Which Kingdom Are You Of?

When Jesus stood before Pilate he told him something that a whole lot of God’s people need to think about: “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: 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” (Jn. 18:36). Jesus preached about the kingdom of God, and came to prepare a way for men to be in the kingdom of God while here on earth, so that we could inherit the same kingdom of God after this life is over (Mat. 4:17; Mat. 25:34). The Bible defines the kingdom of God and how to serve him in that kingdom with the following: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in THESE things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men” (Rom. 14:17). So the business of true followers of Jesus is the business of the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of this world. Of course we have to participate in some of the things of this life, but we are not to do so to excess. And why is that, you might ask? Because like Jesus, our kingdom is not of this world. The apostle Paul stated the point that I am making here: “And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away” (I Cor. 7:31). And he elaborated that point a little further in another place: “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (II Tim. 2:4). So again I say that someone who is truly being “led by the Spirit of God” in their life is not involving themselves unduly with things that are of the kingdom of this word. Some of the stumbling blocks that God’s people are tripping over are social issues, political matters, and anything else that involves the systems of this world.

Our involvement as believers should be with the things that pertain to “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost,” in our own personal lives, and in the lives of fellow believers. There are people who are of this world that take care of the systems of this world, because THEIR kingdom IS of this world. When God’s people allow themselves either through deed or thought and word, to become “entangled with the affairs of this life,” they begin to lose their identity with the kingdom of God. This is labeled in the scriptures as being “carnally minded,” and it is also said to be death (Rom. 8:5,6). And truly it is death to identify ourselves in word or deed with the kingdom of this world, when in reality our kingdom is NOT of this world. It is a trick of the devil, and unfortunately he has been quite successful with it. I have seen it ever since I have been in Christ; people identifying more with their carnal families than with their family in Christ; and identifying with the country they live in more than with the Kingdom of God that they have been born again into. But consider what is written regarding the patriarchs of the faith: “These all died in faith… and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city” (Heb. 11:13-16). Oh my friend, I get really excited reading about these things! These words are not written about people who were “entangled with the affairs of this life,” but rather about those who knew and acted like their kingdom was not of this world. Even Daniel, who was basically forced into a very high position in a kingdom of this world, proved that his kingdom was NOT of this world when he prayed to God three times daily with his windows open, after a decree was passed forbidding any prayer to any God other than the king (Dan. 6:6-10).

My involvement with the nation I live in is to pray much for its peace, it’s economy, it’s social issues, it’s ills, and for the guidance of the leaders thereof(Jer. 29:7; Rom. 13:1,7; I Tim. 2:1-3). Beyond that it is my duty to abide lawfully and influence those around me with the love and holiness of God (Col. 4:5; I Cor. 3:7). Many try to mix their faith in Christ with entanglement in the affairs of the kingdoms of this world, and that is risky at the least, and deadly at the most. In so many circles in the body of Christ there is so much talk about the social and political issues of this world, and it is nothing more than a confession of being carnally minded. The apostle Paul observed this spiritual malady in his day, saying, “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things” (Philip. 3:18,19). And he immediately followed that statement with the following: “For OUR conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philip. 3:19,20). The word ‘conversation’ in this passage is from the Greek word ‘Politueuma,’ and is defined as follows: “the administration of civil affairs or of a commonwealth.” So our commonwealth is the commonwealth of the spiritual, or heavenly kingdom of God, as the apostle stated; and our civil affairs are those that pertain to “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men” (Rom. 14:17,18). I think that sums it up. God bless.