War and Politics the Christian's Duty
by Peter
Watkins
Contents
Chapter
One Back to the Bible
Two Turning the Other Cheek
Three Understanding the Times
Four Pilgrims in an Alien World
Five The Christian and Politics
Six When God's Kingdom Comes
The Scripture Quotations in this publication are from
the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyrighted 1946 and 1952 by the
Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of
Christ in the
Chapter One
Back to the Bible
What do you think?
Should Christians go to war?
Many people who regard themselves as Christians would
answer something like this: "Well, we Christians ought normally to be
peace-loving people, but there are times when it is our duty to fight. We should
fight to defend what is good, and to destroy what is evil."
This sounds fine until we start asking a few
questions. For example, how can a man know for sure what things are good enough
and important enough to fight for, and to kill or be killed for? Different
Christians have different ideas about their Christian duty; some would be
prepared to fight for one reason, some for another. Who is to decide who is
right? Again, what should a man do when he is ordered to fight for his country
when he knows it to be good in some ways and bad in others?
Most people would say that it is a Christian's duty to
fight for his country. There have been two world wars, and in each of them
thousands of Christians have obeyed the call to become soldiers. In obedience
to their governments, people who claim to follow Christ have fought on both
sides — Christians have fought and killed Christians. Can this be right?
Religious wars have been fought in some countries.
Christians of one kind believed it was their duty to fight other Christians who
differed from them. Was this right?
And what about those countries where wicked rulers
have made unjust laws? Some Christians think they should overthrow such
governments, using force if necessary. What do you think?
No! "What do you think?" is not the right
question. What you or I think is not important. Instead we should ask: What
does God tell us to do?
What Does the Bible Say?
Too many people who call themselves Christians follow
their own thinking, and the result is confusion and conflict. The very name,
Christian, has been brought into contempt because men have relied on their own
judgment instead of seeking guidance from God. Because the Bible is a message
from God, the important question to ask is: What does the Bible tell us about
war? Does the Bible tell us that we should fight, or does it say that we should
not?
The Christian's Duty
The following words from the New Testament provide the
answer: "I (Jesus) say to you, Do not resist one
who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the
other also." (Matthew 5: 39.) "Beloved, never avenge
yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, 'Vengeance is
mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." (Romans 12: 19.) These instructions
are not difficult to understand: Christians must not fight.
True Christians
Christians must not fight. This may seem to be an
astonishing statement. If it is correct, we are bound to ask whether many who
claim to be Christians are really Christians at all. True Christians are
faithful followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. They are unusual people who live
in the world but do not really belong to it. Christians are never in the
majority and will therefore find themselves behaving differently from most of
their fellows. It was the Lord Jesus himself, the founder of Christianity, who
said "The gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and
those who find it are few." (Matthew 7: 14.)
Chapter Two
Turning the Other Cheek
We have looked at two passages of Scripture which
state that Christians must not fight. Now let us consider these passages more
carefully. The first is from the Sermon on the Mount, and the speaker is the
Lord Jesus: "I say to you, Do not resist one who
is evil, but if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other
also." (Matthew 5: 39.) Here is Christ's answer to those who say we should
fight to defend what is good and to destroy what is evil. "Do not resist
one who is evil."
His words are more than a command not to fight. A slap
on the face is a deliberately hostile and provocative act, an invitation to hit
back, if one dares. Jesus is telling us that even under such insulting
treatment we must not fight. We must not hit back, nor even defend ourselves
against attack. In line with this, the Lord went on to say: "I say to you,
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons
of your Father who is in heaven: for he makes his sun rise on the evil and the
good . . . for if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not
even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your brethren, what
more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You,
therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is
perfect." (Matthew 5: 44 - 48.) Instead of fighting our enemies, we must
love them, pray for them, and try our best to help them.
Paul says the same thing: "Bless those who
persecute you, bless and do not curse them . . . Live in harmony with one
another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited.
Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of
all. If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all.
