War Inconsistent with the Religion of Jesus Christ

by David Low Dodge

I. What the Mediator’s kingdom is.
II. Its nature.
III. Its laws.

From which we propose to make several inferences and illustrations for improvement.

Agreeably to the arrangement of our subject, we shall first endeavor to ascertain what the kingdom of the Mediator is; or that kingdom which he so emphatically calls “My Kingdom,” in distinction from all other kingdoms. “Jesus answered, My kingdom——” Our glorious Mediator takes to himself the majesty of a sovereign and claims a kingdom. In his mediatorial character he possesses, in an extensive sense, universal empire. He is exalted far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and has a name which is above every name. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He is not only king on his holy hill of Zion but rules amongst the nations. He is, however, in an appropriate sense, king of saints under the gospel dispensation, as he governs the worlds with a view to his own glory and their exaltation.

That the church, under the gospel dispensation, is in a special manner the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom which Christ so often called his kingdom appears evident (it is thought) from many passages of Scripture. The prophet Daniel, while interpreting the symbols of the four great empires which were to arise in the earth, adds that “in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.” This kingdom could not be the Church Universal, for that was established in the family of Adam and had continued without being broken in a line of holy men down to the prophet’s day. It must therefore have a special reference to something future. When John the Baptist came preaching, he said, “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” fully implying that it had not then commenced. He preached repentance preparatory to ushering in that kingdom which the God of heaven was about to set up. In the days of the fourth great kingdom mentioned in the prophecy of Daniel the Lord Jesus Christ came into our world to establish his kingdom. As he entered upon his ministry he declared that the time was fulfilled and that the kingdom of God was at hand. When he first commissioned his disciples and sent them forth to preach, he directed them to say to their hearers, “The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.” In speaking of John the Baptist, he says, He was the greatest of prophets; but adds, “He that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he”; which must be conclusive evidence that John the Baptist was not in the kingdom of God. At the Last Supper, after our Lord had blessed and partaken of the bread, he said to his disciples, “I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” In like manner, after taking the cup, he said, “I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God shall come.” All of which seems fully to imply that the kingdom which the God of heaven was about to set up did not commence before the gospel dispensation. Christ came under the Mosaic dispensation, that is, under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, by the sacrifice of himself; “and being found in the fashion of a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above every name.” After he arose from the dead he appeared to his disciples “by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Here we see the Mediator possessing a kingdom and giving laws to his subjects and commanding obedience. Although his kingdom was then small, like a little leaven, yet it had the power to leaven the whole lump. The stone which was cut out of the mountain without hands will become a great mountain and fill the whole earth. Every knee must finally bow to his scepter and every tongue confess that he is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

From this concise view of the subject we conclude that the kingdom of God, or Christ’s kingdom, is in a special manner the gospel dispensation which was not completely established until after the resurrection of our Lord.

II. The next point of inquiry is its nature. “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world.” By this we understand the Mediator’s kingdom, not being of this world, supposes that its nature, its laws, and its government are all distinct from the nature, laws, and governments of this world. That the Mediator’s kingdom is not of this world, but spiritual, heavenly, and divine, will fully appear, it is apprehended, from the following reasons.

1st. From the character of the King. He was not born like the kings of the earth. He was the Son of the living God and Heir of all things. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost and born of a virgin. His birth was not celebrated with the earthly pomp of princes, but by a few humble shepherds and a choir of angels. His palace was a stable and his cradle a manger. When a child he was not amused with toys, but was about his Father’s business. When he was dedicated to his ministry, it was not by the appointment of kings, or the consecration of bishops, but by the baptism of his humble forerunner, and the descent of the Holy Ghost in a bodily shape like a dove, and a voice from the excellent glory, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” His companions were the despised fishermen of Galilee and the angels of heaven. He was “a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief”; yet he was the eternal Son of the eternal Father. Nature owned his voice and devils trembled at his power; but he was despised and rejected of men. When he fed the hungry multitude, they were gratified with the loaves and fishes and sought to make him a king; but he departed out of the place; for his kingdom was not of this world. When Satan, the god of this world, offered him all the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them if he would only fall down and worship him, he rebuked him with holy contempt and said, Get thee hence, Satan; for his kingdom was not of this world. The Mediator did not intermeddle with the affairs of the governments of this world; for his kingdom was not of this world. When he was solicited to command a brother to divide his earthly substance, instead of complying with the request he only gave a pointed admonition and said, “Man, who made me a judge, or a divider, over you?” When his enemies endeavored to catch him in his words by extorting from him something unfavorable to the laws of Cæsar, Jesus answered them and said, “Render to Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s, and to God the things which are God’s.” When they demanded of him tribute, and that unjustly, according to their own laws, he paid it without a murmur, to set an example of peace and quietness for his disciples. In all things he avoided interfering or meddling with the governments of this world.

2dly. From the representations of the Bible, “The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” The Mediator’s kingdom is founded in right. His scepter is a right scepter. He rules in righteousness. “The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Righteousness is opposed to all injustice, oppression, and cruelty; it regards the rights of God and man; it requires love to the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our mind, and with all our strength, and to our neighbors as ourselves. His kingdom is a kingdom of peace; he is the Prince of Peace. At his birth the angels sang, “Peace on earth, and good will to men.” Peace is opposed directly to all contention, war, and tumult, whether it regards individuals, societies, or nations. It forbids all wrath, clamor, and evil speaking. It forbids the resistance of evil or retaliation, and requires good for evil, blessing for cursing, and prayer for persecution. Our glorious Mediator not only exhibited a pattern of peace in his life but preached peace in the great congregation. His last and richest legacy to his disciples was the gift of peace: “My peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.” Christ came in the power of the Spirit, and was full of the Holy Ghost. It is the communion of the Holy Ghost which fills the kingdom of heaven with that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory. “Except a man be born of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Finally, we have his own express declaration, “My kingdom is not of this world.”

From what has been said it may be concluded that the Mediator’s kingdom is, in a special sense, the gospel dispensation, or the kingdom of heaven, and that it is not of this world, but spiritual, heavenly, and divine. And this brings us to notice,

III. The laws by which it is governed. It is governed by the same laws which regulate the heavenly hosts. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect,” is the command of our Divine Master. It is the kingdom of heaven. “Jesus said, 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.” The laws of the Mediator’s kingdom require supreme love to God. Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; this is the first and great commandment.” This implies right apprehension of his being and perfections, and supreme love to his word and delight in his law, such as the sweet singer of Israel expressed: O how I love thy law! it is my meditation day and night. It implies unlimited confidence in God and unshaken belief in the testimony he has given of his Son and a spirit of filial obedience to all his precepts.