Christ's Coming Kingdom
Our Saviour’s soon coming kingdom will not be built on force or fear,
For only Satan resorts to force, persecutes and tries to scare.
No, Christ never forces the will or conscience, nor violates rights,
But instead, He grants us free choice, reasons with us, pleads and invites.
Satan on the other hand, influences people to enact
Laws that suit his evil purposes, laws that wrongfully impact.
And this devil uses both Christians and non-Christians for his cause,
Hence the past Inquisition, the likes of Hitler, and any wars.
No, Christ’s kingdom won’t be built on a secular-religious mix,
For such Church and State alliances aid the devil and his tricks.
And it’s such an End-time union that God wants Christians to forsake,
One that is called “fornication” — a path that Christians shouldn't take.
Some Christians point to ancient Israel in defence of Church and State,
But it was once a theocracy, whose rebellion sealed its fate.
God no longer rules directly now, like He did that old nation,
For Christians are living in a very different situation.
The different purposes of Caesar’s temporal kingdom, and,
Christ’s spiritual kingdom, all Christians should clearly understand.
But sadly, many do not, thus aiding what has been prophesized —
A global religious-political power Satan’s always prized.
The Church shouldn’t be a part of the structure that exercises
Political power. It’s out of such, Satan’s “beast” power arises.
The Church leaves her lawful spouse whenever she seeks the States support,
Thus committing fornication, which trouble has always soon brought.
The State should not exert religious authority or sway,
For it is the realm of Caesar, which, separate from Christ’s should stay.
The State must be impartial for religious freedom to survive,
Otherwise, all those mistakes of the past we will simply revive.
No, Christ’s kingdom won’t consist of unbelievers and believers,
But just those that He deems righteous — that is, eternal life receivers.
For those who’ll make up His kingdom, have separated from the world,
Given that trying to serve two masters, will not see Christ’s will upheld.
Christians are Christ’s ambassadors on earth, they witness for their Lord,
But only those witnessing correctly partake of His reward,
For compromise or man pleasing is counter to His instruction,
As conforming to the world leads to spiritual corruption.
Thus, on a renewed planet only, Christ’s coming kingdom will reign;
Not the current one as it exists — corrupt, full of troubles and pain.
It won’t be placed on an existing political social order,
But rather, on the solid Rock, not the sand of the Defrauder.
Yes, Christ’s kingdom of peace and justice soon crushes and supersedes
All human governments — that is, before His rule on earth proceeds.
Thus, efforts to turn this planet into a perfect paradise —
One full of peace, harmony and love — are just doomed at any price.
Therefore, only put your trust in Christ, and not put your trust in man,
Lest it be, that you be misled, and thus aid Satan’s End-time plan,
For the world power that he’s installing isn’t one Christ desires,
As the only kingdom worthy enough, is clearly our Messiah’s.
By Lance Landall
There
are those who point to the Old Testament nation of Israel as an
endorsement of church and state. However, from the beginning [Mount Sinai],
the nation of Israel was a ‘theocracy.’ That is, God Himself ruled it.
It ran according to His direct instructions. God spoke personally to
certain representatives of Israel [e.g, Moses]. The work of
Moses, of the seventy elders, of the rulers and judges, was simply to
enforce the laws that God had given; they had no authority to legislate
for the nation. Foolishly, the Israelites rebelled against God,
demanding an earthly king like the other nations (1 Sam 8:7; 10:19),
thus rejecting God as their king. It was Saul who became their first
king (1 Sam 9:15-17). God had said through Moses how the time would
come when the people would ask for a king “like other nations” (Deut
17:14). So God, though not happy (Hosea 13:11), and knowing it would
not be in their best interest, allowed them to have their way. There
are those who consider the ‘theocracy’ as ending at this point.
However, God did not consent to a change in the principles upon which
the state was founded. He was still to be recognized as the head of the
nation, and His law was to be enforced as the supreme law of the land.
The king was to be the vicegerent of the Most High — a vicegerent is
one who exercises delegated power. By the declaration “we have no king
but Caesar” (John 19:15, KJV), uttered before Pilate, the Jews withdrew
from the covenant relationship with God and ceased longer to be His
chosen people. Thus by choosing a heathen ruler, the Jewish nation had
withdrawn from the ‘theocracy.’ From this point on the Christian church
became, symbolically, spiritual Israel (Matt 21:33-43; 23:37,38;
22:2-9; 24:1,2; Gal 3:28; 1 Peter 2:9; Col 3:11; Rom 9:8; 2:28,29; Gal
4:28; Phil 3:3). The promises made to the ancient nation of Israel were
always conditional (Ex 19:3-6; Deut 28:9; Jer 18:9,10).