Category: Christian’s Relationship to Government

“Jesus’ Temptations and World Powers” by David Lipscomb

On By The Christian ExileIn Christian's Relationship to Government, Church History, Kingdom Life

The Gospel Advocate, March 6, 1866, pp. 145-149.

We have found that God’s government, as established among the Jews as its subjects, was separated from all the institutions of man—that they were taught to rely upon God’s appointments in every emergency of life—that a failure to rely upon his appointments by seeking aid through their own inventions or through alliance with other human institutions, was always regarded by God as an indication of lack of faith in Him, and as an act of rebellion against His authority. We find that for four thousand years he has been teaching His servants the impossibility of forming alliances with, and participating in the institutions of man, and at the same time retaining his favor. They are finally rejected, cast out, a dis­persed and scattered nation, on account of their persistent determination to participate in and to rely upon these institutions. For near two thousand years they have been a scattered, exiled, wandering, despised and persecuted people, and stand to-day a living monument attesting to every nation under the sun:

How great a folly and crime it is for God’s people to intermeddle with or participate in the institutions of human mold—to touch, taste, handle those things “which are for the destruction of those who use them.”

Colossians 2:22, Anderson’s Translation

He has taught the lesson of complete and perfect separation from the world kingdoms, he has taught them this for the benefit of the Church of Christ, he has assigned them a position of complete separation from all human institutions, which position they are to retain upon peril of their rejection and destruction as God’s people. Into the position from which they were broken, the believers in Christ were grafted. The believers in Christ, or the Church of God, stand then entirely separated from the world-powers by the direction and work of God. Daniel says, “it was to break in pieces and consume all these earthly kingdoms” (Daniel 2:44). I repeat then, if there were not a single word in the New Testament indicating they were separate, without specific authority of precept or example, for the subjects of the one participating in the affairs of the other, they must forever remain distinct, allowing no participation in the affairs of one by members and citizens of the other.

Is there example for so connecting them to the law and the testimony? Christ, the king, the representative of that church on earth, is met at the moment of his birth by a decree from the civil government under which he was born, for his destruction. The ruler recognizes him as the founder and head of the kingdom which “shall break in pieces and consume all these,” is then his enemy. He is preserved by his Father from destruction.

He commences his mission openly as the Son of God. Is recognized by his Father as “My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 4:17). In the commencement of his public ministry his fidelity to his Father must be tested. He comes into the world to engage in a stupendous work — He must suffer excruciating torments — will he be faithful to his Father who sent him? Test him at the beginning. He is tempted, tried as never man was tried. He is tried at every point by the wicked one. In that temptation the devil taketh him up into a high mountain and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and saith unto him, “all these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:5, 9). Or as Luke 4:5 records it:

The devil taking him up into a high mountain shewed hint all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time and the devil said unto him, “All this power avail give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will, I give it. If thou wilt fall down and worship me, all shall be thine.”

We are seeking to locate the true position of the king­doms of the earth — all the kingdoms of the earth. The devil says, “They are mine, I will give them thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.”

“But,” says one, “the devil is a liar and the truth is not in him. He owns not a foot of soil.” Yea, but a liar, even the father of lies may tell the truth, and should be accredited when corroborated by one so truthful as the Son of God. Does the Son of God corroborate this statement? Let us examine for a moment. The Divine historian says he was tempted. Paul says, “He hath suffered, being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). Now in order to its being a temptation, it must have been a veritable offer of something to the Son of God, which he very intently desired, yet could not take upon the terms offered. In other words, it must have been an offer of an object or possession ardently desired, by one having the right or power to bestow it. Now Jesus Christ knew the possessor of these kingdoms. It could be no temptation to an individual for me to offer him a title to a tract of land which he knew I did not have the shadow of a right to, or the power to obtain that right. Then in order to the offer’s being a temptation to the Son of God, He must have thought the devil had the power to give what he proposed to bestow. Then if the Son of God was tempted by the devil, all the kingdoms of this world were the devil’s kingdoms.

Indeed, what was the object of the mission of the Son of God into this world, but to rescue this world from the dominion of the wicked one and bring it back to its primeval allegiance to his Father? If it were not under the dominion of the wicked one, it could not be rescued from his power. Whatever rule or authority was exercised over the earth was exercised through these kingdoms. Hence Jesus Christ’s mission, sor­rows, suffering and death, were all meaningless unless the kingdoms of this world be the kingdoms of the wicked one.

But let us revert to their origin. Whence did they originate? Not among the people of God, but among those in rebellion against Him. Who is the prime mover in all rebellion against God? The wicked one. There are but two sources of power in the universe, God and his great enemy. Every kingdom then not originating from God, must receive its power and authority from the wicked one. These earthly kingdoms then originated in the rebellion of the human family against God, lives to-day by virtue of that rebellion, and must die when that rebellion ceases. The little stone broke in pieces the image, and it filled the whole earth, so no place was found for these governments when the world was brought back to allegiance to God. The devil claimed them and Jesus Christ admitted his claim.

Let us look a moment at the point of this temptation. Jesus Christ came into this world to strive and wrestle with the devil for the dominion of this world, to rescue and redeem it from the power of the devil. He came as the “sent” of his Father. He came to conquer this world, destroy all domin­ion and principality, he came “to put down all rule and all authority and power” (1 Corinthians 15:24). When this is accomplished, he will deliver up the kingdom to the Father, and himself be subject unto the Father” (1 Corinthians 15:28). Or in other words he had come to fight for the dominion of the world, when he had gained that dominion, he was to occupy the second position in the rule and authority of the domains he had conquered. He knew that the conquest would cost him suffering, sorrow, maltreatment, indig­nities, excruciating torments, the very anticipation of which made him draw back with the entreaty, “let the cup pass from me” (Matthew 26:39) and brought great drops of blood from his soul of anguish; He knew, too, the strife for the conquest of the world must bring him down to the humiliation of death, the degradation of the grave.

The devil, with his subtlety, pro­posed at the very threshold of his mission, “you are to be a subordinate in this kingdom under your Father, after all your sorrows and sufferings. Now worship me, or recognize me as head instead of God, and I will deliver them all into your hand with all their glory, without a struggle, a sorrow, a pang upon your part.” There was the point of the temptation, to let him rule the earth through the devil’s kingdoms, without suffering, without death, without the grave, instead of through God’s, with all these. His purpose then is not to destroy the devil’s power in his kingdoms, and then himself reign therein, but it is to destroy those kingdoms of the wicked one, and in their stead establish God’s kingdom. How came the kingdom or dominion of the earth the devil’s? “They were delivered into my hand,” says the wicked one.

What says the Divine record? As we have shown in a former number, God made man ruler over the whole under creation. He was its head. He had the authority from God to use and control it as he desired. God having once delegated authority to man, never reassumed it to himself. Hence man, in refusing to obey God, but rather to follow the dictates of the serpent, rebelled against God, and transferred his allegiance to the devil. He, as the head and rightful ruler of the world, and the founder of the kingdoms of the world, transferred, with his allegiance, the rule of the world from God to God’s great enemy.

The entire world, animate and inanimate, sympathizes in this change. The spirit of savage venom and brutish strife in the animate kingdom, and the briar, and thistle, and thorn in the inanimate, betoken the reign of the wicked one. These never had their growth in the kingdom of God, in which His will prevailed and His spirit animated. We have a strong persuasion, too, that when this world becomes the kingdom of God and of his Son, the briar, and thistle, and thorn will no longer grow, the venomous brute and the poisonous serpent will lose their devilish nature, and

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them…. The suckling child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’s den.

Isaiah 12:6, 8

The prevalence of this feeling of venom and spite in man or brute, and the tendency of earth to grow the thistle, briar and thorn indicate clearly that the ruler is the wicked one; his spirit animates; he is the source of the power, the prince of this world. Jesus Christ came into this world to rescue the world from the dominion of the wicked one, and bring it back to its allegiance to his Father. How will he effect this? By infusing his spirit and introducing his subjects into the kingdoms of the world until he is able to out vote and control the world through the kingdoms of the wicked one? Or by destroying the kingdoms of the wicked one and establishing in their stead a kingdom of his own?

Man has no power to rule himself, all power and rule must come from God or the devil. Every institution then of earth, intended to control man, not founded of God, must look back through man, the agent to the wicked one, the prince of the world, as the source from which it sprang. Can God then rule in and animate a kingdom that has His enemy and his rival for its founder? Does not his character and his dignity require that he should destroy the works and institutions established under the inspiration of the wicked one, and establish a kingdom of his own, in and through which he will rule the world?

In the days of these kings shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

Daniel 2:44

Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and power. For he must reign; until he hath put all enemies under his feet.

1 Corinthians 15:24-25

Every institution that exercises “authority, rule or power” over man, is a rival of Christ who claims sole author­ity, and must be “put down.”

He raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things in the church.

Ephesians 1:20-22

It is only through or in the church he is to be head of all things.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in high places.

Ephesians 6:12

Don’t Let the Ascension Go To Waste

On By Tyler BoydIn Christian Living, Christian's Relationship to Government, Kingdom Life, The Authority of God

There is often great emphasis placed on the death and resurrection of Christ. The ascension, however, is often underemphasized or misunderstood. The ascension is so much more than simply a miraculous levitation to the skies at the end of Jesus’s life. The ascension is an event with deep implications and real, tangible effects on the life of the church, highlighting His exaltation and authority.

The Ascension Turns Humility into Exaltation

Luke records the ascension as both the conclusion to his gospel and the starting point for the book of Acts:

While he blessed them, he departed from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

Luke 24:51-52

And when he said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Acts 1:9-11

Prior to this, Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-34). They were confused about why Jesus, whom they had hoped would redeem Israel, had to die on a cross. Adding to their confusion, they had heard the tomb was empty and rumors of his resurrection. Jesus rebuked them, explaining that the prophets had long anticipated this moment:

O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that they prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into glory?

Luke 24:25-26

Peter echoes this in Acts 3:19-21:

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, and that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

Both passages declare that the ascension was anticipated throughout the Old Testament as the moment when Christ’s suffering was turned into glory. On earth, Jesus suffered, but in heaven, He is glorified until the time of restoration.

On earth, Jesus endured the shame of the cross; in heaven, He has a name above every name (Phil. 2:8-9). On earth, He was obedient to death; in heaven, every knee shall bow to Him (Phil. 2:8, 10). On earth, He took the form of a servant; in heaven, He reigns as Lord (Phil. 2:7, 11). On earth, He was a man of sorrows; in heaven, He divides the spoil with the strong (Is. 53:4, 12). On earth, His soul was in anguish; in heaven, His soul is satisfied (Is. 53:4, 12). On earth, He was numbered with transgressors; in heaven, He intercedes for them (Is. 53:12).

The ascension was Jesus’s ultimate moment of vindication, where His humility was turned into exaltation.

The Results of the Ascension

When New Testament authors spoke of the ascension’s significance, they frequently referred to to Daniel 7 and Psalm 110.

In Daniel’s vision (Daniel 7), the dominion of “beast”-like kingdoms was taken away, and the trampled “Son of Man” was exalted, given a throne, and all other kingdoms and dominions were subjected to him:

I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
And to him was given dominion
and a glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:13-14

Similarly, Psalm 110 anticipates that the Messianic Lord would be exalted to a priestly role at God’s right hand, ruling over all enemies and shattering the authority of kings:

The LORD says to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”

The LORD sends forth from Zion
your mighty scepter.
Rule in the midst of your enemies!…

The Lord is at your right hand;
he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
He will execute judgment among the nations,
filling them with corpses;
he will shatter chiefs
over the wide earth.

Psalm 110:1-2; 5-6

These passages are the foundation for New Testament descriptions of the ascended Christ sitting at God’s right hand (Mk. 16:19; Acts 2:33; Heb. 10:12). Because of the ascension, Paul rejoiced in God’s power:

That he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

Ephesians 1:20-21

The resurrection gives us hope for a new birth (1 Pet. 1:3), but it is the ascension that places Christ at God’s right hand, with angels, authorities, and powers subjected to him (1 Pet. 3:22). The resurrection proclaims Jesus as the firstborn from the dead, but the ascension proclaims him as the rulers of the kings of the earth with everlasting dominion (Rev. 1:5-7).

The ascension allows Jesus to serve as our priestly intercessor (Rom. 8:33-34; Heb. 4:14; 7:24-27, 1 John 2:1), and to send the Holy Spirit (John 16:7; Acts 2:32-33; Eph. 4:8-10). The ascension is crucially important, because it was the moment when Christ was given all authority, in heaven and on earth (Mt. 28:18-19).

Christ’s Ascension Means Things are Different Now

Since Jesus has been exalted and now reigns with authority far above all other rule and power, the world order has fundamentally changed. While we still await the future day when the kingdom is delivered to the Father, and all enemies, including death, are subdued (1 Cor. 15:24-26), the ascension means Christ’s reign over the world has already begun. His exaltation is the firstfruits of the great harvest to come (1 Cor. 15:20-23).

Imagine the exalted Son of Man, reigning at God’s right hand, high above all rule, authority, power, and dominion, being consumed by a presidential election or worried about a city ordinance. It’s absurd! Psalm 2 reminds us, “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision!”? Have we forgotten the ascension?

The ascension reveals the truth about the cross. Before the ascension, the meaning of the cross was hidden and concealed, viewed as a shame and reproach, a demonstration of power by rulers and authorities. But the ascension reveals the suffering on the cross for what it really was and highlights it as the way to glory. Because of the ascension we can now see that humiliation and exaltation and intimately connected. Paul reminds us in Romans 8:

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesu is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”

How much less should we be concerned about  food, gas, and housing prices? If, as Paul says, “neither death not life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present not things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord,” how much less should we worry about a bad president?

The call to bear a cross for Christ is not a call to live as perpetually defeated. The call to endure suffering is not hopeless. Building up the Kingdom of Christ rather than seeking earthly authority is not “apathy.” The call to follow Christ’s suffering is not a “loser’s theology.” The ascension glorifies our sufferings, making them incomparable with the glory to be revealed (Rom. 8:18). Rather than avoiding suffering, we “suffer with him in order that we may be glorified with him” (Rom 8:17).

Do you believe in the ascension of Christ? Then why are you more vocal about politics than you are about Christianity? Why do you campaign more zealously for political candidates than for Jesus? Why do you defend political platforms more than the doctrine of Christ? Why are you more interested in the nation’s future than the church’s future? Why is earthly citizenship more important than heavenly citizenship? Why do you get more upset with someone who doesn’t vote than you are upset by someone committing sin? Why worry about having a voice heard in Washington when you already have an intercessor at God’s right hand? Why worry about what kind of country your children will live in more than their faith in the power of the gospel? Why fear suffering, persecution, or poverty? Why place so much confidence in conquered rulers?

Do you believe in the ascension of Christ? Then live as loyal citizens of the heavenly kingdom. Don’t let the ascension go to waste.

Suffering that Leads to Hope

On By Tyler BoydIn Christian's Relationship to Government, Kingdom Life, The Authority of God, The Resurrection

The Book of Daniel draws an important connection between Israel’s suffering and their hope for a better future. Central to this theme is the vision described in Daniel 7, where the Son of Man is depicted as being trampled by earthly kingdoms – visualized as terrifying beasts – yet ultimately exalted to reign with divine authority. Later, in the gospels, the phrase “Son of Man” became the most common way that Jesus referred to himself, indicating that Jesus viewed his mission as the fulfillment of the hope described in the book of Daniel. The purpose of this article is to explore how the book of Daniel provides an important perspective on faithful suffering and how this perspective is central to understanding the gospel.

Suffering in the Book of Daniel

Israel’s exile into Babylon serves as the backdrop to the events and prophetic visions described in the book of Daniel. The first part of the book (Daniel 1-6) describes the challenges faced by Daniel and his companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

The authorities assigned these men the task of learning Babylon’s customs and serving the very empire that had torn them away from their home. They could have abandoned hope in God and chosen instead to assimilate into Babylonian culture. Instead, then continually set themselves apart from the world around them by remaining loyal to God (cf. Daniel 1:8-9; 5:17). When the king demanded that Daniel’s friends bow to a large Babylonian image, they humbly and firmly refused, despite the looming threat of the fiery furnace (cf. Daniel 3:16-18). Later, when prayer to the LORD was declared to be a crime punishable by death in the lion’s den, Daniel still refused to hide or to stop offering his daily prayers (Daniel 6:4-11).

While living in Babylon, Daniel and his faithful friends refused to compromise their faithful loyalty to the LORD. Ironically, their willingness to remain faithful, even in the face of real danger and pain, continually resulted in their exaltation. Time and time again, they were honored and rewarded by the very kings whom they refused to serve (Daniel 1:19-20; 3:28-30; 6:25-27). Together, these famous accounts from the book of Daniel highlight the theme of faithful endurance, even while facing threats of suffering and violence. Rather than viewing suffering as a misfortune, the book of Daniel presents faithful suffering as the path to a better future.

The Vision of the Beasts (Daniel 7)

The stories of Daniel and his friends serve to explain, and are themselves explained by, Daniel’s wild vision described in chapter 7. The vision begins as Daniel sees four terrifying monster-like animals rise from the sea (Daniel 7:1-8). The fourth beast is described as the most terrible of all:

After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

Daniel 7:7

Daniel then looks and sees thrones where the “Ancient of Days” takes his seat, and the heavenly court sits in judgment over the beasts. The terrible fourth beast is destroyed and burned, and the dominions of the other beasts are taken away.

