p. 7 | CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP by T.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 1, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 35.

CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP.

By T.

Every one is supposed to be a citizen of some country. And whatever country that may be, the good citizen will be perfectly loyal to the government of that realm. He will uphold its rulers, obey its laws, and seek in every way he can to build it up. And above everything else he will see to it that his affections are not stolen by some hostile and inferior kingdom.

It is perfectly evident that no man can be a citizen of two countries at one and the same time. For there never can be two countries, no matter how friendly they are, whose interests are absolutely identical. If two such countries could be found, they would of themselves blend into one. So, then, the citizen’s affections and loyalty must center in some one government to the exclusion of all others.

Men can recognize the foregoing principles clearly as they apply to the governments of this earth. But why do they not see them just as clearly when applied to the government of heaven? The man who bestows his allegiance upon the United States would be cast out as a traitor if he should be found either openly or secretly connecting himself with some other nation. The men of this world are very quick and sensitive upon this point. They seem to have a clear and jealous perception of the idea that no man can belong to two countries at one and the same time. And the man who may attempt it is stigmatized as a traitor at once.

It often happens that either business or some other interests or necessities will call a man to leave his own country to sojourn in a foreign land. But this dwelling in a foreign realm does not of itself make him a citizen of that realm. In order for him to become a citizen there, he must first renounce the country to which he holds his present allegiance, and then take out naturalization papers and become adopted by the government of his new choice.

Now since it is a recognized principle that no man can be a citizen of two countries of this earth at one and the same time, how much more clearly should it be recognized that no one can be a citizen of this world and at the same time be a citizen of Christ’s heavenly kingdom. There are many things in which the nations of earth stand on common ground. But this world, with all its sins, its crimes, its vanities and follies, has nothing in common with the kingdom of heaven. Nations of this earth may form alliances to carry out common designs and desires. But Christ’s kingdom has nothing in common with the world.

In that wonderful prayer of the Master as recorded in the seventeenth chapter of John, the record is: “I have given them Thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” Verses 14–16.

We should accredit the King of the heavenly kingdom with being authority upon this subject. “They are not of the world,” says the Master, “even as I am not of the world.” This is a positive, direct, and authoritative statement. “They are not of the world,” is the language of the divine Lord.

To be sure, there always has been and always will be multitudes of professors who claim to be following Christ, yet they are all absorbed in this world. They do not read the Bible, unless it is just occasionally. They have not even read it through, much less closely studied it. Perhaps they have not done so much in all their lives as to read one of the books of the Bible through. Then how can such persons, no matter what or how much they profess, expect to represent the Lord Jesus Christ and His kingdom?

Is it any wonder that they devote their lives to the politics of this world? that they should consider it incumbent upon them to attend every caucus, and spend their time in every way they can in looking after the affairs of this present evil world? They have not studied the Master’s words, neither have they partaken of His Spirit, and of course they could not be expected to follow Him.

But what a fatal delusion it is for men to be seriously led into the belief that they can be of this world and absorbed in and identified with all its interests, and still be faithful representatives and citizens of the kingdom of heaven! The god of this world is mammon. The men of this world have no higher aim than self. Each one is rushing hither and thither looking after his personal temporal interests. Very few thoughts of God and eternity enter his head, unless he is face to face with death or some other great calamity. And yet in such a world, many persons hold themselves as citizens, while they claim at the same time to belong to the unselfish, benevolent, and pure kingdom of the Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.

“No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye can not serve God and mammon.” Matt. 6:24. Thus the Lord plainly says, “No man can serve two masters.” We should acknowledge the literal truth of this divine statement. The Christian has a more important work to do for the world than to dabble in its politics and generally mix up with its affairs. His life should be given to pointing men to the way of escape from the universal ruin into which this world is about to plunge. And he has not a moment of time for anything else.