"My Kingdom Is Not Of This World" (Part I)

by Glendol McClure

When our Lord was in Pilate’s judgment hall, Pilate "called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence" (John 18:33-36).

In verse 36 of this chapter, Jesus makes a far-reaching declaration regarding the nature of His Kingdom. The spiritual nature of this Kingdom is manifested by His own words found in our text. On the surface, we note the following points concerning the distinctive nature of this spiritual Kingdom:

It did not rise from this world as do physical kingdoms (Daniel 7:3-17).

Its laws are not worldly; it is a Kingdom whose laws are written in the hearts of men and are of divine origin (Hebrews 8:10).

It is not a visible, physical kingdom (Matthew 4:8).

Its soldiers and armor are not worldly and neither are its weapons (Matthew 26:51-54; II Corinthians 10:3-4).

Its mission and design are not worldly, but spiritual.

Its citizens are not permitted to aim for prestige and power, rather, their King has commanded them to be humble (Matthew 18:1-4; John 13:4-9).

Its subjects are the people in the world, but they are not of the world (John 15:18, 19).

This kingdom’s subjects are not armed with battle tools to physically oppose civil governments.

For purposes of clarity, please note that in this article, the words “kingdom” and “church” are used repeatedly. I recognize hat the words “kingdom” (basileia, GK) and “church” (ecclesia GK) are translated from different Greek words that have different definitions. “Kingdom,” basically, means “the sphere or realm of God’s rule” (W.E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words); whereas, “church” refers to those “called out” (Thayer) by means of the gospel of Christ.

Alien sinners who are obedient to the gospel are “called” by God (I Thessalonians 1:1; II Thessalonians 2:14), and they constitute the “church,” or those called “out of darkness into his marvelous light” (I Peter 2:9). God, who calls us by His gospel (II Thessalonians 2:14), calls us “unto His kingdom and glory,” (I Thessalonians 2:12) and has “delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). Therefore, those in the “church” at Thessalonica were in the Lord’s “kingdom.” This conclusion is consistent with Matthew 16:18-19, wherein Christ used the words “church” and “kingdom” interchangeably, meaning that with reference to their constituents, they are one and the same.

This is further evidenced by a study of Matthew 26:26-28 and I Corinthians 11:23-29, verses which reveal that the Lord’s supper, instituted by Christ to be observed in His “kingdom,” was observed in the “church.” Consequently, those in the church have submitted to God’s “rule” (the gospel) and have been brought into “the sphere of God’s rule,” or into His “kingdom.”

The facts stated in the preceding remarks verify that members of the church are citizens in the Lord’s kingdom. We will now examine the kingdom (or church) of Christ and discuss ways in which this “kingdom is not of this world.”

1. This Kingdom has no earthly origin. It was built by Christ in the "latter days" as prophesied by Daniel in Dan. 2:28, 44. Christ built it, in the days of "the apostles whom He (Christ) had chosen" (Acts 1:2; Matthew 16:13-28). This Kingdom came into existence, with "power from on high" on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47; Mark 9:1; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4). Its purpose is eternal (Ephesians 3:10-11), and saved souls were added to it by the Lord (Acts 2:47).

2. This kingdom has no earthly head or king. Christ is its ONE and ONLY head (Ephesians 5:23, 24, 32; Colossians 1:18), Catholic false doctrine notwithstanding. Jesus Christ claimed "all authority". "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matthew 28:18). This kingdom’s king, Christ, "is the blessed and only Potentate, the king of kings and lord of lords" (I Timothy 6:15). The church (the Kingdom) is His body and purchased with His "own blood" (Colossians 1:18; Acts 20:28; cf. Hebrews 9:12; 13:12; Revelation 1:5).

3. The King of this Kingdom has no earthly reign. He (Jesus Christ), is now reigning on the "right hand of God" (Mark 16:19; Acts 2:33; 7:55, 56; Romans 8:34; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 10:12; I Peter 3:22). His reign will be until death is his footstool (I Corinthians 15:20-28). We can know that Christ is now reigning because death is still present. Just go to any mortuary and you stare death in the face. According to the Hebrew writer, Christ is our High Priest "forever" (Hebrews 5:10; 6:20; 7:12-28). What earthly king has ever reigned forever?

Further, Paul testified that Christ will not return to reign on earth, when he wrote, "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (I Thessalonians 4:13-18). Note especially, verse 17 - "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." According to Paul, Christ will never again set foot on this earth.

4. This kingdom has no earthly headquarters. Unlike the headquarters of earthly religious denominations, the kingdom of Christ has no physical address, no phone or fax number and no web page. You cannot mail a letter to the headquarters of this Kingdom.

While denominations (such as the Mormon church headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, or the headquarters of the Roman Catholic church in Rome, Italy) have earthly headquarters. The Lord’s kingdom does not have a headquarters that can be found or visited in any city or country on earth.

If Christ is on the "right hand of God" (Mark 16:19; Acts 2:33; 7:55-56; Romans 8:34; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 10:12; I Peter 3:22), and Christ is the one and only Head of the church (Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18), then it follows that the headquarters of this kingdom is in Heaven and not on earth.

5. The faithful citizens of this Kingdom are in the world but not of the world. Jesus himself declared the peculiar nature of this citizenship (John 15:19; 17:14-17). Citizens of this kingdom must live holy lives. Peter wrote, "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy" (I Peter 1:13-16). Its citizens are a "peculiar people" (I Peter 2:9; Titus 2:14). We must emulate Christ and strive to maintain pure lives; hence, we must be free of unrighteousness (Galatians 5:19-21; I Corinthians 6:9-10). Additionally we must endure trials until the end (I Peter 4:12-19) and live faithful lives “unto death” (Revelation 2:10).

Continued Next Week