The Politics of Heaven

The Good News of Jesus Christ! What a message! To think that the 

Sovereign Creator and Sustainer of this universe would submit 

Himself to a lowly existence and the cruelty of His rebellious 

mankind just to demonstrate His loving grace and mercy and provide 

Himself as the Eternal Sacrifice for the sins of all mankind is the 

only message for those yet to meet their only holy Savior. The 

revelation of this gospel to those possessing no redemptive 

relationship with their Creator brings them to the threshold of the 

most momentous decision they could ever be faced with. No other 

doorway in their life will ever contain the possibilities inherent 

in this one act of the will for or against Jesus Christ. As one 

abiding in death is drawn to the only possible source of life, so 

are they which incline their ears to the clarion call of Christ.

For one who has received the tender mercies and all-sufficient grace 

of the crucified, risen and exalted King of Kings, this message is 

sure. It is not a conglomeration of conflicting stabs at truth, but 

instead is the only harmonious answer for their previously tormented 

life. For one who has not proceeded over that threshold of faith 

toward the Giver of life, this message is nothing more than another 

illusion championed by religious Houdinies as a temporary elixir for 

an illusory existence. Why grasp at a meaningless façade of air when 

the world is prompting you to embrace the substance of worthwhile 

activity? Anyone can see that assisting the local community, 

supporting neighborhood projects, promoting public school programs 

and similar civic functions not only help others, but also provides 

meaningful fulfillment to a person's life. A fortunate few get to 

receive the ultimate in civic accomplishment and pride by attaining 

the highest level of service; public political office. In this realm, 

fulfillment reaches its zenith. Even for those helping someone to 

climb the political ladder, the feeling of fullness and meaning take 

on a................dare we say it?............a spiritual dimension. 

With that said, wouldn't it be wonderful if the religious and the 

political could be thrust together? To be able to significantly 

participate in molding public policy for the good of your fellowman 

while gaining divine approval would be the best of both present 

tangible reality and future imperceptible possibility.

Better yet, could the possibility exist that God actually mandates 

the exuberant participation of His people in the political process 

of this world system? Could He actually provide for the well-being 

of His own by having them labor to bring about their personal destiny 

on this earth? Could the inherently evil but necessary systems of the 

world be conquered by the strategies and military maneuverings of 

temporal soldiers of Christ?

These questions have been answered in the affirmative by a significant 

cross-section of people in this country that have come to be known as 

the Religious Right. Their affiliation with the Republican Party and 

conservative values has been a response to the perceived threat to 

their Christian liberties by various anti-family, anti-Christian and 

anti-American activist groups. With the seemingly ever increasing tide 

of attacks on our freedoms has come the matching level of political 

involvement by the entire spectrum of conservative Christendom. From 

pro-family groups such as Focus on the Family to pro-constitutional 

rights militant Jay Sekulow and the American Center for Law and Justice, 

the thundering lock-step march of psychological recruits for the momentary 

Cause of Christ can be felt throughout the halls of American Government. 

To ignore these devoted draftees and their significant firepower of votes 

is to potentially commit political suicide. Their zeal is obvious to all 

and their cause is religious in nature, a formidable combination 

recognized by even the novice of historical research.

While recognizing the stature of these Christian groups as a whole, vital 

questions remain involving their participation in the civil realm. Without 

denigrating their professed relationship to the Son of God or their 

humanity, questions regarding the mandate of their Leader must be proposed. 

If they are truly following The Captain of their Salvation and His Word, 

then we would expect to find the regulations of His War Manual to include 

orders and policies voicing the ways and thoughts of the Commander-in-Chief. 

These ways and thoughts would simply be a reflection of the nature and 

character of their King and His Kingdom. Let's study what the King of King's 

Constitutional Covenant has to say. 

What position does God occupy in relation to Mankind? 

CREATOR God is initially revealed to us as the Creator of the universe in 

Genesis, chapters 1 and 2. Other verses naming Him as "Creator" are 

Ecclesiastes 12:1, Isaiah 40:28, Romans 1:25 and 1Peter 4:19. The 

significance of the title Creator lies in the fact that the creator always 

has authority over that which he creates. This simple truth is reiterated 

throughout Scripture for those under His command to understand. Who better 

for Paul to remind than those familiar with the letter of the Roman law that 

"Hath not the potter power over the clay.....? The word power is a Roman 

legal and political term which is the embodiment of and can be translated as 

authority, jurisdiction, liberty, or right. This principle is evidenced among 

people in America by the Constitution of the united States in 

Article 1, § 7, Para. 8, which delegates to Congress the power "to promote 

the progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to 

Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and 

Discoveries;" The Declaration of Independence also contains a recognition of 

the Creator by an elite group of schemers by stating "....that they are 

endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights...." Since the time 

of Cain, certain men of governing bodies have a limited and natural 

understanding of the hierarchy of creation due to their equitable relationship 

with God under a covenant of protection and retribution. God's position in 

this hierarchy, due to His nature, is supreme. 