Once the beasts are judged, Daniel sees another figure, this time a human character, identified as the “son of man”:

I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:13-14

As we would expect, Daniel is greatly disturbed by this wild vision (Daniel 7:15). Thankfully, one of the spiritual beings from God’s court approaches Daniel and offers him an interpretation of what he was shown.

The Suffering and Exaltation of the Son of Man

The four beasts are identified as symbolizing the evil and destructive nature of four successive earthly kingdoms (Daniel 7:16-17). The terrifying fourth beast is depicted as kingdom that made war with, and prevailed over, the saints until the Ancient of Days pronounced judgment (Daniel 7:19-26).

The saints, however, would not remain defeated forever. The human figure, the exalted son of man, is identified as symbolizing the saints of the Most High, as they are given an everlasting kingdom.

But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.

Daniel 7:18

And the kingdom and the dominion
and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High;
his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Daniel 7:27

Just as Daniel and his faithful companions faced continual threats at the hands of the Babylonians, so also the kingdom of the fourth beast continually trampled and defeated the saints of the Most High. And just as Daniel and his friends were continually exalted to positions of increasing authority as a result of the faithful endurance, so the saints were ultimately rewarded with an everlasting kingdom that would never pass away.

As we reflect on this wild vision given to Daniel, we begin to see the significance of the times when Jesus identified himself as the “Son of Man.”

Hope through Suffering in Christ

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Mark 8:31

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will is profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.

Matthew 16:24-28

When Jesus used the phrase “Son of Man,” he was recalling both the suffering, defeat, and ultimate exaltation of the saints in Daniel’s vision, and claiming this pattern to explain his purpose.

In Christ, we see that suffering and death are not ends in themselves. They are not mere unfortunate realities to endure. As the book of Daniel demonstrates, faithful endurance of suffering is the pathway to future exaltation. It is not a misfortune to avoid, but a doorway to vindication in an everlasting kingdom. This perspective transforms how we view our own trials and suffering at the hands of earthly rulers and kingdoms in our own day. By embracing faithful, submissive endurance, as Jesus did on the cross, we follow him on the path to eternal hope and glory.

Following Christ means accepting self-sacrificial suffering as an necessary part of our journey. Just as Daniel’s visions foreshadowed, and Jesus’s life confirmed, it is through enduring suffering faithfully that we find our ultimate exaltation. This truth calls us to a life-changing understanding of what it means to follow Christ: that true discipleship is marked by a willingness to embrace the cross, knowing that through it lies the promise of resurrection to eternal life and citizenship in an eternal kingdom.

How Earthly Kingdoms Stand Against Christ

On By Tyler BoydIn Christian's Relationship to Government, Kingdom Life

Throughout Scripture, earthly kingdoms, such as Egypt, Canaan, Assyria, Babylon, and Rome, consistently oppose God’s kingdom. From Nimrod’s Babel to the “Babylon” in Revelation, this continual theme deserves consideration. What about today? How should Christians view and relate to the earthly nation in which they live?

What is an “Earthly Kingdom”?

The word “kingdom” is now seldom used to refer to modern political dominions, with terms such as “nations,” “countries,” or “states” being more common. Here, I use the phrase “earthly kingdom” to distinguish these political dominions from the heavenly kingdom over which Christ reigns as King.

Christians should take no issue with the idea of a “king,” or “kingdom” in general. Calling Jesus “Christ” means acknowledging Him as God’s anointed King, the world’s true Lord. Christians are not anarchist. In a sense, Christians are monarchist, submitting to Christ’s rightful reign and seeking first His kingdom.

While the preceding article “What Jesus Talked About the Most” focuses on Christ’s Kingdom, this article examines the other earthly dominions which are governed by earthly rulers. How should Christians, citizens of the heavenly Kingdom, think about and relate to earthly nations and their rulers?

Who Do Earthly Kingdoms Serve?

When Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness, the devil tempted him:

And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”

Luke 4:5-7

The devil claimed that he had authority over all the kingdoms of the world, and the ability to give those them to whom he wanted. Interestingly, Jesus never disputed this claim. Notice Jesus’s response:

You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.

Luke 4:8

That’s it. Jesus did not dispute the devil’s ability to make good on his offer. If Jesus did not recognize Satan’s capacity to do so, the offer would not have been a genuine temptation as the text portrays it to be.

In fact, everything else the New Testament says about Satan’s authority over earthly kingdoms supports the Devil’s claim. Satan is elsewhere described as “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11), “the god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4), and the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2). John states that “the whole world is under the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:9).

In Revelation, the “beast” worships the Dragon, from which the beast had received it’s authority (Rev. 13:4). The Dragon is identified as the Devil and Satan (Rev. 12:9). This “beast” is an image of earthly kingdoms from the book of Daniel and is identified with “Babylon,” or more precisely, those who in John’s day were exercising Babylonian type authority (Rev. 17:1-9). This “Babylon” is described as a “dwelling place for demons” (18:2), and Christians are warned to “come out of her” (18:4). “Babylon” and the other earthly kings and nations under her deception are ultimately judged and destroyed (Rev. 18:9, 23).

One of the primary ways Satan influences the world is through giving authority to earthly kingdoms, which are described as worshiping him, and are under his dominion.

How Do Earthly Kingdoms Maintain Power?

Earthly governments maintain power through top-down authority, coercing behavior through the threat of violence. As Paul noted, they “do not bear the sword in vain,” ruling through violence or its threat to punish those who would oppose them. Civil laws carry weight because disobedience is punished with fines, imprisonment, pain, or death. Without the threat of punishment, civil laws are powerless.

Jesus frequently contrasted His kingdom with the ways of earthly ones. While earthly kingdoms are described as persecutors, Jesus’s kingdom belongs to the poor in spirit, meek, merciful, and peacemakers.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:10

While earthly rulers “lord it over” and “exercise authority” over others, the greatest in Jesus’s kingdom is a servant.

You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But is shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant.

Mark 10:42-43a

While subjects of earthly kingdoms fight for the success of those kingdoms, Jesus’s Kingdom is seen as “not of this world” due to their refusal to fight.

If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this world.

John 18:36

Earthly kingdoms are by their very nature violent, relying on the power of the sword to gain and maintain the power to lord over others. Without the power of death, earthly rulers would be unable to enforce even the most basic laws.

How Do Earthly Kingdoms Oppose God?

When people assert the right to rule over mankind, they claim authority which God has reserved for His Son. As Isaiah prophesied, the government rests on His shoulders, with an authority and dominion that is without end.

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given
and the government shall be upon his shoulder…
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end.

Isaiah 9:6-7a

Jesus confirms this authority, stating, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Mt. 28:18). Earthly kingdoms exist because they do not recognize this authority. Instead of submitting to God’s rightful authority, they exalt themselves. Babylon’s attitude of self-exaltation is described by Isaiah as a rivalry the rightful authority of the Most High.

You said in your heart,
“I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
in the far reaches of the north;
I will ascend above the height of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.

Isaiah 14:13-14

When Israel asked for a king like the nations, this too was recognized as a rejection of God’s reign (1 Sam. 8:7). Jeremiah likewise warned them against learning the “ways of the nations” (Jer. 10:2) reminding them that there is no king like the LORD.

 Who would not fear you, O King of the nations?
For this is your due;
for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms
there is none like you.

Jeremiah 10:7

As plainly stated in Psalm 2, God recognizes earthly kings as standing against the LORD and against His anointed King.

Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying
“Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”

Psalm 2:1-3

Earthly kings who do not change their ways and submit to God’s Anointed will be destroyed (Ps. 2:10-12).

Why Are Earthly Kingdoms Important?

Although earthly kingdoms are described as serving Satan, ruling by the power of death, and standing in opposition to Christ, Christians must recognize that God still uses them to accomplish an important task.

While Christians are forbidden from avenging their enemies (Rom. 12:19-21), God does not permit evildoers to escape His vengeance, and He uses earthly authorities for this purpose, as ministers who execute His wrath on evildoers.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad… For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.

Romans 13:1-5

There are numerous examples in the Bible of God using earthly governments as his servants for this purpose. When Israel asked for a king like all the nations, God punished them by giving them what they asked for, a government like that of earthly nations (1 Sam. 8:22). God used the office of an earthly king to execute his wrath, just as he says in Hosea,

I gave you a king in my anger,
and I took him away in my wrath.

Hosea 13:11

Assyria is also described an instrument in God’s hands to execute His wrath. Interestingly, Isaiah makes it clear that God was able to use them as His ministera, even though they had no intention to serve God willingly.

Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger;
the staff in their hands is my fury!
Against a godless nation I send him,
and against the people of my wrath I command him,
to take spoil and seize plunder,
and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
But he does not so intend,
and his heart does not so think;
but it is in his heart to destroy,
and to cut off nations not a few.

