Tag: David Lipscomb

“God’s Kingdom and the World’s Kingdoms are Separate” by David Lipscomb

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

The Gospel Advocate, Mar. 13, 1866, pp. 161-166.

Christ recognized the claims of the Tempter to the kingdoms of this world. Acknowledged by his action at the time, by his response to the wicked one, through his inspired apostles, Matthew, Luke and Paul, that the offer of the kingdoms of this world by the wicked one, was a temptation to the Son of God. This could only have been true on the supposition that they were actually the possession of the devil. The world had been delivered him by men to whose control God had committed it. Christ, we have found, came into the world to rescue it from the dominion or possession of the wicked one. He proposed to do this, not by entering into and controlling the kingdoms of this world, that had been established under the rule and in the interest of the wicked one, but by destroying and consuming these and establishing a kingdom, “not made with hands” (Dan. 2:34-35; 44-45) – one whose “founder and builder is God” (Heb. 11:10).

We find the Savior definitely marking his relationship to these kingdoms, when he asks Peter,

“Of whom do the kings of earth take custom or tribute? Of their own children or of strangers?” Peter saith unto him, “Of strangers.” Jesus saith unto him, “Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up, and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take and give unto them for me and for thee.”

Matthew 17:25-27

He thus, by his own act, confirmed by a miracle, places himself and the Apostle Peter among the strangers to the kingdoms of this world. They are the children of no earthly government, although born and living under them.

The enemies of the Savior saw that his claims to be king were adverse to the claims of any earthly potentate or power, so they made this the chief ground of opposition to him.

The Pharisees ask him, “Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute-money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, render, therefore, unto Caesar, the things that are Caesar’s; and unto God, the things that are God’s.”

Matthew 22:17-21

Or as Tertullian, over fifteen hundred years ago, commented on this as follows:

The image of Caesar, which is on the coin, we give to Caesar. The image of God which is in man, is to be given to God. Therefore, thou must give the money, indeed, to Caesar, but thyself to God, for what will remain to God, if both man and money he given to Caesar?

On Idolatry, chapter 15

The enemies of the Savior knew that his kingdom was in opposition to all earthly kingdoms, so they expected him to forbid the paying of tribute to Caesar, and to develop an open and violent hostility to Caesar’s government. They only mistook the nature of his weapons and kingdom, as well as the manner of establishing that kingdom. In accordance with this idea, the charge which they made against like at his crucifixion was that he claimed to be a king, therefore could not be Caesar’s friend (Mark 15:1-2; Luke 23:2-3; John 18:34-35). He admitted the charge, but only answered, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). It enters not the contest and strife for dominion after the manner of the earthly kingdoms. It uses no earthly weapons or violent means in its establishment. When Pilate is disposed to release Jesus, the multitudes cry at him. “Let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend” (John 19:12).

This same feeling of antagonism manifested itself in the persecution, punishment and martyrdom of the Apostles and primitive Christians by the rulers and powers of the earthly kingdom. This antagonism was foretold by the Prophets.

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the riders take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed.

Psalm 2:1-2

Peter and John, after the healing of the impotent man in Solomon’s porch, were arrested and straightway threatened that they should speak no more in the name of Jesus. They quote the foregoing from David, and apply it.

For a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done, and now, Lord. behold their threatenings.

Acts 4:26

Jesus Christ recognized, clearly, this antagonism. He recognized ever that the world governments were his enemies. They sought his life at his birth. To destroy him, Herod “destroyed all the children of two years old and under, in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof” (Matt. 2:16). Christ selects and sends out his twelve apostles. He tells them

They shall be delivered up to the councils, and by them be scourged in the synagogues, and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

Matthew 10:17-18

The taking on themselves the name of Christ, would bring on them the opposition and persecution of the political governments. But in these trials to which they are subjected, on account of Christ, he tells them, “Fear not them [the civil rulers] who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him [God] who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28). Christ speaking of his death said, “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out” (John 12:31).

In other words, now is the trial of the strength of the prince of this world and the Prince of Heaven. The power of the prince of this world will be triumphed over, and thus will his claims be regarded and his power overthrown. In the trial of strength, Jesus Christ permits the rulers of this world to exercise their utmost stretch of power by killing the body, he then rises a victor from the grave, there­by showing that when they have exerted their utmost stretch of power, he can overcome and destroy all their work. Paul, speaking of the triumph of Christ over the highest powers of the mightiest of earthly kingdoms, says,

Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Colossian 2:15

He spoiled them by destroying their prestige of superiority, and in his personal triumph over their utmost stretch of power, he gave the assurance that in the long controversy he had entered upon with the nations, his final triumph and their utter destruction were sure. He made a shew of his triumph over them, in shewing himself after his resurrection from the grave. He shews his superior power to them all. You can only carry down to the grave. I am superior to the prison bonds of death. Where then your boast[s]? But this antagonism is presented again,

Hereafter I will not talk much with you for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

John 14:30

Here he announces that the prince of this world—he that governs and rules the world, hath nothing in Jesus—no interest or prestige in his kingdom. Who is the prince of this world? The wicked one—the devil? Then he operates through and uses Pontius Pilate, the civil ruler. The civil ruler, the human government then, is the agency through which the devil works. But says one, the prince of this world was Pontius Pilate, who was coming. Then Pontius Pilate, the representative of the civil human government, “hath nothing in Christ,” no part, nor lot, nor heritage there. Civil government is the same today that it was then. This government, whose ruler or head, whether Pontius Pilate or the wicked one he referred to, is the same to which the Christians of primitive times were admonished to be subject by Christ and his apostles.

