What does the kingdom of God actually consist of? Song No. 166 in “Ways of the Lord,” was written by Anna Belden to a melody by Tullius Clinton O’Kane. It is based on a response that stands in stark contrast to the idea that the kingdom of God consists primarily of the correct doctrine or good words.
According to Rom. 14:17, the kingdom of God consists of “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” In the song, Anna Belden further develops this image through concepts such as poverty in spirit, living faith, trials, and likeness to Christ. The kingdom of God is presented not merely as something off in the future, but as a reality that must take shape in a disciple’s life here and now.
What Exactly Is the Kingdom of God?
One might think that the kingdom of God could best be described with fine words—a precise doctrine, a theological formulation, or the correct vocabulary. Song No. 166 from “Ways of the Lord” says the exact opposite right in the first line:
“O God’s kingdom consists not of word.”
The song opens with a direct echo of the Apostle Paul:
“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Rom. 14:17.
The kingdom of God is never measured by external rules, correct formulations, or proper practices. It is measured by what God’s saving power has been able to accomplish in a person’s life—righteousness that is actually practiced, peace that is actually lived out, joy that is actually possessed—the work of the Holy Spirit and not produced by one’s own effort.
This is a powerful warning that is relevant today: one can speak perfectly and correctly about God, and be well acquainted with all well-established doctrines—and yet remain completely outside this kingdom, if there is neither righteousness, peace, nor true joy in the life one actually lives.
A Kingdom for the Poor—the Rich Are Shut Out
The continuation of the first verse of the song is clear and unambiguous:
“‘Tis received by the poor from the Lord; but the rich and the proud He’ll destroy.”
This is entirely in line with Jesus’ words: “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. . . . But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.” Luke 6:20,24. And it is the same with Mary’s song: “He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly.” He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. Luke 1:52-53.
We understand very well that Jesus is not speaking of material poverty, but of an inner state—the poor in spirit. It is the one who acknowledges that he has nothing of his own to offer to God. In contrast to the one who considers himself rich—according to his own works, his own righteousness, his own sufficiency—and who, therefore, has no room to receive what he already believes he possesses.
A Kingdom That Cannot Be Moved—Borne in a Vessel of Clay
The chorus shifts our focus to just how solid—and how invisible—this kingdom actually is:
“Can’t be moved! Can’t be moved. For this kingdom is tested and proved. It is not found in outward display, for we bear it in vessels of clay.”
Two Bible passages come together here. First, Heb. 12:28: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace.” After describing how God will one day shake both earth and heaven (v. 26–27), the author affirms that the kingdom which Jesus’ followers receive stands firm and is unshakeable—it does not belong to that which is passing away. In this lies a strong assurance of faith: a disciple of Jesus, who has the kingdom of God within them, possesses a steadfastness and a security that nothing can take away from them. They belong to the kingdom that cannot be shaken.
And at the same time, we know that if we sense something is being shaken in our lives, it is something that does not belong to this kingdom of God and it is something from which we can be set free. The Apostle Peter exhorts the disciples to make their calling and election sure. 2 Pet. 1:10.
Next, the chorus refers to the image of the “vessel of clay,” which points directly to 2 Cor. 4:7: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” The kingdom, therefore, cannot be located on a map—Jesus Himself already said so: “The kingdom of God does not come with observation. Nor will they say, ‘See here’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21. Neither is it something exclusive that is found only in particularly noble and extraordinary people. No, it is borne within an ordinary human being—a clay vessel that seems weak and insignificant in the eyes of people, yet which nevertheless holds a treasure that nothing can shake.
By a Living, Active Faith—in a Daily Battle—the Good Fight of Faith
Other verses of this song describe how one actually partakes of this kingdom:
“‘Tis by faith we this kingdom attain; but it must be a faith that’s alive. Rest in God, and His peace we will gain if in faith’s full assurance we strive.”
This is not a passive faith, nor is it an intellectual agreement. It takes a living faith for us to partake of this kingdom. Paul exhorts us to fight for this faith: “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life.” 1 Tim. 6:12. The faith that grants access to the kingdom is, therefore, never a finish line one crosses once and for all—it is a daily fight, the reward of which is precisely the rest and peace the kingdom promises.
Jesus was also very clear on this: And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. Matt. 11:12. And the author of the Letter to the Hebrews compares, in chapter 3 and 4, the disciple’s journey of faith to Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land—through battles against many enemies, Joshua led them to rest—and then the apostle exhorts: “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.” Heb. 4:11. We must be diligent and make every effort to enter into God’s works and rest from our own works!
Through Trials, Judgment, and Consuming Fire
The third verse introduces a deeper dimension:
Through each trial comes judgment o’er sin, with consuming, devouring fire. To the Most Holy Place we go in.