Isaiah 10:5-7

Likewise, Jeremiah 50-51 describes how God used Babylon to punish Israel for their wickedness. Even the pagan King Cyrus was called “My shepherd who shall perform all my pleasure” (Is. 44:28).

Despite the wickedness of earthly authorities, God still uses them to fulfill His will on the earth. As long as evildoers continue, earthly kingdoms will play an important role, and must be submitted to for this reason.

There Is Another Way

When Jesus established his Kingdom, He did not do so by the pursuit of earthly political authority, but by dying on a cross at the hands those authorities. His refusal to fight for power shows His kingdom was different in nature from the kingdoms of the world (John 18:36). Jesus is a real king (John 18:37), but His kingdom gains and maintains its power the same way Jesus did, through faithful obedience, love, service, and sacrifice, submitting even to rebellious earthly authorities.

Peter urged Christians to disciples submit to pagan Roman emperor, not because they agree with their claim of lordship, but “for the Lord’s sake.” (1 Pet. 2:13). They trust that God can use these authorities as His servants (1 Pet. 2:14). By following Christ’s example of submissive suffering (1 Pet. 3:13-17; 4:1), His disciples faithfully trust in God’s ability to restore, confirm, and strengthen them (1 Pet. 5:10).

We submit to them, because they we that to Christ belongs the true “dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Pet. 5:11). Christians are called to submit to earthly authorities and their kingdoms, all while living as strangers and exiles whose citizenship is in Christ’s kingdom.

What Jesus Talked About the Most

On By Tyler BoydIn Christian's Relationship to Government, Kingdom Life, The Authority of God1 Comment

Many people assume the goal of Christianity is to go to heaven. However, throughout the New Testament, not a single sermon concludes with “if you follow these steps, you can go to heaven when you die.” Far more often we find sermons proclaiming Jesus’s status as the anointed King (Christ) and Ruler (Lord). For example, in Peter’s Pentecost sermon, he declared “God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36). Similarly, Peter preached to Cornelius’s household about “Jesus Christ,” who is “Lord of all” (Acts 10:36). Even in Roman custody, Paul tried to convince others about Jesus and the Kingdom of God (Acts 28:23). Jesus’s kingship and lordship are at the very heart of the gospel (Romans 1:1-4).

The New Testament mentions the “kingdom” over 150 times, more than twice the frequency of the word “church.” While it is certainly worthwhile to study what the New Testament teaches about the church and heaven, it is unfortunate that the kingdom does not receive greater emphasis in modern Christianity. This was not the case with Jesus, who talked more about the kingdom than any other subject.

Jesus Preached the Kingdom

The gospel authors consistently emphasize the Kingdom as the main emphasis of Jesus’s teaching. For example, Mark 1:15 summarizes Jesus’s preaching throughout Galilee in one sentence: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Matthew 4:23 describes him as teaching in synagogues and “proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.” Similarly, Matthew 9:35 and Luke 8:1 also highlight the kingdom as subject of Jesus’s message while healing diseases and afflictions. These passages all underscore the kingdom as the central focus of Jesus’s teachings.

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he taught them to pray about the kingdom (Mt. 6:9-13). Jesus instructed them to preach about the kingdom (Lk. 9:2; 10:9). His miracles, such as healing the sick and casting out demons, demonstrated that the kingdom was breaking into the world (Lk. 11:20). Jesus continually taught about how to enter the kingdom (Mt. 5:3; 6:33; Mk. 10:15; Lk. 13:3; 14:15-24; Jn. 3:3-5). Most of Jesus’s parables were used to explain the nature of his kingdom (Mt. 13:24, 31, 33, 34, 44, 45, 47; 18:23; 20:1, 22:2; 25:1; Mk. 4:26, 30, Lk. 13:18, 20).

Why did Jesus spend so much time talking about the kingdom? Because Jesus understood this to be the reason he was sent.

He said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”

Luke 4:43

What Is the Kingdom?

To put it simply, the Kingdom of God is the place where God reigns supreme and His will is done (Mt. 6:9-10). It is the “dome” (or “dominion”) over which God reigns as King.

Everyone in the first century knew what a “kingdom” was, but today we tend to use words like “nations,” “countries,” or “states” to describe political dominions. While modern rulers don’t typically use the title “King,” democratically elected rulers continue to hold similar authority to govern their respective states. Despite differences in how today’s rulers ascend to power, the concept of kingdoms and dominions with authoritative rulers persists in today’s world.

God also has a “kingdom” where choices are made in harmony with His will. Jesus, who is sinless, loving, and obedient, is the perfect example of what it looks like for God to reign over a person’s life completely. To enter his kingdom, one must be born again of water and Spirit, surrendering their life to continual imitation of Christ (John 3:3, Rom. 6:1-14; Phil. 2:5-8).

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done” (Mt. 6:10). God’s kingdom is where God’s will is done.

When is the Kingdom?

The Kingdom of God was not preached as a distant future event but as something imminent. John the Baptist and Jesus each preached that the Kingdom was “at hand” (Mt. 3:1-2; Mk. 1:15).

Similarly, in Luke 11:20, Jesus said,

But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Jesus even told his disciples that some of them would witness the coming of the kingdom in their lifetime.

Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.

Matthew 16:28

For this reason, it should be no surprise when Paul and John also speak as if Christians were already in God’s kingdom at the time of their writing (Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:9). While there is a sense in which we still wait for the ultimate appearing of his kingdom, when the kingdom is delivered to the Father, when death is no more and every tear is wiped away (1 Cor 15:24, 2 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 11:15; 21:3-4), the kingdom of God is not merely a future hope for eternal life. It is a real kingdom presently here on earth.

If God’s kingdom is here, where is it?

Where is the Kingdom?

When questioned by the Pharisees about the arrival of God’s kingdom, he answered them:

The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or “There!” for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.

Luke 17:20-21

Unlike earthly kingdoms with defined borders, Jesus’s kingdom exists anywhere things are done God’s way. Most of the world, filled with filled with war, violence, coercion, poverty, child abuse, sex trafficking, theft, injustice, hatred, and more, stands in opposition to God’s kingdom. But there are places where God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

Jesus clarified to Pilate that while his kingdom is not of earthly origin, and is not sustained by earthly means, it is nonetheless a real kingdom, where Jesus reigns as a real King.

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I may not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this world.”

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth – everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

John 18:36-37

Jesus’s kingdom is as real as any other kingdom, and it is on earth now. If you want to know where God’s kingdom is, look to the places where people have reborn by both water and Spirit, and are heeding Jesus’s voice.

Who is the Kingdom?

Before identifying who is in the Kingdom of Christ today, it is helpful to differentiate this kingdom from the kingdom of God as it is otherwise described in the Bible. All that God did prior to the establishment of the Kingdom of Christ was done with that purpose in mind.

In the sense of rightful authority, all creation belongs to the Creator. But in the garden of Eden, something pivotal happened. Adam and Eve, rather than obeying the voice of their Creator, obeyed the voice of the Serpent. In so doing, they ceded authority to him who would eventually lead the whole world astray. In this sense, Satan too has a kingdom. But his kingdom only exists because he has usurped authority which did not at any point rightfully belong to him.

Since that time, two kingdoms have existed side by side, God’s and Satan’s, each bidding for mankind’s allegiance. After rescuing Abraham’s family from slavery in Egypt, God ruled over His kingdom of Israel through the law of Moses. Even as God anticipated a king (Deut. 17:14-20), He warned against the attitudes and actions which would defy his ultimate authority. Unfortunately, Israel rejected God’s reign, choosing instead to imitate surrounding earthly kingdoms (1 Sam. 8), leading to Israel’s decay and punishment (Hosea 13:11).

It was during this period of decay when the prophets announced that God would establish a new eternal Kingdom, where God would reign through His anointed King (Is. 9:6-7). Daniel too spoke of a Kingdom that was coming that would cut in pieces and destroy other earthly kingdoms (Dan. 2:36-45; 7:13-14).

Jesus was and is the fulfillment of this hope for a Kingdom. Paul refers to those who “boast in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ” as the new “Israel of God” (Gal. 6:14-16), and Peter refers to Christ’s church as “a holy nation” (1 Pet. 2:9). That’s because Jesus has made them to be, “A kingdom of priests for God” (Rev. 5:10).

What Kingdom Are You a Citizen Of?

Salvation is much more than simply going to heaven. It includes rescue from the political forces and evil structures of this world which have aligned themselves with Satan (Col. 1:13; 2:15; 1 Jn. 3:8). The fact that Jesus established a Kingdom means that people are now forced to choose which Kingdom they pledge their allegiance to. We may be “born” into an earthly nation, but we are “born again” into God’s Kingdom.

