The Kingdom: Its Relationship To Other Kingdoms

The Kingdom: Its Relationship To Other Kingdoms THE KINGDOM, ITS RELATIONSHIP TO
OTHER KINGDOMS
By F. B. Shepherd My responsibility to this Lecture Week is to discuss in the light of, and by the help of, the word of God the question of the “Relation of the Kingdom of Heaven to the Other Kingdoms.” Actually, I think it would not be out of order to say the other “kingdom” since there are ready but two powers in the world, e. g. the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan. I am not going to affirm anything but what has been affirmed in the speeches that have preceded mine during this Lecture Week. I am not going to affirm one thing but what the children of God have believed and taught these past 1900 years. The inevitable conclusions I shall draw you may not be willing to accept. Our preaching has been Scriptural, but our practice many times has not measured up to that preaching.

“Relationship” means kinship or association. It may involve coopeiaiion and partnership in a common cause; utter separation, mdependence, and in- diffeience, or antagonism and warfare. Relationship means, where these have contact. The way one travels, the things one does, with respect to the other. The kingdom ox heaven is the kingdom of Christ, the church of the living God. Thi3 kingdom Is an absolute monarchy. Jesus Christ the absolute, undisputed, God anointed Sovereign. God has from the very beginning had a government of his own upon earth. His will has been exercised by his chosen servants. He has ever had a complete, perfect, set of laws to govern his creation. His first form of government was the Family-1 ^triarchal-form. His second the National-Children of Israel. His third and final, the kingdom of heaven, in which there can be neither Jew nor Greek, no male and female, no barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman, for they are all one man in Christ Jesus. The history and success, »f each of these systems is easily traced in the Bible. As fai back as inspired history takes us there has been but two classes of people as far as God has been concerned. Those who recognized and acknowledged the sovereignty of Jehovah. Those who refuse to recognize and acknowledge the sovereignty of God. Hence they recognized and acknowledged the dominion of the devil (Romans 6:16). The other kingdoms are the various civil powers now existing in diverse forms throughout the world. These may be Republican, Monarchical, Totalitarian, or what have you, according as the different nations and tribes of the world determine to have, or accept more or less willingly, a form of human government. My obligation in this discourse is, not to discuss the relative excellence of the various other kingdoms, nor even the necessity of their existence. I merely acknowledge their existence, their actuality, and discuss their relationship to, or with, the kingdom of heaven. Since the origin, constitution, and purpos,e of the kingdom of heaven has been exclusively set forth in preceding speeches of this Lecture Week; in my estimation the most logical course for me to pursue is to first examine into the origin, purpose, and constitution of these other kingdoms, and from a comparison of them with the kingdom of heaven draw my conclusions. The Bible and profane history are our sources of information. The Bible information antedates, that of profane history. The first human kingdom was that of Babylon, characterized by God as Babel. This kingdom was, founded by Nimrod, a grandson of Ham, and a mighty hunter before the Lord (Genesis 10:10). Nimrod was its first sovereign, and Nineveh apparently its first capitol city (Genesis 10:10; Genesis 11:2; Genesis 11:9). This first of the other kingdoms undoubtedly originated in, or was born in, rebellion and disobedience to the absolute sovereignty and law of Jehovah (Genesis 11:1-9) since God’s, original form of governmental institution was that of the family. Be it recognized and acknowledged that to God and to God alone belongs the right and prerogative to govern in every realm of the created universe.

All authority is inherent and primary with God. God alone is the rightful lawmaker of the universe by virtue of his acts in creation. Although Romans 13:1 says the “Powers that be” are “Ordained” of God it does not necessarily mean God’s approval, or that God originally intended them to exist (1 Samuel 8:9-21). In God originated, and by him was founded his own absolute authority. He merely permits that of another. Throughout the ages, in his infinite wisdom, patience, longsuffering, grace, and sometimes anger: God permitted men to become their own rulers, but merely because these men refused to acknowledge the authority of God (Romans 1:21; Romans 1:28). Actually man has no authority inherent nor delegated to make laws for his own government. Nor does he possess the wisdom and knowledge to govern himself properly (Jeremiah 10:23). The laws of these other kingdoms, and constitutions are the expressions of human ideas, the sum of human wisdom, and the aggregation of human strength. The various rulers are human beings. From this original kingdom of Babylon there grew multitudes of other kingdoms, either independent of, or successors to, this, original. Hence history teems with stories concerning the rise and fall of Babylon, Assyria, Egypt, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, as world powers, together with accounts, of smaller and less significant nations and kingdoms which were either independent or dependent according as the fortunes of constant war determined. And, let me insist in passing: every war in history from Nimrod to this good day, is the result of human government.

