CITIZENSHIP by M. S. Babcock

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 17, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 23.

CITIZENSHIP.

By M. S. Babcock

THE question of the citizenship of the Christian, and his rights, privileges, and duties in respect to earthly governments, press forward these last days for discussion and decision with unyielding persistency. As might be expected, the "religious press" especially displays a lively interest in these matters; scarcely an issue appears therefrom that does not contain one or many ingenuous and well-written articles in support of what is denominated "Christian citizenship," and in favor of installing Christ as king of this nation by the hand of professed Christians "through the gateway of politics," advocating the enthronement of Christ politically in this nation, and the recognition of his professed followers, as such, in public affairs, together with the official recognition of their alleged right to control the nation by means of laws passed and enforced, as a result of "Christian votes" cast for the "regeneration of the state," as an "applied science of righteousness."

The questions involved are not new questions. Almost two thousand years ago, when personally present on the earth, they were forced upon the Master himself for settlement. The theater of action is changed from the hills of Judea. America is again the center of the controversy in this nineteenth century, as she was in the eighteenth. The decision rests with us, and not with him or them, only as he energizes us; that is essentially all the difference. They are incased in some new settings, it is true, but come up with all the more vigor and vim for that reason, to the casual view, thereby presenting the appearance of newly-mined gems.

New or old, formerly and now, the right solution of the questions raised involves not merely the civil liberties of men, but what is more, the Christian life and the making of individual Christian character.

They must be solved correctly in the sight of God and agreeably to his Word, for Christ to dwell "in you the hope of glory," that ye may be witnesses for the truth among all nations, and kindreds, and tongues, and people, individually "overcome," and be clothed in "white raiment," in that great day when the Master shall make up his "special treasure."

No doubt the fact of the great importance of these problems is generally perceived and appreciated, especially by students of the signs of the times, and much that has been written, in certain quarters at least, with such marked earnestness by way of instruction and advice, has been prompted by a lively sense of the danger covertly concealed within them. Consideration, without controversy or contention, in order that those who will may come to the "unity of the faith," is a prime necessity, and with this understanding, the thoughts and suggestions herein are prayerfully offered.

Do these people who advocate "Christian citizenship" and allied doctrines, in a limited sense, even, go too far, or are they wrong wholly and fundamentally? Grant a single basic premise assumed by them, and their conclusions inevitably follow. If "there is not a religious quality of right distinct from a political or economic quality of right;" if "the history of these centuries has been the political coming of Christ;" if "the mind of Christ shall become the creative spirit of political action and express itself in the statutes of the State;" if "the realization upon the earth of the kingdom of heaven, in the light of whose truth the nations shall walk and the people grow in knowledge, will be [is] the fundamental idea of the evolution of the Christian State;" if "we had best find our divine place and work in the millennium that has begun, and lift up our eyes to behold the King who is in his abiding kingdom and eternal kingship;" if "Christ’s kingdom is of this world;" if any one of these premises is true, then are Christians—true followers of Christ—of this world also; here, as such, they belong; "here they are citizens—‘Christian citizens’—and have urgent need to bestir themselves, take an active, lively interest in public affairs politically, in order to purify the putrid pool of politics, and ‘regenerate’ a Christian nation."

"To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." "My kingdom is not of this world," says Jesus; "if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight," contend, contest with the world, and, if necessary, fight with opposing powers in the world for supremacy over the world and her "camps and courts," pit might against might, and hold the prevailler right. But "now is my kingdom not from hence." "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God [politics?] to the pulling down of strongholds." "What agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." "Come out," that is the condition precedent to being accepted as sons and daughters, followers of Christ, "Christians."

Naturally, as sons of the first Adam, all men are born in some sort subjects, citizens of this world, citizens of some earthly government, subjects of the prince of force (Rom. 3:23; 2 Peter 2:19; Rom. 6:16; Eph. 2:2; 2 Cor. 4:3, 4); for example, citizens of these United States, if born within her accredited territory and jurisdiction, of native parents. As subjects and citizens naturally, all of right can claim the benefits and may exercise the privileges and perform the civil duties given, granted, guaranteed, and imposed by the laws in force of the country to which they each respectively owe civil allegiance, while the "power," or genius of order, of all governments is given of God, ordered of him for the protection of the individual, in the exercise of civil and religious liberty, without regard to citizenship. The drawing of love, the "power" of God, so long as it can work in the hearts of men and rulers, and through these express itself in government and order and system versus anarchy and disorder and confusion, "ordains," orders, orderly action in the affairs of men and nations. This is the best that Love can do for natural, carnal, sinful man, overruling in this way to the "praise of them that do good" and to the working of "wrath" upon them that do evil.

