Jesus cited the fact that His disciples were not fighting for His self-defense as the proof that His kingdom was not of this world. When Jesus was facing trial before Pilate as a suspected Jewish revolutionary, Pilate gave Jesus a chance to explain His actions. In response, Jesus didn’t simply proclaim “My Kingdom is not of this world”; He pointed to the non-violence of His servants as proof to substantiate His claim.

Two thousand years later Jesus’s kingdom is still not of this world. But can we prove it like Jesus did? Can we still point to His disciple’s refusal to fight to bear witness to this fact?

Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me? Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My Kingdom is not of this realm.” Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a King?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world to testify  to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” – John 18.33-37

What Did Jesus Mean By “Not of This World”?

A commitment to nonviolence is at the heart of Jesus’s definition of His Kingdom. Of course the differences between the Kingdom of God and earthly kingdoms go far beyond whether or not the servants of those kingdoms fight or not. There are many ways in which the Kingdom Jesus preached is “not of this world.”

• Their source of authority is different. Earthly kingdoms are led by men, while Jesus’s kingdom has its authority in heaven.
• Their ability to influence the behavior of their citizens are different. Earthly kingdoms seek to reform behavior by use of outward force, while Jesus’s kingdom seeks to inwardly transform hearts.
• Their boundaries are different. Earthly kingdoms are divided by geographic or racial boundaries, while Jesus’s kingdom is universal in nature.
• Their source of power is different. Earthly kingdoms look to the power of the cross (or other weapons used to impose the threat of death), while Jesus’s kingdom looks to the power of the cross (i.e. the willingness to submit to death).

But of upmost importance, we must not miss the one key difference that Jesus actually points to in His answer.

• Their response to evil is different. “If my kingdom were of this world, then My servants would have been fighting”

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 nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 Jn. 2.15).

The contrast between “of this world” and “not of this world” is referring to a worldly way of doing things and a Godly way of doing things. The commitment of Jesus’s followers to nonviolence is at the heart of this difference.

Jesus Proved It. Can We?

Jesus didn’t just claim that His Kingdom was not of this world. He pointed to the observable fact that His servants were not fighting as proof.

If my kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.

Just a short time earlier He has rebuked Peter when Peter attempted to come to his defense (Jn. 18.10-11).Had Peter, or any of the other disciples been fighting at the time, Jesus’ claim would have been completely meaningless. Can you image Pilate’s response if such had been the case? “What do you mean your Kingdom is not of this world!? Then how do you explain the actions of your disciples!?” But as it was, Jesus’ disciples were not fighting, and Jesus’s teaching stood with the weight of observable truth.

Did Jesus Really Teach Non-Violence?

Did Jesus really teach that his disciples should totally and universally reject fighting? Or did Jesus teach that His disciples should refuse to fight in limited situations, while acknowledging the right of the sword to earthly kingdoms?

The argument goes something like this:

“When Jesus said, “If my kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting”, he acknowledged the right of worldly kingdoms to use violence. By implication, if He and His servants were defending an earthly kingdom, then they would be fighting. Fighting in defense of earthly kingdoms should therefore be seen as at least permissible, and possibly even necessary. As Christians, we are subjects of the kingdoms of this world (Rom. 13.1). Therefore while it is never right to fight for the sake of His non-worldly kingdom, Christians may fight to defend the kingdoms of this world.”

Some Considerations

I know of many faithful Christians who sincerely strive to rightly divide the Scriptures who have arrived at an understanding similar to this. In fact, I myself once held to this limited nonviolence view, and I did so with a most sincere faith. The considerations I wish to offer must not be read as “judgmental” towards anyone who holds that view or had acted upon that view. I wouldn’t want to have my faith unfairly judged by any of my brothers or sisters, and I assure you, that is not the intent of these considerations. Due to my belief that my Christian brothers and sisters who hold this view do so out of a love for truthfully understanding Scripture, I invite you to wrestle with some of these objections.

If you can answer these objections with satisfaction, you will continue to hold your view with even more confidence. If such is the case, I hope you will share with me your counter-objections so that I too can continue to strive for a better understanding.

If perhaps you cannot think of a good answer for these objections, for the sake of truth, I hope you will continue to ponder and meditate on these verses with a humility that will accept whatever truth is to be found therein.

1. Jesus did not express approval for fighting for earthly kingdoms

The argument is based upon an unproved assumption: that it is right for all servants of worldly kingdoms to fight for those kingdoms. The argument acknowledges that it would be wrong to fight for the kingdom of God. In this argument, the rightness or the wrongness of fighting depends on the nature of the kingdom being defended.

However, if the text is studied carefully it is seen that Jesus was making a clear distinction between the nature of His kingdom and the kingdoms of the world, between the servants of His kingdom and the servants of the Kingdoms of the world. He simply stated, without approval or disapproval, the recognizable fact that servants of earthly kingdoms fight for those kingdoms, while His servants were not fighting for His kingdom. If it is right to fight in the defense of worldly kingdoms, that position must be proved elsewhere in Scripture. It cannot be assumed from John 18.36.

2. The servants of Christ of whom He spoke were also subjects of an earthly kingdom

The argument holds the position that Christians are right to fight for earthly kingdoms because of their dual citizenship and dual allegiance to both the kingdom of God and to their earthly government. Therefore since they are in both kingdoms, they have responsibilities towards both kingdoms. Just as Christians stand in defense of the Kingdom of God, so they should also stand in defense of their earthly kingdom.

Yet we must remember that the non-fighting servants of Jesus also had earthly citizenship in the nation of Israel, yet they still refused to fight. They were “in the world” (Jn. 17.11), but they were not “of the world” (Jn. 17.16). The distinction between Jesus’s servants and the servants of earthly kingdoms remained despite the fact that they were subjects and servants of an earthly kingdom. If we were to draw any implications from Jesus’s words, we must say “The servants of the kingdoms of the world (with the exclusion of Jesus’s servants, who though “in the world” are not “of the world”) fight for those kingdoms.”

3. The thing that makes Jesus’s kingdom “not of this world” is the character of the servants

We cannot say that it is wrong to fight for the kingdom of God because of its spiritual nature, but it is right to fight for earthly kingdoms because of their physical nature. When Jesus drew a distinction between His kingdom and worldly kingdoms, the distinction did not rely on the nature of the kingdoms themselves, but rather on the nature of the servants of those kingdoms.

The spiritual nature of God’s kingdom does not prevent anyone from fighting for it. Theoretically, if someone decided to use violence in defense of the principles of God’s kingdom, they could. They could easily pick up a gun and fight against someone in the name of defending  spiritual principles of justice, righteousness, feeding the hungry or limiting the spread of evil in the world. In fact, people fight for Godly ideals such as these all the time. That doesn’t make it right, but it is certainly possible to fight for the principles and ideals of the kingdom of God. The nature of the Kingdom of God and its spiritual principles does not prevent anyone from fighting for it, except to the extent that its nature has changed the nature of its servants.

Christians love their enemies (Mt. 5.43-36), leave judgment to God (Rom. 12.17-21), pursue “peace with all men” (Heb. 12.14), and follow in the nonviolent steps of Christ (1 Pet. 2.21-24). This character does not change when they are called to defend a kingdom of an earthly nature. That is because their commitment to Christ never changes. If anything, they see the threat of earthly enemies as an opportunity to make the distinction between earthly kingdoms and God’s kingdom even more profound.

Jesus’s kingdom is not of this world. Can we prove it?

