IS THE CHURCH PRESENTLY IN A “SPIRITUAL” KINGDOM?

A misinterpretation of the Colossians 1:13 passage has raised its ugly head again! There are those who want to argue that the kingdom here in this verse is somehow a "spiritualized" kingdom or is actually the messianic kingdom that the church has been joined to. The passage reads from the Greek text: "He delivered (Aorist Tense, ruomai, "rescued from enemies") us out from the power (exousias, "authority") of the darkness and transferred (Aorist Tense, methistami, "rescued, changed") us into the kingdom concerning His Son of love ("agapes")." Or, "loved," "beloved" Son! The Aorist Tenses make this verse absolute. God has already performed this transaction. In God's mind, this is completed action. This phenomenon happens also in Romans 8:30. By using the Aorist Tense God already sees us "glorified," that is, in heaven glorified. It's a done deal! I'm already there. I'm already in heaven. When I die I will go to heaven but then in my new glorified body I return to reign with Him in the Millennial kingdom. He sees me already here in that kingdom. The Aorist Tense in Colossians 1:13 makes it a done deal. I'm already transferred in God's mind to the Millennial kingdom, and, God also already sees me in heaven according to the Romans 8:30 passage. Both are true! (Though heaven is not the millennial kingdom!)    Now again, how do I know Paul is describing the Millennial reign of Christ in Colossians 1:13 and not some kind of squashy "spiritualized" kingdom? (The answer is easy!)    In the beginning of the Gospels, God the Father says over and over again that Christ is His "beloved Son" (Matt. 3:17; 12:18; 17:5; Mark 1:11, 9:7; 12:6; Luke 3:22; 9:35—for just a few!) The language of Colossians 1:13 is almost the same as used in the Gospels. In the Gospel references, "beloved Son" comes from Psalm 2:7 where it is said that the Lord has a Son, though "beloved" is not used. This is messianic, it is about the King (Psa. 2:6). Thus, it is about the Jewish messianic kingdom, it is not about some fuzzy spiritualized kingdom, nor is it about the church.    The disciples got the point in the early chapters of the Gospels. Nathaniel virtually quotes Psalm 2 when he said to Christ: "You are the Son of God; You are the king of Israel" (John 1:49). Colossians 1:13 ties into all of this and says that we are now transferred in God's mind to that messianic kingdom. We will be down here on earth in our new body someday! We will co-rule with Him though the Jewish people will be the prime people in the kingdom reign.    Keep the interpretative lines straight. OBSERVE clearly and carefully and the Bible will open like a flower!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch