Some verses about the kingdom of God are clearly talking about something in the future. Other verses refer to the kingdom as a present-tense reality. But there is no contradiction in this, since the kingdom has existence now and also continues into the future.
Some verses that show the current existence of the kingdom of God:
Matthew 11:12: From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. [How can it advance, and people lay hold of it, if it does not exist?]
Matthew 12:28: If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God [which he did], then the kingdom of God has come upon you. [See also Luke 11:20.]
Matthew 21:31: Tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. [Jesus used the present tense to describe people entering.]
Matthew 21:43: The kingdom of God will be taken away from you [which implies that the Pharisees had it] and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
Luke 16:16: The good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. [Similar to Matthew 11:12.]
Luke 17:21: The kingdom of God is within you. [No matter whether the meaning is "within" or "among," the kingdom is--it already exists.]
Luke 18:17: Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it. [How can we "receive" something that doesn't exist?]
Colossians 1:13: He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son. [We are now in the kingdom.]
Some verses showing the kingdom of God in the future:
Matthew 8:11: Many will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 14:15: Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.
Luke 22:30: You may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones.
Matthew 13:43: The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
Matthew 25:1: At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins.... ["At that time" suggests that the kingdom is different now, but will then be like this.]
Luke 13:28: There will be weeping when you see all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. [This describes a future event, but it also implies that the Pharisees would be in the kingdom before this event.]
Luke 19:11: He told a parable, because the people thought the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.
1 Corinthians 15:24: Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
1 Corinthians 15:50: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.
2 Peter 1:11: You will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Michael Morrison
Sept. 16, 1997, WN, page three
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