The political violence and hate demonstrated in Charlottesville over the weekend was as predictable as it was tragic. One person was killed, and dozens others were injured, and hateful rhetoric continues to be spewed back and forth between the different sides. In a society where politics is seen as the answer to almost every problem, battle lines are frequently drawn, goodwill is quickly eroded, and the very worst in people is often brought to the surface.

When such battle lines are drawn it is dangerously easy to over simplify matters of good and evil. It is dangerously easy to condemn Antifa with its violent left wing rhetoric. It is dangerously easy to vilify the alt-Right, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and fascists. Everyone is expected to pick a side. It is dangerously easy to turn certain politicians into the devil, or to turn the media into a slew of demons. It is dangerously easy to typify “those like us” as basically good and “people like them” as basically evil. We tend to turn ourselves into angels and our opponents into Satanic forces of evil. It is easy to think this way and far more convenient than having to step back from the rhetoric we continually see on social media and think clearly about right and wrong.

The Real Enemy

Jesus was born into a society where thoughts of revolution and war were brewing. Political violence was becoming more and more common. Israel thought of themselves as the “good guys.” After all, they were “God’s chosen nation.” The Romans were the bad guys. People longed for a “Messiah” who would raise an army and throw off the yoke of gentile oppression once and for all and thus usher in the promised “last days” and “age to come.” Every few years a self proclaimed “Messiah” would come along, gain some support, and try to do just that – usually resulting in crucifixion and bloodshed at the hand of the Romans.

Then comes Jesus. Jesus was also ready to fight a battle, but it wasn’t the battle people were expecting Him to fight. It wasn’t even the same kind of battle. In fact, based on the Sermon on the Mount we see that fighting itself, in the normal physical sense, was precisely what Jesus was not going to do. Jesus was fighting against a different kind of enemy all together.

Jesus saw Himself as fighting a battle against Satan and his evil spiritual forces.

And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan. – Mark 1.13

What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him. – Mark 1.27

He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who he was. – Mark 1.34

Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall down before Him and shout, “You are the Son of God!” And He earnestly warned them not to tell who He was. – Mark 3.11-12

The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul”… “And He called them to Himself and began speaking to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand… But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.” – Mark 3.22-27

Immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him…He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”…

And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea. – Mark 5.1-20

And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. – Luke 10.18

And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day? – Luke 13.16

Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat. – Luke 22.31

The devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him… After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. – John 3.2, 27

For all the things I don’t understand about Satan, unclean spirits, and demons, one thing is certain: Jesus recognized the reality of dark spiritual forces at work in the world.

If we will take a moment and recognize the existence of Satan and his spiritual forces, and if we consider that Satan is capable of influencing “us” as well as “them”, then our focus should shift. In all four gospels, Jesus only directly addresses Satan by that name two times. The first time was during the wilderness temptations (Mt. 4.10). The other was when he was rebuking one of his closest friends for resisting God’s plan (Mk. 8.33).

When we see conflict between two parties, it is not a simple as just picking a side. If we will learn to view the world in light of this spiritual reality, the battle lines shift. It is no longer a battle between “us” and “them”. The battle is between God and Satan.

With this new reality in view, enemies can be seen as within reach of God’s blessings. And our allies, those whom we have always thought of as fighting on the “right” side, suddenly need to be examined a little closer.

The Real Battle

Jesus recognized that He came to fight a war. It wasn’t a war of independence from the Romans. It wasn’t a revolution against King Herod. He didn’t join a fight for national freedom. He didn’t go to war against oppressive and hateful political powers. He didn’t seek to overthrow corrupt local leaders.

The real battle was far deeper, far more significant, and far more important. Jesus was in battle against Satan himself. And though Satan certainly used the Romans and influenced the Jewish leaders, Jesus continually remembered that Satan was not one to be identified with any of these.

It was necessary for Him to keep his mind set on this truth, for had Jesus turned and identified the Romans or the Jews as his enemy, and opposed them rather than opposing Satan, He most certainly would have lost the real battle.

The Real Victory

If Jesus saw Satan as the real enemy, how did He suppose the battle would be won? Early in His ministry in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had pointed forwards to how this battle was to be won. The enemy would be defeated, not by a political victory over his opponents, but rather by turning the other cheek, going the extra mile, and demonstrating love towards his enemies (Mt. 5.38-48). This is how the Kingdom of Heaven would be established and the victory would be won.

Of course the end result of such so-called “foolishness” is predictable. Everybody knows what happens to people who don’t fight back: the bad guys win and the good guys lose. The fact that Jesus ended up being crucified should strike us as no surprise.

And yet, it was in this “loss” to his so called “enemies” that the real victory over the real enemy was secured.

By refusing to resist evil, Jesus refused Satan. By resisting the opportunity to revile his enemies in return, Jesus resisted Satan. By withstanding any desire to threaten his enemies, Jesus withstood Satan. When Jesus overcame the cross, He overcame Satan. By his willingness to “lose”, the real victory was won. “By His wounds, you were healed.” (2 Peter 2.22-23).

What this means for Charlottesville

What does all of this mean for Charlottesville, and all the other political conflicts we see in the world? It means that it is time for us as Christians to fight. Or as Peter put it: “arm yourselves!”

Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with this same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. – 1 Peter 4.1-2

Or consider the way Paul summed up this warfare:

Stand firm against the schemes of the devil, for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Put on the full armor of God! – Ephesians 6.11-13

We are at war. But it is eternally important that we recognize who the real enemy is. We are in a battle against Satan. To defeat Satan we must arm ourselves, but not with just any weapon of our choosing. The weapon we must take with us is the mindset of Christ. The armor we must put on is the armor of God.

If we go to war against the wrong enemy, we will of necessity have to take up the wrong weapons. If matters are oversimplified, the only path to victory over hate, is with hate; the only victory over violence, is with violence; the only victory over political power is to seize political power. If we seek to win the battle against the wrong enemy we will lose the war against Satan.

To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in Spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for this very purpose – 1 Peter 3.8-9

(You can go back and read a preliminary article, “After Life: Where Do Christians Go When they Die?” here.)

The Christian hope is for a bodily resurrection from the dead.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. – Philippians 3.20-21

Observe:

• We are waiting for Jesus to come from heaven
• When He does, He will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body
• He will do this by the authority that He possesses to subject all things to Himself.

This, right here, contains in a nutshell what the whole New Testament teaches about the subject of resurrection. The risen Jesus is both the model for the Christian’s future body and the means by which we will receive that body.

Similarly notice Colossians 3.3-4:

You have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

Observe:

• Going to be with Jesus in some sort of invisible, hidden existence, is not the final hope.
• In fact, we are already “with Christ in God” right now, in a hidden secret way.
• What will change is that our secret and hidden existence with Christ will be revealed. It will become unhidden. It will become visible.

Perhaps the clearest passage on the bodily resurrection can be found in Romans 8.9-11:

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Observe:

• If the Spirit of God dwells in you…
• Then the same Spirit that rose Jesus’ body from the grave…
• Will give life to your mortal bodies.

Paul was not the only New Testament author who wrote of the resurrection.

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are the children of God, and it has not appeared as what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. – 1 John 3.1-2

Once again, the resurrected body of Jesus, with all its glory and purity, will be the model for our own transformed bodies.

John records Jesus making some of the clearest statements about the resurrection:

Truly, truly, I say unto you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgement, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. – John 5.25-29

All who are in the graves will come forth! Just as Jesus’ body was not left in the grave, so also, when we receive our new bodies, will our graves be emptied. His body somehow used up the substance that was left in the grave. Our current body will not disappear, nor will those old bodies be left in the grave but rather will be transformed to be as He is.

