Jesus answered, "My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world."
John 18:36 (New Living Translation)
In this passage, the Lord Jesus Christ is clear about where He belongs, in the matter of loyalty and priority. His kingdom is not of this world. It is not based on our accepted assumptions and reasoning. It is beyond the grasp of our flawed logic. What Jesus was establishing here is that He was not here to prove Himself when it come to power. He was here to save people and make them eligible to become citizens of His kingdom.
This begs the question, why then are his followers building their own kingdoms? The answers are many but the primary one will be that modern Christianity is not working towards the Kingdom of God. It has rather become a smorgasbord of selfishness, together with an insatiable appetite for power and popularity. Instead of being the salt of the earth, by being catalysts for change, some Christians have chosen to be antagonistic toward change. Instead of instituting principles of Christ's kingdom on earth, they have become its very enemies. The irony is that some Christian leaders have become like dogs in a manger, misrepresenting the very ideas that Jesus stood for, and blocking others from doing the right thing. Modern Christianity has become a deviant form of Pharisaism wherein we side with the oppressors against the oppressed. The focus has shifted from Jesus to a rabid form of judgmentalism. The kingdom that Jesus talked about in John 18:36 always sides with the oppressed. It is about mercy. It is about grace. It is about acceptance. It is about caring for the well being of people.
In the focal text, Jesus states that if His kingdom was an earthly one, his followers would have used earthly methods to protect Him. This is insightful about how we should live as Christians. It should be in the power of example. Not as the Crusaders who went out murdering people in the name of Jesus. Or right-wing fanatics who think they are doing Jesus a favor by being obnoxious. The best way to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom is best defined in Galatians 5:22-23: But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law. (Amplified Bible). By being obedient to Jesus' commands, we actually become law-abiding citizens, not rebels with lost causes. Let us examine ourselves.
In Matthew 6: 33, Jesus advises that we should 'seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.' That kingdom is not a political kingdom. It is neither an economic or media kingdom. It is the application of God's principles in our day to day circumstances. We cannot behold our leaders as examples of true Christianity. This is an unfortunate truth. Our best example is Christ and Christ only. We must understand the principles of His kingdom if we are serious about being its citizens.
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