My Kingdom Is Not of This World

by Tom Frazier

“Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight . . . but my kingdom is not from here.’ ” John 18

THE KINGDOM QUESTION
Do you long for a stronger economy? . . . safer cities and neighborhoods? . . . better education? . . . more integrity in politics? . . . more respect for traditional values? . . . a greater respect for Christians? . . . more godly laws? . . . cleaner television and movies? . . . an end to abortion, pornography, homosexuality, violence? In short, a better world?

Do these somewhat represent your hopes for the future? If so, why? Do you believe we as Christians have a right to expect these things from society? That the LORD even expects His people to demand them? And if they are not given, to fight for them?

The Lord promises a new heaven and a new earth. To long for them is normal and even right. But what exactly do we have a right to expect while in this world, in its present condition . . . besides animosity, hostility, and tribulation, that is?* Any of the things mentioned above? If so, on what basis?

THE EARLY CHURCH
How do our national problems hinder anyone from faith? . . . from love? . . . from holiness? . . . from repentance? . . . from pursuing a relationship with the living God? The early church had all of our national woes times ten . . . and was only stronger for it. Not only that, but they exerted no energy other than fervent prayer and sincere love to effect a change.

* “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:19)

Did they place their hope in a better Rome? . . . a more righteous Galatia? . . . a Christian Corinth? Or was their hope solely “in the grace to be revealed at the revelation of Christ Jesus” (I Peter 1)? And regardless of how imperfectly they practiced this, it is still the calling to which we are called. The world and its need for reformation are not our calling, any more than reforming Egypt was Israel’s calling in the days of Moses.

BATTLE LINES
Even as I write this (1993), the “Christian Right” is drawing battle lines in the sand, setting themselves against “liberals,” “media elite,” and all of the special interest groups known to man. They are leading millions of well-intentioned Christians into a virtual minefield of fear, mistrust, and intolerance, bordering on hatred*. This is inexcusable, and is going to backfire with devastating results. It is especially odious in light of the words and lives of Jesus and His apostles.

Our calling to be salt and light isn’t even remotely related to the vociferous attacks being clamored about these days in the name of what’s “right and decent.” Proponents of this seem to be Americans first, Christians second, do they not?

The cause of Christ is of a spiritual nature first, and an influential nature second. It is spiritual in its essence and should today, like in early days, move forward on its knees with its soul open heavenward, guided by inward precepts like unconditional love, patience, humility, peaceableness, compassion, and the like. And although we can never tolerate evil** in any form, in our midst or in our hearts, neither can we demand that the world be anything other than what it is.

We have no directive from God, much less a mandate, to try and ‘stiff-arm’ this world, its systems and people, into conformity with God’s ways, appearing like the kingdom of light while their hearts remain in the kingdom of darkness! To militantly and aggressively take on the world with an eye to change it, seems to me to display a naïveté as to this world’s nature.

* Jesus taught that hatred is murder of the heart; i.e., to hate someone is tantamount to wishing they did not exist, therefore mental murder. This seems to be a very common attitude among many Christians today toward secularists & humanists . . . for whom Christ died.

** The terms “evil” and “wicked” in the Scriptures often mean self-will and selfishness.

“The whole world lies in the lap of the wicked one.” (1 John 5)

All the systems of all the societies on earth are in the palm of the Devil’s hand, to be played like a vile symphony. As Satan said to our Lord Jesus, “…all the kingdoms of the world have been handed over to me…” (Luke 4:5-6). The Lord refused him then – we should refuse him now.

We are not here to moralize or transform the world into goodness today any more than they were in the first century. To show mercy and kindness is our place. To stand for the truth and pronounce the judgment of God on wickedness is imperative. But know this, Satan and his hordes have been building huge tar-pits of lies and deception throughout history. Their goal has always been to obscure and counterfeit the Truth about the Living God: Who He is and what He is doing. And it is only by His kindness and mercy that anyone is ever delivered from these tar-pits.

We are here as testimonies of and trophies to the Truth about Who God is, and as instruments of restoration and intercession for the Lord to use as He chooses.

© 1993 Winthrop House / Revised 2022. Used by permission of the author.