No study of the resurrection would be complete without considering Paul’s letters to the Corinthians.

In 2 Corinthians 4.7-10, Paul compares our current bodies to jars of clay. Currently, in these bodies, we are afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, struck down, always “carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus.”

In verse 16-18, Paul reminds us that the reason we do not lose heart is because of the coming eternal glory. Paul then continues his discussion by comparing our bodies to temporary, earthly “tents”, and contrasting that with our future, permanently built “house” of a body.

For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. – 2 Corinthians 5.1-5

We are going to put off our earthly tent (or tabernacle). There is a new house, a new dwelling place, a new body that is waiting for us in heaven with God. We earnestly wait to be clothed with this new body from heaven. Our current, mortal bodies will be swallowed up in life.

Observe: When we receive our new bodies, we will not be clothed less than we are now. We will be clothed more than we are now. If Paul is right (and he is), right now we are only a shadow of our future selves. Our future bodies will be even more real, even more complete, and far more permanent than our current bodies.

Two Different Types of Bodies

And finally we come to 1 Corinthians 15, the most complete discussion on the resurrection found in Scripture.

Apparently there were some in Corinth who were denying that our bodies would actually be resurrected from the dead. Paul discusses just how central this is to Christianity.

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. – 1 Corinthians 15.16-20

Not only is the resurrection a reality, but the harvest of the resurrection has already begun. Christ is described as the “first fruit”. He is the model of what is to follow with the rest of us. Our graves will be empty like His. Our bodies will be raised like His. We will have bodies like his.

Paul continues to address objections to this idea by demonstrating that our future body will be different from our current body. To speak of a bodily resurrection does not imply that our future bodies will be exactly like our current bodies.

It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written, ‘The first man’, Adam, ‘Became a living soul.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. – 1 Corinthians 15.42-45.

Our current bodies are dishonorable and weak. They are described as “natural”. The Greek word here is “psyckikos”, sometimes translated “physical”. That is, a body that is animated or governed by the “psyche”, the Greek word for “breath” or “soul.” (Notice the comparison to Adam, who was a “living soul”).

Our future bodies are described as glorious, powerful, or “spiritual.” The Greek word for “spiritual” is “pneumatikos”. That is, a body that is animated or governed by the “pneuma”, the Greek word for the “Spirit”. (Notice the comparison to Jesus, the second Adam, who became a “life-giving spirit”).

Unfortunately, in the English language “physical” and “spiritual” are often used to denote “tangible” from things “non-tangible”. Therefore some have used this verse to suggest that our future existence will be less than bodily.

Notice carefully that Paul did not compare a physical body with a spiritual non-bodily existence. Paul compared two types of bodies. One type of body will be animated by man’s soul, and the other type will be animated by God’s spirit. If we are to be animated and governed by the Spirit, this necessitates that we have some sort of body that will be animated.

Will it be different from our current bodies? Absolutely. When Jesus was given a resurrected body, he could do some pretty weird things, like showing up in a room with his disciples without opening a door to come in (John 20.19-20). Yet He most certainly existed in a Spirit-governed, tangible, bodily existence; a body which could be touched and which could eat fish (John 21.12-14).

Why This is So Important

As Paul concludes his discussion of the resurrection, he does not say, “So therefore, it doesn’t really matter what you do here and now with your body, because one day we are all just going to die and go to heaven, somewhere above the bright blue, in some sort of non-bodily existence, floating on clouds and playing harps forever.”

He says:

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. – 1 Corinthians 15.58

Belief in the bodily resurrection includes the belief that what we do right now with our bodies is important. The work we do for the Lord will not simply be left behind us in the grave. But rather because our bodies will rise again and be incorruptible, what we do right now in our bodies matters. Because of the resurrection, we have work to do, work that is not in vain. The Christian hope is not looking forward to the day when we fly away from our bodies to somewhere above the clouds, but rather our victory is found in the bodily resurrection from the dead.

O death, where is your victory;

O death, where is your sting?

My mom was killed most unexpectedly in a car crash in May 2013. We buried her in a quiet grave yard in rural Tennessee, behind the Old Philadelphia church building with a view of Ben Lomand Mountain rolling beautifully in the distance. The evening following her funeral, my family gathered inside that old church building to sing hymns.

When you step inside the Old Philadelphia building, you step back in time. This building, built in the early 1800’s, with creaky wooden floors, uncomfortable wooden pews, and oil lamps above each window, stands as a memorial to many of the faithful Christians who have worshiped there over the last 200 years, many of whom are buried in the same field as my mom.

My whole family was there; my grandparents, my fiancée, my siblings, my aunts and uncles, my cousins, and my dad. But we all knew somebody was missing.

As we sat there singing, my mind kept questioning: Where was my mom? Of course we knew her body was in the grave, but where was she? I wondered, if in some sort of spiritual sense, if my mom was there in that old church building with us, singing right along. Was she in some sense aware of what we were doing? Did she have any sort of spiritual consciousness at all? What is heaven like? What is paradise like? In what way is her existence right now, as dead, different from what her existence will be like after the judgment day when Christ returns?

As I sat there singing familiar songs about heaven, my mind drifted to all the other faithful dead Christians lying in that field. I’ve never met any of them, but I know I hold a common bond, a common faith, and a common hope along with them. Could they hear us sing? Were they cheering us on? Had they met my mom yet?

And then as my mind continued to wonder, I had an almost creepy thought: What will that field be like on the resurrection day? I shuddered to myself as I imagined zombie-like creatures coming out of the graves. Then again, I tend to think that the resurrection day will be much more glorious rather than creepy, but the mystery and unknown of what all that day will entail has continued to capture my imagination.

All of these weird thoughts and questions have stuck with me. I feel as though I will never be able to answer most of these questions, at least not in this life. But every time I think about my mom, my mind goes back to these thoughts. What is the Christian hope? What will it be like when I get to see my mom again?

The Redemption of Our Bodies

Romans 8:23 describes the Christian hope simply like this:

And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

The Christian hope is for the resurrection from the dead.

The Biblical description of this hope is very different from what many people think the Bible says about heaven. Many people have this idea of dying, and then going directly to either heaven or hell, in a direct, post-death journey. Here, in heaven, Christians will enjoy some sort of spiritual, non-physical, non-bodily mystical (or perhaps angelic) existence with God and the angels. This existence in our minds is very vague and difficult to understand in light of the physical world we now enjoy, but it is trusted that it will be worth it.

Some people hold to a very similar view, but they understand that there will be a preliminary stop on the way to heaven. This belief goes something like this: upon death, Christians go to paradise. Then, at the end of time, on the judgment day, when the world is destroyed (and with it, all that might remain of our current bodies), faithful Christians will complete their journey into heaven where they will enjoy some sort of spiritual, non-bodily existence (or if we do have a new body, it will be an unimaginable, non-tangible kind of “body”).

Both of these misconceptions leave out the very important Biblical teaching of the resurrection from the dead. Or at the very least, they try to incorporate the resurrection as a small detail, or perhaps only a symbolic description of the eternal life we will one day enjoy.

Consider the lyrics to some of the songs we frequently sing.

There’s a beautiful place called heaven
It is hidden above the bright blue
Where the good who from earth ties are riven
Live and love an eternity through.

Above the bright blue, the beautiful blue,
Jesus is waiting for me and for you.
Heaven is there, not far from our sight,
Beautiful city of light.

“Above the Bright Blue” – Charles Pollock, 1903

Somewhere, Somewhere,
Beautiful Isle of Somewhere!
Land of the true, where we live a-new,
Beautiful Isle of Somewhere!

“Beautiful Isle of Somewhere” – Jessie Pounds, 1897

O they tell me of a home far beyond the skies,
O they tell me of a home far away;
O they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise,
O they tell me of an unclouded day

“O They Tell Me of a Home” – Josiah Alwood, 1890

Some glad morning when this life is o’er,
I’ll fly away;
To a home on God’s celestial shore,
I’ll fly away.

“I’ll Fly Away” – Albert Brumley, 1932

What do all these songs have in common? They all describe the Christian hope as heaven, where loved ones are currently waiting for us. We are told there is a beautiful isle that is somewhere above the bright blue, and this heaven is the ultimate Christian hope.

Yet, none of these songs mention the resurrection from the dead. It’s not that these songs outright deny the resurrection, but the resurrection is at best marginalized into a minor detail not worth mentioning while we continually sing about and emphasize the ultimate hope of heaven.

If we commit ourselves to describing the Christian hope using Biblical terms, we find that the resurrection from the dead is not just a small, insignificant detail. It is not as if we are buying a car that happens to not have power windows. If we miss the resurrection of our bodies from the dead, we are missing the engine that drives the whole vehicle of our hope.

What Happens to Christians When They Die?

How does Scripture describe death? What happens to Christians immediately upon death but prior to the resurrection day? Do they have a continued existence right now? If so, how is that existence described, and where do they currently exist? Can we rightly say that “Christians go to heaven when they die?”

The Body Remains Asleep and Lifeless

James compares dead faith to a dead body.

For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. – James 2.26

Upon death, the body of the Christian lays in the grave motionless and spiritless. Death is therefore sometimes referred to as falling asleep.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. – 1 Thessalonians 4.13

Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep. – Acts 7.60

That is, the body itself is asleep. It is lifeless. This sleep can be described as a “rest.”

And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them. – Revelation 14.13

The Christian Departs

Although the body lies dead, there is a part of the person that continues on after death. Paul spoke of his death as if he himself would be departing on a journey.

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. – 2 Timothy 4.6

So the question is “where do we depart to?”

For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better. – Philippians 1.21-23

We are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. – 2 Corinthians 5.8

Just as Paul expected to depart and be with Christ, similarly we read the words of Jesus Himself to the thief on the cross:

And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in paradise. – Luke 23.43

So what happens to Christians when they die?

• Their bodies are dead, remaining asleep, breathless, spiritless and lifeless.
• They themselves depart, and are separated from their bodies, and go to be with Christ.

Does this mean that Christians can expect to “die and go to heaven”?

Although the Bible never uses the word “heaven” to describe our destination upon death, I don’t have a problem with those who wish to describe this temporary destination with that word. After all, Jesus is currently “seated at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven”, and we are departing to be “with Christ”.

So is it fair to say that dead Christians are currently in heaven? Sure. But would it not be simpler to describe this temporary destination in the same way the Bible describes it? The Bible describes this temporary destination as being “with Christ” in a place that Jesus referred to as “paradise.”

According to Scripture, there is some sort of continued, non-bodily existence after death and prior to the resurrection. Some will call this “life after death.” Some may describe this as “flying away” to a “beautiful isle of somewhere” that is “above the bright blue.” This is a place where we can anticipate that “loved ones are waiting for me and for you.”

But it is very important to realize that this is not the end of the story. “Going to heaven when we die” is not the final Christian hope. This is not what the New Testament teaches is the final destiny for Christians. For Christians, our hope is found in the resurrection of our bodies.

For more on the resurrection, please continue reading “Life After-Life: The Redemption of Our Bodies.”

Not every minister of God serves God willingly. God often uses people to carry out His will in the world. Quite often people do not realize that God is using them as His ministers. In their minds, they are pursuing their own desires and answering to no one but themselves. Yet God still uses their rebellion to accomplish His purposes in the world.

The following four examples illustrate the important implications of this truth.

The Assyrians

Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hands is My indignation,
I sent it against a godless nation
And commission it against the people of my fury
To capture booty and to seize plunder,
And to trample them down like mud in the streets.
Yet it does not so intend,
Nor does it plan so in its heart,
But rather it is its purpose to destroy
And to cut off many nations…

So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness.”
For he has said,
“By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this,
For I have understanding;
And I remove the boundaries of the peoples
And plunder the treasures,
And like a mighty man I brought down their inhabitants,
And my hand reached to the riches of the people like a nest,
And as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth;
And there was not one that flapped its wings or opened its beak or chirped.”

Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it?
Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it?
That would be like a club wielding those who lift it,
Or like a rod lifting him who is not wood. – Isaiah 10:5-7; 12-15

Assyria was God’s instrument to punish Israel. God’s authority over Assyria was so complete it could be compared to an axe, a saw, a club, or a rod in the hand of one using these tools. God was using Assyria as His tool to accomplish His will.

Assyria did not know they were serving God’s will, neither did they have any desire to do so. In fact their desire was contrary to God. Their arrogant hearts were set on destruction. Their only intention was to serve their own desires.  When God needed to give a violent punishment, He chose a violent people.

The LORD had made everything for its own purpose,
Even the wicked for the day of trouble. – Proverbs 16:4

God’s decision to use Assyria to minister to His will does not mean that He approved of their evil ways. Once He was finished using them for His purpose in Jerusalem, He would punish them for their arrogance. Just as no axe can exalt itself over the one who chops with it, neither would Assyria be able to escape unpunished.

From Isaiah 10 it is seen that God can use wicked, unwilling servants to accomplish His will. Sometimes it is the wickedness of nations that makes them especially fitting for the work that God has in mind. God does not force anyone to act wickedly by controlling their choices, but once those choices are made, God can use their wickedness as an instrument of His wrath.

The Babylonians

Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Because you have not obeyed My words, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants and against all these nations round about; and I will utterly destroy them and make them a horror and a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. Moreover, I will take from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness…

‘Then it will be when seventy years are completed that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,’ declares the LORD, ‘for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation. – Jeremiah 25.8-10, 12

Here God refers to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, as “My servant.” Nebuchadnezzar was a prideful, idolatrous, pagan ruler. Though not a willing servant, Nebuchadnezzar was a servant of God nonetheless. Notice the phrases “I will send”, “I will utterly destroy” and “I will take.” He was a servant of God in the sense that God was using Nebuchadnezzar to accomplish His purposes.

Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians would then be punished for their wickedness. Later in Jeremiah (especially chapters 50-51), God identifies the nations He would use to punish the Babylonians. These too could be described as “unwilling servants.”

Cyrus, King of the Medes

It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd!
And he will perform all My desire.’
And he declares of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built,’
And of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’

Thus says the LORD to Cyrus His anointed,
Whom I have taken by the right hand,
To subdue nations before him
And to loose the loins of kings;
To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut;
I will go before you and make the rough places smooth;
I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars.
I will give you the treasures of darkness
And hidden wealth of secret places,
So that you may know that it is I,
The LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.
For the sake of Jacob My servant,
And Israel My chosen one,
I have also called you by your name;
I have given you a title of honor
Though you have not known Me.
I am the LORD, and there is no other;
Besides Me there is no God.
I will gird you, though you have not known Me;
That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun
That there is no one besides Me.
I am the LORD, and there is no other. – Isaiah 44.28-45.6

Here Cyrus is referred to as “My shepherd” and “His anointed.” Just as God had used the Assyrians and the Babylonians to accomplish His purposes, so also He would use Cyrus.

