“KINGDOM OF GOD” IMPLEMENTATION AS A FOUNDATION FOR CHRISTIANS TO LIVE WITH WITNESS TO CHRIST ATTITUDE IN INDONESIAN PLURALISM

Abstract

Christians have long heard about the kingdom of God. Jesus Christ himself has taught us about the kingdom of God. But the concept of “kingdom” may have faded as time went on into this modern age, and its values are still questionable, especially in very plural nations such as Indonesia. According to the 2018 Indonesian Central Bureau of Statistics survey on social and cultural issues, Indonesia had 1.340 ethnic groups and about 2.500 kinds of languages. Rich in diversity, UNESCO also considered Indonesia a superpower country in terms of culture. On the other hand, they also stated that cultural differences are also the root of numerous conflicts. Plurality is one thing, but Christians in Indonesia are also considered “minorities” in terms of religion (about 11% of the population is Christian and Catholic). Will this pluralism and being a minority be a challenge for Christians to live with a witness-to-Christ attitude? This paper shows, based on a biblical point of view and some related research, that a witness-to-Christ attitude can be maintained, lived upon, and even radiate even within pluralism and minority groups if the understanding of the kingdom of God is implemented and planted correctly among believers.