Britian, France, the United States, Germany, Italy, Japan, China, Russia, etc. today are but offsprings of these first kingdoms in a political way as are the hundreds of religious communions in a religious way offsprings of the great apostacy from the kingdom of heaven—the Catholic Church. History repeats it- s,elf. The first unit of God’s government was the individual family, self-directing under the revealed will of God (Hebrews 1:1; Hebrews 11:4). Ambitious Nimrod combined families under himself and thus established a human monarchy, thereby rejecting the government of God. The unit in government and direction of the kingdom of heaven originally was the family—the local congregation. Ambitious men combined these original independent and interdependent units under * one head and humanly devise laws into an ecclesiastical hierarchy until they gave us the Roman and Greek Catholic Churches. Out of this original apostacy, perversion and rejection of divine authority there has grown the hundreds of equally rebellious Protestant denominations. The supreme monarch and lord of these other king-doms is Satan, the prince of this world under whose dominion these powers have arisen, and under whom they have placed themselves (Luke 4:6; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28). These other kingdoms are antagonistic to the kingdom of Christ. All authority hath been given unto him in heaven and on earth. Therefore all failure or refusal to recognize and acknowledge the absolute sovereignty of our Lord Jesus Christ is rebellion against him. These other kingdoms undoubtedly do not acknowledge his absolute sovereignty on earth. Therefore they are still only permitted to exis,t by Jehovah and continue only that they might be used of him for the punishment of evil doers and each other’s destruction (Romans 13:3-4). They are doomed to complete destruction eventually in God’s own appointed time (Revelation 11:15) at the hands of the sovereign Lord of the universe, the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:24-28). Daniel declares, the King of kings, the Ruler of the kingdom of heaven shall consume them (Daniel 2:34-35; Daniel 2:44-45). While upon earth Christ acknowledged these other kingdoms were of the world and had been planted by, belonged to, Satan, the devil (Luke 4:6). He predicted they would eventually be rooted up (Matthew 15:13). Christ is ultimately to deliver up the kingdom of heaven to the Father, “when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power/’ These other kingdoms*' are to become the kingdom of the Lord and his Christ. The Holy Spirit is, on record that the time of this rooting would be in connection with the second advent of the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Corinthians 15:28). A comparison of the origin, nature, purpose of existence, function, and constitution, of these other kingdoms with that of the origin, nature, purpose of existence, function, and constitution, of the kingdom of heaven should furnish an answer to our question of the relationship between them. The kingdom of heaven is the consummation of divine wisdom and in it dwells the power of God. The kingdom of heaven is an absolute monarchy. It is separate, original, distinct, independent, from all other kingdoms. It is absolutely complete and perfect in its nature, constitution, laws, government, and function. Its laws provide an absolutely perfect system, for the adjustment of every question, the settlement of every dispute, the handling of every problem of discipline within its ranks, (Matthew 5:23; Matthew 18:15-18). Yea, within the world. The child of God is positively forbidden to avail hirm self of the civil powers to gain even justice at the hands of his fellow citizen of the kingdom of heaven (1 Corinthians 6:1-10). “These are of no account in the church,” says the Holy Spirit. I believe Jehovah is infinite in knowledge, in wisdom, and in power; in mercy, in love, and in grace. I believe Jehovah is immutable, changeless, and unchangeable. I believe, therefore, that God’s way in everything is the only right way. It is the way that cannot but be. I believe, therefore, that every provision made by Jehovah for the performance of any work, or the attainment of any end sought by him, has ever been an absolutely perfect provision needing no improvement upon, or revision of, in order that it might perfectly produce the results for which he designed it originally (Isaiah 55:8). I believe that to attempt any change in, revision of, or substitution for any institution or method of God is presumptuous. It discounts the provision made by Jehovah and reflects upon divine wisdom. I believe Jehovah makes no experiments, he cannot err, but ever has been, now is,, and forever will be, the only infallible source and standard of right and righteousness. I believe all