The Christian gospel was not intended to be subversive in terms of its adherents’
approach to earthly authority. Jesus is Lord of the Church and King of the believer’s heart, but the Christian is to render to “Caesar” that which is his or her due, otherwise he is denying the faith821. Yet if a particular tyrant should require the Christian to worship him or her as a god or directly oppose the teaching of Christ then to render to God what is God’s may require the ultimate price of martyrdom. For most that is not the reality, though of course it hasn’t always been the case. Yet even Paul lived happily in Roman lodgings for two years teaching and evangelising “without hindrance from anyone”822. His principal opponents and the instigators of his frequent imprisonments were more often unbelieving Jewish leaders than the civic authorities. Likewise, he instructed the churches to respect and pray for those in authority over them, as these were established by God for their good823.
However, the current staffing of the world’s authorities is not as a reigning King Jesus would wish it to be, for the personal qualities required for those participating in any administration of His would be quite different; more in accordance with His predecessor David: people after His own heart. For what is subverted by the Christian gospel is how authority is to be exercised – both now in the Church where he who leads becomes the servant of servants, and in the future where it will not be the militarily powerful who inherit the earth but the gentle and the peacemakers824. Even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many.
Under present arrangements the gentle, the merciful, the pure of heart and the peacemakers are the people least likely to be running the kosmos (world system); nor have they ever been throughout the gospel age; nor can they be because of the continuing presence and influence of Satan and his seed. For when Jesus becomes King of the world, Ephesians2:2 will not apply - Satan and his hold over people, death and sickness will have 816 Cf. Mt24:14
817 Mt13:30
818 Rev2:27; 12:5
819 Cf. Is2:4
820 Cf. 1Cor15:27-29
821 Mk12:17
822 Acts28:30-31
823 Rom13:4-6
824 Mt5:5
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decisively been dealt with, not merely assured for the future. Spiritual renewal of individuals through the centuries has been the Church’s other vital function, and the true Church (East and West) has accomplished it. That is that elect people from every nation and age, the chosen and faithful will have been spiritually equipped to participate within God’s realized Kingdom at their resurrection, together with those alive at His coming.
In the current age, as the apostle Paul refers to the matter, God has placed all things under Christ’s feet, but as ultimate victor and overseer rather than reigning Monarch, albeit that He already is Head over all to the Church825. The kings of the earth are inferior to Christ and answerable to Him in final judgement, but they do not currently take their orders from Him, more’s the pity. That is why a Christian’s citizenship is said to be in heaven, for that is where his ultimate allegiance lies, where his Lord is located and his spiritual treasures are being deposited. The Old Testament prophets on the other hand expected the promised messiah to be based in Jerusalem, enthroned as king of Israel and thereby king of the world, acting as Great High Priest for the Jewish nation who in turn were to function as a Kingdom of priests and monarchs for the world826. But for now, “He has to remain in heaven until the time comes for restoring everything”827.