Yet God said of Cyrus, “you have no known me.” Cyrus was a pagan authority, who did not willingly serve God. He did not even know God. Yet He was still used by God as His minister.

Finally, notice the purpose to which God would use Cyrus. Cyrus would act as God’s shepherd “For the sake of Jacob My servant and Israel My chosen one.” God would see to it that the beneficiaries of Cyrus’ reign would be His children.

The Old Testament continually illustrates the theme of God’s sovereignty over the governing authorities. The authorities were established by God and served God (though unwillingly) to accomplish God’s purposes. The purposes to which God used these unwilling servants were to inflict fear and punishment on those who were evil, and to bring about good for the faithful children of God. God did not allow them to rule violently for nothing; their violence served God’s purposes in the world. Once God used them for their purpose, they were held accountable for their sins.

This brings us to the unwilling servants of God which are described in the New Testament.

All Other Governing Authorities

Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have the praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. – Romans 12.17-13.6

Christians are forbidden from acting as ministers of vengeance. To the contrary, Christians are to repay their enemies with good, while leaving vengeance to God to execute through his appointed ministers. Just as in the Old Testament, God still uses the governing authorities as his instrument by which He executes vengeance on evildoers.

Paul draws a distinction between Christians and the governing authorities, and a distinction between the Christians’ response towards evildoers and the response of God towards evildoers through His established ministers. He has forbidden Christians from doing the very thing He has established the governing authorities to do. Even though the governing authorities do not serve God willingly, He still uses them to accomplish His purposes.

Implications

Throughout Scripture God frequently uses the wicked as His ministers to punish evildoers and to bring good to His children. God often established rulers and nations of which He did not approve to accomplish His purposes.  In spite of using them as His instruments, He continually held wicked rulers responsible for their sin, and would punish them for their evil.  God has promised that He uses these governors for the good of His children. Christians should therefore learn to trust God to work out His plans in spite of the wickedness of the rulers He may use as His ministers to bring about these plans.

Israel Was Formed as a Separated People

Israel was formed as a different kind of nation. The story of the formation of Israel begins in Genesis 12 immediately after the story of the formation of the earthly nations at Babel, where the people wanted to “make a name for themselves.”(Read more on Babel here) Contrasted against the rebellion of these nations, Israel’s history is introduced to us with God’s promise to Abram.

Now the LORD said to Abram,
“Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” – Gen 12.1-3

Rather than Abram making his own name great, God was going to make a great name for Abram. But this promise hinged on Abram’s faith in God’s command to separate himself from the land of the Chaldeans.

This command to “go forth” from the Gentiles which begins here in Genesis 12,  is a theme which continues throughout Israel’s formation. The cities in closest proximity to Abram were destroyed for their wickedness (Gen. 19). Abraham and his nephew Lot were separated from one another. Hagar and Ishmael were then driven out, thus separating the Israelites from the Ishmaelites (Gen. 21). When it came time to find a bride for Isaac, Abraham would only allow Isaac to have a wife from among his relatives, thus keeping his family separate from the nations (Gen. 24). Jacob and Esau became detached from one another as Jacob stole the birthright, thus separating the Israelites from the Edomites (Gen. 27-28, 36). Like Isaac, Jacob took a wife from among his relatives, thus remaining separate (Gen. 29). Jacob was then estranged from Laban, thus further separating the Israelites (Gen. 31). Israel was then further separated as they departed to Egypt, where they remained as slaves for 400 years. Israel was then separated from Egypt as the final generation to have lived in Egypt died during the 40 years in the wilderness.

A key observation can be made here. In these early chapters, Israel’s separation was more than simply a “moral” separation. It was more than just living by different values than the world. At this point in the story, Israel’s separation was primarily a separation of familial, political, and religious association. They were separated on the basis of the authority under which they lived. By the time God became Israel’s lawgiver, they had been fully separated from every earthly king, with no affiliation with any earthly lawgivers or any other gods. The LORD was their one and only God. Israel was a “holy” or “set apart people,” whom He had chosen “for His own possession out of all the peoples” (Deut. 7.6).

Israel belonged to God and to God alone.

Israel Was to Remain Detached

Before Israel was given the Promised Land, they were warned to drive out all the inhabitants from the land, and were forbidden from making any sort of covenant with them.

I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out before you. You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. They shall not live in your land because they will make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you. – Ex. 23.31-33

Be sure to observe what I am commanding you this day: behold, I am going to drive out the Amorite before you, and the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst. – Ex. 34.11-12

Again, as Moses repeated the law to Israel just before entering the Promised Land,  we read the same warning.

And when the LORD your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them. Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons. – Deut. 7.2-3

Numerous other examples could be shown, but this is sufficient to show that Israel was forbidden from having any alliance, covenant, marriage, or any other kind of affiliation with these nations. The other nations, with their false gods, were to be completely cut off from the land, lest the competing authorities of other “gods” should become a snare to them.

Wait…“Utter Destruction”??

The opponents of Christianity will sometimes point to God’s commandments to destroy these Gentile nations to blasphemously accuse God of commanding genocide. It is therefore important to make some side notes. In so doing, we can draw another important conclusion about why Israel was to remain separate.

1) The separation of Israel from the nations had nothing to do with race, and it had everything to do with their wicked rebellion against God.

Do not say in your heart when the LORD your God has driven them out before you, ‘Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is dispossessing them before you. It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. – Deut. 9.4-5

 

2) God spared those Gentiles who repented:

It should also be noted that God had promised Abraham that he would have spared the city of Sodom if as few as ten righteous people could be found in the city (Gen. 18.32).

We also have the example of Rahab, a Canaanite woman, who forsook the commandment given to her by her king, forsook her earthly nation, and through the fear of the LORD, accepted His rule and cast her allegiance with the people of God.

As the Old Testament continues, we read of numerous other Gentiles who aligned themselves with God’s people under God’s rule, and were blessed in so doing (Ruth the Moabite, Doeg the Edomite [1 Sam. 21.7], Uriah the Hittite [ 2 Sam. 23.37], Araunah the Jebusite [2 Sam. 24.18], Zelek the Ammonite [2 Sam. 23.37], and Ithma the Moabite [1 Chron. 21.46]). These examples show that while He required Israel to destroy these wicked nations while they lived according to their own authority and rebelled against God’s authority, God would also show mercy to those who would forsake their earthly nations and align themselves under God’s rule.

Israel’s detachment from these nations only extended as far as the individuals of those nations had detached themselves from God’s rule. But as long as the Gentiles continued living under their own rule, Israel was forbidden from having any affiliation or alliance with them, lest they too turn from God’s authority to man’s self-appointed authorities (Ex. 23.31-33; 34. 11-12).

But what does all of this mean for Christians?

When we come to the New Testament, Paul wrote that in Christ, barriers of separation are broken down between people, regardless of their nationality.

 There is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free man, but Christ is all, and in all. – Col. 3.11

But the theme of separation from the world continues. Although numerous scriptures could be examined (such as 1 John 2:15, Rom. 12:2, Eph. 5:11, Jas. 1:27, 4:4, and others), consider for a moment the words Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness with lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,
“I will dwell in them and walk among them;
And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord.
“And I will be a father to you,
And you shall be sons and daughters to Me.”
Says the Lord Almighty.
2 Cor. 6.13-18

Quoting from the Law, Paul applies the same separation principle to the church. As in Colossians 3.11, once we are in Christ, all separation is broken down. But once we are in harmony with Christ, we can no longer be in harmony with Belial.

