6 Kingdom Misconceptions (Part 1)

The interesting thing about secular history is it constantly repeats itself. Spiritual history is no different. The Christian Religion is following a parallel path to the Jewish Religion and will suffer the same fate.

Just like Israel of old, Institutional Christianity has given up its pursuit of the Irresistible Kingdom of God, and forsaken the Heavenly Order of things where Christ is Head; instead, they have set their sights on political power, wealth, and position.

Is today’s system of Churchianity any less narrow-minded, self-righteous, and self-centered than that system of Judaism which rejected Jesus Christ? Are our religious icons, television preachers, and institutional pastors any less blind leaders of the blind? Are Christians today any better able to recognize the true identity of the King and the spiritual nature, character, location, timing, scope, and covenantal basis of His Kingdom than their Jewish counterparts of two thousand years ago? Even with the benefit of hindsight and a complete Scriptural record, the gross spiritual immaturity among professing believers today is appalling.

As a result, most Christians are just as ignorant of the true nature of the Kingdom of God as their Jewish predecessors. “How foolish and blind those Jews were! They crucified their Messiah!” But before we criticize the Jews for their spiritual dullness let us look at ourselves. This spiritual blindness and misapprehension of God’s purpose is not limited to those first century Jews. As the saying goes, those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. So far we Christians have done an excellent job of duplicating and perpetuating the same old Jewish misconceptions, even adding a few interesting twists to further compound the error. 1 – Christian Misconceptions Concerning the SPIRITUAL NATURE of the Kingdom

Whereas the Jews erred in their political perception of the Kingdom, most Christians err in their almost total lack of perception concerning any kind of Kingdom – political or otherwise. It is difficult to know which presents a greater challenge: redirecting an inaccurate impression of the Kingdom, or trying to cast a Kingdom vision where no vision exists. For most Christians today, the Kingdom of God is a vague, mystical non-reality. Heaven is a celestial rest home for dearly departed saints. The Kingdom is mentioned twice in the ceremonial recitation of the Lord’s Prayer but has virtually no impact on the spiritual consciousness of the average church-goer.

The Kingdom of God, for all intents and purposes, has been set aside to make way for the Religion of Christianity. The Church, not the Kingdom, is now the goal. The harlot Church, fancying itself to be the Bride of Christ has made itself the object of affection. The history of the Roman Catholic Church is a disgusting account of people endeavoring (and often succeeding) to become a political force in the earth, killing millions of people for the so-called cause of Christ. But the Roman Catholic Church is an easy, obvious target. The Protestant Church is just as guilty of politicizing the Kingdom of God with an unholy alliance between Church and State – for example, when King James asserted his “divine right of kings” ideology and insisted that he should be the political and the religious head of the Church of England.

Whenever Church and State come together the result is always persecution for anyone accused of “heresy.” Questioning the authority of the Church becomes grounds for legal action and subsequent punishment, imprisonment, or execution. The Salem Witch Trials in colonial Massachusetts (1692-93) were conducted by Puritan Christians. Whipped into a frenzied religious hysteria, they arrested and imprisoned more than one hundred fifty people as “witches”, indicted twenty-nine, and hanged nineteen. This is just one example of why religious zealots – no matter what their denominational or theological flavor – should under no circumstances be given political authority. Beware the ones who seek political office with the intention of enforcing their brand of Christianity on the rest of us.

What is the root problem? Failing to recognize the essentially spiritual nature of the Kingdom – bringing it down to earth and politicizing it, trying to create some kind of earthly power and authority in the name of God. It is a favorite tactic of carnal men, and this carnality extends to Christians as much as to Jews. 2 – Christian Misconceptions Concerning the TRUE IDENTITY of the King

The Jews did not, and do not, recognize Jesus as the Son of God or the Savior of All. Christians seemingly do recognize Jesus as such, so the issue can presumably be laid to rest. Unfortunately it cannot be laid to rest. While it is true that Christians are considered Christians precisely because they recognize Jesus as the Son of God and their Savior, there are too many who fail to apprehend Jesus as Lord.

Scripture does not make a distinction between Jesus as Savior and Jesus as Lord. From God’s perspective He is both. From the Ekklesia’s perspective He is both. But the Church constantly reinvents Jesus whenever convenient. Since salvation is considered mandatory, the Savior is universally recognized in Christendom. But Lordship is increasingly seen as something optional; that is to say, you can accept Jesus as Savior, and later on (if and when you get really committed), you can confess Him as Lord.

How do these things get started? It is impossible to say for sure just how this idea crept in, but it is the result of a religious system intent upon appealing to the largest possible number of people by any means necessary. If that means compromising the message, or leaving parts of it out so as not to create too much of an obstacle for people, then so be it. I have talked to many pastors who justify the spiritual immaturity of their congregation on the grounds that “they aren’t perfect, just forgiven.” No, they aren’t perfect. But they aren’t growing, either. Spiritually stagnant, lacking discernment, cold, dead, self-centered, self-absorbed – but believing that because they have “prayed the Sinner’s Prayer” they are on their way to heaven, and that’s all that matters.

The Church system is a business, and its product is not salvation, but the false assurance of salvation. It is certainly attractive to think that you can have Jesus as your Savior and ignore every requirement of discipleship that the Savior expects. An easy Gospel produces easy converts who accept an easy Jesus – but is this the same Jesus that the Bible talks about, or is it another Jesus that we have created as a carnal extension of ourselves, effectively making God in our own image?

Remember that God’s goal is the preeminence of Christ. It is impossible for Him to have the preeminence in a person who claims Him for salvation but refuses Him as Lord, Master, Teacher, and Example. The King and His Kingdom are all-inclusive. Yes the King offers salvation, but He also expects obedience: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”[1] To the masses of people who refer to Jesus as “Lord,” He asks, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’ but do not do what I say?”[2]

Paul did not say, “If you confess with your mouth the Savior Jesus… you will be saved.” He said, “If you confess with your mouth the LORD Jesus” you will be saved.”[3] If you are saved it is because you are submitted to the Lordship of Christ, not the Saviorship of Christ. Lordship includes Salvation, but there is no Salvation apart from Lordship. He is “Savior of All,”[4] but He is also “Lord of All.”[5] I cannot find a Scriptural justification for claiming half of Him while putting off the other half for later. Either He is Lord of all or He is not Lord at all.

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