Chapter VI
Governments of World are of Darkness
Another verse in connection with "My kingdom is not of this world"
is:
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet
to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints of light: who hath
delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into
the kingdom of his dear Son.22 Colossians 1:12-13 |
There is a contrast here between this light and the darkness. "Delivered
us from the power of darkness." That is not simply the power that
darkness exerts upon us, but deliverance from the dominion, rulership
and government of darkness. He brought us out from under the jurisdiction
of the power of darkness, and "hath translated us into the kingdom
of his dear Son."
Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this world.23 Ephesians 6:10-12 |
Here is defined the dominion, the rulership and the authority that
rules the darkness of this world. That is what we contend against.
The only ones who can contend successfully are those who have been
delivered from the power of that darkness and translated into the
kingdom of His dear Son.
The "rulers of the darkness" are the spiritual powers of darkness.
But the text says that these spiritual powers are the rulers of the
darkness of this world. It therefore shows that this world
is in that darkness, and of that darkness. Therefore,
kingdoms and governments, being of this world only, are in and of
the darkness.
"Ye were sometimes darkness."24 Ephesians 5:8 When? When we were
subject to "the rulers of the darkness of this world," when we were
in sin.
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in
the Lord: walk as children of light; proving what is acceptable unto
the Lord. |
Governments, nations, political organizations are of this world
only; they belong to this world only. And the world is under the
dominion of darkness. "Darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness
the people."25 Isaiah 60:2 Are governments and municipalities of
the kingdom of God or of this world? - They belong to this
world, and to this world alone. They belong to the side of darkness.
But he who is translated out of darkness into the kingdom of God's
dear Son, is of another world. He belongs to the heavenly world. The
city to which he belongs is the heavenly city. His citizenship is
in the dominion and world of light.
Then what connection has that kingdom of light with the kingdoms of
darkness? Why are these church leaders, who profess to be of the light,
participating in the affairs of darkness? "What fellowship hath light
with darkness?" That question belongs here. And the same thought is
expressed in connection with the text we are studying:
Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in
the Lord: walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is
in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth), proving what is acceptable
unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness, but rather reprove them.26 Ephesians 5:8-11 |
How much of the world is to be embraced under the dominion of the
beast and his image? All the world. What is our message?
If any man worship the beast and his image and receive
his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink
of the wine of the wrath of God.27 Revelation 14:9-10 |
That is our message to the world. It applies to all the world.
Will that message of "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works
of darkness" be a reproving message to everyone that is engaged
in the work of the beast and his image? It will. Thus participating
in the work of the beast and his image is violative of the principle
of heavenly citizenship. It is violative of the principle of ambassadorship.
It is violative of the principles Jesus Christ laid down for seeking
lordship; violative of His principle of separating the government
of God from the governments of this earth. It is simply an attempt
to blend light and darkness. It is the spirit of darkness that seeks
to blend the government of light with the governments of darkness.
There are several other texts that are pertinent, such as Christ's
prayer for His disciples:
I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated
them.28 John 17:14 |
In another place He says to them:
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own;
but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of
the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that
I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord.29 John
15:19-20 |
These verses also show who the world hates:
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before
you.30 John 15:18 |
The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because
I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.31 John 7:7 |
When the beast and his image govern the world, and a people testify
against it, that people will be hated. But if one does not testify
to the world that its works are evil, is the world going to hate him?
Oh no; the world will love its own.
And the world hath hated them, because they are not
of the world, even as I am not of the world.32 John 17:14 |
There is a standard that tests our relationship to this world. That
standard is Jesus Christ. "They are not of the world, even as
I am not of the world."
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the
world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not
of the world, even as I am not of the world.33 John 17:15-16 |
Here are these church leaders, professing to be not of this
world. If that profession be true, they will act as Jesus Christ did
when He was in this world. They will act the same with respect to
governmental affairs on the earth. That is what we are talking about
now. The beast and his image are of the world. If these church leaders
are right, if they are of the truth, then they will not be of
the world. They will not interfere or take part with the affairs
of this world. They will not seek to control political affairs. They
will follow the example of Jesus Christ.
And to what extent did Christ do it? He never touched it. Were there
not evils in His day that ought to have been corrected? evils in city
government? evils in colonial government? evils in imperial government?
Why in the world did He not set about to redeem Jerusalem and Rome
by political wire-working? Why didn't he? - Because He was not
of this world. When these church leaders participate in worldly
governments, they demonstrate that they are not of Christ, but are
of this world.
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