Once we are part of God’s new temple, we must be completely and totally separated from the false authorities of this world. We cannot be bound to Christ while also being bound to unbelievers. We cannot maintain our allegiance to Christ and His Kingdom, while maintaining alliances with the world and its kingdoms. Not only will we be unable to serve two masters, but we are also divinely forbidden from attempting to do so. Once in Christ, our separation from the world must be complete.

So what can we do?

Prior to writing 2 Corinthians, Paul had undergone many afflictions, including beatings, imprisonments, hunger and poverty. Doubtless, the Corinthians were fearing the threat of these same persecutions. If there was ever a time when an alliance with the world would come in handy, this was certainly it!

Just prior to warning the church not to be bound to unbelievers, Paul, quoting from Isaiah, reminded the Corinthians:

“At the acceptable time I listened to you,
And on the day of salvation I helped you.”
Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation!” – 2 Cor. 6.2

The promised day when God would defend his people had come! “By the power of God” and “by the weapons of righteousness”, he had been “punished, yet not put to death” he was “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” and he was “poor, yet making many rich.” (cf. 2 Cor. 6.7-10) In other words, Paul recognized that the power and protection of God was sufficient for his success, and he wanted the Corinthians to realize the same thing.

When the nations rage against the kingdom of the LORD, remember how God wants for his nation to relate to other earthly nations. Yoking together with unbelievers by partnering up and making alliances with the world is both unholy and unnecessary. Rather we should trust in the power of God, which is far greater.

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. – 2 Cor. 7.1

The book of Genesis is where we read not only of the beginnings of the nation of Israel (chapters 12-50), but also of the beginnings of the whole world and the beginnings of the many nations that scatter the globe (chapters 1-11). Now of course this isn’t to suggest that by opening the book of Genesis we can read of the founding fathers of the United States, or the earliest settlers of the British Isles, or the story of the foundation of the city of Rome. But through the account of the events at Babel, Genesis teaches us why we have different nations in the first place. And even more importantly, Genesis gives us some insight into the attitudes that led to this division of the earth, and opens our eyes to the stark contrast that is drawn between the origins of the gentile nations and the origins of God’s nation.

“Which side will you take?” the world asks. “Which nations will you give you allegiance to? Will you support the Americans, or the Middle Easterners? Will you side with the Republicans or the Democrats? Will you lean towards the left or the right? The world is divided into different groups, and you have to pick a side.”

The book of Genesis asks the same question from a very different angle. “Which side will you take? Will you follow men, or follow God? Will you do things your own way, or do things His way? Will you side with the ways of Babel, or will you live with the faith of Abraham? The world is divided into different groups, but through the Seed of Abraham, all the different families and nations of the earth will be blessed.”

Setting the Context: Why Babel Matters

Genesis 10 is sometimes overlooked as one of those “boring genealogy chapters.” But Genesis 10 is not just any ole’ list of names. After discussing the downfall of mankind (the sin of Adam and Eve, Cain’s murder of Abel, the flood, Noah’s drunkenness and Canaan’s sin), Genesis 10 and 11 build the bridge between those ancient events and the not-so-ancient pagan world that would surround the nation of Israel. Rather than being just a “boring genealogy chapter”, Genesis 10 is a table of nations. The table of nations is a “horizontal” genealogy rather than a “vertical” one. Its purpose is not to show ancestry, but rather to show the historical origins of the gentile nations.

Interestingly, the long list of descendants is interrupted in verses 8-11 to give us some additional details about one of these descendants, Nimrod.

Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.” The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. – Gen. 10.8-11

This is all we know of this man Nimrod. He was a mighty man in ancient Mesopotamia. We also read of the kingdom he established. Interestingly, Nimrod’s kingdom established at Babel is the first time we ever read of any kind of human government anywhere in Scripture.

By sidetracking to tell us of the mighty ruler of the kingdom of Babel, the Holy Spirit connects the table of nations in Genesis 10 to the events at Babel in Genesis 11. So as we turn the page we should not make the mistake of reading the Tower of Babel as just an isolated Bible story. Rather we should be asking “How do these events at Babel tell us more about the origins of the gentile nations?” All nations, both then and now, that were scattered across the face of the earth can ultimately point back to the kingdom of Nimrod at Babel for their origin.

What was Babel’s Big Blunder?

Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”– Gen. 11.1-4

At this point, everything was looking promising in Shinar. They were all of one language, ready and willing to work together in unity. They developed technology to make brick and asphalt. So what went wrong? Was it wrong to build a city? Was it wrong to build a skyscraper? Was God just upset because man was getting smart and successful? Did God just want for man to remain stuck in the dark ages?

If we look closely at the text we can see some pieces of evidence that paint a clearer picture of exactly what went wrong.

Clue #1: “Let us make a name for ourselves”

At first this short phrase may not jump out at us as meaningful, but “naming” something or someone was once a big deal. To “name” something was an indication of authority over that which is named. For example, notice how the book of Genesis points out that it was God who named man (Gen. 5.2), yet it was Adam who named Eve (Gen. 2.23; 3.20), and it was Adam that named the animals (Gen. 2.19-20).

The phrase “Let us make a name for ourselves” seems to imply that they wanted to be their own authority. They wanted to rule themselves.

Clue #2: “The beginning of his kingdom was Babel”

Once again, by reading Genesis 10 and 11 together as one unit, we notice that for some reason the Holy Spirit sidetracked from the list of Noah’s descendants to point out that Babel was a “kingdom” ruled by a “mighty man.” This side note in chapter 10 leads us into chapter 11 already looking carefully at the issue of might, kingship and authority.

Clue #3: God commanded Noah to “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth.”

In Genesis 11:4, we read that the motive of the men of Shinar was to build a tower, “otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” Their goal in building the tower was in direct rebellion to God’s commandment to Noah in Genesis 9.7.

Every indication from the text suggests that the sin at Babel was that of rebellion against God’s authority, by exalting themselves as their own rulers. Babel’s faith was in themselves. They wanted to build greatness on their own terms. They wanted to make a name for themselves. They wanted to be their own kingdom. They wanted to do things their own way in direct rebellion to God’s commandment.

The LORD’s Response to Babel

The LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. The LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.” – Gen. 11.5-6

Once man takes God out of the picture, he recognizes no limits for his ideas and actions. This is not a good thing. Since the men of Babel had placed their confidence in themselves to succeed, the outcome would be limitless evil.

“Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth. – Gen. 11:7-9

Although they built a tower to maintain their unity, they left a legacy of babbling confusion. Although they wanted to make a name for themselves, they ended up being given the name Babel. Although they wanted to be their own authority, ultimately it was the LORD who ruled the day.

Babel went on to eventually become the Babylonians. The nations that were scattered ended up becoming Israel’s enemies throughout the Old Testament. The Egyptians, the Canaanite nations, the Assyrians, and the Romans can all point back to the rebellion at Babel for their origin since it was the confusion at Babel that scattered them in the first place.

The legacy of Babel lives on even today. Every border line drawn between nations continues to suggest that our world is still divided ethnically, culturally and politically. The world continues to babel on striving to make names for themselves rather than submitting to the rule of the LORD.

A Blessing to the Nations

Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. – Gen. 12.1-3

Strategically placed right after Babel’s rebellion, we are introduced to a man who desired a radically different kind of city.

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance… For he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. – Heb. 11.8, 10

In contrast to Babel wanting to build their own city, Abraham looked for God to build him a city. Rather than looking to make his own name, Abraham waited for God to make his name great. Rather than leaving a legacy of division, Abraham left a Legacy who would be a blessing to all nations.

