Kingdom or Christendom?
In popular usage, the English term ‘Christendom’ refers to “that part of the world in which Christianity prevails,” either because most of the citizens of a nation claim to be Christian, or because a specific church or denomination is recognized by the State as its official religion. Thus, the nation becomes identified as “Christian,” it is one of the “Christian nations” of the world as opposed to the less enlightened non-Christian nations and cultures.
In political contexts, the term is virtually
synonymous with “Western civilization,” and consequently, the Christian
religion becomes associated and even identified with specific regions,
political blocs, ideologies, economic theories, and cultural values. Perhaps
this is appropriate if we are speaking of the “Christian” religion as opposed to the
original apostolic faith.
 |
| [Photo by Daniil Silantev on Unsplash] |
Unfortunately, many of us have yet to embrace the idea of separation from the world, or to comprehend the principle, “In the world, not of the world.” We use and even love the methods, institutions, and religious and political ideologies of this fallen age.
This practice has prevailed since the
merger of the Church and State under Constantine the Great. The
English term ‘Christendom’ is a combination of the name “Christian” or
“Christianity and the noun “kingdom.” But the resulting word occurs nowhere in
the Hebrew or Greek Bible.
Today, we have political operatives and
ideologues in the Church masquerading as pastors and prophets who now speak
of ‘American Christendom.’ This is madness. ALL the kingdoms, empires, democracies,
and other regimes of this age will disappear from the Earth sooner or later. Each
one is little more than “perishing meat.” Only one realm will be left
standing in the end, the Kingdom of God.
HIS KINGDOM
In contrast to ‘Christendom,’ the New
Testament proclaims the “Kingdom of God,” a realm in which the old
social, national, and ethnic barriers of this sinful age have no place. God’s
Kingdom welcomes “immigrants” from even the remotest corners of the planet or
those rejected by human society.
In the four gospel accounts, the term “Kingdom
of God” is heard most frequently on the lips of Jesus as the summary of his
message and the name of the political reality he established.
Public pronouncements about ‘Christendom’ by
political and religious leaders are roadblocks to the proclamation of the Gospel
since they associate the name of Jesus and his message with specific nations and
cultures. Its propagation as a cipher for Christianity hardens hearts to the Gospel,
especially those not well-disposed to the nation or culture that claims to
represent Jesus.
‘Christendom’ is a pale imitation of God’s Kingdom if not its satanic counterfeit. Politicians use it and similar terms to advance their agendas, implying to the gullible and ignorant that God backs their presumptions of power.
In contrast, Jesus summons all men to repent
and submit to God’s sovereignty. Moreover, His Kingdom is a political reality
that transcends all national, ethnic, economic, political, geographic, and
cultural boundaries.
REDEMPTION, NOT CONFLICT
By his death and resurrection, Jesus began
to redeem men and women from every nation, tribe, tongue, and people, making
them into a “Kingdom of Priests,” a “holy nation,” singular, and one new covenant
community.
In Jesus, all divisions based on national
identity, economic status, race, or gender are disallowed. Such things are contrary
to his self-sacrificial death on behalf of others, including for the “enemies
of God” - (Galatians 3:28, Revelation 5:5-12).
“In him,” God has dissolved the “middle
wall of partition” between the circumcised and the uncircumcised, between Jews
and Gentiles. No man or woman is advantaged or disadvantaged before Him because
of gender or nationality.
Any attempt to identify or limit the
apostolic faith to specific nations, societies, or “civilizations” contradicts scriptural teaching and
constitutes idolatry, if not blasphemy.
Jesus is not Canadian, Egyptian, Russian,
or American. God is one, and He created all men. Christ certainly was Jewish
while on the earth, but now he is the Lord who reigns as Sovereign over all the
nations of the Earth. What counts before God is not national identity or
political ideology but whether a man or woman is “in Christ.” All those
who belong to him are children of the same Father.
The methods Jesus bequeathed to his disciples
for establishing his Kingdom differ radically from the strategies and tactics
employed since time immemorial by the political institutions, politicians, and
far too many religious leaders of this “present evil age,” and unfortunately,
including many leaders of the Church.
Jesus tasked his disciples with engaging society and the culture through Gospel proclamation, by living cruciform lives, and engaging in service to others, not through political might or collective and state-sanctioned violence.
The “weapons” that Jesus gave his church
are impotent and contemptible in the eyes of the world, yet they are the very
means by which he is redeeming humanity. His method is epitomized by his own submission
to arrest, trial, and execution at the hands of the all-powerful World Empire.
DOING EVIL TO ACCOMPLISH GOOD?
The more politicized the institutional
church becomes, the more it identifies the name and message of Jesus with the culture
and political ideology of the nation in which it happens to reside. When it
adopts the ways of the world, the church’s leadership and far too many of its
members embrace the insidious heresy named ‘Christendom.’
“Christians” who immerse themselves in the
political systems of this age will not reform them, and attempting to do so is futile.
In fact, they will be corrupted by the very political parties they presume to reform.
The blame for this demonic deceit lies NOT with the politicians of
this age. They live in darkness, under the dominion of sin and Satan. They
merely act according to their nature. No, those who are responsible for this
idolatrous deceit are the church leaders who have chosen to employ the ways of this
world rather than deny themselves and embrace the Cross of Christ.
The institutions of this age are of an
entirely different nature and order than Jesus and his Kingdom. They are allied
with and even represent the very “powers and principalities” that
conspired to put the Son of God to death. God’s “power and wisdom” are
found in the proclamation of the Crucified Messiah, not in exercising dominion over
others.
The crucifixion of Jesus stands in
opposition to the political goals and values of this age. He summons his disciples
to love their enemies, show them mercy, and do good to them, ideas that none of
the governments and regimes of this world endorse, let alone practice.
The deception of ‘Christendom’ amounts to an
attempt to domesticate the Jesus of Scripture and to exploit him to validate the
programs, values, and ideologies of national institutions, values that all too often
are more antichrist than Christian.
