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  • From: "Tom Reynolds" <reynolds_tom AT hotmail.com>
  • To: corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Kingdom of God in Paul
  • Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2001 02:28:18 -0400


IMHO those "who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God"
either temporally or eschatologically. Holy Spirit is the inheritance
that the sons (legal sense) of God receive through being united with
Christ through his/their faithfulness. Those who possess Holy Spirit (or
rather those whom he possesses) are already members of the not-yet
Kingdom. Those who do not possess Holy Spirit are neither members of the
present nor future Kingdom nor can they be. Only those under the Spirit
are not under Law (which leads to death). To be under Spirit is lived out
(praxis) in the world. Those who engage in the listed activities do not
possess Holy Spirit and are therefore not members of the Kingdom.
You are curious as to whether or not this is a purely future Kingdom. The
fullness of the Kingdom is future but Christians have already received the
inheritance of a son of God in the form of Holy Spirit. The most obvious
parallel is with Eph 4:25-5:11. Those who have the Spirit of the Son have
the Son and he is their inheritance. The Kingdom is not just some future
utopia but it is here and now; within us in the form of Holy Spirit.

Tom Reynolds




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