I don’t think this is an inconsequential quibble. We don’t ‘build the Kingdom of God’. We do proclaim the Kingdom. The Kingdom of Jesus is not identified with a nation-state, military, political or economic system. We are citizens of a heavenly kingdom built by Christ not by us.

We recognize that Christ does in fact rule all things now. His “kingdom” is that rule made visible among people. It is not of this world, but is certainly for this world, though it won’t reach its fulness apart from the eschaton. Among other things, that means human attempts to-

secure here on earth a perfect expression of the eternal kingdom of God, whether in religious states or utopian communities, end in tyranny. They often resort to violence in order to impose or maintain their rule - whether psychologically in sects or politically in governments.

This Kingdom of God resides first in the soul, though it is never confined to it. God’s Kingdom coming fully is the perfection of all things. God’s Kingdom already come is his perfect forgiveness, abolition of death, & overthrow of evil. It is a kingdom of holy love & mercy.

We enter the kingdom and the kingdom enters us. We proclaim the kingdom and we serve the King of Kings as his citizens. That citizenship both subverts and takes precedence over all other loyalties and makes its virtues our sought after common practice. This is what it means to...

“seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness”. That is a summons first of all to faithful living. This means kingdom virtues such as love, humility, forgiveness, & kindness are extended to all, even enemies. “That’s not Kingdom” is shorthand for saying an action doesn’t..

...accord with the virtues of Christ. The overthrow of Jim Crow is but one example of Kingdom virtues triumphing over secularist values of tribal power in a nation. Yet in this world it is always imperfect and the wheat grows alongside the tares.

No Christian who seeks to serve in the public should be criticized for seeking to bring kingdom virtues to the public realm - our Faith is deeply personal but never private. But neither should any imagine that we “build the kingdom.” What we do is show the Kingdom and dwell...

... here as members of imperfect colonies of the heavenly realm. Those colonies of the Kingdom are congregations of the Church. They are not utopian. They seek to be forgiving because “forgiveness is the name of love among those who love imperfectly.”

What secularists want is faith to be privatized. That’s impossible for a Christian. It is public faith. What religionists want is for faith to govern all culture & government. That’s impossible in the American Constitutional Republic. Liberty is for all, regardless of faith.

What the Christian can do then is not impose his/her view of the world on his neighbor but instead allow the kingdom graciously imposed on his heart to shape his actions toward his neighbor. Informed by mercy, love, respect, and hope, the Christian serves all to show the Kingdom

The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.

That’s what the upside-down kingdom looks like. A lion that’s a lamb. Build the kingdom? No. Show the kingdom? Always! May all believers do so in every realm of life.