KING While the position and title of Creator is revealed to benefit mankind, 

it is nonetheless a conditional position and title. As long as there is no 

creation, there is no creator. The title and position of King is completely 

different. The difference is in the eternal nature of the title and position. 

God has always been King. The apostle Paul refers to the King in 1Timothy 1:17 

as "eternal". In relation to God's capacity as Creator, He was King before He 

was ever Creator. He reigned as Sovereign before He ever created. In fact, His 

actions as Creator were the actions of a Sovereign.

As a parenthetical necessity we will now recognize one essential component of 

a sovereign of any type; subjects. A supreme ruler must have someone to 

administer his authority upon or to. Apart from exercising control over 

subjects, a king is living in the delusional grandeur of his own mind and 

deluding none but himself. 

With that point established, let's ask and answer a question likely to arise 

in the context of discussing the nature of the "eternal King". "If the Eternal 

King ruled as king before His initial act of creation, who were His subjects?" 

As stated before, the King's Manual should supply the needed revelation. 

Upon our repentance of faith in Christ's Person and work, our redemptive future 

is sealed by the arrival of The Holy Spirit to indwell our bodies. The 

provision of His eternal Spirit enables us to perform in our spirit, soul and 

body acts which would otherwise have no eternal value when offered to an Eternal 

King. This supernatural Endowment exhibits the same character traits of the King 

himself as He walked upon this earth; traits such as "love, joy, peace, 

longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance..." Galatians 

5:22-23. The last in this list, temperance, is the key to answering our question. 

The word simply means "self-control". Our King not only expects us to act with 

self-control, as He did, but provides the means to do so from Himself. This is 

quite insightful when contemplating the character of the eternal nature of God 

the King. If He is eternal, and He is, then His exhibition of self-control didn't 

begin when He robed Himself in the flesh of a man. He imported that characteristic 

as an attribute of His Nature from eternity into measured time. Self-control was 

an inseparable and eternal part of Him. Apart from any creation, He controlled 

Himself. He was subject to Himself.

On the surface this might sound rather hollow. God ruled Himself. Alone in the 

universe except for Himself! So what!? No rebellion to confront. No disputes to 

settle. No sin to judge. No worship to accept. Man himself might be able to thrive 

in such a situation!

Lest you think the Eternal King would leave us to swoon in our pursuit of 

comprehension, once again His Manual meets our need. Theological dissertation 

aside, the King unveils a portion of Himself at His baptism. Matthew, Mark and 

Luke record the event under inspiration and identify the three Persons of the 

Eternal Godhead; the Father commending His Son, the Son being baptized as a Man and 

the Holy Spirit lighting upon the Son in the form of a dove. Rather than abandon 

these narrations as novelties of a first century heretical sect of Judaism, let's 

proceed back to the Book of Beginnings, Genesis. We find that the word translated as 

God throughout the first chapter is elohiym. This word is in the plural form (

three or more) as opposed to the singular (one) or dual (two). Our understanding of 

the Eternal Triune God is further solidified when Elohiym says in verse 26, "Let us 

make man in our image..."(Emphasis added) God refers to Himself in the plural form.

The significance of this fact lies in the plurality of the Godhead controlling 

Himself. Each Person of the Godhead has separate and distinct duties and 

responsibilities in relation to the other two Persons. Each of these duties and 

responsibilities are carried out flawlessly as One, thus God controls Himself 

because He is subject to Himself. After all, He is King!

SAVIOR While every man can acknowledge the Creator as having certain sovereign 

claims over them as King, their response to the King in His capacity as Savior 

determines their earthly and eternal status, as a subject of the King. It is in 

this capacity that the high and lofty King lowered Himself from the eternal realms 

and stationed Himself within time while partaking of the nature of mankind. Limited 

by this robe of flesh, the King nevertheless accomplished what, to this day, remains 

the dividing point between the King and all men; absolute and holy perfection. Never 

once failing to meet His Father's Standard of life, He offered that life as the 

requirement for the mark so badly missed by Adam and every man since. Having accepted 

this offering, the Father raised Him from the dead, thereby ratifying a New Covenant. 

Acceptance of this fact and the One establishing this fact determines your status 

before the risen King. To turn to the King in repentance and receive His offer of 

forgiveness and eternal life transfers one into what is known as the Kingdom of God. 