The impression made upon the disciples themselves, was that they were not subjects of the earthly kingdoms. Hence they looked for an earthly kingdom, the restoration of earthly power to Israel. “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel?” (Acts 1:6). The same impression upon their minds is recognized in the fact that the disposition to carry the idea to an unwarranted extreme, called forth the repeated admonition from the apostle,

Be subject to the powers that be…

Romans 13:1

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake…

1 Peter 2:13

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates…

Titus 3:1

Now if the idea had not have crept into their minds that they were somehow not subject of these earthly kingdoms, there would not have been the necessity for this repeated admonition being given them. Notice, too, they were commanded to do these things for the Lord’s sake, not for the sake of the governments. These admonitions certainly connect the Christian with these earthly governments under which he lives, in relationship that we will examine at the proper time. But they all show the Christian was not taught to regard himself as part and parcel of these kingdoms.

In accordance with this, too, the wicked one is ever regarded in Scripture as the prince of this world.

Now is the judgment of this world: shall the prince of this world be cast out.

John 12:31

The prince of this world is judged.

John 16:11

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.

Ephesians 2:2

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God. that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day.

Ephesians 6:11-13

These verses demonstrate the way in which the principalities, powers, the rulers of this world are certainly classed among the wiles of the wicked one that are to be withstood through the use of God’s armor. The wicked one is also sometimes called the God of this world, indicating his influence and power in this world. When the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of God and his Son, we presume the devil will no longer be called the God of this world.

We have thus found that the separation and antagonism between God’s institutions and man’s, or as they might now be properly termed, the wicked one’s, kept up and impressed through the four thousand years of the existence of the types, have fully maintained, by the teaching of Christ himself in the great antitype, the spiritual and eternal kingdom of God. We wish to call the attention of the readers here to the fact that the existence of Jesus Christ here on earth in his fleshly body, was to some extent a type of the existence of the spiritual body. His temptations, its temptations, his poverty, sorrows, trials, persecutions, betrayal, death, burial, resurrection and glorious, triumphant ascension, all typifying the same experiences that it must undergo. He never came in contact with the prince of this world, or the governments of this world, but to be tempted to corruption or to be persecuted. The Church of Christ, we may safely affirm, has never come in contact with the governments of this world but to be persecuted or corrupted.

The alliances she has made with the princes and governments of this world have ever been more fatal to her strength and purity than the persecutions she has undergone. Christ was above temptation when the wicked one offered an alliance—his followers have not been proof against the same kind of offers made by the emissaries and agents of the wicked one. Constantine weakened the church a thousand-fold more than Nero or Diocletian. The alliances, friendships, and blandishments of the world-powers today are more fatal to the strength and purity of the church than the combined opposition of the world could possibly be. Then her own experiences accord with the teachings of God, warning her against the association of the world or human institutions. They are the institutions of the wicked one. What fellowship hath Christ with Belial? What participation can a child of God have in the kingdoms of this world?

Again, the Scriptures have recognized every relationship of life into which it is possible for a Christian to enter, and given instruction that thoroughly furnishes the child of God with directions how he should act therein. They have given instruction how the parties should mutually conduct themselves toward each other as husband and wife, parent and child, master and servant, elder and younger, stranger and friend, and even as wrong-doer and wrong-sufferer—every relationship into which it is possible for a Christian to enter, has its appropriate instructions for the Christians guidance therein, save one if it be lawful to enter into that one. In one relationship of life, and that the most universally prevalent one with the human family, this instruction is in part wanting. That relationship is, subject and ruler in the earthly kingdom. One party to this relationship, the subject, is directed and guided as to the manner conducting himself in this relationship. But the ruler, the most important one of all the relationships of this world, because on him the peace and quiet of the world depends, in whose hands the happiness of millions rests, is left without one single word of instruction as to how he should direct himself.

Why this omission, why this painful silence of God as to the Christian ruler of the kingdoms of this world? The Christian father, child, the Christian husband, wife, master, servant, the Christian, that falls into wrong, the Christian that suffers wrong doing, the Christian subject of a human government, all have their rules of conduct laid down in the Scriptures of God, but not a solitary word in the volume of inspiration as to how the Christian ruler of the earthly kingdoms shall conduct himself. What means this omission, friends? “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable… that the man of God may be perfect., thoroughly furnished into every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17), and yet no direction furnished him how he shall act when he comes to assist in directing and conducting the governments of this world.

The Christian father, husband, wife, child, master, servant, subject, can walk by the light of divine truth, under the spiritual guidance of God, but the Christian ruler, governor, magistrate, law-maker, law-executor, must grope his way in the dark, directed only by his own frail and erring reason; no wonder he makes so many false steps. No wonder his wisest plans so often miscarry. But brethren we ask you seriously, what meaneth this omission? Was it inadvertence, omission, oversight in the law-maker? Who dare so affirm? How can we resist the conclusion that God never anticipated his children participating in the governmental affairs of these earthly kingdoms. He recognized these kingdoms as the kingdoms of the wicked one, and made no provision for his children participating therein.

“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