It is important to note that the Bible rejects the concept of a “dual citizenship,” emphasizing that Christians live as foreigners, strangers, or exiles in their earthly nations. Our citizenship is not on earth, but in heaven (Phil. 3:20). The faithful are those who acknowledge themselves as strangers and exiles on the earth (Heb. 11:13). Christians are exiles, and as such, they are to abstain from the passions of the flesh which characterize the world (1 Pet. 1:17; 2:11).

The Kingdom of God is here now. This truth lies at the very core of the gospel which Jesus proclaimed, and it should be central to our message as well.

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.

Mark 1:15

“The Church of God Among the Nations” by David Lipscomb

On By Tyler BoydIn Christian's Relationship to Government, Restoration

The Gospel Advocate; February 27, 1866

Has the separation that was established and perpetuated by God through a period of four thousand years, between God’s institutions and subjects and the human institutions of earth and their subjects, been obliterated in the dispensation for which all dispensations were given—the dispensation or reign of the Lord Jesus Christ? It is a universally received idea, we believe, among the students of the Bible, that there is not a lesson taught in God’s dealings with his people under His fleshly dispensations, not a principle vindicated, that was not intended more, for effect upon the perfect, spiritual kingdom of the “fullness of the times” than for immediate effect upon the temporal kingdoms to which they were given. The prime object of all those lessons of separation was to have their permanent effect upon the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ. Is God less jealous of the sanctity of his eternal kingdom, established and reigned over through his anointed Son, than he was for the mere preparatory ones established and ruled through his frail, weak, sinning, human subjects? Our work, certainly, is sufficient, after having shown this separation, unless authority can be produced for uniting that which God hath sundered. But we again call attention to the positive teachings of the Holy Spirit directly upon the relationship they sustain toward each other.

For the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord.

Jeremiah 25:31

In which the fact is presented of a “controversy between God and the nations.” This controversy is undoubtedly with reference to the question: Who shall govern the world? Who shall rule man? God or the governments of the world? The result of this controversy is, “he will give the wicked,” those who maintain the government of the nations instead of the government of God, “to the sword.”

We next call attention to the teachings of the Holy Spirit through Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar. In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream or vision, the workings of human governments, their history and destiny, and the connection of the Church of Christ with them is plainly foretold by God and revealed by Daniel. In the vision of the image of the man, with a golden head, a chest of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron and feet of iron and clay, is presented the four kingdoms of earth, that were to attain to universal sway, and rule the world. The head of gold typifies the kingdom of Babylon, of which Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful and illustrious ruler. It, with all its power, must be destroyed and its golden treasures and exalted honors become the prey of its despoilers. It is succeeded by the Medo-Persian empire, that rises on the ruins of its predecessor, attains universal sway, subjugates the world, and in turn, itself is broken and destroyed, to be succeeded by the third or brazen empire of Greece, whose mighty, conquering head, weeps that other worlds are not within the reach of its destroying and bloody sword. But with all of its mighty power it must soon be stripped of its powers and honors, a lifeless corpse, weltering in the blood of its own children. For the Roman empire strong as iron which “breaketh in pieces and consumeth all things,” commences its work of ruin and destruction. With it the vision of earthly, human empire closes. It indeed is broken in the pride of its strength and the glory of its power.

What human government, then, will be able to stand? No other human government can ever attain to universal dominion. All the governments of earth, to-day, are but the broken, discordant fragments of this once mighty empire. In their iron strength they linger out a lengthened existence even when dissevered, oftentimes exhibiting a mighty prowess that bespeaks them true to their origin, but by continual conflicts and ever worrying strife, are wearing themselves away, wasting their strength and making room for the kingdom which the “God of Heaven set up in the days of these kings.” Their mission, from the prophetic history, was to destroy one another, and under the rulings of God’s providence to give those who upheld them “to the sword.” Their destiny was to be destroyed. The end of the vision was:

A stone cut out of the mountain without hands, smote the image upon the feet, that were of iron and clay, and broke it to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff or the summer’s threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them, and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

Daniel 2:34-35

The interpretation of this was, that:

In the days of these kings [the Roman] shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

Daniel 2:44

Here again the mission of these nations is distinctly set forth and their connection with the Church of Christ well defined. They were to be destroyed by the working of this kingdom, which the God of Heaven should set up, and the broken fragments as the chaff of the summer’s threshing floor to be blown away, so that no place for them should be found.

In contrast with the lesson that has been taught with reference to the destruction of the earthly kingdoms, the Kingdom of Heaven, “shall never be destroyed.” “‘The kingdom shall not be left to other people.” Another point of contrast. It has been taught that these earthly kingdoms, with all their riches and honors, should become the prey of their despoilers. Not a kingdom or government of earthly mold but in its overthrow or conquest, has been, with all its powers, possessions and honors, regarded and appropriated as the prey of the despoilers. But not so with the God-ordained kingdom. It was not to be left as a prey to other people, but with all its riches, honors, and priceless treasures, it is to be the perpetual heritage of its own meek and lowly children. No despoiler’s hand can deprive them or their rightful heritage in this kingdom, for God, its founder, is the guardian and protector of all its possessions. But the true omission of the Kingdom of God, with reference to the earthly kingdoms, is expressed in the next clause. “But it shall break in pieces and consume all these,” Its mission then, as distinctly set forth in this prophecy, is to break in pieces, consume and destroy all the kingdoms of earth. A spirit of perpetual antagonism is here developed, between God’s Kingdom and every form of human government. “God has a controversy with the nations.” An irrepressible conflict rages between the Government of God and all the human institutions of earth, which can only cease by the complete triumph of the one and the utter annihilation of the other. God will and can accept no doubtful fealty—no divided allegiance. He reserved to Himself the right to govern man. “To Him every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess.”

The object of God then in establishing his Church or Government was to destroy all the governments and institutions of man, and through his Church, and only through it, rule and control the world. The church’s relationship to the world-powers and institutions of man must be in harmony with this—its chiefest mission. It cannot be one of alliance with and support to any of these institutions. It cannot, at one and the same time, both uphold and destroy an institution. Its first mission is to destroy all authority and power, and rule and bring the world in subjection to its great King. It is only to be remembered in this contest that the “weapons of its warfare are not carnal, but mighty, through God, to the pulling down of strongholds.” The little stone cut out of the mountain without hands was to fill the whole earth, so that no pace could be found for the image or any part of it. The Kingdom of Heaven will destroy all these earthly kingdoms and so engross the feelings, affections, time and labors of the denizens of earth, that no room or place will be found for the service of the earthly kingdoms. They are perishing. “It shall stand forever.”

The obligations and duties of the members of the Church of Christ, can in no manner conflict with this prime work and mission of the church itself. They cannot uphold what it must destroy. In doing this they war against the church, for it is through its members that the church accomplishes her work. If we thwart the workings of God’s church, we fight against God himself. But says one, “This antagonism was predicated only with reference to the kingdoms then in existence, not with reference to those which should afterwards arise.” The four kingdoms of Nebuchadnezzar’s vision are the only human kingdoms that have ever attained to universal sway. They are placed in contrast with the fifth universal kingdom—the Church of God. Evidently these strongest of all earthly kingdoms are made choice of as embracing and typifying all the institutions of human mold in their principles, workings and destiny. We doubt whether there has been brought into existence a single form or principle of government that did not find its first development and application in one of these four universal kingdoms. Indeed all the governments of earth are but the fragments and off-shoots or this last empire. What was true of the nature and destiny of this as a whole, is equally true of each of its different, dissevered parts. It is noteworthy that no two of these universal empires could exist at once in their fully developed power. As the one arose the other gradually decayed, wore away, disappeared and made room for its successor. Since the establishment of the Church of Christ, no human institution has ever made even a respectable effort to attain to universal dominion. The tendency has been to weaken the bonds that bind nations together, to disintegrate and separate. The attrition and friction of perpetual conflict and war will continue to weaken and wear out their strength and vigor, so that as the Church of Christ advances they will vanish away, and when it shall have accomplished its perfect work and attained to its full proportions, they will have been entirely destroyed. So that man owing allegiance only to God’s government, will render no divided service. His Kingdom will fill the whole earth. God will rule in and through it, and thus be all and in all.

But the prophecies of Daniel are even yet more replete with instruction upon these subjects. The dealings of these empires with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and their deliverance from the furnace, the trials of Daniel, and the closing of the Lion’s mouth, the banishing of Nebuchadnezzar from the throne, his seven years of beastly life, and the final complete destruction at once of his kingdom and all were intended to teach one clear, specific truth, that all these human kingdoms were in their very nature opposed to the rule and dominion of God, but that their highest exaltation wrought their deepest humiliation, with all their might they must come to naught. The very divisions that were to take place in this mighty iron empire—the last and strongest of earth, under the types of the heads and horns, are pointed out, their nature and work designated and the destruction of each one plainly foretold. The disposition of those was, to “speak great words against the Most High; to wear out the Saints of the Most High; to think to change times and laws;” but the end, notwithstanding, for a time this power was to be granted to them, was to be “the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end” or to a complete destruction.