To not accept His offer is to remain apart from the presence of God in what is known 

as the World. We shall now take a look at the distinctive characteristics and 

relationships of each. 

The Two Realms

KINGDOM OF GOD This term encompasses the separate spiritual reign of Christ the King 

in the lives of those accepting His eternal gift. Upon transfer into this new realm, 

the believer embarks upon a completely unique lifestyle identified by the specific 

words of Christ. These words and the concepts underlying them were easily recognized 

in the culture of that day and carried specific political and legal ramifications for 

those within their application. It would behoove believers in modern America to pay 

close attention to the Manual of the King as He teaches us about His Realm.

The first glimpse we receive of the distinctiveness of the Kingdom is when Christ 

tells His disciples that ".....upon this rock will I build my church;..." 

(Matt. 17:18, KJV) The Greek word translated "church" is actually the word "ekklesia" 

(Strong's Conc. # 1577) and means "a calling out" or "to call out". Ekklesia is a 

political term referring to the assembly of full male citizens called together for 

the purpose of conducting official business pursuant to their responsibilities as 

full citizens. These duties of citizenship stem from their membership of a city 

(Gr. polis) The Greek polis or city-state was well developed by the time of Christ 

and was readily adopted by the Romans. A male born in a city had the highest political 

status as a citizen. Citizenship purchased by or otherwise conferred upon a male was 

always inferior to that of birth. Please note the contrasting treatment of Paul by the 

centurion and his captain upon learning that Paul was a Roman by birth. (Acts 22:24-29, 

16:37-39 ). All political activity and conduct were determined by the particular polis 

a person was born in. Even under Roman rule there were various political policies and 

laws in effect in cities of different regions of the Roman Empire; this in spite of 

the totalitarian nature of Rome. Ultimately, all political activity centered around 

the various pagan gods of the polis. Yes, political activity and allegiance to such 

activity were considered religious in nature. Politics was considered a service to the 

gods.

In light of these historical facts, it is most interesting to learn that, as a called 

out assembly of believers, we are called upon to conduct the official political 

business of the community (Gr. Politeuma, Strong's Conc. #4175) of none other than New 

Jerusalem. Our Lord tells us in Phil. 3:20 that our community of political activity 

begins in heaven. Earlier (Phil. 1:27) Paul told the believers in Philippi to let their 

conversation (Gr. Politeuomai, Strong's Conc. #4176) be as it becometh the Gospel of 

Christ. Their conduct as citizens of heaven was to not only originate in heaven but was 

to also reflect their sovereign King and His policies. 

WORLD The "world" is a term referring to the centralized system of government created by 

rebellious man whereby those "outside the presence of the LORD" and initiated by God 

exercise comprehensive and delegated authority over all other citizens "outside the 

presence of the LORD", and, to a certain degree, those with qualified citizenship who 

have been "accepted" of the LORD. 

While many readily acknowledge that our Lord initiated the three major institutions of 

life; the family, civil government and the ekklesia (not to be confused with the church), 

many overlook the beginning of civil government's organized dominion of the earth and its 

founder, Cain, revealed in the Book of Beginnings, Genesis. In fact, God Himself offered 

the authority to Cain when Cain became upset because God did not accept his sacrifice. If 

Cain chose to, he could have dominion over all men simply by not choosing to act pursuant 

to God's requirement. In short, rebellion initiates Cain into the realm of governing all 

other rebellious evildoers as well as those accepted in the beloved.

The eternal irony of this arrangement lies in four points; one about God, two about Cain, 

the last one about God's people. 

First, only an eternally omniscient Yahweh could know and understand the man whose 

rebellious heart drives him to create and accomplish everything imaginable to replace the 

God he rejected. This is evidenced in all aspects of government activity around the globe. 

This very impetus, though, eventually causes man to create the infrastructure necessary to 

perform the initial mandate to Adam, dominion of the earth. But, alas, rebellious man is 

left exactly where he placed himself, on the outside looking in, when it comes to ultimately 

completing this task. Again, the omniscience of our LORD speaks, as succinctly revealed in 

Proverbs 13:22, saying everything man, apart from Yahweh, accumulates is amassed eventually 

as a Last Day inheritance for those justified by Faith in Christ.

Second, Cain's attitude toward those accepted by Yahweh is shockingly and starkly revealed 

in his acceptance of Yahweh's offer to rule. He sacrifices Abel! This act in founding the 

world system as we know it today officially proclaimed the open and inherent enmity between 

the world and those committed to the Way of Yahweh. Governments of the World and their 

citizens have been shedding the blood of Yahweh's people for centuries. As Yahweh informed 

Cain, their blood speaks on their behalf and is a testimony to all who will truly hear.