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is
written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' No, 'if your enemy
is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will
heap burning coals upon his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome
evil with good." (Romans 12: 14 - 21.) It is easy to see that here Paul is
teaching the true Christian attitude to personal enemies. If we must follow
these commandments, person to person, it could not be expected that we would
have a right to join an army and fight against an enemy nation.
Note that Paul instructs Christians to see to it that
they always act peaceably. The other person may try to hurt with words or
blows, but the Christian must be a peacemaker and a peacekeeper. Also see how
Paul, like the Lord Jesus, insists that, far from repaying evil for evil, we
must do good to those who treat us badly. The next two
passages show that God's servants must resist even the temptation to quarrel:
"Have nothing to do with stupid, senseless controversies; you know that
they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly
to every one, an apt teacher, forbearing, correcting his opponents with
gentleness." (2 Timothy 2: 23 - 25.) "Remind them to . . .speak evil of no one, to avoid quarrelling, to be gentle,
and to show perfect courtesy toward all men." (Titus 3:
1, 2.)
The Great Example
In all that he said and in all that he did, the Lord
Jesus put into practice what he laid down for his disciples in the Sermon on
the Mount. Luke tells us about a time when the disciples, James and John, were
angry because the Samaritans had treated their Master as an enemy. They wanted
to call fire down from heaven, as Elijah once did. The Lord rebuked them for
their warlike spirit, and led them on their way. (Luke 9: 51 - 56.) When Jesus
prophesied the destruction of
They are not to fight for their city, not even to
defend it from the invading army. When Jesus was being arrested by his enemies,
Peter drew his sword to defend him - to defend the most holy man who ever
lived. If ever there was a righteous cause to fight for, this was it! Yet even
this was forbidden: "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take
the sword will perish by the sword." (Matthew 26: 52.) Peter never forgot
his Lord's example of complete submission to his enemies. Years later, he
exhorted the early believers: "Christ also suffered for you, leaving you
an example, that you should follow in his steps . . . When he was reviled, he
did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he trusted
to him who judges justly." (1 Peter 2: 21-23)
Problems
Most people who call themselves Christians reject the
teaching of the New Testament about turning the other cheek.
"Useless!" they say, "it just won't work."
They seem to forget that in saying this they criticize
the Lord Jesus Christ. In effect they are telling Him that he doesn't know what
he is talking about. Of course they can reject the Lord's commandments if they
want to, but at least they should realise and admit frankly that they are not
Christians. Why are people unwilling to turn the other cheek? Some argue:
"If everybody in our country refused to fight, we should soon be overrun
by our enemies." When they say this, they are forgetting that the Lord's
words were not intended for everybody, but only for his true disciples—the few,
unusual people who live as though they were strangers in a foreign land. Is
there any likelihood that everyone would follow this Christian way of life of
their own choice? Of course there isn't! Remember: "The gate is narrow and
the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few."
(Matthew 7: 14.) However, if we could imagine everybody in one country acting
in this unlikely way, we should just as easily imagine everybody in the other
countries doing the same. And the result would be no war. Splendid
!
The question is sometimes asked: "What would you
do if you saw someone attacking a member of your family?" A simple answer
to this question is by no means easy. Shield the person attacked? Restrain the
attacker, using as little force as possible? It is difficult to know what
action one might take in these circumstances. But the Bible says very
comfortingly: "God . . . will not let you be tempted beyond your strength."
(1 Corinthians 10: 13.) If it is the desire of our hearts to do God's will, and
if we really try, God will most certainly help us. The God who forbids revenge
also promises His care: "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord.
Surely God knows how to look after His own. Would we really be more secure
trying to look after ourselves?
Chapter Three
Understanding the Times
True Christians do not fight. This is the plain
teaching of the New Testament, and we must accept it. But some one might say:
"What about the Old Testament? We read of godly men fighting in the Old
Testament." This is correct. Joshua and David are two examples of godly
men who fought. What is more, God commanded them to fight, and He helped them
to win their battles.
