John Bunyan’s book The Pilgrim’s Progress is valued as one of the most significant works of theological fiction in English literature. It describes the long, toilsome search of our hero, “Christian,” for the “Celestial City,” the kingdom of God.
Ironically, the premise of this story, considered to be the first novel written in English, is the myth that the kingdom of God is far off from everyone. Yet, over 2,000 years ago Christ Jesus wanted to make sure that his followers didn’t fall for this myth. The very first command of his public ministry was: “Repent [that is, from original Greek, change your perspective]: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). “At hand,” meaning “you are here, actually in the kingdom, right now.”
In Luke’s account, underlining the completely mental nature of God’s kingdom and our place in it, Jesus describes this kingdom as, not just super close, but “within you” (Luke 17:21). St. John the Revelator in the book of Revelation goes even further and describes in symbolic detail “the holy city, new Jerusalem” (21:2).
