"Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

We Serve First A King & A Kingdom

The city of Philippi was a city full of Roman loyalists.
It was set up by Augustus Caesar as a tax haven that
attracted lots of military veterans. It was a place where
Romans could own land and live an independent life
blessed by the protection of the most powerful political
power on earth. It was to these Romans and to
non-Romans there as well that Paul wrote:

     But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it
      we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
      who will transform our lowly body to be like
      his glorious body, the power that enables him
      even to subject all things to himself. (Phil.3:20)

Further, in Philippians 1:27, Paul uses an interesting
word—politeuesthe—from which we get our word
“politics.” The verse could be translated as “only
behave as citizensworthy of the gospel.” Why,
because our citizenship (politeuma) is in heaven.”

The kingdom of God is different than the kingdoms
or governments of men (as Jesus told Pilate in
John 18:36). We are citizens of God’s kingdom, while
also temporary residents of the USA. The Lord wants
us to be model citizens of both.

Be Subject To Governing Authorities

Following Christ and also living under the authority
of government can create natural tension. A sense
of rebellion can creep into our minds as we read
Romans 13:1-7, but we cannot ignore or reject its truth.
We are to be respectful to those who govern us and
obedient to government’s laws.

Read Romans 13:1-7 and consider the following questions:

• Who is to subject themselves to government?
• If we are citizens of heaven, why bother with governing authorities?
• What if we choose to disrespect governing authority?
• What is the purpose of a ruling government?
• What should our attitudes be toward taxes?
• What should our attitudes be toward leaders with whom we disagree?
• Are there ever times when we should oppose governing authorities?

Our behavior toward authority influences the way the
world thinks about Christianity. Rebellious Christians
clashing with government is a testimony that runs
counter to the Gospel. As Proverbs 24:21 says:

     My Son, fear the Lord and the king, and do not
     join with those who do otherwise.

We Must Obey God, But Make Sure God Is The One
We Are Obeying

It is very easy to confuse God’s agenda with a political
agenda. It is very easy to let righteous anger against a
political opponent become a substitute for genuine
righteousness before God. It is also easy to let loyalties
to a leader or a political party blind us to some of that
leader’s or party’s ungodly positions and actions.

Many seek the face of ruler,
but it is from the Lord that a man gets justice.
(Proverbs 29:26)

In The Screwtape Letters, the wily Screwtape instructs
his demon nephew Wormwood to encourage his
targeted subject to confuse his religion and his politics.
Screwtape boasts:

     Provided that meetings, pamphlets, policies,
     movements, causes, and crusades, matter more
     to him than prayers and sacraments and charity,
     he is ours — and the more ‘religious’ (on those
     terms) the more securely ours. I could show you
     a pretty cage full down here.”
     The Screwtape Letters
     C.S. Lewis

Someday God’s kingdom and man’s kingdom will be
one and the same (Revelation 21:1-3) and God’s perfect
law will replace all imperfect ones (Hebrews 9:10-11).