There is a good reason for this. The ancient
God gave the people of
The kingdom lasted nearly five hundred years. When the
people obeyed God's laws they prospered. Most of the time,
however, both the people and their rulers were disobedient to their heavenly
King. At last they became so wicked that God used the Babylonians to
destroy the Kingdom that He had established. Nebuchadnezzar the king of
A Message of Doom and a Message of Hope
Before Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the first kingdom of
God, the prophet Ezekiel spoke a message of doom to Zedekiah, the last king of
Israel: "And you, O unhallowed wicked one, prince of Israel, whose day has
come, the time of your final punishment, thus says the Lord God: 'Remove the
turban, and take off the crown; things shall not remain as they are; exalt that
which is low, and abase that which is high. A ruin, ruin, ruin
I will make it; there shall not be even a trace of it until he comes whose
right it is; and to him I will give it.' " (Ezekiel
21: 25-27.) No more king; no more kingdom! That message of doom was also a
message of hope. See how Ezekiel uses that word until: "... there shall
not be even a trace of it until he comes whose right it is; and to him I will
give it." So the kingdom will be restored when the appointed king appears.
Who is the appointed king? The man born to be the king
of the Jews is the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember the words of the angel to Mary,
the Lord's mother, not long before his birth: "He will be great, and will
be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the
throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever;
and of his kingdom there will be no end." (Luke 1: 32, 33.) The Lord Jesus
did not fulfil this mission when he lived on the earth nearly two thousand
years ago. Only when he returns to the earth "with power and great
glory" (Luke 21: 27) will he be a king — over
The Duty of God's Servants
The ancient
The present is just a meantime — a period of waiting,
watching and witnessing for the people of God. Confident that God is really in
charge, and that the promised kingdom is not far away, God's servants do not
interfere, do not meddle with the affairs of the nations. They do not fight,
and they do not take an active part in politics. They are a people apart from
the rest.
Chapter Four
Pilgrims in an Alien World
"They are not of the world" Why are
Christians forbidden to fight? One answer is provided by the Lord Jesus
himself: "My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingship were of this
world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews;
but my kingship is not from the world." (John 18: 36) Christ's kingship
belongs to a future age. For this reason also, his servants do not involve
themselves in the politics of the nations of the world. They do not really
belong to this age. They are waiting for God's coming kingdom. That is why
Jesus rebuked Peter, when he drew a sword to defend his Lord. "Put your
sword back into its place," he said, "for all who take the sword will
perish by the sword." (Matthew 26:52.) Although Christ's true followers
live in the world, they are not worldly people. Just before his crucifixion the
Lord Jesus prayed for his disciples in these words: "... they are not of
the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not pray that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil one. They are not of the
world, even as I am not of the world." (John 17: 14-16.) Similarly, Peter
speaks of the followers of Christ as "aliens and exiles .
. among the Gentiles." (see
1 Peter 2: 9-12.)
A Noticeable Difference
There should be a noticeable difference between
Christians and other people. The true Christian is an honest, unselfish,
God-fearing person, who does not strive to be more rich or powerful than other
men. Because he has separated himself from this present evil world, he refuses
to become involved in the sinful practices of the world. Refusing to fight is
only a part of the difference between him and other men. If a man who claims to
be a Christian refuses to fight, but is worldly and sinful in other respects, he
is a hypocrite. The true Christian does not look for great reward or prosperity
now. For him, the times of the Gentiles are a period of preparation. A full
blessing comes with the coming kingdom of God Here are two scriptures that tell
us that followers of the Lord Jesus Christ must be altogether different from
the people of the world around them: "Do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the
will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2.)
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the
world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world; the
lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the
Father but is of the world." (1 John 2: 15,16.)
Law-abiding People
Although the followers of the Lord Jesus are not of
the world, and although they refuse to fight to defend themselves or their
country, it would be a great mistake to think of them as troublesome people.
Those who obey the commandments of Christ are the most law-abiding of men. In
obedience to their Lord, they do not kill or hurt people, not even in
self-defence; they do not commit adultery, steal or lie. Police forces, law
courts and prisons could all be done away with if all men were sincere
Christians. The nations would no longer need to spend vast sums of money for
the prevention and punishment of crime, and people everywhere would feel more
secure and at peace. Because most people refuse to follow Christ
whole-heartedly, we cannot expect these happy conditions until the kingdom of
God comes; but even now, those in authority never have trouble with the true
followers of Christ, even in countries where there is a great deal of crime.
