Smoodock's Blog

When victory was finally attained, as World War II ended, what did that look like? Europe, especially Germany was decimated, as was Japan, especially Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Victory looked like the unconditional surrender of the Axis powers to the will of the Allies. Only after this was achieved, could folks begin to rebuild their cities, which the war had destroyed. What did it look like, when Rome ruled the world? Pax Romana was achieved only by putting down and destroying all opposition. Peace was achieved through violence. Victory was gained through the defeat of the hopes and desires of all other nations, winning the world through violence and intimidation, through a war of wills, where the will of the stronger is forced upon the weaker. This is the way of this world, but it is not the way of Christ, and, if that statement is true, we are able to judge the ways of this world, but this world is unable to understand and judge the method of Christ (1Corinthians 2:14-15).

Therefore, it is fair to ask, if the world (the natural man) has its own methods of governing, and considers the Gospel foolish, what does it look like, when Jesus reigns? It looks like Mother Teresa heading up an international organization dedicated to assisting the poor, which was inaugurated in over 100 countries. Jesus’ reign over the earth looks like William Wilberforce campaigning against worldwide slave trade, or Desmond Tutu working to end apartheid in a manner that embraced forgiveness and reconciliation. What the reign of Jesus looks like is truth witnessed to power, but any suffering that that produces falls upon the servants of Jesus, not the opposition, nor the folks Jesus’ followers seek to serve. Jesus’ ways are different from this world’s ways (Isaiah 55:8), and if his ways are not our ways, then his Kingdom is not of or like the kingdoms of this world (John 18:36).

When Jesus reigns, the humble and the meek get exalted, while the mighty are humbled (Luke 1:52; 18:14), and those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are filled, but the rich are sent away empty (Luke 1:53; 1Corinthians 1:26; 2:14). Throughout our history, the Church has been involved in helping the poor, teaching the ignorant and inspiring men to do good to others. However, the nations, seeing the benefits of our Christian labor, sought to imitate what the Church was doing. Nevertheless, as good as that might be perceived, the works of the nations were not of Christ, because their motives were and are not to serve but to be served. Additionally, there is a danger in such a context for the Church to acquiesce to the state, because of its great power to shadow the apparent goals of the Church. The danger can even reach the point, where the Church permits the state to fulfill perceived Christian goals, in exchange for the Church’s allegiance and support. Yet, how can the Church be the helper of Christ, if she serves the state, with whom the Lord claims his Kingdom has no agreement (John 18:36)?

The Book of Acts begins with Luke speaking truth to power, who is Theophilus, the high priest, at Luke’s writing. Luke begins by pointing to his former treatise, saying “all that Jesus began to do and teach…” (Acts 1:1). Thus, implying that, what Luke now writes, should be understood to be what Jesus continued to do and teach, but through his followers. In other words, Jesus’ reign is all about what the Church does, as she imitates what Christ said and did during his public ministry (Luke’s Gospel narrative). The Church cannot serve Christ by acquiescing to the world’s methods. We cannot help Christ by giving away our responsibility of feeding the poor, healing the sick and educating the ignorant (Matthew 14:16; 28:18-20; Mark 6:12-13; Luke 10:8-9) to the state, simply because the state has such great power to do such things, and in return lend our support to the powers that be. Christ’s work simply cannot be done by using the world’s methods (John 18:36).

Too often the Gospel is opposed to this world’s goals (John 11:45-54), so we must choose who to serve, Christ or the state, because it is impossible to serve two masters (Mark 6:24), because in the end one will serve one or the other (Acts 5:29). One cannot serve Christ and the power that had him crucified. Therefore, the reign of Christ cannot look like the reign of men, because the reign of men had Christ crucified. From the very beginning of Church history, reigning with Christ (Revelation 3:21) often meant persecution or suffering (Acts 8:1; 9:23-25; 12:1-5), because as Jesus was in his public ministry, so are we in this world (Philippians 3:8-10; cp. 1John 4:17). The reign of Christ over the Earth includes the wrath of the nations against the Gospel (Revelation 11:15, 18). Therefore the reign of Christ cannot look like the reign of man, and one cannot judge the reign of Christ by using the kingdoms of this world as models for judging the success or validity of Christ’s reign (1Corinthians 2:14-15)!