Andrew - isn’t most of your final paragraph gnostic in content? How do you know the people of God are supposed to live in the way you describe - unless you have access to some hidden knowledge about it? The NT won’t help you - that is all to do with unique times and events which have long passed - according to you.

On the other hand, I think I have summed up very well a continuing significance of the kingdom of God from NT times, based on NT teaching and example. The kingdom is not purely to do with victory over Israel’s enemies - or anybody’s enemies, but, in my understanding of it, to do with how the people of God are to act and live their lives now - renewed by the executive power of the kingdom, which is the Spirit. This is not based on gnostic information, but the principles and practice of Jesus, which are of relevance beyond the 1st century.

Incidentally, if emerging church gurus are saying that we build the kingdom - I think that is misguided. The kingdom is always described as something given, not something we build. It is God’s expression of his power and presence amongst us - not the contribution we bring to him. I think that is a very important distinction - otherwise we reduce the kingdom to something manmade and manufactured.

We aren’t going to agree, are we?