This is how Paul saw it as well, and he exhorted the disciples: “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22. The trials of life seem to be like fire. Many feel that trials seem to pose a threat. This is not the case for a disciple of Jesus: the fire has a purifying effect. This is what Peter describes when he speaks of the testing of our faith, “being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire.” 1 Pet. 1:7. Such people enter God’s sanctuary; they follow Jesus on the new and living way that He has opened through His flesh, they have fellowship with Him in His sufferings, and have access to God’s sanctuary—to a life in fellowship with Almighty God. You can read more about this in Heb. 10:19-22.
An eternal kingdom, where only the righteous shall rule and abide
The fourth verse broadens the perspective:
“O this kingdom shall ever remain. There the righteous shall rule and abide. And there’s nothing there lofty or vain; God alone shall be there glorified.”
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Jas. 4:6. This is an eternal law, a divine law. The prophet Daniel explained this very clearly to King Nebuchadnezzar: “The God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed . . . and it shall stand forever.” Dan. 2:44. And in his vision he saw this kingdom being “given to the people, the saints of the Most High.” Dan. 7:27. This is also what the prophet Isaiah declared: “The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.” Isa. 2:11-17. All human greatness, no matter how impressive, will fall before this one, enduring royal authority. Therefore, we must ensure that we are among these righteous ones who understand the way of humiliation in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
“Thank You, Jesus, for the way You paved”
The song concludes with a prayer of thanksgiving:
“Thank You, Jesus, You opened the way— and by glory and might called each one to gain life through Your death day by day. Thank You, now and forever, God’s Son!”
The author of the Letter to the Hebrews speaks of a “new and living way” that Jesus has “consecrated” for us through the veil of His own flesh. Heb. 10:20. That is why it is possible for us to follow Jesus. The way is open, and we can follow our Savior and Lord Jesus on that same way.
Paul was captivated by this way, and he summarizes the very goal for a complete Christian life in Phil. 3:8-10: “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”
He realized that in order to come to Jesus’ life, we must also partake in His death. “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.” Rom. 6:5.
What a glory it is when this light shines clearly for us in our lives! To come into this kingdom, then, is not merely something we will inherit one day—it is happening right here and now as we are being shaped in the image of the One who opened the way there.
What This Song Tells Us Today
This nearly century-old song dispels three illusions that are still very much alive.
The first is the belief that the kingdom of God can be reduced to correct vocabulary or right doctrine, whereas in reality it manifests itself in a righteousness, a peace, and a joy that are actually to be lived.
The second is the belief that we can enter by remaining “rich” in ourselves—by our own merits, our own self-assurance, and our own sufficiency—instead of following Jesus on the way of humiliation.
And the third is the belief that we can enter without ever going through the trial, the self-judgment, the fire that purifies.
The song leaves us with a promise that carries through all these requirements: this kingdom, once received, can never again be shaken—neither by circumstances, nor by the opinions of others, nor by time itself.
Have you partaken of this kingdom?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does “O God’s kingdom consists not of word” mean?
This means that the kingdom of God cannot be reduced to a right doctrine or a correct spiritual vocabulary. According to Rom. 14:17, the kingdom of God consists of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit—something that must actually be present and lived out in a person’s life, not merely expressed in words.
Why is it said that the kingdom of God belongs to the poor?
Because the poverty Jesus speaks of in Luke 6:20 and 24—and which James confirms in Jas. 2:5—is first and foremost a poverty in spirit: which acknowledges that we have nothing of our own to bring to God. But on the other hand, whoever considers themselves to be rich—in their own works or their own righteousness—has no room to receive what they already think they possess.
What does it mean that the kingdom is borne “in a vessel of clay”?
This image is taken from 2 Cor. 4:7 and means that the treasure, which is the kingdom of God, is borne by weak and completely ordinary people, so that the power that becomes visible can clearly be attributed to God and not to man himself. Therefore, the kingdom cannot be located outside of us—as Jesus Himself says in Luke 17:20-21: the kingdom of God is within us.
Why must we go through trials and fire to enter the kingdom?
According to Acts 14:22 and 1 Pet. 1:7, trials are not a threat but a purification—just as gold is tested by fire. For a disciple of Jesus, trials are the very way into God’s sanctuary; cf. Heb. 10:19-22.
What does it mean to be “conformed to His death”?
This expression is taken from Phil. 3:10 and describes the very goal of the Christian life: not merely to be forgiven, but to follow Jesus the whole way down on this way of humiliation and death, just as Paul himself sought to do. Rom. 6:5 links this to the hope of the resurrection—to be united with Him in the likeness of His death, so that we may also be united with Him in the likeness of His resurrection.
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Links
- For an academic overview of the concept of the kingdom of God in the biblical tradition, see the Norwegian article in the Store norske leksikon.
