My Kingdom Is Not Of This World

[Lonewolf]

Is JC king of an invisible, spiritual kingdom only? Or is He king of all flesh and bones as well? Is He king of the earth as well? And are earth's kingdoms also His? Explain in layman's terms why He answered to Poncio Pilato "My kingdom is not of this world?" And why satan tried to offer Him the kingdoms of this world?

Don't hit me, just looking for you all to opine and/or elaborate on the question.

[melanie]

Jesus came here to imprint heaven within our hearts. He did not come to set up kingdoms on this earth, not yet anyway. Jesus said many times to not build up riches in this world, to not live for this world and to look out of this world and into the Kingdom of heaven. He never desired to be exalted as an earthly king with earthly kingdoms, bound by the the material but as our spiritual king, in our spiritual home. He came here from heaven and He knew He would soon be returning home, he came here so that we may know the path to join Him in His spiritual home.
He never posed a threat to Pilate or any earthly religious or political leaders. They feared losing their earthly position because of Jesus' authority and the way the people flocked to Him, but He had no interest in what was important to man. They feared Him taking their earthly positions of power and esteem. I think that was part of what Jesus was trying to say to Pilate, I'm not interested, I'm not a threat, I dont seek your kingdoms "my kingdom is not of this earth". The religious leaders had Him killed because they did not want to lose their positions of power. Pride and jealousy.
Leave to the world what is the worlds, Jesus speaks of this sentiment time and time again. He calls us to a higher purpose. Seek the world or seek Gods kingdom. So many people try and have it both ways, but they are not interchangeable. One will always cancel out the other, just depends which one.
The bible makes it very clear who is in control of this world. Made clearly evident by satans offer to Jesus to give Him all the earthly kingdoms, we can also see this in 1 john 5:19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
John 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
John 12:31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
Who is the prince, satan. The real force behind every ruling nation. The ruling force behind the entire worldly kingdom.
Ephesians 2:2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Who is the god of this age, satan.
But yet Christians look at earthly world powers and politics and seek to find the 'good' side. Is there a 'good' side? The bible tells us that the kingdoms of earth are under the control of satan and his to disperse to whom he pleases. Where there is power, kingdoms, and earthly reign you can bet that satan has had his hand in it, not God. God is not concerned with the kingdoms of this earth, only with His heavenly Kingdom. The bible tells us this is so, the bible tells us that Satan is the one controlling this earth and earthly kingdoms. You will not find God, in worldly Kingdoms, ruling nations, politics, military might that is satans playground. He does a very good job at playing one of against the other then he sits back and watches the turmoil unfold. Having a good old laugh I bet at everyone trying to find 'God' in all of it when he is the one manipulating the entire world. Father of lies and author of confusion let loose to deceive the masses.

[PaulSacramento]

Jesus is a goal to strive for, a goal that we will one day reach, just not in this lifetime.
The issue of Satan controlling the world is an interesting one BUT does He?
No, because that would mean that God, who sustains ALL, is somehow out of the picture.
No, Satan's control of this world is metaphorical expression, it means that this world is under the influence AND allows it's self to be swayed by Satan ( a person BUT also a metaphor for all that is sin) to do what it knows is wrong.
As Christ said , ALL authority in heaven and Earth is His, so It can't be Satan's.
Satan's offer to Christ to give him the kingdoms was a hollow offer, it meant nothing.
To suggest that Satan is the ruler because He says so, or because He can offer something that isn't his is to disregards him as father of lies.

The only power Satan has is that which He is given by us.

[melanie]

You are right Paul, the only power he has is the power that we give him. He works his ways in the hearts of men and women through greed,lust,power and pride. Through sin and abandonment of God people allow satan to influence their hearts and minds. Satan is not just a metaphor for ungodliness through sin, he is a real, tangible,conspiring evil spirit. The eptipome of opposition to God. He seeks to undo everything that Gods goodness and love seeks to achieve.
All authority is Christ's without question. Look in scripture when demons panic and flee at His authority. But Jesus's authority works within those that claim and seek Him. We place upon ourselves through Gods love and mercy the armour of God, placing a 'wall' or unpentatrable barrier between ourselves and satan. But unfortunately those of us alive, the 7 billion or so, reget God, allowing satan to claim dominion. Satan is not ruler of this world because he says so but because we have allowed him to be. He has taken advantage of mans weakness and inability and unwillingness to walk in the light of Christ. The absence of light lets the darkness creep in and take over, not metaphorically but quite literally. God is not out of the picture, He is letting the wheat separate themselves from the tares.

[Lonewolf]

So when a tyrant like Nero, an Ivan the Terrible, or a JFK is instituted into a position of power and authority, who is giving him that place?

[RickD]

So when a tyrant like Nero, an Ivan the Terrible, or a JFK is instituted into a position of power and authority, who is giving him that place?

Did you just call JFK a tyrant, in the same sentence as Nero and Ivan the terrible?

[Lonewolf]

So when a tyrant like Nero, an Ivan the Terrible, or a JFK is instituted into a position of power and authority, who is giving him that place?

Did you just call JFK a tyrant, in the same sentence as Nero and Ivan the terrible?

No, but it does read that way, doesn't it? It was deliberate on my part.

If one type of man is put in power, then the other one must be too, so who ultimately puts them in power?

..

Btw, I don't believe JFK was a saint or all that good, he was ready to take us into a nuclear war over some missiles in Cuba, all the while the US had missiles all around the Soviet Union, including right at its heels in Turkey. So go figure.

[RickD]

So when a tyrant like Nero, an Ivan the Terrible, or a JFK is instituted into a position of power and authority, who is giving him that place?