Real Christians are the most trustworthy of citizens.
"Be subject to the governing authorities"
There is another reason why Christians should be good
citizens. It is because they have been instructed by their Master to obey the
rulers of their country. Consider the following quotations from the New
Testament: "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For
there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been
instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God
has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers
are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of
him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his
approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be
afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to
execute his wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be subject, not only to
avoid God's wrath, but also for the sake of conscience." (Romans 13: 1-5.)
We should note that all authorities are appointed by
God—"there is no authority except from God." For this reason those in
authority are God's servants, though usually they are not aware of this fact.
This means that when a Christian disobeys the rulers of his country, he is
really disobeying God. Paul goes on to say that we should pay all our taxes and
all our debts: "For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the
authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay all of them
their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to
whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honour to whom honour is
due. Owe no one anything ..." (verses 6, 7, 8.)
Here are two more passages of Scripture that speak for themselves: "Remind
them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready
for any honest work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarrelling, to be
gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all men." (Titus
3: 1, 2.) "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human
institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent
by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. For it is
God's will that by doing right you should put to silence the ignorance of
foolish men. Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for
evil: but live as servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear
God. Honour the emperor." (1 Peter 2: 13-17.)
Servants
Those Christians who are servants are similarly required
to obey their masters. This obedience is to be given freely, whether the master
is watching or not; and it must be given to unreasonable masters as well as to
good masters. The passage from Peter's letter, quoted above, continues like
this: "Servants be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only
to the kind and gentle but also to the overbearing. For one is approved if,
mindful of God, he endures pain while suffering unjustly." (1 Peter 2: 18,
19.) Paul puts it this way: "Slaves, obey in everything those who are your
earthly masters, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of
heart, fearing the Lord." (Colossians 3: 22.)
Slaves
This quotation from Colossians reminds us of the fact
that there was slavery in those days. There was much that was evil in the
slavery of Roman times, and we are bound to deplore the offensive features of
such a heartless society. The important thing to note, however, is that Paul
did not complain about the hardness and cruelty of life in those days, although
he himself suffered by it. He made no attempt to change the government; he did
not try to tackle these problems politically, and he obviously did not want
other members of the Christian church to do so, either. Paul's command to
slaves is that they must be obedient. If a slave is offered his freedom, he
should certainly take it (1 Corinthians 7:21), but he must not run away from
his master. At one time Paul met and converted a runaway slave - and then sent
him back to his master. (Read Paul's letter to Philemon.) A Christian slave
always had the great comfort of knowing that he was a "freedman of the Lord " (1 Corinthians 7: 22), and that he would enjoy
perfect freedom in the coming
Some Christians were masters, and the instruction to
them was that they should treat their bondservants well, because they were
themselves the servants of Christ: "Masters,
treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in
heaven." (Colossians 4: 1.)
Those who despise Authority
Strong words of condemnation are spoken against those
who claim to be Christians, but who despise their rulers and masters. Their
rebellious attitude goes right against the teaching and the example of the Lord
Jesus. Such people are not only discontented and disobedient, but they make
others like themselves. No wonder Peter describes them as "bold and wilful
. . . not afraid to revile the glorious ones" (2 Peter 2: 10, 11.). Jude
also severely condemns those who "reject authority" — see Jude 8 -
11.
Caesar and God
The duties of a Christian towards the government can
be summed up in the words of the Lord Jesus: "Render therefore to Caesar
the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's."
(Matthew 22: 21.) Jesus said this when his enemies had tried to trap him.
"Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" they asked. Most of
these Jews would have been delighted if they could have got rid of this burden
of taxation which hurt both their pride and their pocket. Yet if Jesus had given
them any encouragement to rebel, these same Jews would have been glad to report
it to their Roman enemies, in order to get him into trouble. How disappointed
they must have been with an answer that told them to give both to Caesar and to
God their dues. Christians must never forget that it is their duty to obey
'Caesar,' They must obey laws, and pay taxes; they
must do these things cheerfully; and they must also encourage others to do the
same.