In the Scripture this natural man also is called the "old man," the "man of sin," "Satan incarnate in the flesh." He can see the earth kingdoms, but "except a man be born again he can not see the kingdom of God." Born, "not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God," Christ born in you "the hope of glory," Christ incarnate in the flesh. Here is a "new creature," a "new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17, R. V., margin); "old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." To the man born in Christ there dawns a new revelation, there opens a new life. Dead to the world and alive to God.

"Buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Rom. 6:4.

"Brethren, I count not myself yet to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. . . . Brethren, be ye imitators together of me, and mark them which so walk even as ye have us for an example. For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our citizenship [commonwealth] is in heaven; from whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ." Phil. 3:13-20, R. V.

While alive, the "old man," the "natural man," is a citizen of the "natural world,"—under sin a carnal world,—a realm of force. By faith this man dies and is buried. He was born from beneath, of the will of the flesh. He died that a new man might be born in his stead, of the spirit, from above; "not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

This new creature thus begotten in the place of the old creature, by the will and accepted energy of God, according to divine promise, secures rights and privileges, abiding in the fadeless kingdom of light, the kingdom of his birth. The Father "hath delivered us [him] from the power of darkness, and hath translated us [him] into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Col. 1:13), into a realm of love. Heir now to an inheritance incorruptible and that fadeth not away, eternal in the heavens, a child of the second Adam, he seeks "those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God;" "for whom," says Paul, "I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ." God hath translated us—hath done so, not will do so—and by faith we know that it is so. Here occurs an actual, literal, spiritual birth, but "it is God who brings the bud to bloom, and the flower to fruit;" "first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear." For a time while growing, the roots of the new plant may rest in the old seed, buried in the earth and passing away, yet "as the branch can not bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." "Things seen are temporal, but things unseen are eternal." How great is this mystery! "Spiritual things are spiritually discerned." "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God." The difference in the two men is a difference in character. By their fruits (works) ye shall know them. Where force once ruled in theory and act, love holds sway and regulates the life.

"Ambassadors for Christ," beseeching and praying in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God, who "hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." "Ambassadors for Christ"—let us not be confused here. No language can convey a perfect and full idea, nor is there an exact earthly parallel. However, mark this well: to whom or what an ambassador is accredited, whether to a nation or individuals, or what his duties may be in behalf of his principal, the government which he represents, in no respect, directly or indirectly, tends to confer or create citizenship upon or for him, anywhere, for any purpose whatever. His letters of credit are issued to him by the government wherein he is a citizen; for that, being otherwise qualified, he is a citizen thereof. Mark this, further: no one can consistently claim to be a citizen of more than one country at one and the same time; most emphatically so where the principle and law and procedure of the one are the exact opposite of the other. The ambassador of Christ receives his letters from Christ, because he has become a citizen of Christ's kingdom, now unseen, but to be revealed in the last days. John 14:1-3; 2 Peter 3:13. Christ lives in him with the same purpose, and works through him in manner and method the same as when with "bruised feet" he trod the hills of Judea, fulfilling the perfect law of love. Gal. 2:20; Heb. 13:8. Therefore his position then, concerning earthly governments, is necessarily the position of his ambassador now. He is a stranger and pilgrim on the earth (Heb. 11:13; 1 Peter 2:11, 12; 1:17-19, 23), is not of this world (John 15:18, 19; 17:14; 1 John 2:15-17; 3:1). "Ye are the salt of the earth," "the light of the world;" retain your savor; let your light shine, and thus in that manner enrich the world, bless mankind, and lead men "to glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matt. 5:13-16.

Daniel was a pilgrim and stranger on the earth, and a captive in Babylon. Three times daily, with his face toward beloved Jerusalem, in prayer he sought the God of his people for their and his own deliverance. The God of heaven richly endowed him above all his fellows, and the kings of Babylon in later years found him an exceedingly wise, faithful, and valuable servant in all matters not involving disloyalty to his God. Personally, however, in the thought of both Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus, Daniel was an alien, a Jewish captive of war in exile, praying for deliverance and for the kingdom of God to be set up over all the world through the coming of the promised Messiah, the Seed of Abraham.

The service performed for the kingdom by Daniel was highly honorable in the sight of men, and put in use ability and traits of character not possessed by any other known person in the realm. But so far as citizenship in any sense is concerned, such a thing was unknown back there with them, while to have attended to the cutting of the wood, or finding the fuel for the use of the king's cooks, would have suggested and implied that Daniel was a citizen of Babylon as fully as what he did do did or could.

Finally, "whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning," but God "grant you to be like-minded one toward another after the example of Christ Jesus," not after the example of Daniel, Paul, or any other; for Christ suffered for you, leaving you "an example [model], that ye should follow his steps." "If ye know that he is righteous, know ye that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him." Otherwise another power worketh in you, "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." M. S. BABCOCK.

Annapolis, Ohio.