What was the difference? Abraham understood that God is the one with authority. God is the only one who can rightfully rule over man. Abraham placed his faith in God’s rule, and believed in God’s commandments enough to obey them.

The Lord is sovereign whether man admits it or not. Abraham admitted it; Babel did not. Nimrod was described as a mighty man, yet ultimately it was God’s might that won the day at Babel.

May we strive to imitate the faith of Abraham, not the self-rule of Babel.

Part Two: Some Questions You May Be Asking

First read part 1 here.

“How do we know Satan wasn’t lying? He is after all the “Father of lies” (John 8:44)”

This is a very important question!

If we are to come to the conclusion that earthly governments are good, and we should therefore dedicate our efforts to restoring such a “good government”, we must first be able to conclude that Satan is not really the one in charge of human governments.

Is that a conclusion we can draw? Well, for one thing, you’re right about Satan. We can’t trust a single word that slips from his forked tongue.

But it is worthy of notice that Jesus never questioned the truth of His claim. This event is also described as a “temptation”. If Jesus believed Satan was lying to him, and was therefore unable to deliver on his promise, could we still say that his was a temptation?

But perhaps more importantly, we have the fact that Satan was not the only one to make this claim. Jesus several times refers to Satan as the “prince” or “ruler” of the world (John 12.31; 14.30; 16.11). Paul says that he is the “god of this world” and “the prince of the power of the air” (2 Cor. 4.4; Eph. 2:2). John says “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5.18).

So no, we can’t necessarily trust that Satan was telling the truth, but I think it is fairly safe to assume that Jesus, Paul and John were telling the truth.

 “But Jesus is continually described as the King of Kings. We continually read that God rules over the nations. Jesus said in Matthew 28:18, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” How then can we say that Satan rules human governments?”

Great question. This is why I said, under my 4^th point that Satan rules human governments “sort of.”  And we must conclude that there is at least a sense in which Satan does rule the nations, based on what we have observed already. But there is an even greater sense in which God always overrules Satan’s unlawful authority.

Since all authority has been given to Jesus, there is therefore no authority which has been given to Satan. So in whatever sense Satan does rule over the nations, his authority has been taken, not given. His “authority” is “unauthorized”.

When Satan is described as being the ruler of the world and the ruler of the kingdoms of this world, it seems to refer to this present evil system of opposition to God. As governments oppose God’s people, strive for earthly possession, kill their enemies, steal money, etc., they are in sinful rebellion to God. They are living under Satan’s control. Satan is leading their rebellion against God’s authority.

But the Bible never teaches that Satan is the ultimate ruler of this world. The book of Job gives us some insight into Satan’s limited power. Satan challenged God to remove Job’s blessings. God did allow Satan to remove Job’s blessings, but God restricted Satan from taking Job’s life. When Satan exercises his authority, it is because God allows him to do so (for now).

Another great example can be found in Isaiah 10:5-15. Isaiah teaches that God sent Assyria to punish Israel for her sins. The Assyrians did not know that they were being used for this purpose, and had a different wicked purpose in mind all along. Even though God used Assyria as his minister to execute vengeance, the Assyrian nation was proud, arrogant, and continued in their rebellion to God and their service to Satan. Yet God’s control of Assyria was so complete that He compared them to an instrument in His own hand, like an axe or a saw in the hand of a woodworker. God can and does use governments, of which he does not approve, which continually blaspheme His name, to ultimately do good for His righteous people.

So who ruled Assyria? God or Satan? The answer is both. Satan ruled Assyria in that they rebelled against God. But God overruled Assyria’s rebellion to accomplish good.

“But doesn’t Romans 13 teach that God created government for good, and therefore approves of government?”

Romans 13 teaches that God ordained government. The definition of the word “ordain” means to “establish as a law; order; fix; decide”.  The word does not imply approval, neither by its definition, nor by the context of Romans 13. Throughout Scripture, God ordains many things of which He does not approve. He ordained that Israel should have a king, yet he did so in anger (Hos. 13.11). He ordained the wicked nation of Assyria as a minister to punish the wickedness of Israel, yet He did not approve of their actions (Isa. 10.5-15). God “foreordained” that Jesus would be crucified, yet He did not approve of the actions of those murders (Acts 2.22-23; 1 Cor. 2.7).

Romans 13 never teaches that earthly governments are good. But it does teach “it is a minister of God to you for good” (v. 4). There is a difference between calling something good, and saying that something is “for good.” Assyria was created “for good”; the Babylonians were created “for good”; the Romans were created “for good,” but God never calls them good. Consider how Paul used the phrase “for good” just a few verses earlier:

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. – Rom. 8:28

Does Romans 8:28 teach that all things are good? Is tribulation good? Is distress good? Is persecution good? No. But through God’s providence, they all work together for good.

Romans 13 means exactly what it says, and it can’t be twisted to mean things that it doesn’t say. Romans 13 does not teach that God approves of government, or that he calls them good.

“If government functions under the rule of Satan, how could God command us to obey Satan in anything?”

Submitting to Satan? That certainly has a weird ring to it doesn’t it? The good news is that is not what Christians are commanded to do.

1 Peter 2:13 commands us to “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king or as to one in authority.” Why are we commanded to obey? Not for the government’s sake; not for Satan’s sake; but for the Lord’s sake. When laws conflict with the rule of God, of course we must break them (Acts 5.39). But otherwise, we are to submit to them, for not doing so would unnecessarily get in the way of our mission to build up God’s kingdom.

Neither does Paul in Romans command us to obey Satan. He does, however, command us not to be “overcome by evil, but to overcome evil by good.” How do we do that, Paul? “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities.” Paul describes our subjection to government as an application of overcoming evil by good.

“I concede that governments are very often corrupt, reflecting the values of Satan rather than the values of God, but aren’t there exceptions to this generality? For example, when governments help the poor, limit alcohol consumption, or improve workplace safety, how can it be said that this is Satan’s work?”

Firstly, let us remember that Satan has always been more than willing to compromise with those with those who will serve him if by so doing he is able to extend his dominion. Is this not precisely the offer Satan made to Jesus in the wilderness? Satan was willing to allow Jesus to rule over all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus would simply concede to bow down to him as the ultimate authority. Have you ever considered how many “good laws” Jesus could have passed if he held political office? He could have ruled with great love and compassion, yet by so doing, Satan would have been the victor.

As Christians we proclaim that Jesus is our King. If we act as if the kingdom of God is insufficient to accomplish God’s work without the assistance of kingdoms of men, we are proclaiming an insufficient Christ. Should it surprise us that Satan would offer beautiful compromises accomplish this end?

Secondly, we should remember Paul’s admonition to the Corinthians:

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. – 1 Cor. 10.3-4

Christians are not to use fleshly weapons to accomplish our goals. Fleshly weapons are the only power earthly governments possess. How do they improve healthcare? How do they limit alcohol consumption? How do they end poverty? By passing laws.

What gives these laws any force? Government officials with fleshly weapons. Fleshly weapons are the only strength governments have to enforce any of their authority. To use political means to accomplish good is to use weapons Christians are not to use.

“Can a Christian ever serve in political office? Should they even vote? Should they serve in the military or even in the police force?”