Third, Cain receives from Yahweh a mark of identification and promise of seven-fold 

retribution for those who would harm Cain in the execution of his duties of governing, all 

because Cain feared the hostility of other men toward him for his murderous and rebellious 

sacrifice of Abel. This God-ordained mark is currently in use in the modern world of today 

and retributive justice is still carried out swiftly around the globe against those who 

despise and harm government officials.

Fourth, Yahweh's people are to submit themselves (just as Eve to Adam) to this enemy, even 

as they experience the intense desire to wield the weighty sword of divine authority over 

the lawless. Instead, they must trust Yahweh to provide everything they need, even protection 

and a peaceable life. This includes trusting Yahweh to use the World's government as a source 

of commendation, even as the world seeks their permission to devour them. He truly is the only 

Provider and Protector under these conditions.

So we see that, in contrast to the political conduct and policies of the ekklesia originating 

in the city of the LORD'S presence, the political conduct and policies of this world system 

originate "outside the presence of the LORD".

THE KING'S EARTHLY MESSAGE

To further bolster the case for the differences between the World and Ekklesia, a brief look at 

the word's of Christ will reveal much about the nature and activity of the two realms. He had 

much more to say than one might think.

Prior to the commencement of His public ministry, Jesus was lead of the Holy Spirit into the 

desert to be tried by Satan, the same one cast out of heaven and, subsequently, appearing to 

Adam and Eve in the garden of Yahweh. While the three areas of trial may be familiar to many, 

only one is needed for the immediate purpose of this article.

After successfully resisting the first two trials of the Tempter, the Lord of Glory is then 

shown every kingdom of the World system and the glory accompanying each. At the conclusion of 

this show of pomp and circumstance, Satan presents a conditional offer to Jesus with the 

following words, "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." 

The response of Jesus is direct and pointed, "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou 

shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Satan obediently departed as 

angels ministered to Jesus.

An important truth in this scenario is the fact that the offer by Satan was legitimate. He was 

not attempting to offer something to Christ he had no authority to offer. This is proven by the 

response of Jesus. Though Jesus did not directly address the issue of legitimacy, He did address 

the issue of the condition upon which this legitimate transfer of authority would be based, 

worship. Christ informed Satan that to worship him in any manner would be a violation of the Law 

of Yahweh. Any violation of the Law by Jesus would destroy the Redemptive plan Yahweh actively 

implemented with the fall of mankind in the garden. Any ascension to and claim of power must be 

according to the written Word of God already revealed at that time. To ascend and claim otherwise, 

would be to void His claim as the second Adam, thereby nullifying any legitimacy to physically 

rule on earth in the future. To refuse the offer of Satan in this manner is to acknowledge the 

legitimacy of his offer.

The next occasion to be mentioned occurs before Pilate. After Pilate enquires about His status as 

King of the Jews, Jesus has occasion to inform Pilate regarding the nature of His dominion by 

saying, "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants 

fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence."

This statement imparts vital information to both the World and the Ekklesia of God. Jesus' 

statement provides Pilate the knowledge that Jesus and His followers pose no physical threat to 

the military might of Rome because Christ's kingdom did not originate with the World system. Since 

the nature of Jesus' reign was different, His military officers, earthly and heavenly, would not 

fight to prevent harm coming to Him. For Pilate to conclude otherwise would have committed him to, 

at least, initiate a process to eliminate this threat by whatever means possible. Pilate found no 

fault in Jesus.

This statement also informs the officers of His Ekklesia that His interests are not promoted or 

protected in this world system by the means of physical might. As 2 Corinthians 10:4 tells us that 

the weapons of our warfare are not carnal or fleshly, they are still mighty enough to pull down 

the strongholds of the enemy. The use of physical might to promote the rights and liberties of the 

Savior is prohibited.

One final statement of Christ will be pondered in order to make the point that the World and the 

Ekklesia are, not only of differing natures, but separate entities altogether. Before Christ is 

delivered to the Jews under cover of darkness, He speaks candidly to His disciples about Himself, 

the World, His disciples and the relationship of each one to the other two. While this passage in 

John 14 reveals much about these relationships, Christ makes one statement which is most telling. 

He promises that the Father will send them another Comforter in verse 16. He calls the Comforter 

the Spirit of Truth in verse 17, then adds a few more phrases cataloging the distinction between 

the Spirit of Truth and the World. Verse 17 says, "Even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot 

receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, 

and shall be in you." Jesus simply says that citizens of the World do not have the ability to 

receive the Holy Spirit. As long as they remain a citizen of the World, it is impossible for them 

to do so. Only by turning to King Jesus as Savior, in repentance and faith in His work of 

redemption can any person receive the seal of God's work within, the Holy Spirit, thereby changing, 

not only their eternal status, but, their earthly status as well.