And the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heavens shall be given to the people of the Saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Daniel 7:27

“The Old Testament Kings and God’s Justice” by David Lipscomb

On By Tyler BoydIn Christian's Relationship to Government, Kingdom Life, Restoration

The Gospel Advocate; February 20, 1866

In our investigations we have found that God, at all times, kept a wide gulf of separation between his Jewish kingdom and subjects, and the world-institutions by which they were surrounded. No alliances—no af­filiations—no courtesies as equals with the man-governments or their subjects, were never engaged in without receiving a signal mark of God’s displeasure. May his subjects not have adopted some government of their own, and have harmonized it in spirit with his laws, and have thus received his approbation? In the beginning, as we have found, God gave the law, perfect and complete, in the most minute particulars. He left no room for human legislation—for the exercise of human discretion.

The law was, ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes… Whatsoever things I command you, observe to do it; thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it.

Deuteronomy 12:8, 32

Yet we find in later ages a changed govern­ment, altered institutions among the Jews. How did these changes come about?

It came to pass when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges in Israel. His sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes and perverted judgment. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel unto Ramah, and said unto him, behold thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us, like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said give us a king to judge us: and Samuel prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel, “Hearken unto the voice of the people, in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.”

1 Samuel 8:1

He tells them the consequences of this course. But still ordains they shall have a government of their own to punish them for their folly in becoming dissatisfied with God’s government and desiring a human one. If the Jews would ever have been justified in interpolating human laws and human expedients into the Divine government, it certainly was when those institutions of God were perverted to base and unlawful pur­poses, and his officers failed to do their duties. We see that the desire of a man-government even then amounted to a rejection of God as their king and ruler.

The introduction of this human polity was the main cause of Israel’s many sins and rebellions in her history, of the long bloody family feuds between Israel and Judah, brought upon her, her sorrows and woes, her sad overthrow and long and cruel dispersions as fugitives and outcasts among the nations of the earth. This king, as their head, was the chief cause of turning them from the law of God. We find Saul, David, Solomon, Hezekiah all approved of God in their private walk, so elated with pride at their wonderful exaltation, that they violated God’s law themselves and led their subjects into sin.

If the best among these kings caused their subjects to sin, and weaned their affections from God, divided their allegiance, diverted their sense of responsibility from the law of God to the law of the king, what must have been the fatal effects of her more corrupt and wicked princes. We find them continually leading them away from God’s law into sin. At their return from captivity in Babylon, under Ezra and Nehemiah, it was said in Ezra 9:2, “The band of the princes and rulers have been chief in this trespass,” that had brought them into captivity. It was Hezekiah’s forgetfulness of God’s law in his anxiety to be courteous and friendly with the King of Babylon, that pro­duced the second captivity. Hosea speaking of this same rejection of God and choosing an earthly king, says:

O Israel, thou hast des­troyed thyself; but in me is thy help. I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all the cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes. I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.

Hosea 13:9

Your dissatisfaction with my appointments as I gave them was your ruin. To punish you for this, I gave you a king who oppressed you, who involved you in difficulties, brought upon you war, trouble, famine, and slaughter, but when under this punishment, you failed to humble yourself and repent, but waxed worse and worse in your sin and rebellion, in my wrath I took from you your king and left you deso­late, without either a Divine or human head, a prey to all your enemies, to be scattered over the face of the earth, a by-word and a hissing among all the nations, as a perpetual warning to all families, kindred, tribes and tongues, of the folly and sin of becoming dissatisfied with Heaven’s appointments.

God, to some extent at least, recognizes this earthly king as a rival of himself, and indicates the impossibility of man’s having both, a Heavenly and an earthly king. He clearly indicates that the Jew could not have another king, and at the same time be regarded as the subjects of Heaven. We find that the Jew was prohibited of God from either mak­ing alliances with human governments formed by nations not of God’s people, or of adopting into the government he had made for them, institutions of their own devising. He was God, and He their only King, ruler, law-maker—they could have none other. To have another was to reject God.

What thing soever I command you, observe to do it. Thou shall not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Deuteronomy 12:32

We thus find that God kept his subjects aloof from all connection with the world, or human governments. He considered his alliances with these institutions as adulteries in his espoused wife. In Ezekiel 23, under the type of the two sisters, Aholah and Aholibah, in their whoredoms, he represents Judah and Israel in their alliances with the world-governments. In their punishment by their lovers he typifies their punishment inflicted by those nations with whom they formed alliances.

But in process of time this nation of God is so corrupted by these earthly, human institutions and alliances, that God will no longer forbear with them. He abolishes this national institution, and in its place estab­lishes his universal and eternal spiritual kingdom. “What relationship does this new and eternal kingdom sustain to the world-institutions by which it is surrounded and with which it comes in contact?” is the ques­tion of prime importance in our investigation, and one which, in importance to the well being of the church is not transcended by any known to the Christian world. The Jewish dispensation was the type of the Chris­tian kingdom. The Christian kingdom or church superseded the Jewish and occupied the same position with reference both to God and the world that refused submission to Him, that the Jewish did.

Paul in his letter to his Roman brethren, says the Jews, through unbelief, were broken off, and the Gentiles, through faith, were grafted in. Without determining what is the special position from which the Jews was broken or cast, and into which the Gentile was grafted, it suffices our present purpose to note that just the position with reference to God and the world, from which the unbelieving Jew was broken, the believing Gentile was grafted in. The Jewish institution was the type of the spiritual, teaching through God’s dealings with it, how He would deal with the church, this could not be so unless they occupied the same relationship to God and the world. God’s dealing with the Jew in one relationship, could not teach us how he would deal with the Christian in a dissimilar one. The treatment of the out­ward nations by the Jews could be no lesson to us as to how we should act towards the unbelieving unless we occupied a like position with reference to them.

These things being so, and God having, through a period of four thousand years, kept a deep and wide gulf of separation between his people, his nation, his kingdom and the human kingdoms of earth with their subjects, having, under every possible form and on every occasion, besought and warned his children against such associations or affiliations; against alliances, individual or national; against relying upon the human institutions for aid or help in any of their difficulties, having shown that the help of the human institutions was weakness, confusion and ruin to them—in a word, God having separated them in every possible manner, and on every possible occasion, he did it all, not for them, but to teach us that Christians must be a separate and distinct people.

With all these teachings, through so long a period, so repeatedly, emphatically and distinctly set forth, it certainly is true, that without some positive net or declaration of God connecting or uniting them, the government of God with its subjects, must forever remain separated from the world-institu­tions with their subjects, with no alliance or affiliation, no participation of the one in the affairs of the other. Upon him that would connect them, the responsibility of showing when and how God united them, and what that union is, certainly devolves. We shall, in our next, examine the Scriptures to see if they have been so united.

Christianity and Economics, Part 10: Were the First Christians Socialists?

On By Tyler BoydIn Christian's Relationship to Government, Economics

Click here to read other articles in the Christianity and Economics series.

There are numerous economic problems with socialism, as was argued in part 9 of this series. Because of the incentive problem, the knowledge problem, and the economic calculation problem, socialism will always fail to live up to it’s promise to provide a more abundant life.

But some will defend socialism or socialistic economic policies because of Christian ethics. Advocates for socialism are often driven by attitudes of goodness, generosity, a willingness to share, gentleness, and compassion. Since Jesus taught his disciples to act charitably towards the poor and oppressed, it is argued that Christians should advocate for socialist economic policies. Even if an economic case were made to show that socialism fails to increase wealth, Christians must be willing to sacrifice wealth for the sake of others. After all, “Man shall not live by bread alone” (Deut. 8:3; Mt. 4:4).

Two passages are often pointed to as a scriptural foundation for socialism, both of which describe the early church in Jerusalem.

And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts.

Acts 2:44-45

Two chapters later we read of what appears to be a communal pooling and sharing of resources in the early church.

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 4:32-37

The Ethical Problem with Socialism

The primary ethical problem with socialism is that it violates God’s prohibitions against theft. As was discussed in detail in Part 5, the commandment, “You shall not steal” (Ex. 20:15; Deut. 5:11) means that people do not have the right to take other people’s property.

What’s more, the Bible teaches that rulers are not free to establish their own standards of right and wrong. They are bound by the same moral laws as everyone else. Kings are expected to act justly. This means they cannot exact gifts or tributes.

By justice a king builds up the land,
but he who exacts gifts tears it down.

Proverbs 29:4

Jeremiah emphasized the moral obligation of rulers to act justly. Their position of authority in no way permitted them to steal or murder.

Thus says the LORD: “Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.”

Jeremiah 22:3

Psalm 2 warns kings not to cast off God’s authority over their lives, but rather to submit to God’s anointed King.

Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.

Psalm 2:12

If is for this reason that kings are not permitted to commit murder or theft.

One example that illustrates this truth is the account of King Ahab, the wicked king of Israel. Ahab committed both theft and murder, specifically in the case of Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 21). When Ahab desired Naboth’s vineyard and offered to buy it, Naboth refused. Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, then orchestrated a false accusation against Naboth resulting in his stoning. As soon as Ahab learned of Naboth’s death, he immediately claimed the vineyard as his own. In response, God, through the prophet Elijah, condemned Ahab for his actions.

I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the LORD. Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.

1 Kings 21:20b-21

This account serves as a clear reminder that rulers are accountable to God for their actions and are expected to abide by the same moral laws as every other human being. It is for this reason that socialism is not an option for the Christian. The prohibition against theft disallows for any sort of state-mandated socialism. Since people are not permitted to take the property of others, the state has no moral right to collectivize other people’s property.

The Voluntary Nature of Christianity

What then should we make of the two passages from Acts previously quoted? Clearly, those early Christians were engaged in the voluntary sharing of their possessions. Their property was not confiscated by either the governing authorities or the church leaders.

The text is clear that Ananias and Sapphira were not punished for owning property which they refused to contribute to the church community. They were struck down for lying about it. Peter even points our that they did not have to lie, because it was their property to start with. It could have remained unsold if they had chosen.

While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? After it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it then that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God. – Acts 5:4

Acts 5:4

The ethical problem with socialism does not lie in the distribution of goods, but in the forcible redistribution of goods. The state is not a god, capable of distributing goods it creates out of nothing. It must first seize ownership of land, labor, and/or goods from others. The state cannot give to one person what it does not first take from someone else.

We must not confuse sharing and generosity with socialism or socialistic policies. Sharing is voluntary. Socialism is not. Sharing expresses love. Socialism does not. Sharing is self-sacrificial. Socialism sacrifices others against their will. Sharing is Christ-like. Socialism is not.

Although the early church is a wonderful example of sharing, it offers no justification for socialism or socialistic practices. Regardless of the motives of those who push for socialistic reforms, socialism violates the economic laws which God built into creation, and it is thus doomed to result in waste, poverty, and strife (Part 9). Although socialism can sometimes help some people, it can only do so by taking from others. For this reason, socialism is an ethical evil which should find no support from those who honor God’s law.

The Real Problem With Christian Nationalism

On By Tyler BoydIn Christian's Relationship to Government

Bad arguments for correct positions often do more harm than good arguments for incorrect positions. This certainly seems to be the case with many of the popular criticisms against Christian nationalism. It’s not uncommon to read that Christian nationalism is wrong because “it suppresses minorities” or because “it is racist” or because it motivates political violence or “insurrection.”

The problem with focusing only on the most unreasonable extremes is that it leaves the door open for Christians to adopt a more reasonable and balanced version of Christian nationalism. Many Christian nationalists simply believe that their government should look out for the best interest of its citizens, and the best way to do that is by encouraging their government to uphold godly values. They don’t try to suppress minorities, enforce Christianity by the force of law, and would never “storm the capital”. Since many of the popular attacks don’t accurately depict the most common forms of Christian nationalism, it’s no wonder why many find those attacks unconvincing.

Christian nationalism is wrong, but not for the reasons many popular arguments would have you believe. The real problem with Christian nationalism is that it misses the fundamental distinction between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world.

Before accepting Christian nationalism in any form whatsoever, I encourage you to carefully consider the following passages.

1 Samuel 8:1-22

Although God originally formed his people as the unique nation of Israel, they were different from other nations in that they had no king other than God himself. Eventually, the Israelites grew tired of being different and so they asked for a king “like the nations” (8:5). Why did Israel want a king? Because they wanted someone to fight their battles for them (8:20).

The problem with Israel’s nationalism was that of trust. Israel wanted a human ruler because they no longer trusted in God to continue to fight their battles. That’s why God viewed Israel’s request as a rejection of his own kingship (8:7). Ultimately, God gave them their request. Over the next several centuries, Israel’s nationalism led to continual political conflicts, failed alliances, and ultimately to exile.

This passage reveals something very important about how God views the nationalistic desire for governing authorities to fight our battles. While this passage makes it clear that God is the head of all rule and authority (cf. Col. 2:10), and he institutes them for his purposes (cf. Rom. 13:1), he does so only as a concession to humans who cannot trust in him to fight their battles for them. Since humans insist on having governments, God uses them as ministers to accomplish his purposes (Rom. 13:1-5). But this does not mean that God approves of them. Often times God used wicked nations (such as Assyria or Babylon) as his ministers to punish Israel, only to turn around and punish them for their evil (e.g. Is. 10:5-15). Governments are under the influence of Satan (Lk. 4:5-7), but nevertheless, when people turn to earthly rulers, God permits them to have their way and uses those governments to accomplish his purposes.

Jesus, on the other hand, rejected the devil’s offer to take control of the kingdoms of the world (Mt. 4:8-10), refused to use his power to secure political power, and ran away from those who tried to make him a king (Jn. 6:15). Jesus came to destroy Israel’s nationalism by breaking down the wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles (cf. Eph. 2:11-18).

Psalm 33:16-17

The king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
and by its great might it cannot rescue.

Even after God allowed Israel to have a king, he still opposed their nationalism. He stressed that the security and success of his people was not to be found in the king, but in God himself.

When David wrote “Blessed in the nation whose God is the Lord” (Ps. 33:12), he did so in the context of opposing Israel’s nationalism (which ironically is nearly the opposite of how many Christian nationalist will use the verse today.) David was saying that people are blessed when they trust in God to be their Lord as opposed to turning to earthly rulers (33:10-11).

Isaiah 40:15-17

Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
and are accounted as the dust on the scales;
behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust…
All the nations are as nothing before him,
they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.

Although this passage doesn’t necessarily forbid Christian nationalism, it should greatly reduce the temptation by reminding us of the greatness of the Lord’s sovereignty in comparison to the meaningless nations. When people believe that the nations hold supreme influence on the course of the world, it is understandable why they would place a good deal of importance on influencing those nations for good. But for those whose eyes are fixed on the Lord there is continual peace, for they know that regardless of what unfolds in politics, whether good or bad, the Lord will use the authorities as his ministers to accomplish his good purposes (Rom. 13:1-5).

Matthew 20:25-28

But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The quest for ruling power characterizes the world, but it must not characterize Jesus’ disciples. Christian nationalism, even in its very best and most reasonable form, is ultimately about influencing earthly powers to govern and rule in a particular way. Christians should have no part in wielding this kind of power.

John 18:36-37

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

When Jesus announced “My kingdom is not of this world,” Pilate then interpreted his words like many do today, as if Jesus was only speaking figuratively. He asked “So are you a king?” But Jesus, with no hint of confusion, weakness, or compromise responded, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born.”

Apparently, the idea of being a king and establishing a real kingdom was a big deal to Jesus. What’s more, this kingdom is primarily distinguished from the kingdom of the world in that its citizens do not fight in the same way citizens of earthly kingdoms fight.

Strangers and Foreigners

Most Christians believe in a two-kingdom concept in some form or another. Jesus made this clear in Matthew 22:15-22. The Pharisees in this passage tried to trap Jesus by asking him about the matter of paying taxes to Caesar. It is here that Jesus replied, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Most any Christian will acknowledge that there is a distinction between what belongs to Caesar and what belongs to God, although they will sometimes disagree where that line of distinction is drawn. But the early Christians drew that line with a decisive stroke.

Peter spoke to Christians as if they did not belong to the earthly kingdoms in which they lived.

And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourself with fear through the time of your exile.

1 Peter 1:17

Peter would later refer to them as “sojourners and exiles” (2:11).

The book of Hebrews likewise encouraged Christians to follow the examples of those who by faith “acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” (Heb. 11:13). Paul held to the same ideas as can be seen in the following passage.

2 Timothy 2:3-4

Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian disputes, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.

Paul told Timothy that a Christian should view themselves as a loyal soldier in the Lord’s army, not distracted by concerns outside of his domain. He reminded Timothy that a soldier does not have the time, nor the right, to involve himself in the affairs of the country in which he finds himself. Why? Because his relationship to that county is that of a foreigner. Christian nationalism is no more appropriate for a Christian than German nationalism would be for an American soldier stationed in Germany.

Nationalism, in it’s most basic and defendable form, suggest that nationalism is reasonable because citizens are right to concern themselves with the affairs of their own country before concerning themselves with globalist affairs of foreign nations. Yet it is this very logic which renders Christian nationalism unreasonable since Christians are citizens of a different kingdom.