his laws are the very mirror of his changeless attributes. All his statutes and institutions are inherently, immutably and infinitely, reflections of his immaculate nature, character, and person. The material universe upon the one hand, and the normal physical human body on the other are perfect illustrations of these fundamental principles, of truth. I believe the kingdom of heaven is a God originated, God ordained, and God established institution through which God’s children can, and should, work unto the moral and spiritual uplift, and eternal salvation of the world of men. I believe she is in her constitution, laws, and provisions, all-sufficient unto every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). I believe there is not one thing that is good, that is of God, that cannot be done exclusively and perfectly as a child of God and a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. Thus have my brethren preached and contended lo these many years. To doubt or deny such conclusions is to challenge the infinity of the wis,dom of God, to discount the completeness and perfection of his plan, and to reflect upon the immutability of his nature. By virtue of his appointment by the declaration of Almighty God, Christ alone has the sovereignty, the right, the prerogative to make laws for the government of this universe (Matthew 17:5). All authority vests in him according to his own affirmation (Matthew 28:18). All authority is his according to the authoritative declaration of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 17:5; 1 Corinthians 15:25). He also pledged his apostles that through that same Holy Spirit he would deliver unto them all truth (John 16:13). Since he must keep his word to be deity there can be nothing essential to man’s life and conduct, direction and government, not included in the all truth delivered to the apostles, revealed to the first churches, and preserved upon the pages of the New Testament. The headquarters, abode of the King, capitol city, of this kingdom of heaven, is heaven (Php_3:20). Citizens thereof are but strangers and sojourners here enjoying the privileges of pilgrims in a foreign land. We have not here an abidng city, but we seek after the city which is to come (Hebrews 13:14). This, absolute monarchy contains all God’s children; all of God’s children are in it. Every one is a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. Every citizen of the kingdom of heaven is in it. The other kingdoms yet exist as the kingdom of Satan in rebellion to the law of Christ. Permitted by God in his infinite grace and long-suffering, to function in dishonor until such time as, already set within his own authority they are destroyed. They are utterly unlike in their component parts. The absolute separateness and independence of the kingdom of heaven from, all other kingdoms is not merely conspicuous, it is preeminent. The fundamental principles, upon which the other kingdoms are founded, governed, and maintained, are incompatible with, and in conflict with, those upon which the kingdom of heaven is established and continued. In one the origin is found in God, and good. In the others the beginning was in rebellion to God, and greed (Genesis 11:1-9; 1 Samuel 8:9). One, then, is temporal, temporary, changeable, and changing. The other, spiritual, eternal, unchangeable, and unchanging. In their very natures the two kingdoms are as different and antipodal as the natures of their respective sovereigns—Christ and Satan—who are irreconcilable en-emies, opposites, incompatible, and antagonistic. One is founded upon grace and suas.ion perfected by love. The other founded upon force, violence, physical power, maintained by the sword. The citizens of one fight for it physically. Leave it to God, is the commandment to the citizens of the other (John 18:33; Romans 12:19). The triumph of the one is the defeat of the other. In function these do not have one thing in common. In purpose the ends sought by each are opposites,. They operate in entirely distinct and different spheres; each regarded by God a separate, distinct, and independent organization, for a different purpose. The one ordained for the lawless and disobedient children of Satan, the dishonorable min-ister of God, an avenger of wrath to him that doeth evil (Romans 13:4). The other established as the pillar and ground of the truth, the instrument through which the Lord of the universe shall evangelize the world with the gospel unto the salvation of souls. Citizenship in one based upon fleshly birth and the accidents of parentage and place of nativity, changed by personal choice and determination in naturalization. Citizenship in the other obtained regardless of parentage or place of nativity, but determined by birth of water and the Spirit resulting in adoption at God’s hands into his family.

