“Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.’” – John 18:36
As a follower of Jesus, it’s crucial that you understand His Kingdom. After all, you’re a citizen and ambassador of that Kingdom here on earth! How can you represent what you don’t understand?!? As Jesus explains to Pilate, His Kingdom is IN the world but it isn’t OF the world. What does that mean???
It means that Christ’s Kingdom isn’t like earthly Kingdoms. It doesn’t have political or geographical boundaries. It isn’t restricted to one particular part of the world. It doesn’t expand by force or violence. It doesn’t have an earthly government (it has a King!) and doesn’t seek political power on earth. It shouldn’t be seeking to control national politics. You will hear Christians today speaking of Christ’s Kingdom taking authority over the politics and government of this country. This is false teaching!!!
Christ’s Kingdom is a kingdom of changed hearts and transformed lives. Christ’s Kingdom transcends every border, boundary, language, and ethnicity. Christ’s Kingdom exists wherever Jesus is praised and worshipped. Christ’s Kingdom absolutely influences the earthly nations because Kingdom citizens love their neighbors, work for the common good, seek to influence government for the good, and bear witness to Jesus in public and private. But it is a Kingdom of influence, persuasion, and love, not power, force, and hate. Christ’s Kingdom must never be tainted by the ways of the world (it certainly has in the past). His Kingdom is marked by radical obedience to His commands that leads others to want to enter His Kingdom.
If you’re a follower of Jesus, take His Kingdom seriously but work to advance His Kingdom HIS way, not in the way of the world. #FollowJesus