Christian Nationalism is Backsliding

Other scriptures could certainly be added to this list, but the point should be clear. Christianity isn’t merely non-nationalistic. It is anti-nationalistic. The early Christians didn’t merely fail to transform Rome into a Christian nation, they viewed themselves as strangers and exiles living in a foreign country. The Bible doesn’t merely fail to support Christian nationalism, it warns Christians against it.

Come out of her [Babylon] my people,
lest you take part in her sins,
lest you share in her plagues.

Revelation 19:4

Advancing God’s kingdom today requires that we remain distinct from the world (Jn. 15:19). Christian nationalism, in any form whatsoever, is backsliding because it blurs the line of distinction between the church and the world, between foreigners and citizens, and between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world. To seek to build up nations reverses what Jesus accomplished when he established a kingdom that would rule over all nations, and one day will ultimately triumph over all earthly rule and authority (1 Cor. 15.24).

Just as Old Testament Israel rebelled against God when they demanded a king, Christians express a lack of trust in God when they embrace Christian nationalism. Christians are citizens of a different kingdom (Phil. 3:20). It’s time we live like it.

Roe v. Wade and the Temptation To Do Good

On By Tyler BoydIn Christian's Relationship to Government, Kingdom Life1 Comment

On June 24, 2022 the Supreme Court made the wonderful decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. When the news broke it was immediately recognized as a time for celebration for Christians, and for good reason. But along with the positivity, there’s been another side of the Christian response which has been troubling. That is, many Christians have pointed to this as evidence of the good that Christians can accomplish by pursuing political influence and power. It is argued that Roe v. Wade would have never been overturned without Christians using the political strategies and choices that were necessary to bring about this change.

Although I unapologetically celebrate the Supreme Court’s decision, I do not believe that Christians should look to earthly power as the primary, or even as one of the ways to bring about good in the world. Not only do I whole heartedly oppose abortion, I also believe that the kingdom of God must be kept distinct from the kingdom of the world; not only in what we say is wrong, but also in how we fight against what we recognize as wrong. As a believer in moral absolutes, I believe abortion is wrong and is destructive to society. I also think it is important for Christians to heed the warning of Psalm 146:3, to “put not your trust in princes.” As a Christian, I celebrate the Supreme Court for their decision which could potentially save millions of lives, and I call on Christians to faithfully follow the way of Jesus, who rejected earthly political influence in order to establish a kingdom which is not of this world.

Yes, I know I’m being redundant. But that’s because some Christians still just don’t get it. Let me make myself perfectly clear: I oppose abortion. Abortion is murder. Abortion is selfish. Abortion is immoral. Christians should actively fight against evil, and abortion is evil. But none of this should be viewed as justification for Christians to fight against evil in ways that blur the distinction between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world. This is precisely what most (if not all) activities and decisions made in the pursuit of earthly power cause Christians to do.

A Kingdom Not Of This World

My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.

John 18:36

When Jesus claimed “My kingdom is not of this world”, He pointed to the observable fact that his disciples were not fighting to substantiate that claim. Of course, you could say that in a sense Jesus’s entire ministry was a fight against evil. But even still, Jesus’s disciples were not fighting in the same way that other revolutionaries would fight.

When Jesus used the phrase “of this world” He was not speaking of the geographic location of His kingdom, but rather He was referring to the world’s way of doing things. For example, Jesus said He came to testify against “the world” because its deeds are evil (Jn. 7:7). Elsewhere, John would say, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). The contrast between “of this world” and “not of this world” is referring to the world’s ways of doing things and a godly way of doing things.

If Jesus’s disciples had a reputation of fighting in the same way the world fights, Jesus’s claim would have been completely meaningless. Can you imagine Pilate’s response if this had been the case? “What do you mean your kingdom is not of this world? Then why is Peter standing out there handing out picket signs at the political rally? Why did Matthew just send a donation to a Roman senator? And why is Simon recruiting more zealots?” But as it was, Jesus’s disciples were not fighting, and so Jesus’s teaching stood with the weight of observable truth.

Yes, Jesus’s early followers, like us, also had an earthly citizenship. But despite the fact that they lived under subjection to the kingdoms of this world, their distinction from the world remained apparent. They were “in” the world but not “of” the world.

Scripture drives home this distinction when it teaches us to view ourselves as soldiers stationed in a foreign country, and thus refuse to let ourselves get entangled in “civilian pursuits” (2 Tim. 2:4). It teaches us to view ourselves as “strangers” and “exiles”, just like Abraham did (Heb. 11:8-10, 13-16; 1 Peter 2:11).

Note this carefully – preserving our “exile” status is at the very core of who we are. That’s why Scripture repeatedly stresses the fact that we are called to be a “holy” people (2 Cor. 6:17), indicating that we are to be “set apart” (Ps. 4:3). Like Israelites coming out of Egypt to be “set apart” for God, Christians are instructed to “come out” of Babylon (Rev. 18:4). We are to be holy in the same way that God is holy. Our holy and distinct relationship with the world should be every bit as holy and distinct as Jesus’s relationship with the world.

Our Mission

It’s important to understand that I’m not arguing that Christians should adapt an escapist position, where we simply isolate ourselves from societal problems such as abortion. When God called Israel to be a “holy nation”, the purpose was not to isolate them from other nations. Israel was to be a holy nation so that they would serve as a light to the other nations (Isa. 49:6; 55:4-5, etc). God’s plan was always to bless all nations through Abraham’s family (Gen. 12:1-3).

So too, Christians are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Mt. 5:13-16). But in order for us to be salt in the world, we must maintain our distinction from the world.

If salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

One way we maintain our holy distinction from the world is by refusing to pursue ruling authority over others. That’s the way the world tried to accomplish great things, but Jesus explicitly instructs us not to seek that kind of power.

You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But is shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Mark 10:42-45

God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten Son (John 3:16), and we are to imitate His love for the world by imitating his self-sacrificial behavior (Eph. 5:1-2). If we really love the world, and want to make a positive difference in the world, we would do well to love the world in the same way God did. The reason we are not to be “of” the world is so that we can be “for” the world.

We are not simply called to do “good”. We are called to be faithful. We are called to “imitate Christ”. We are called to be holy.

Jesus and the Temptation to Do Good

Paul says that we must be careful not to be outwitted by Satan’s designs (2 Cor. 2:11). With this in mind, we would be wise to reflect on how Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, so that we do not fall into a similar trap.

The Devil tempted Jesus by offering him all the kingdoms of the world (Luke 4:5-8). The Devil essentially offered Jesus what he came to get (Mt. 28:18-20), but by way of an immediate shortcut that would bypass his sacrificial death on the cross.

Think about it. Without having to suffer and die, Jesus could have immediately taken all the kingdoms of the world into his possession. Can you imagine how much “good” Jesus could have done if he had accepted Satan’s offer? He could have quicky overturned every evil law in Roman society. Jesus could have immediately outlawed abortion throughout the world. The Devil’s temptation would not have been a temptation if there was not a lot of “good” wrapped up in it.

Yet Jesus refused. Why? Because Jesus did not come just to give us an improved and more “godly” version of the kingdoms of this world. Instead, Jesus came to bring a kingdom that is not of this world. In fulfillment of Psalm 2, Jesus came to replace “the kingdom of the world” with “the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.” (Rev. 11:15-18). He didn’t just come to fix the kingdoms of this world. He came to put them out of business, thus turning all nations to him.

As tempting as the immediately good consequences may have been, Jesus refused to lose the radical distinction of his Kingdom in exchange for the Satan-ruled kingdom of this world. No matter how much good he could have done. He refused to rule like the Gentiles did. If we are dedicated to following Jesus’s example, we must resist the temptation to trade our holy mission regardless of how much “good” we might think we can accomplish by using other means.

Continue the Fight

Abortion is a great evil. Its existence testifies to the fact that Satan is, in a very real sense the “ruler of the world” (Jn. 14:30; 16:11), “the god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:1-4), and the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:1-2). Abortion thrives only under Satan’s “domain of darkness” (Col. 1:3). That’s why it is so important that in our fight against abortion, we are careful not to be “conformed to this world” (Rom. 12:2).

So what do we do now? Christians should continue the fight against abortion as they have done in the past, yet without the pursuit of earthly power. Keep finding ways to serve the poor and the needy in your community. Keep inviting them into your homes. Keep supporting single mothers. Keep volunteering at pregnancy crisis centers. Keep adopting. Keep getting involved in foster care. Keep donating to children’s homes. Keep praying. The church has long led the charge in these type of actions, and that must continue. Yes, all of these things require a degree of personal sacrifice, but imitating the sacrificial savior is precisely what sets us apart from the world. Because of the gospel, sacrifice is how we believe we will win.

If we want to see Satan’s dominion weakened, we must remain faithful to God’s kingdom. Two thousand years ago, Jesus pointed to his disciples’ refusal to fight as proof that his kingdom was not of this world. When Jesus looks at our fight against abortion, does he see that our actions still bear witness to that truth?