THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST NOT OF THIS WORLD.
By W. N. G.
National Reformers are somewhat annoyed at being frequently confronted with the declaration of Christ, “My kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:36. In a desperate effort to ward off the force of this declaration, the Christian Cynosure says:— “Our Lord’s plain meaning is, My kingdom, or my law, or authority, are not derived from earth but from heaven.” We accept that exposition, but fail to see wherein it helps the National Reform claim that Christ’s kingdom is of this world. Jesus justified the assertion that his kingdom was not of this world, by a self-evident proof: “If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is my kingdom not from hence.” No better evidence could be given, for the kingdoms of this world are all backed by the sword. An earthly government without an army is a thing unknown. In addition to this testimony, while acknowledging that he was born to the end of being a king, yet his mission to this world was to bear witness to the truth. On this we submit the very lucid comment of Dr. Albert Barnes:— “By this he showed what was the nature of his kingdom. It was not to assert power; not to collect armies; not to subdue nations in battle. It was simply to present truth to men, and to exercise dominion only by the truth. Hence the only power put forth in restraining the wicked, in convincing the sinner, in converting the heart, in guiding and leading his people, and in sanctifying them, is that which is produced by applying truth to the mind. Men are not forced or compelled to be Christians. They are made to see that they are sinners, that God is merciful, that they need a Redeemer, and that the Lord Jesus is fitted to their case, and yield themselves then wholly to his reign. This is all the power ever used in the kingdom of Christ, and no men in his church have a right to use any other. Alas! how little have persecutors remembered this! And how often, under the pretense of great regard for the kingdom of Jesus, have bigots attempted by force and flames to make all men think as they do! We see here the importance which Jesus attached to truth. It was his sole business in coming into the world. He had no other end than to establish it. We therefore should value it, and seek for it as for hid treasures.” The Jews tried to convince Pilate that Jesus designed to interfere with the government of Cæsar, but after a close examination of the prisoner, and hearing his declarations in regard to his kingship and mission, the governor could find no fault in him. Pilate did not understand that Jesus designed to inaugurate a political reformation. Even the Jews did not believe it, altho they charged him with such design. The fact that he indicated no such intention was the principal reason why they rejected him, for that was the very thing they expected the Messiah to do. He Came to Save, Not to Destroy.—The mission of Christ is briefly but comprehensively set forth in Luke 9:56: “The Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” This was called out by the “National Reform” ideas that seemed to cling to the disciples of Christ until after they were more perfectly enlightened by the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. They were to pass through a village of the Samaritans on their way to Jerusalem, and Jesus sent some of the company in advance to provide entertainment. But the people of the village would not receive Christ, because they hated the Jews, and he was on his way to minister to the Jews. “And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.” Whoever heard of a king, whose kingdom was of this world, quietly passing over such an insult, especially if he had the power to resent it and to compel acknowledgment? Here is another clear case where Jesus could have said, as he did to Pilate, “If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight.” And the language that he did use was of the same import. As with the disciples on that occasion, so with those of to-day who would use compulsory measures, as though Christ’s kingdom were of this world, they know not what manner of spirit they are of. That the compulsory religious movement now on foot in this country comprehends the destroying of men’s lives if its success so require, is admitted by men who have for years been prominent as leaders. The present editor of the Christian Cynosure once uttered this sentiment:— “Whether the Constitution will be set right on the question of the moral supremacy of God’s law in the government without a bloody revolution, will depend entirely upon the strength and resistance of the forces of antichrist.” Declined Judicial Office Also.—Not only did Christ refuse to be made a temporal king, and thus exercise the highest functions of a temporal ruler in person (John 6:15); not only did he forego the use of military force at a most critical period in his ministry (Matt. 26:51–53), but he declined to act as a judge. “And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?” Luke 12:13, 14. This was an emphatic denial of any judicial prerogative in civil matters; and his denial of any design to judge, in this world, those who refuse to accept his teaching in religious matters, was equally emphatic. On this he says: “If any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” John 12:47, 48. The Ambassadors of Christ’s Kingdom.—Aside from Christ’s own clear, unequivocal declaration, there could be no better evidence that his kingdom is not of this world than the character of his ambassadors. The apostle Paul, writing to the church at Corinth, says:— “All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” 2 Cor. 5:18–20. An ambassador is one sent by a government to represent it abroad. Ambassadors of earthly governments are sent to other governments. But Christ’s ambassadors are not sent to other governments as such. They are sent to all the world, as individuals. They are not sent to reconcile governments to God; they “persuade men,” sinners, individually. God has shown us that all the governments of this world will be “broken in pieces together,” and “consumed” by the kingdom which the “God of heaven” shall “set up,” which “shall stand forever.” And this kingdom is represented by a “stone” which was “cut out without hands;” men have nothing to do with its erection. The Christian minister is an ambassador to sinners, praying them to be reconciled to God, so that they may have a place in his kingdom when the kingdoms of this world shall have been broken in pieces and consumed. Paul says God “hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,” and then “hath committed to us the ministry of reconciliation.” That is, they were to go as ambassadors to reconcile others. We have no record of Paul’s trying to reconcile the government to God; but we do read of his pleading with rulers as individuals, and of his teaching men “publicly, and from house to house.” Altho he never attempted to reform the civil government in any part of his great field of operations, yet he had not “shunned to declare all the counsel of God.” Paul tells us that “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself,” and we have already shown that a pagan governor and judge of a pagan government declared him innocent of any design to work any change in the character of that government. If Christ’s kingdom were of this world, the idea of his sending ambassadors to this world would be as absurd as for our own government to send ambassadors to the United States.