5.B Kingdom of God Notes

God created man to partake in the divine life 

Man rejected God's original plan 

God sought out man to reconcile him and restore him to what he was created for 

The Son brought redemption by his Paschal Mystery and preached of the Kingdom of God 

He instituted the New Covenant, with a New Covenant in a New Passover and New Paschal Lamb 

The New Chosen People, New Priesthood in this New Covenant he established and called the Church, with Peter as the Rock 

He formed the Apostles and taught them about the Kingdom of God, preparing them for the reception of the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifying grace God created us to participate in 

It is in the Church, established by Christ, that the Holy Spirit and Sanctifying grace is received for our transformation and salvation. 

Share in Divine life 

  Inaugurated by creation/salvation history 

  Reached fullness with Christ and his Church

  Will be fulfilled at end time 

when all who cooperated with grace are gathered together in the universal Church

Man has a share in divine life through 

A. The incarnation and 

B. the graces of redemption 

Ex. Apostles receive the grace of H.S. after "I believe" 

I believe is a necessary requirement, but it is not the source of grace or means by which we receive it 

mediated through the Church Christ founded 

A. Ex. Baptism. Nicodemus. Go baptize, Acts 1, I Peter 

B. Who is given the commission by Christ? Apostles 

Church is the New Assembly of God's people, redeemed by Christ, and is the instrument of his redemption 

Ekklesia (Greek) - Those called out

Qahal - Chosen People 

Successors of the Chosen People of the Old Covenant 

The People of God 

The role of the Church is to bring objective redemption to each subject, to each person 

That baptism example again 

Without Peter and the Apostles, what would happen when Christ ascended

Christ is the King and he brings about the Kingdom of HEaven 

BOLD CLAIM - The Kingdom of Heaven on earth subsists in the Catholic Church 

What is the Kingdom of God? 

- Christ 

- Christ acting in the hearts of men 

- Mankind in communion with the Blessed Trinity 

When he leaves, is the Kingdom simply people who live in a nice way, following the teachings of Jesus?