Did you just call JFK a tyrant, in the same sentence as Nero and Ivan the terrible?

No, but it does read that way, doesn't it? It was deliberate on my part.

If one type of man is put in power, then the other one must be too, so who ultimately puts them in power?

..

Btw, I don't believe JFK was a saint or all that good, he was ready to take us into a nuclear war over some missiles in Cuba, all the while the US had missiles all around the Soviet Union, including right at its heels in Turkey. So go figure.

I see.

Back to your question...

I'm of the opinion that God allows man to reap what he sows. Man puts those men in power. But I guess ultimately, God has allowed men this power. In some cases like JFK, it's by election. In other cases, like tyrants, it may be by force. In cases like Hitler, it could be by deception of the masses, and promises to fix what's broken.

So, I guess I'd say that ultimately it's God that allows it. But it's by man's choices.

[Lonewolf]

Sort of like when Israel asked for judges and kings, right?

[melanie]

JFK is a perfect example of what happens when a good man, who can not be corrupted, who has integrity and truth gets into office. It doesn't last long.
On June 4, 1963, an attempt was made to strip the Federal Reserve Bank of its power to loan money to the government at interest. On that day President John F. Kennedy signed Executive Order No. 11110 that returned to the U.S. government the power to issue currency, without going through the Federal Reserve. Mr. Kennedy’s order gave the Treasury the power to issue silver certificates against reserve silver bullion. He was assassinated 5 months later.

Research the Fed it is very, very interesting. I'm not talking abut researching it via conspiracy websites, I mean credible, viable historical research.

JFK knew what was happening behind the scenes and he tried to speak out;
The very word secrecy is repugnant, in a free and open society, and we are as a people, inherently and historically, apposed to secret societies, secret oaths, and to secret proceedings. But we are apposed around the world, by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy, that relies primarily on cover means for expanding it’s fear of influence, on infiltration, instead of invasion. On subversion, instead of elections. On intimidation, instead of free choice.
It is a system that has conscripted, vast human and material resources, into the building of a tightly knit, highly efficient machine, that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence, economic, scientific and political operations.
It’s preparations are concealed, not published. It’s mistakes are buried, not headlined. It’s discenters silenced, not praised.
No expenditure is questioned. No secret is reveled.
That is why the Athenian law maker solo declared it a crime to any citizen to shrink from controversy.
I am asking for your help in the tremendous task of informing and alerting the American people. Confident with your help man will be what he was born to be, free and independant.

John F Kennedy.

It's no wonder he was shot dead.

[Mallz]

The very word secrecy is repugnant, in a free and open society, and we are as a people, inherently and historically, apposed to secret societies, secret oaths, and to secret proceedings. But we are apposed around the world, by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy, that relies primarily on cover means for expanding it’s fear of influence, on infiltration, instead of invasion. On subversion, instead of elections. On intimidation, instead of free choice.
It is a system that has conscripted, vast human and material resources, into the building of a tightly knit, highly efficient machine, that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence, economic, scientific and political operations.
It’s preparations are concealed, not published. It’s mistakes are buried, not headlined. It’s discenters silenced, not praised.
No expenditure is questioned. No secret is reveled.
That is why the Athenian law maker solo declared it a crime to any citizen to shrink from controversy.
I am asking for your help in the tremendous task of informing and alerting the American people. Confident with your help man will be what he was born to be, free and independant

I'm surprised everyone forgot this, keeps forgetting it, and it was never addressed...

[B. W.]

Sort of like when Israel asked for judges and kings, right?

Yes...

One other thing is that how we interpret how God controls things. Does he control like a puppeteer pulling all the strings. Does he have me sneeze while driving, averting my eyes for a millisecond so I run over a squirrel crossing the road? That is the type pf puppeteer folks make out of God to be as Omnipotent an Omnipotent puppeteer.

Now God can pull strings but that is not the only way to rule and govern for if it was, it defies the full meaning of Omnipotence. God governing by not pulling strings demonstrates the fullness of Omnipotence. His ways are higher than our own. So as Rick brought out, he can certainly govern through the free will of those who he created with intelligent reason and even knows the outcomes as well and is more than able steer all things his way in the end in complete rightwiseness, justice, equity, mercy, wisdom, etc and etc in ways we cannot fully conceive of.
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[Lonewolf]

We know He is overall Omnipotent, and if He choses He can do anything including having direct control over earthly kingdoms and such. But since this world's kingdoms and people in power constantly act against God's commandments, can we still say then that the kingdoms of the world and it's leaders are placed there by Him?

[PaulSacramento]

We know He is overall Omnipotent, and if He choses He can do anything including having direct control over earthly kingdoms and such. But since this world's kingdoms and people in power constantly act against God's commandments, can we still say then that the kingdoms of the world and it's leaders are placed there by Him?

The reason may be that God allows MAN to continue to show MAN how much MAN is in NEED of God's guidance and that MAN SHOULD NOT rule over MAN.
To view things from God's POV ( not that we ever truly can) is the start from the view that GOD KNOWS what is best for US and that IF He allows "wrong" then the reason is to get to a greater good.
Human nature is such that we learn by failing far more than we learning by succeeding.

[Lonewolf]

A league of nations is not the name of an organisation, it is some selected nations involved in the knowledge and production of different technology, not known to the general public. Some of it is fantastic, some of it diabolical.
In regards to the Catholic church, my comments are not an attack on the millions of individuals and their faith in God, but on the system operating beneath its public image.
History, as well as the outlines of world empires given in the Bible, make it very clear that the world's nations are not of God.

If you take a good look at history you will not be so shocked at what I have discovered.