Kingdom Come: How Jesus Wants to Change the World

Rating:
Summary: Good Popular Level Introduction to Kingdom Theology
Review: Wakabayashi has produced a rather unique contribution to the field of Kingdom theology - an introductory, mostly non-technical, reader friendly, and unintimidating look at the coming of the Kingdom. Unlike the important classics in the field by Vos and Ridderbos, this book has the potential of making Kingdom theology accessible and understandable on the average layperson level. I, for one, think this is a good thing and mostly applaud this book's appearance on the market.

Wakabayashi is not a decorated theologian, but he is seminary trained and for the most part, his theological views are sound. He writes this book with a passion to demonstrate that Jesus wants to change the world, and he laments what he rightly believes is the lack of global and personal transformation that has become the hallmark of the Christian church in our day. Wakabayashi believes that a renewed focus on the Christian's place in the Kingdom has the potential to positively address this enormous problem.

Wakabayashi presents the standard 'already/not yet' Kingdom theology that has come to dominate New Testament Biblical theology over the last several decades. But his exposition of Kingdom eschatology is not really the thrust of the book, though it does provide the basis for much of what he says. Instead, Wakabayashi seems intent on showing how this theological understanding manifests itself in the world and in our lives. His contention that Jesus wants to change the world is really an appeal to renewal and transformation on a cosmic scale. For Wakabayashi, this means cultural transformation in terms of Christians becoming involved in politics and policy, as well as articulately advocating Christian ideas in higher education, the media, and every other legitimate secular discipline. This mentality has echoes of Kuyper in it, but unlike Kuyper, Wakabayashi makes very specific appeals that evangelicals are not always comfortable with. His appeal for Christians to make the Kingdom made manifest by working against social injustice and environmental degradation, among other things, is mostly welcome.

I found Wakabayashi's application of Kingdom theology to the topic of evangelism to be quite insightful. In a day where evangelism is chalked up to handing out a tract or inviting someone to a movie, and when conversion is defined as praying a prayer or walking down an aisle, Wakabayashi presents something far more substantive. If the Kingdom of God has come, and if the nature of the Kingdom is for the citizens of the Kingdom to be loyal and obedient to their King, this leaves no room for a lukewarm Christianity that does not exhibit life change or a desire to be obedient. While the imperial language is probably not the greatest evangelistic tool, Wakabayashi should be applauded for insisting that Kingdom evangelism must emphasize loyalty to God and His character in the lives we live. We are not saved by our works, but we are judged by our works. Evangelicals too often bathe in the former and forget the latter, but both are essential. That's what it means to be a Christian - a true citizen of God's Kingdom. If the Kingdom of God was inaugurated by Jesus mainly through obedience and suffering (which it was), Kingdom living for us today should be reflective of our perfect Model - King Jesus. We should joyfully long to be obedient to the One who has saved us, and we should not be surprised when we are called to suffer for His sake, just as He predicted so long ago. Kingdom living will not sell many books, but it will result in a purposeful, substantive, and joyous life in Christ for those willing to embrace it - not to mention that it will make people see the world around them with new eyes in ways that will make the world we live in today more understandable.

I'm giving the book 4 stars because even on an introductory level, Wakabayashi's interaction with Scripture is not the greatest. Introductory works are not designed to present meticulous and rigorous exegesis. Yet too often, in their desire to be overly accessible at an introductory level, these books tend to stress personal testimonies and stories to such a degree that Scripture gets put on the sideline. There is a balance that should be struck in a work like this, but in my opinion, the book is slanted too far to the personal testimony side.

But overall, this is a fine introduction to Kingdom theology, and as previously stated, its accessibility, while not flawless, is a welcome addition to this important field of theology.