in India. The Buddhist Dali Lama believes the same. In other words, feed the body but not the soul just as today’s social gospel “save the world” leaders are doing.

And unfortunately, those who hold to correct theology in this realm are deemed to be “fundamentalist-millennial-apocalyptic-crackpots.”

The church is not in the business of taking anything away from Satan but the souls of men. The world is a sinking Titanic ripe for judgment, not Garden of Eden perfection. Jesus will take dominion of the cleansed earth. For men to speak of doing that before the judgment of this earth is spiritually arrogant. I encourage you to flee such false teachers.

God says in Isaiah 66:3-5, “I will choose their delusions.” I believe that is the reason for so much confusion, false theology, and apostasy today. For some reason, likely with an end-time purpose, God is sending delusion. There is no other way to interpret those verses.

Iconoclast:
Hello Hal,

Iconoclast has not responded to this post because it is not what I iconoclast believes at all .
Looks like you would like to shoehorn me into such falsehoods as it would be easier for you to attack the straw man then to deal with the few texts that have been offered.

We are on this kind of board to search things out, and try and edify each other  as we continue to grow in grace and knowledge....do you agree on that Hal.
In time I will clarify what I offer but for now I would like if you would answer what I asked of you, or Fat, or anyone else.
When I get on my computer I will interact with the copied articles.
Lol....this reminds me of Job's comforters who offered council that did not fit Job.....

Hal:
Job was not confronted by Scripture. If you say that the conclusion of the article is wrong and you don’t believe it then so be it. But I have an idea you’re going to try and justify it by use of misinterpreted Scripture.

God doesn’t break convent.

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