We are lead back to the purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ coming to this earth and His Ekklesia 

remaining on this earth. Jesus said in John 3:17-18, "For God sent not his Son into the world to 

condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not 

condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already." Therein lies the answers to our 

questions regarding the nature and scope of our political activity on this earth.

WORLD RECONCILIATION Every action undertaken by the Ekklesia of God has at its core the Gospel 

message of reconciliation to the King of Kings. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ 

is the political message of Heaven to a World eternally separated from its Creator and King. Having 

declared the status of the World to be already judged in their present state of unbelief, Christ, 

nevertheless , has chosen to present to the World His Word of Reconciliation. He performs this 

ministry of reconciliation through his appointed governmental ministers, called Ambassadors.

The office and duty of an Ambassador is created when a person enters a redemptive relationship with 

Jesus Christ by faith. Though the duties of this new found citizenship may be minimal at first, 

they gradually expand as this person's love, knowledge and understanding of the Savior increase 

under personal spiritual study and the administration of Senior Ambassadors. These Senior 

Ambassadors perform their duties through the designated offices and enabling power of the Holy 

Spirit. This local administration of government is carried out for the maturing of the 

ecclesiastical saints so that they might further perform the work of spiritual administration. All 

of this edifies the Ekklesia of Christ.

Please note that the Ekklesia has all of the duties of administration of any government of this 

World, except one; Criminal sanctions against lawbreakers. This one area has been reserved for the 

legal heirs of Cain to implement. The Ekklesia has the God-ordained responsibility to instruct and 

govern other believers in the relationship between various institutions founded by Yahweh (Ekklesia, 

Family, World Government) and the duties of each. Only then will the political activity of each take 

place within the proper god-ordained context and instruction. As enticing as the exercise of Worldly 

authority is, the parameters have been set for all to observe.

With that said, the foremost duty of an Ambassador for Christ is to faithfully represent and promote 

the political position of Christ to the World citizens, with the understanding that the two realms 

are in natural conflict and irreconcilable. Any Ambassador should know that he is not present in 

this World to represent the interests of the World. He is there to convince the World of the 

superiority of reconciliation with Christ himself, thereby severing any permanent citizenship of the 

World. As pointed out before, true conversion cannot take place in the heart of a person and have 

that person remain a permanent citizen of the World. A renunciation of Worldly citizenship by 

truthfully declaring and receiving Christ as Savior transfers a person by spiritual birth into the 

realm of the Kingdom of God and forever changes the nature of that person's activity. An allegiance 

to a new and different Sovereign King is established.

Our initial questions have been answered, though not exhaustively. While many related questions 

remain and will be addressed in this forum at a later time, nowhere in Scripture will we find the 

Captain of our Salvation issuing orders to His legions of followers to take up the political cause 

of the World and fight for the liberties and privileges offered by this elite group identified by 

their consistent rebellion toward Jesus the Savior. Never once do you find the Apostle Paul, as 

educated and imparted with ability and zeal as he was, confronting the lofty elite of the Roman 

empire in order to change its laws or implement new ones to match some past glory or to 

accommodate the new noteworthy group christened by the World as "Christians." Never does our Lord 

urge us on to experience the dizzying heights of Worldly political accomplishments for His Glory 

nor to engage the enemy of the World on legal, ,philosophical, or political battlegrounds in order 

to claim compromised Worldly Territory for our Conquering King. 

This strategy comes from the crypt of hellish deception cunningly offered to those innocently 

ignorant of the Manual of our Commander in Chief. Rather than studiously consulting the Bishop of 

their Souls and His Word for the guidance necessary, many are proudly plunging into what has become 

the abyss of errant desire and non-existent returns by seeking to convince the World to act pursuant 

to the mandates of Someone other than their Worldly leader. Short of seeking salvational asylum in 

the Kingdom of God through King Jesus, World citizens are being asked to commit treason to their

 master, which they will never do.

It's time for the exuberant and faithful of Christ to act with the future day of judgment in mind. 

May we not have the same mindset as the World, who value frenzied action for lofty goals at the 

expense of obediently doing the Will of the Father and being intimately known amidst the Glory of 

Yahweh. May we search the Scriptures diligently for the lighted path before us. May the eyes of 

our understanding remain focused on the finished work of Christ and His rule above all principalities, 

powers and dominions. May we remember to propagate the greatest political message of the ages, the 

Glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ, the politics of Heaven our Home.