Kingdom work is a catchphrase for everything from social justice to church fund raising. But does it mean to work for the kingdom?
At the simplest level, kingdom work is doing what the king wants done.
We just need to be clear about what the king wants us to do. Is it individual piety, or getting people saved? Is it doing church work, or exposing injustice in society? Or is there no such thing as kingdom work, because the kingdom comes from God’s work, not ours? You’ll find people advocating all those positions.
How do we find out what the king wants done? The New Testament could provide some insight:
- In the Gospels, God’s anointed ruler sent his followers to do two things:
a) announce his kingship, and
b) enact his kingship, by healing people who were struggling (Luke 9:1-2; 10:1, 9). - Acts begins with Jesus’ followers:
a) announcing Jesus as Lord (2:36), and
b) establishing a community that represents his reign (2:36-44).
These are the two things they do across the known world. - Many Epistles have the same macro-structure:
a) explaining the good news of God’s anointed who is now ruling (Christ Jesus is Lord), and
b) calling us to live as the community enacting life under his kingship.
Only rarely do the Epistles ask believers to talk about Jesus. The emphasis is almost entirely on being implementing communal life under our king.
For example, Ephesians 1–3 explains the gospel of the king, followed by the “so what?”
Ephesians 4 1 I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
The rest of Ephesians calls us to live as the community under his kingship:
- becoming a reunified humanity under the resurrected King (4:1-16)
- developing the lifestyle of people who are being renewed (4:17 – 5:20)
- living for each other at home and at work, just as our king gave himself for us (5:21 – 6:9)
- serving our king in the face of oppressive powers, with nothing to keep us safe but the armour God wore when he confronted evil (6:10-23).
For us, kingdom life is primarily about being kingdom people, living as the community that embodies the life of our king on earth. Living as his community gives us the credibility to talk about our unique king, the one whose character is like no other ruler, and the story of how he became king.
So kingdom work isn’t primarily about individual piety, getting people saved, doing church work, exposing injustice in society, or sitting around waiting for Jesus to return.
More than what we do, kingdom work turns out to be more about who we are in our king:
Kingdom work is: implementing communal life under the king.
Related posts
- What is the kingdom?
- Who is the king?
- What is the gospel of the kingdom?
- How does the kingdom come?
- Alternative views of our role in his kingdom
Seeking the kingdom 
Dear Bro. Allen,
I just want to thank you so, so much for this blog called “What is Our Role in His Kingdom?”
For a long time now, I have been struggling with what it actually means to work for the Kingdom of God. This morning, I finally decided to research this topic again.
I have been working for two years on developing an online reading course that comes from a hard-copy version that I’ve used as an educator for over 20 years. As a Christian, I have incorporated some references to God and Christ within the series, but they are minimal. I have been questioning whether there is actually Kingdom value in this project since it does not overtly ask people to make a decison for Christ. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around what makes our work, as God’s people, “kingdom work”.
So, this morning, I set myself, again, to study this topic. I came across a few longer essays that really didn’t answer my question. I had started by asking the Lord to bring real clarification of this topic to me. I know that it’s only the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth.
After being quite dissatisifed with reading some online writings, including a long analysis of kingdom work, as described by Paul, I continued my online search and found your article. After reading your second-line, single paragraph, it became abudantly CRYSTAL CLEAR to me in the spirit exactly what kingdom work is! I sat here laughing with the Lord at how AMAZING HE IS! He only needed these few words of yours to forever change my mindset: At the simplest level, kingdom work is doing what the king wants done.
this makes so much sense! He is the King. Of course, I don’t have to figure out what He wants done. He already knows, and He will build His Kingdom. I need to do whatever He wants done. This is Kingdom work! I know He wants this project done because He told me to do it. Therefore, it IS Kingdom work.I am completely clear on this now. I did read onward, but I want you to know that your few words did it for me. I really didn’t need to read long essays or study forever on this topic. It’s simple. I get it. Now I can work with confidence and greater purpose!
In another one of your articles, you said that there are two things that mark Kingdom work: announcing Christ’s kingship and healing people who are struggling. I now realize that the first of these does not have to be stated directly in the work but that I, as the creator of the work, in all that I do concerning this project, must represent the Lord’s Kingship and make it evident. Also, when I think about the negative effects of illiteracy on people’s lives and destinies, I realize for sure that I am definitely helping to heal those who are struggling. It is Christ who is concerned for them and who will use this tool to better their lives and put them on the road to destiny fulfillment in Him!
May God continue to bless your ministry, Bro. Allen. Thanks, again.
-Novia John (Grenada, West Indies)
noviajohn97@gmail.com
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So good to hear from you, Novia. Yes, “kingdom work is doing what the king wants done.” It is that simple, that definitive, that comprehensive.
May our Lord guide and empower you and your coworkers as you serve him togehter.
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