These are great questions. We are not of this world, but we are in the world. This tension creates some difficulties that are not always easily resolved. I am content with putting forth what Scripture teaches, and leaving it at that. In Scripture, human governments are introduced to us in rebellion to God, they always continued as enemies of God’s people, their very character is contrary to service to God and they are (at least in a sense) ruled by Satan. To answer questions such as these, which are not plainly taught in Scripture, we must honestly reflect on what we can understand from Scripture and apply those teachings the very best we can. We are never to judge fellow Christians for the decisions they make in service to God (Rom. 14), but we also must be careful not to twist the Scripture’s teachings to fit our preconceived conclusions.

As Christians, we serve only one master. In light of this, we should recognize that “All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless” (Isa. 40:17). Our job is to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Nothing must distract us from this task.

I leave it each individual to apply this in their lives as they conclude it best in their service to God.

Part One: Recognizing The Rebelliousness of Man

The Bible often speaks of governments, kingdoms and nations. Government can be defined as the authority which rules a nation or state. The word kingdom can be understood as the realm over which the king or governor(s) reign. The word nation would then refer to the group of people who live under the dominion of a common government. For the sake of this article, when I use these terms I am using them to describe human government, earthly kingdoms and earthly nations as opposed to the government and kingdom of God.

Government affects our lives daily. From the smallest details, such as how fast we should drive, to life altering events, such as whether or not we are at war, we daily feel the impact of government. For better or worse, the pages of history have been written by politicians.

It is therefore understandable that most people place their hopes on “right” political views (their own, of course) overcoming the “wrong” views, the “right” person (their own candidate, of course) overcoming the “wrong” person in elections, the “right” government (their own government, of course) gaining power over the “wrong” governments, and the “right” militaries (their own, of course) gaining victory over the wrong militaries.

Unfortunately, far too many Christians have allowed their political passions for what is “right” (i.e. their own political opinions) to lead to distraction and division. They are distracted, as they pour their hearts into building up earthly kingdoms. They cause division as their contentions for what is “right” politically puts them at odds with other Christians who have different political loyalties.

One of the most basic reasons Christians get distracted and divided by politics is because of an assumption that government, in spite of continual corruption and rebellion against God, should be viewed as a righteous institution on the same levels as the family and the church. And since it is thought that governments hold such an important influence on the pages of history, we should therefore contend for our “right” views.

It is time for us to reconsider God’s view of government. Jeremiah stated that man is wholly incapable of ruling and directing himself.

I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not in himself,
Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. – Jeremiah 10.23

In contrast to the words of Jeremiah, human governments are founded upon confidence in man’s self-sovereignty. God recognizes the unrighteousness and disobedience of all human governments as being in rebellion to His authority.

“But wait, this can’t be right. God created government. He calls government good. Your position is inconsistent with the clear teaching of Romans 13.”

I realize there will be some questions and objections. I intend to examine some of these in light of scripture in part two. But for now, please consider the following points.

1. Earthly Kingdoms are Introduced to Us in Rebellion to God

The first time we read of a “kingdom” in scripture is the kingdom of Nimrod in the land of Shinar, that is, Babel (Gen. 10.9-11). Too often the “Tower of Babel” has been taught as just a children’s Bible story about disobedience to God. We need to get back to recognizing how the Babel incident fits into the narrative of the book of Genesis.

The book of Genesis has two major themes: 1) to identify the origins of Israel’s enemies, the Gentile kingdoms, and 2) to identify the origins of God’s kingdom of Israel. Genesis 10-11 identifies the origins of the kingdoms which descended from Japheth, Shem, and Ham. Right in the middle of this table of kingdoms we find the account of the tower of Babel, where the rebellious character of these Gentile kingdoms is revealed. This was written, not just to give a random example of disobedience to God, but to tell us why these kingdoms were scattered over the earth and to introducing us to the rebellious nature of these kingdoms. Therefore, earthly kingdoms are introduced to us in rebellion to God. (I’ve written more on this point here.)

“But the New Testament teaches that God created government for good.”

You’re right. We’ll discuss this more in part two. But first, keep reading.

2. Human Governments Continued as Enemies to God’s People

Human governments continually fill the role of being the enemies of God’s people. This is true from the time we are introduced to Babel in Genesis, to Pharaoh and Egypt, to the Canaanites nations, to the Assyrians, to the Babylonians, all the way until Rome is described as Babylon in the book of Revelation. They continually worship other gods, exercise violence, and live according to their own desires.

As Paul addressed the wickedness of the Gentiles in Romans 1, he very specifically identified the issue of who they chose to honor, give thanks to, look to for wisdom (v. 21-22), and worship and serve as their authority (v. 23- 25). We can conclude that much of what made the Gentile people wicked in God’s eyes was their decision to serve their own authorities rather than serving under God’s government.

We do have numerous examples such as Ruth and Rahab, who, though being Gentiles, forsook their allegiance to their own nations and accepted the Lord’s rule, and joined themselves with His people. This shows that God has never been a respecter of persons. But Paul shows that God has always been displeased with those who would trust in their own authority. Not only were human governments introduced to us in rebellion, they also continued in their rebellion all throughout the Biblical narrative.

3. The Character of Human Governments is Contrary to the Character of God’s Servants

God’s servants are to lay up their treasures in heaven. (Matt. 6.19-21).Yet gentiles and their governments continually strive to gain and protect more earthly treasures.

God’s servants are commanded,

Do not worry then, saying ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek these things; for your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. –  Matt. 6.31-32

To the extent that our trust is in God, servants of God do not worry. Gentile people and their governments do nothing but worry! (Just watch the news for 5 minutes and this point will be confirmed).

God’s servants are to be known for their humility and gentleness, placing the needs of others above their own (Eph. 4.2; Jas. 4.10-12, 1 Pet. 3:8, Phil. 2.3-5). Most all political fights and national fights are based upon both sides feeling like they are better than the other.

God’s servants are commanded to be, well, servants. This is vastly different from the kingdoms of this world, which are all about exercising power over others.

But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20.25-28

God’s servants are commanded love their enemies (Matt. 5.43-47). Kingdoms of this world continually fight against their enemies. Jesus seemed to understand that human governments cannot be sustained without fighting, for he said “If my kingdom were of this world, then My servants would fight.” But then he quickly added, “My kingdom is not of this realm.” (John 18.36-37).

Not only are human governments introduced to us in rebellion to God, and not only are they continually presented to us as enemies of God’s people, but their very character is completely contrary to what is pleasing to God.

“You make some interesting points, but I’m not sure that this is a fair description of all governments. What about when political action is used as an avenue for service, for example, passing a bill that improves medical care, decreases drunk driving, or limits prostitution? All of these are wonderful and good uses of government. How can these be wicked?

Let’s mark this as one of the questions to address later. But for now let’s at least agree that God’s servants have a very different set of values from those of the world. As a general rule, governments do not reflect the righteous values of God’s servants, but rather the wicked values of the world. Can governments possibly be used by Christians to promote Godly values? Before answering this, please consider point number four.

4. Human Governments are Ruled by Satan

At least sort of…

And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.'” – Luke 4.5-8

It is important to notice that Jesus did not dispute the devil’s claim that he owned all the kingdoms of the world, and that he could deliver them over to Jesus if he wished. There is nothing in the text to indicate that Jesus doubted Satan’s ability to make good on this offer.

How much trust should Christians place in human governments that are ruled by Satan? As much as Jesus trusted them, which is none at all.

It is also important to notice that Satan was only willing to give these kingdoms to Jesus if He would worship him. Since worshiping God and worshiping Satan are mutually exclusive, it would have been just as mutually exclusive to worship God while ruling those earthly kingdoms.

Ok, you’ve been very patient. Thank you. Now let’s address some of those questions in part 2.