Logically and scripturally then, when men accept the gospel they bceome citizens of the kingdom of heaven. Naturalized out of the other kingdom, the kingdom of Satan, into the kingdom of heaven (Php_3:20; Matthew 20:25; Mark 12:14; Luke 20:20; Ephesians 5:11). Elected and ordained unto an entirely different work in the woHd. No man can serve two masters. No man can be a full fledged citizen of two governments at the same time. He can live obediently under one and enjoy the privileges of it while still a citizen of another. But to be a component part of two, and active in both, is as impossible as it is illegal. No provision is made in the New Testament for the function of the other kingdoms in the things of the kingdom of heaven. These other kingdoms do not recognize nor acknowledge the absolute sovereignty of Christ. They do not seek his absolute authority and will in heaven and on earth. Neither does the New Testament provide, either in precept or approved apostolic example or precedent, for the function of the kingdom of heaven in matters of statesmanship or civil government. Christianity is the seed of that which grows right and righteousness, not a system of judicial authority (1 Corinthians 5:12-13). Christ never proposed to formulate civil laws nor to enforce secular justice by physical power (Luke 12:14). His work from within, out.

Not from outside, in. It is highly significant that neither Christ, nor any apostle, or inspired teacher ever made a direct onslaught upon one of the established popular evils or practices of society of their day. No inspired teacher ever addressed or harangued a group of citizens of the other kingdoms upon a political or purely moral issue. No inspired teacher, no group of inspired preachers, or Holy Spirit directed church, ever attempted to exercise one particle of control or authority directly over the “powers, that be” politically, by physical force or ballot. All utter-ances against immoral conduct were aimed directly and exclusively against the children of God. The theme and burden of apostolic teaching and preaching to those not citizens of the kingdom of heaven was ever the sonship and sovereignty of Christ, and his s.cheme for the redemption of their souls. Originally citizens of the kingdom of heaven stood aloof from the state and refused to have anything to do therewith except to pay taxes and render obedience thereto. The commonwealth of Israel, in its original simplicity, is yet a living monument to the relationship God expects his people to sustain to other kingdoms,. Every act of affiliation, partnership, friendship, or treaty, with a foreign nation was regarded by God as an act of treason against his sovereignty. Their punishment and final destruction was, a direct result of their indulgence in these forbidden fellowships (Exodus 23:32-33; Judges 2:12). Affiliation of the kingdom of heaven with other kingdoms today in a similar manner cannot but result in the curtailing of the influence of the kindom of heaven and thus slow up or arrest completely the progress of its appointed work in its God ordained sphere of activity. To sum up, then, the relationship of the kingdom of heaven, its citizens, to the other kingdoms can be nothing more than that of humble, unreserved, submission to all laws, of these powers so long as those laws do not involve the citizen of the kingdom of heaven in any violation of the command of God. He must pay taxes as they are levied upon him (Romans 13:6-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17). He may avail himself of all privileges of freedom from oppression, or common justice, and the protection of certain rights granted by these powers. The apostle Paul did (Acts 16:36-38; Acts 22:25-29; Acts 25:10-12). Since the citizen of the kingdom of heaven is positively forbidden to take vengeance upon his enemies or the enemies of God, but to give place to the wrath and vengeance of God he cannot consistently, or legally, have part in any active or positive way as an agent of that which God characterizes his, “sword” (Romans 13:4). This undoubtedly enjoins the citizen of the kingdom of heaven against the bearing of arms in. carnal warfare at home or abroad, offensively or defensively, against a fleshly foe. The function of the other kingdom is that they shall bear the sword of God unto the punishment of evil doers (Romans 13:3). They are God’s, avengers for wrath to him that doeth evil (Romans 13:4). Individually and nationally. In the long ago God punished wicked nations by sending them against each other (Psalms 60:8; Psalms 108:9; Isaiah 10:5-13; Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:1-6; Jeremiah 25:8-14). Undoubtedly he carries out such work today through these other kingdoms. Prayers of the citizens of the kingdom of heaven on behalf of the “powers that be” are enjoined, but only that these powers may rule according to the will of God unto permission of the citizens of the kingdom of heaven to live quiet and peaceful lives in all godliness (1 Timothy 2:1-7). The citizen of the kingdom of heaven must preach the gospel regardless of conflict or consequence (Peter and John, Acts 4:8-20; Acts 4:32; Acts 5:28-29; Acts 5:41-42). The citizens of the kingdom of heaven must worship God and him alone according to his requirements and in his, appointed way in spite of time, condition, place, or command of other kingdoms, (Shadrach, Meschach, Abednego, Daniel 3:8-23; Daniel, Daniel 6:7-10; Acts 4:23-31; Hebrews 10:24; Acts 12:5; Acts 12:12). God’s requirements of his child is ever that his, body, soul, and spirit shall be devoted unreservedly to the service of Jehovah (Romans 12:1). Since he is, a citizen of the kingdom of heaven his body is and ever shall remain a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Whether alive or dead he is exclusively the Lord’s possession (Romans 14:7-8). He is no part of the kingdom of Satan (Romans 6:17-18; Colossians 3:1-4). The citizens of the kingdom of heaven must ever seek to maintain separateness from the Babylon of other kindoms that they be not overtaken in their final destruction (2 Corinthians 6:17; Revelation 18:4; Revelation 18:21-24).

Perhaps the scope of this discussion logically demands I consider the objection that Cornelius was, a soldier and the New Testament nowhere says he ceased his connection with the Roman army when he became a Christian. The burden of proof rests upon him who affirms Cornelius continued his former connections and duties. In the light of Romans 12:19, Cornelius could not have remained a faithful child of God and held his office. In its very nature it was contrary to, and incompatible with, the very letter and spirit of Christianity. It could very easily have compelled Cornelius to have imprisoned and put to death his own brethren in the Lord. Examining the case of the jailor, similar conditions would pertain. As a Roman jailor he would perhaps be required to scourge and imprison other Christians just as he formerly ii> carcerated Paul and Silas in the inner prison after whipping them. Could this man have remained a jailor and a faithful Christian? The duties and responsibilities of their respective offices were incompatible with the letter and spirit of Christianity to such a degree they would be compelled to resign or desert regardless of the consequences.