The "Sola Ecclesia" series...
“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
- Jesus
Once again, this proverb has been proven true:
“Iron sharpens iron,
and one man sharpens another.” - Proverbs 27:17
My friend (and brother in Christ) assented to my predilection for oriental cuisine, and consequently we both enjoyed delicious Kung Pao Chicken at a local restaurant that makes (in my not so humble opinion) the best there is.
While nourishing our bodies, we enjoyed an extended conversation that also fed my soul.
As when any two mere mortals meet, we exchanged differing opinions. This is of course part of the sharpening process of the above proverb.
After "chewing the cud" of our discussion for some time, this morning I wrote my friend an email with a more complete and extensive answer to one of his objections to a view I expressed.
As I study scripture, I have become more and more convinced that all existing human governments, A.K.A. 'states,' are illegitimate, corrupt, and have had no authentic authority since the day Jesus/God ascended to sit on the throne of the Kingdom of God. Scripture literally teaches that Jesus is in the process of abolishing the human state as we know it.
Consequently, I believe that my role as a Christian is to limit my involvement in state affairs to resisting, opposing, and reducing the state's illegitimate exercise of power.
my friend countered with the opinion that Christians should become more involved in politics, run for office, and work to reform the state. This is unsurprising; I was "that guy" myself for all too long. Most of us have grown up in churches where that is the prevailing opinion.
Trying to reform the world through political action is, I believe, an unfortunate error made by the reformers and their successors, and why we need a new Reformation.
And so, I invite you, Dear Reader, to consider my written response (below) to this misapprehension of the role of Christians in this world.
Brother!
Thanks again for joining me for lunch! And thanks for the notice about opposing the proposed Draconian law; I'm happy to sabotage new efforts to oppress. As I mentioned at lunch, I believe our proper posture toward the state is to weaken and oppose and resist it.
I hope you'll find this email a more constructive response to your perspective on being involved in the political scene, and hopefully a better explanation of why I consider such involvement both futile and counterproductive...
the LORD, through scripture, has been adjusting my understanding. I'm writing to share a few passages of scripture that are strongly influencing my theology in this direction.
Of course, one of the strongest and clearest passages is, and has always been, Psalm two. Why in heaven's name would a believer want to participate in a system at which the LORD laughs derisively? :) Not only that, he promises to make all the nations the inheritance of his Son, King Jesus, who will "...break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Why try to build up what is about to be broken to pieces?
Then there's Daniel, who in his visions saw the boulder cut out without hands come sweeping in and smashing the kingdoms of this world into dust. Again, why would we want to be part of any system that is so marked for utter destruction?
the bankruptcy of the state seems ever so much clearer (and I don't quite understand why the church seems to have missed this, other than my thesis that it has been influenced and misdirected by our adversary). As I read the gospels, Acts, and the epistles, I keep seeing things like the following (emphasis added by me):
"Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." - 1 Corinthians 2:6-8
Paul here is clearly speaking of what I call "The Powers That Shouldn't Be," more or less ridiculing them—a la Psalm two—as the ignoramuses they are. He says plainly that they are "doomed to pass away." I'll repeat my question; Why would we want to have anything to do with them and their corrupt systems?
"Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death." - 1 Corinthians 15:24-26
Jesus' active purpose during his present reign is to DESTROY every rule, authority, and power. These are the earthly kingdoms—we know them generically as 'states'—for example, the United States of America, and the State of California, and the County of San Diego... In the gospels, Jesus has told us that his kingdom is not a 'state,' that it is not "of this world."
Again, I will ask; Why in the world would we want to be part of these institutions clearly destined for destruction?
"Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb." - Psalm 37:1-2
"But who will guide and govern society if existing governments are dismantled?"
I'm glad you asked, because Paul has the answer to that question as well:
"For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things through the agency of the church, which is his body (politic), the fullness of him who fills all in all." - Ephesians 1:15-23
BTW, I've properly re-translated the final sentence; yes, the text really says that Jesus rules the world, above all other rulers, through the agency of his ἐκκλησία (ecclesia, the word so poorly rendered as 'church'). And the churches are local (city-based) bodies. And we really need no level of hierarchy higher/wider than the local/city area. Why? Because, of course, Jesus himself is our Head, our leader... Or don't we really believe that he is in charge of, and is able to coordinate, all of the 'cells' in his body?
Finally, (and then I'll leave you in peace to enjoy your day, and perhaps ruminate on these things?)...
I believe it is because human states exist to do the bidding of their father the devil. They are actually ruled and guided by "principalities and powers" that are ultimately guided by the "prince of the power of the air." If that hasn't been utterly clear in days gone by, it surely has become plainly evident in the past couple of years as state tyranny has ramped up.
"...in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the (evil) spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—" - Ephesians 2:2
The problem with trying to reform and restore the state is that it is utterly, irredeemably corrupt, built and based upon ungodly principles. I published an article comparing and contrasting the principles of human government as we've known it with Kingdom principles:
If you compare the characteristics of existing states (left column) with the characteristics of the ἐκκλησία (right column) it should become obvious which is the superior form of governance.
"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.” - 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
Brother, if you've read this far, thanks for your patient endurance! I'm always open to—and truly welcome—correction and redirection, especially from scriptural insights.
Have a blessed day and week, Brother, and see you Sunday, God willing...
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