Rare Occasions
Usually there is no conflict between our duties to
'Caesar' and our duties to God. Indeed, as we have seen, when a Christian is
obedient to 'Caesar', he is also obeying God. There are rare occasions,
however, when obeying a human government means disobeying God. For instance,
three God¬fearing men were given orders by the great
king Nebuchadnezzar to worship a golden image (Daniel 3). Although these men
were the king's most faithful servants, they refused, because God, who was
greater than Nebuchadnezzar, had forbidden the worship of idols. There was an
occasion when the Jewish rulers tried to stop the apostles from preaching the
gospel. But because they had been commanded to preach, they could only answer:
"We must obey God rather than men." (Acts 5: 29.)
It is possible for Christians today to find themselves
in a similar position. There may be times when people are told by their
government to do things that are contrary to the laws of God. When this
happens, true Christian believers will say: "We must obey God rather than
men." For example, if the country in which we live is at war, we may be
called to fight. However severe the penalties for
disobedience, God's servants will not hesitate to refuse. Their master
has told them to love their enemies, and this they must do.
Conscientious Objectors
In some countries the penalties for refusing to fight
are severe. Some Christians have suffered imprisonment, and some death, because
they have steadfastly refused to go to war. In many countries, however, a more
sympathetic attitude is shown to those whose conscience will not allow them to
fight. Conscientious objectors, as they are called, are often permitted to do
useful work for their countries (like land work or forestry), and they will be
happy to serve in this way while other men serve in the armed forces. But
whether their governments are sympathetic or severe, true Christians will not
fight.
Chapter Five
The Christian and Politics
We have seen from the Bible that the true Christian
does not belong to this present age. We must never lose sight of this fact. Let
it be repeated, that to the true Christian the present is a meantime, a period
of waiting, watching and witnessing for the coming
Our Representative
From time to time countries hold elections. People are
asked to vote for the political party or the leader they wish to see in power. How
can a follower of Christ vote for a party that is not dedicated to serving
Christ? How can he vote for any other representative when he has already voted
for the Lord Jesus as his Leader? A follower of Christ recognises that to vote
for another leader would be an act of disloyalty to his real Leader. But in
obedience to that Leader's command he is willing to accept whatever human
government is in control, knowing that "there is no authority except from
God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." Because he is
willing to give loyal and cheerful service to whatever human government is in
control, it would be unseemly for a follower of Christ to take sides, to pick
and choose, favouring one and rejecting another. He can assure every ruler of
every government in every country that he will obey all the laws of the land
(unless, of course, that obedience would mean disobeying God's law); and his
promise of obedience will have greater weight if he can honestly say that he
has never taken sides in politics. In the same way, it would be wrong for a
follower of Christ to lend his support to a political creed or ideology. Men
claim to be conservative, capitalist, liberal, socialist, communist, fascist, nationalist, racialist. How can one who campaigns for the
coming
In the first century, many Christians had to live in a
slave-owning society (see again page 13). Paul's instructions to Christian
slaves were that they were to obey their masters - bad masters as well as good.
Although Paul's hopes were fixed on better things, he did not condemn the slave
society; but he often stressed the need for a spirit of contentment, which
would make the hardships much easier to bear. His own personal example was
"I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content." (Philippians
4: 11.) And when he wrote those words, he was in prison! If then Paul taught
his fellow-Christians to accept that sort of society cheerfully, we may be sure
that it is our duty to submit to governments which permit freedom and an easier
life.
Christians have no right to grumble, and they
certainly ought not to agitate, demonstrate or strike; they should not even
dream of taking strong action against a bad social or industrial situation.
When the Lord Jesus returns, all the evils of human society will be swept away,
but until that time comes it is the Christian's duty to render cheerful
obedience to those who govern. Of course it is right for a Christian to speak
out against the blasphemy, the profanity, the wickedness and the neglect of
God's Word that disgraces the world - but that is another matter.
