Source: Focus on the Kingdom, November, 2022
G.N.H. Peters, The Theocratic Kingdom, 1884, p. 571-593
“[The saints] are ‘joint heirs’ (Rom. 8:17) with the Christ, who graciously divides...His own inheritance with them...How else can we explain the phrases to ‘reign with Him,’ ‘to sit on His throne,’ ‘to be ruler over His goods,’ ‘ruler over many things,’ ‘to have power over and rule nations,’ to be ‘crowned,’ to be ‘kings’ and ‘judges’ and ‘princes,’ ‘to inherit and possess a Kingdom,’ etc. If these do not denote a real, substantial elevation to rulership, great exalted honor and authority in the Coming Kingdom, then language itself has no precise, adequate meaning. This the words plainly denote, and however much we may feel that such a position is far above [what we deserve], the astonishing grace of God will bestow it...
“We are indebted to the Origenistic opposition to Millenarianism for the introduction of the theory that saints are now reigning in the Church — driven to it in the effort to spiritualize away Rev. 20:4. Augustine [was] one of the advocates of this view...
In Rev. 20:4 “by judgment being given to those that sat on the thrones is meant that they received authority to reign and govern, or the right of exercising judgment according to the Hebrew sense of the word ‘judge,’ which is equivalent to that of ‘reigning,’ or putting forth the judicial and executive acts of the governing power...The word ‘judging’ includes the idea of ‘governing’ according to its ancient [meaning]; for the idea of a participation of believers with Christ in the government and judgment of the future world is bound up with the whole mode of representing the Kingdom of God in the New Testament...
“This future Kingship is really the secret cause of that chastening that oftentimes is now so grievous. God designs that by our trials we may become fitted and prepared for the position in the Coming Kingdom. These...qualify them for the honor of kingship and priesthood, making them intelligent and wise kings, sympathetic and loving priests. Suffering, etc. prepared the blessed Master for His Theocratic position, and the disciple is not above the Master in this respect, but must fill up the measure of His sufferings, inasmuch as he shall also be allied with Him in the joy and glory of reigning...
“The higher management and control of the world will be in the hands, first of Christ Himself, and under Him, in the hands of men — of men, once like the mortal sojourners they govern, but now glorified like their Lord, and living amid their mortal kindred as benefactors, princes, and kings.”
Proposition 154. This Theocratic Kingdom includes the visible reign of the risen and glorified saints here on the earth.
G.N.H. Peters, The Theocratic Kingdom, 1884, p. 571-593
“[The saints] are ‘joint heirs’ (Rom. 8:17) with the Christ, who graciously divides...His own inheritance with them...How else can we explain the phrases to ‘reign with Him,’ ‘to sit on His throne,’ ‘to be ruler over His goods,’ ‘ruler over many things,’ ‘to have power over and rule nations,’ to be ‘crowned,’ to be ‘kings’ and ‘judges’ and ‘princes,’ ‘to inherit and possess a Kingdom,’ etc. If these do not denote a real, substantial elevation to rulership, great exalted honor and authority in the Coming Kingdom, then language itself has no precise, adequate meaning. This the words plainly denote, and however much we may feel that such a position is far above [what we deserve], the astonishing grace of God will bestow it...
“We are indebted to the Origenistic opposition to Millenarianism for the introduction of the theory that saints are now reigning in the Church — driven to it in the effort to spiritualize away Rev. 20:4. Augustine [was] one of the advocates of this view...
In Rev. 20:4 “by judgment being given to those that sat on the thrones is meant that they received authority to reign and govern, or the right of exercising judgment according to the Hebrew sense of the word ‘judge,’ which is equivalent to that of ‘reigning,’ or putting forth the judicial and executive acts of the governing power...The word ‘judging’ includes the idea of ‘governing’ according to its ancient [meaning]; for the idea of a participation of believers with Christ in the government and judgment of the future world is bound up with the whole mode of representing the Kingdom of God in the New Testament...
“This future Kingship is really the secret cause of that chastening that oftentimes is now so grievous. God designs that by our trials we may become fitted and prepared for the position in the Coming Kingdom. These...qualify them for the honor of kingship and priesthood, making them intelligent and wise kings, sympathetic and loving priests. Suffering, etc. prepared the blessed Master for His Theocratic position, and the disciple is not above the Master in this respect, but must fill up the measure of His sufferings, inasmuch as he shall also be allied with Him in the joy and glory of reigning...
“The higher management and control of the world will be in the hands, first of Christ Himself, and under Him, in the hands of men — of men, once like the mortal sojourners they govern, but now glorified like their Lord, and living amid their mortal kindred as benefactors, princes, and kings.”
