Is God on your side?

I’m a big Bob Dylan fan.

He’s an exceptional songwriter, tackling themes with a poetic precision that defined a generation (and beyond)

His 1964 song, “With God on Our Side” is a great example of that.

Here, Dylan sings of the various conflicts the United States has fought in. And even though each ends in death, Dylan ironically justifies these wars with the repeated mention of:

God on our side.

The Kingdoms of Christendom

Christianity was catapulted to political stardom when it found a new convert in the Roman Emperor Constantine. 

From there, the faith took off like wildfire, quickly outliving Rome and forming the foundation for the many kingdoms that succeeded it.  

So Christendom was born and, you could make the argument, Western Civilization with it.

Fantastic! Isn’t that a win? After all, Jesus is God in the flesh, perfect in every way, so a country built on His teachings is just what the world needs, right?

Yeah, about that…

“My Kingdom is Not of This World.”

Shortly after His arrest, Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judaea.

As Pilate was questioning Jesus, He had this to say:

During His time on Earth, Jesus had a lot to say about His Kingdom but, if there was any doubt before, Jesus makes it clear here. His Kingdom is different.

This is because Jesus’ Kingdom is fundamentally distinct from the kingdoms of Earth.

• Coercive power

• Violence

• Inequality

• Oppression  

• Greed

These traits have been present in every “great kingdom” the world has known. In a fallen world, a nation can’t rise to the top without giving into them. 

Knowing that, it should come as no surprise that “Christendom” never completely lived out the teachings of Christ.

Instead, it only served to muddy the name of Jesus by justifying war and coercion with the creed: “God’s on our side.”

For now, be blessed.

Jon,

Theophilus Newsletter