Matthew 6:10 “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Kingdom thinking also understands Romans 13 that civic leaders are also called ‘ministers’ and if God is calling them ministers then kingdom thinking understands that they can partner with political and community leaders to reach a common cause for the kingdom sake (cities, states and nations).
So often we have isolated people from us and kingdom teaching because they did not agree on core issues or values. By isolating ourselves from the world around us we have not been the salt and light that we should have been and today we are reaping the result of this.
In the 21st century we are moving into a very complex world and with it come problems that are unprecedented, the problem of war and peace, the development of nuclear weaponry, micro-technology, the unraveling of the genetic code and in a new field of bioethics the possibilities of genetic engineering etc.
Dr. Hugh Whelchel director of a Christian think tank “Institute of Faith, Work and Economics,” in his book called HOW THEN SHOULD WE WORK states the following: “As Christians fulfill their mission vocationally, we will find ourselves working together with non-Christians for the common political, economical or cultural causes. Joseph worked with the Egyptians to alleviate famine (Genesis 41). Daniel served faithfully in Nebuchadnezzar’s court (Daniel 2). We also see what Jeremiah wrote to the exiles in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:7).”
William Temple who was this past century the Archbishop of Canterbury said: “The church is both entitled and obliged to condemn the society characterized by these evils; but it is not entitled in its corporate capacity to advocate specific remedies.”
He went on to say: “The church lays down principles; the Christian citizen applies them; and to do this he utilizes the machinery of the state.” Kingdom thinking will inspire the church members (whatever capacity that they are in) to apply principles and not necessarily remedies. One of the reasons for this is that the church often lacks the necessary expertise, though some of her members may have it.
Working out Biblical principles is no easy matter either. Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple went on to say: “The age long problem such as war, economics and divorce, have always divided Christians. They have always been pacifists and non-pacifist, capitalist and socialist, lax and rigid attitudes to divorce. Our modern problems, are more complex, are also more divisive.”
When we look at some of these problems facing us it is easy to give up in despair and think there are no solutions, but we must keep in mind Psalms 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” The Word of God is capable of bringing light through the complexities of these problems that we are faced with.
Kingdom thinking will result in several things:
- To pray together. Here in my area several different churches gather together the first Saturday of the month to pray for our country, state, community and the world to see some of these problems resolved.
- Will result in us wanting to listen to one another’s position (no matter what it is) and to try and understand the deep concern that lies behind them.
- Help each other to understand the cultural prejudices in our thinking and learn to be open to alternative viewpoints.
This kind of discipline is painful, but kingdom thinking demands it. We need to keep in mind that we dishonor God if we assert that there are no solutions or try and to offer slick solutions.
We need to develop a Christian mind or Kingdom mind-set. This is the type of mind that has grasped the basic ‘presuppositions of Scripture’ and is thoroughly saturated with Biblical Truth. “Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.” (1 Corinthians 14:20)
The proper use of our minds is very beneficial:
- It glorifies God, because He has made us rational beings in His own image and has given us in Scripture a rational revelation which He intends us to study.
- It enriches us, because every aspect of our Christian discipleship — worship, faith and obedience — depends for its maturing on our reflection, especially, upon God’s glory, faithfulness and will.
- It strengthens our witness in the world, because like the apostles we are called not only to preach the gospel, but also to defend and argue it and so persuade people of its truth. Acts 17:2; 19:8; 2 Corinthians 5:11; Philippians 1:7
Like Paul says in Romans 12, we need the “renewing of our minds.”