If the Kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking, but about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17), can we honestly recognise the Church in this description?
There is nothing inherently wrong with enjoying food and drink—especially in multi-cuisine Singapore, where eating may rank just behind National Service as a national pastime! But do these Kingdom attributes truly exemplify the Church of Jesus Christ in the world today?
The apostle Paul revealed the essence of the Kingdom of God in Romans 14:17. Jesus, meanwhile, described the kind of people who can inhabit and inherit this Kingdom in Matthew 5.
The Church comprises people—subjects who have pledged their allegiance to the King of kings. The Church is not a building or a corporation. It’s us!
We are the hands, feet, and voice of Jesus, tasked with declaring that the Kingdom of God is at hand.
So let me ask again: is there ample evidence that righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit rule in our midst?
And dare I press in further and ask this as well: do we even recognise when the Holy Spirit is truly present among us?
The Holy Spirit is not merely the tingling sensation we experience during rousing worship before the announcements. Nor is He the emotional uplift generated by a stirring sermon.
If the Holy Spirit was truly manifesting His presence in all His glory and power, we wouldn’t need to hear it announced from someone on the platform. We would know from His effect on us and everyone around us.
Some would be on their faces repenting of unrighteousness. Some would be overwhelmed with peace because their lives are aligned with the Kingdom. Others would be rejoicing in the glory of God with unspeakable joy.
There is never any ambiguity about glory. If you need to be told that it’s there, then it probably isn’t.
So, as lovers of both the Kingdom and the Church, shall we try to diagnose the gap between biblical truth and present reality, and seek a realignment—for the glory of God?
1. Let’s Begin with Righteousness
So, whose righteousness do we actually boast about more? Honestly.
Are we becoming more like Jesus in meekness and humility, or are we constantly tooting our own trumpets?
Do our private lives match our public ministries? Can others confidently vouch for our integrity?
Do we grieve over injustice and sin in the camp, or do we protect our relationships and reputations at the expense of truth?
Our righteousness is not measured by how “rightly” and politely we interact with others. It is measured by how fully we have clothed ourselves with Christ and how deeply His character is being formed within us.
2. Then Comes Peace
Peace is not the absence of conflict; it is the presence of God’s government in the human heart.
Even in the midst of trials and troubles, the peace that surpasses understanding is the believer’s inheritance.
So do our churches host the peace and order of God, or have they become breeding grounds for division, control, power struggles, offence, and competition?
Is there someone you avoid at all costs because you are not at peace with them?
Peace is evidence that the King is ruling.
3. And Lastly, Joy
Joy is not hype, manufactured excitement, or entertainment.
It is not the ability to stir a crowd with instructions on when to clap, jump, shout, or dance.
Joy is a deep and abiding delight that comes from knowing that you belong to the Lord; that His Spirit is joined with yours; that He governs your life; that you are loved beyond measure and empowered to love in return.
So, are you filled with the joy of the Lord?
Or are you angry, exhausted, fearful, burdened, and constantly striving to experience peace and joy in a world that appears to be spiralling out of control?
Remember, joy does not depend upon circumstances. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Ultimately, this all comes down to one question: do we genuinely desire the manifest presence of God, or are we happily comfortable with compromise?
God’s presence can be violently disruptive. It’s not always roses and perfume.
He is a consuming fire, after all!
Sometimes I wonder why we are so eager to call down the fire of God. Are we truly confident that everything in our lives would withstand the flames and that we wouldn’t get incinerated in the process?
It’s quite terrifying. But that’s a discussion for another day.
For now, perhaps the more pressing question is this:
Are we willing to allow Jesus to overturn whatever tables He chooses in order to establish His Kingdom among us?
Or would we rather continue with our comfortable, predictable, and carefully managed services?
If the latter is true, then our invitations for the Holy Spirit to come and invade our gatherings may amount to little more than lip service and religious language.
For wherever the King is truly welcomed, His Kingdom inevitably comes.
And when His Kingdom comes, righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit follow close behind.