International Brotherhood
There is another reason why the followers of the Lord
Jesus ought not to get involved in the politics of the countries where they
live. It is because, as believers, they are members of a great international
brotherhood. Speaking to Christians everywhere, Peter says: "You are a
chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may
declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his
marvellous light. Once you were no people but now you are God's people; once
you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I beseech
you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh that wage
war against your soul. Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in
case they speak against you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and
glorify God on the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2: 9-12.)
Aliens and exiles!
The writer of this booklet lives in the
Jehovah's Witnesses - so called
The members of the religious sect known as Jehovah's
Witnesses regard all human governments as instruments of the devil, and they
believe it is their duty to condemn them all. As a result of the strong words
that they speak against governments, they bring trouble on themselves, which
they wrongly think of as "persecution for righteousness' sake."
Whereas it is our Christian duty to speak out against sin, it is not our duty
to rebuke governments. This is quite against the spirit of Paul's words to
Timothy: "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are
in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and
respectful in every way. This is good, and it is accept¬able
in the sight of God our Saviour." (1 Timothy 2:
1-3.) John the Baptist spoke out bluntly against the personal wickedness of
Herod, but not against his oppressive rule of the nation.
Brethren in Christ
The name Christian means different things to different
people. It is used by a host of religious sects that differ from each other and
from the teaching of the Bible. It is used by people who do not obey the Lord's
commandment about loving one's enemies, and by those who meddle in the politics
of nations.
The name Christadelphian (meaning 'Brothers in
Christ') has been adopted by a small group of Bible-reading, Bible-believing
Christians, who, in obedience to their Lord's command, refuse to go to war, and
do not involve themselves in political matters. This has always been their
attitude, and in this, as well as in other matters, they are similar to the
Christians of the first century. Thus the famous Bertrand Russell, in his book,
Power: A New Social Analysis, wrote:
"Christianity was, in its earliest days, entirely unpolitical.
The best representatives of the primitive tradition in our times are the
Christadelphians who believe the end of the world to be imminent and refuse to
have any part or lot in secular affairs."
The following words were written by a Christadelphian
to Christadelphians. They also refer to this distinctive feature of the
community - its unwillingness to get involved in politics: "The more our
world becomes enmeshed in its own toils of human government and political
alignment, the more have we need for separation. The uniqueness of our position
is quite remarkable, and we must maintain it. Our international brotherhood has
its headquarters and present seat of government in heaven. Meanwhile, in quiet
submissiveness and ready obedience we behave ourselves fittingly in the lands
of our pilgrimage."
Chapter Six
When God's Kingdom Comes
What will happen to the faithful followers of the Lord
Jesus Christ when he returns to reign over the earth? The Scriptures teach us
that those whom the Lord claims as his own will be given great responsibilities
in the coming kingdom. First, however, those believers who have died will be
raised from the dead, and then, if judged worthy, together with those of
Christ's true followers who are still alive, they will be made immortal. (The
resurrection of the dead is taught in many parts of the Bible, but the great
chapter on this theme is 1 Corinthians 15).
And what will happen after resurrection and
immortality? The following scriptures provide the answer: "Then Peter said
in reply, 'Lo, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we
have?' Jesus said to them, Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son
of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit
on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.' "
(Matthew 19: 27, 28). "Worthy art thou to take the scroll and to
open its seals, for thou wast slain and by thy blood didst ransom men for God
from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and thou hast made them a
kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth." (Revelation 5: 9, 10).
Those who are found faithful will help the Lord Jesus
Christ in the government of the earth. This truth is expressed in various ways
in different parts of the Scriptures. Isaiah foretells a time when "a king
will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice." (Isaiah
32: 1). And it is written in Daniel's prophecy: "The kingdom and the
dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be
given to the people of the saints of the Most High; their kingdom shall be an
everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them." (Daniel
7: 27).
An Invitation and a Challenge
To every one there comes the Lord's invitation and
challenge. Our personal destiny depends upon our personal response to the call
of Christ. "The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we shall also
live with him; if we endure, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he
also will deny us." (2 Timothy 2: 11, 12.)
Peter Watkins
Published by the Christadelphian Bible Mission