In this space a week ago I wrote about the present reality of the Kingdom. I will continue to share a bit on that, and specifically on the world view and paradigm that comes with understanding that present reality.
As I wrapped up last week I shared two pertinent scriptures. One that makes it clear that the kingdom is a present reality and that it is “in your midst” or within you. And, a second that tells us to live seeking it and trusting in its present provision.
[Luke 17:20-21 NASB]20 Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!‘ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
The King James version uses the term “within you” which may be a better literal translation as the word for within/in your midst according Strong’s is “entos”: 1)within, inside 2) within you i.e in your midst i 3)within you – i.e your soul.
[Luke 17:20-21 KJV] 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
This makes the present reality of the kingdom clear, but also makes it obvious that you, we believers – the church, will be the physical manifestation of the kingdom most will encounter, just as Jesus was when He walked the earth as He spoke these words.
The second scripture is very familiar and often quoted.
[Matthew 6:31-34 NASB95] 31 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Again, this seems to make it obvious that there is a present kingdom to be sought and in it is full provision for each day.
Having been a believer for 50 plus years, I’m still amazed at the numbers of believers that seem to think, as mentioned last week, the kingdom is all pie in the sky when we die. But what is more interesting to me, as an observer of the church and believers, is the number who fail to realize that we manifest the Kingdom as we live and move in Christ Jesus as His body and under His Lordship. Or, perhaps even worse, seem to think that we must somehow pull the kingdom down from the heavenlies by our pious efforts at prayer, righteousness, or building something FOR God. That is being captive in Babylon. Babylon is always marked by man’s effort to reach God by self effort/works and to make a name for themselves, rather than simply love Him resulting in service/obedience to what He is saying and doing. Co-laboring with Him.
As we focus on developing a Kingdom paradigm based in seeking the King and His Kingdom, we first come to the place where the King and the Kingdom are a present reality. There is a King and He has an established domain/Kingdom.
The ekklesia is simply the current conduit for bringing the Kingdom to earth in Jesus. Heaven joins earth and is to invade it through us, the church, which is His (Jesus) body, the fullness of Him who fills the all in all. Ephesians 1:22-23. This conduit should be thought of perhaps a bit like Jacob’s ladder. But, instead of angels descending and ascending, it is like one of those chutes on the back of cement truck with the effluence of the kingdom being poured out on the earth to be spread by, and through, the likes of you and me.
When Jesus walked the earth he proclaimed: “The Kingdom is now, has come near you, is in your midst”. We, as the church, His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all, now give expression to the Kingdom in Him. We are the people, Body, Bride, Temple where the Kingdom finds expression. We do not have to, nor are we, pulling heaven’s kingdom down by pleading prayer, or our piety, or our own initiatives. The Kingdom has been established in us by, and in, Him, and flows right through us as we are its conduit when we seek the King and the Kingdom rather than our own initiatives (Babylon), or the worlds ways and systems (Egypt), or seek to build something FOR God to reach Him in our own works and our own inspiration and to make a name for ourselves more than Him (Babylon).
Too many believers today trust in, and get totally wrapped up in, today’s political constructs to establish the Kingdom of God in the earth. The truth is He has already established the Kingdom, and He has had no intention, and does not have now, nor will ever have, any intention of using the constructs of the world’s system to establish or manifest His own.
The Kingdom will never be manifested or implemented through the political constructs of man or the world’s systems. This does not mean the LORD cannot use them or move through them as tools for dealing with men and His people. The scriptures are replete with examples of His using evil Kings, Pharaohs, and Rome for His purposes. But His Kingdom is His! These worldly political entities and constructs never replace it, nor do these establish it. Kingdom reign requires a commitment and allegiance to Jesus Lordship and nothing else.
I have shared this before, but will again:
This is a letter taken from The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. The Screwtape Letters, for those that haven’t read it is Lewis’ exposition of how men, including believers, are often duped and deceived into believing lies, and manifest nonsense, by the adversary. Screwtape is a master demon writing advice to his younger nephew about how to attack men (“the patient” here, sometimes he refers to them “hairless bipeds”) in order to keep them rejecting the truth and love of God.
