Antithesis 15 - Last One

The Kingdom of God will not be established by force. The popular idea of Jesus sitting in Jerusalem and using an “iron fist” to crush all opposition is repulsive and contrary to the gospel. What is more, it would not work. Jesus would not be able to eliminate evil by sitting on a throne in Jerusalem. He could control those in the immediate vicinity, but those further abroad would escape his power. His followers could track evil people down and "zap" them, but that would just increase their hostility to Jesus. He might be able to gain control of the world, but it would not be very pleasant place to live.

For Jesus to rule the earth from Jerusalem, the church would have to become a giant bureaucracy. The saints would take orders from Jerusalem so there would not place for initiative and exercise their talents. Being a cog in a giant bureaucracy does not sound like the hope to which we were called. In a bureaucratic age, this idea appeals to men who do not wish to take responsibility, but God would prefer men to be responsible, and exercise authority in obedience to the Word and the Spirit. Unfortunately, Christians still have the yearning for a messiah with a rocket launcher who will “blow away” their enemies.