It is an excellent reminder that we are of a different Kingdom and have been transferred to a different political reality and system. Yes, you should pray for and obey the government you are under in the U.S.A. But, keep in mind your allegiance is to another King and Kingdom where Jesus is on the throne. God is not using the political constructs of philosophies of man to establish His Kingdom on earth. He has, in fact, established the Kingdom in/within we that are submitted to the Lord Jesus. And, His intent is to overthrow, by love, every other dominion on the face of the planet in the hearts of men, until every knee bows and every tongue confesses Jesus is Lord…. just as you and I have. As Lewis indicates, His Kingdom is focused on having you personally “advancing in character formation, and the thing you can control” under His Lordship. Rather than stirring yourself up to “angst, frustration, and general disdain toward the rest of the human race” that may disagree or stand against you. His design is for you to stand in love, in the kind of “charity and peace” that provokes the world to jealousy wanting to be in the Kingdom of the Son He loves, just as you are, and enjoying the provision found there.
Unfortunately, too many Christian teachers, church expressions, and believers get tied up in, and very exercised over politics, particularly American politics. I confess I often am myself. But, many go to the point of standing only AGAINST things, issues, principles and, worst of all, people. And then, they never give any indication to those they are against that they are standing FOR JESUS. Or, that they are standing in Him/Jesus alone. The indication is that we stand for the “other side”, “the issue”, “the principle”, etc. That may be well and good for righteousness sake, but the indication should be just as clear that we stand for Him and His Kingdom. We are ambassadors for His Kingdom. And, in His kingdom submission is gained by love; not by coercion, intimidation, anger or outburst, or violence. If we only give indication of what or who we are against, rather than indicating we stand with and for Jesus and His Kingdom, love – the love of God – never has opportunity to reveal its fullness in Him
You may ask: “Well, does that mean, as a believer, I must be separated from all politics?”
Does this mean you can’t participate in your rights as a citizen of the United States, or whatever earthly entity you may come from. No! Can you not be a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or whatever? No! You can exercise your rights and belong to whatever you may. However your commitment to nation and party ends where they cross the Lordship of Jesus, and you must realize that compromise may be difficult. His Kingdom will often be at odds with the world’s systems.
It also often means to trust, or put your hope, in these entities over and above the Kingdom, is to reject trusting the King/Lord and seeking first the Kingdom. Our security is not found in the world’s kings and political parties or systems. Our security is in the authority of Jesus.
God never wanted His people to have any King or government but Him.
[1Samuel 8:1-9 NASB] 1 And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; [they] were judging in Beersheba. 3 His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; 5 and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. 8 “Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day–in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods–so they are doing to you also. 9 “Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them.”
Right after this the LORD gives Samuel a warning, which he delivers to the people about how their sons will be forced to be soldiers of the king, how their daughters will be forced to labor for the king, and how they will be taxed heavily to serve the king and his purposes. Sound familiar?
Then the Lord tells Samuel to listen to the voice of the people, for they have not rejected Samuel but the LORD, and give them a King and directs him to Saul. Saul and David both proved to be fairly decent kings, but from there on in Israel, Saul forward, the burden on the people became hard and heavy and, often, evil.
You can seek THE KING and HIS KINGDOM in Jesus, or you can be ruled by other than He that is truly LORD. To desire the politics or world’s systems to provide for and judge for you, or to trust in them, to put your hope in them, can be to reject Him from being King/Lord over you.
Most of us want what we want, and the truth is we want to be King of our life! But the gospel of the Kingdom leads us to a place of crucifixion of that desire.
Those functioning in the gospel, seeking first the Kingdom and His righteousness, are grounded in and focused upon the LORDSHIP/authority of Jesus, not the ways, systems, and devices of the world. The LORD does not advance His Kingdom, in this age, by wielding power physically or politically, or by violence. So we cannot expect to advance or exhibit the Kingdom through the exhibition of physical or political power or resorting to violence. The Kingdom advances, and is exhibited, by those who have no life or power of their own, but have a God given ability, under His authority, to lay their life down (and sometimes suffer as He did – see Philippians 2) in obedience to the Father and His purpose. Thereby they manifest the kingdom as they trust in the Lordship of Jesus whatever their circumstances, rather than trust in themselves and the world’s politics or power.
There is a King and there is a Kingdom! And, for this moment, the kingdom is being manifested and poured out through you as a conduit as The King has come near you as your LORD, and His kingdom is within you, even in your midst, by the Holy Spirit.
Luke 17:20-21 KJV] 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.