"My Kingdom is no Part of this World" - should that preclude voting?

truthseeker

John 18:36

"Jesus answered, 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: but now is my kingdom not from hence".

If Jesus' Kingdom is not of this world then christians with an earthly hope would obviously not be part of Jesus' heavenly kingdom.

Could this perhaps be a new perspective on the issue of voting or remaining separate from this world.

Think about it.

JW's teach there are two classes of Christians - those with an earthly hope and those with a heavenly hope.

Logically, those Christians with a heavenly hope would know they would be kings reigning in heaven with their Lord and thus it makes no sense for them to be a part of the world.

The majority of us mortals do not want to go to heaven or are not called for that purpose - they have no share in the heavenly Kingdom, thus they have already been exempted from that arrangement.

That leaves them to live out their life on earth, forever waiting in expectation and anticipation of a Kingdom that will never be a part of this world, unless you include the bible book of Revelation.

If the superior authorities mentioned in the Bible are indeed the earthly governments put in place or allowed to exist by God, for the purposes of law and order, would it not make sense to have a small part in choosing a leader who ultimately has control over our lives.

truthseeker

Another angle on the superior authorities is this:

If Satan is the rule of the world and controls it, how can it be that Paul refers to the government institutions as being in place by God?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080902081630AAsMFwK

When questioned by Pilate regarding whether he was king of the Jews, Jesus responded that "my Kingdom is no part of this world"(John 18:36). Furthermore, at John 17:16 Jesus said about his followers "They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world".

At Luke 4: 5,6 Satan offers to make Jesus a king if he will do an act of worship to him: "So he brought him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth in an instant of time; and the Devil said to him: “I will give you all this authority and the glory of them, because it has been delivered to me, and to whomever I wish I give it."

Some might think that Satan was merely bluffing about his control of the world and offering something that wasnt really his, but Jesus himself later refers to Satan as "the ruler of the world"(John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11).

Who are the superior authorities?

http://mmoutreachinc.com/jehovahs_witnesses/dicwtdocs/superiorauth.html

The Divine Plan of the Ages (SS-1) 1916 ed., p. 266

"Knowing this to be the purpose of God, neither Jesus nor the apostles interfered with earthly rulers in any way. On the contrary, they taught the Church to submit to these powers, even though they often suffered under their abuse of power. They taught the Church to obey the laws, and to respect those in authority because of their office, even if they were not personally worthy of esteem; to pay their appointed taxes, and, except where they conflicted with God's laws (Acts 4:19; 5:29), to offer no resistance to any established law. (Rom. 13:1-7; Matt. 22:21.) The Lord Jesus and the apostles and the early Church were all law-abiding, though they were separate from, and took no share in, the governments of this world. Though the powers that be, the governments of this world, were ordained or arranged for by God, that manking might gain a needed experience under them, yet the Church, the consecrated ones who aspire to office in the coming Kingdom of God, should neither covet the honors and the emoluments of office in the kingdoms of this world, nor should they oppose these powers."

Make Sure, 1965 ed., p. 474

"Humans Exercise Authority Only by Permission of Jehovah; Rom. 13:1 'Let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God.'"

The Watchtower, May 15, 1980, p. 4

"At Romans 13:1 we read: 'Let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities,' that is, to governments."

DoomVoyager

If Jesus' kingdom is "no part of this world", then it is completely removed from earthly affairs. Therefore, whether or not you vote for a certain political party on earth has no bearing on your support for Jesus' kingdom, becuase they belong in two completely seperate spheres of existence.

insearchoftruth

How can they not vote because of 'no part of this world', but then accept government handouts and use all the programs that 'this world' offers....don't expect a response, just a rant.

truthseeker

Nice response Doom.

If Jesus' kingdom is "no part of this world", then it is completely removed from earthly affairs. Therefore, whether or not you vote for a certain political party on earth has no bearing on your support for Jesus' kingdom, becuase they belong in two completely seperate spheres of existence.

It's also hard to support a Kingdom that I am never likely to be part of as I don't have the heavenly hope.

insearchoftruth

To me there is no middle ground of being 'no part of this world', either you are a part of this world or not of it at all.

If you truly are not going to be part of this world, please do not drive on the Eisenhower Interstate System, don't take handouts, don't work for city, state or federal governments or for that matter for any institution or organization that is subsidized by the government (this world).

Since you have no choice but to be part of this world while you are living on this world, one might as well exercise thier freewill to make this world the best place it can be!!!

insearchoftruth

Great point on blood Still Fading!!!!

If it were not for 'the present system of things', much of what we have today would not exist. The space program and the military are responsible for much of the technical advancement that this country and world has enjoyed.......

gaiagirl

Further, JW's are very quick to use this worlds legal system to sue anyone who they feel is restricting their "rights".

Voting is simply an expression of which of the available candidates one prefers, not a choosing of that candidate over a supposed heavenly government.

The "prophecies" regarding a "New Jerusalem" should be viewed in the same light as a rednecks claim that "The South will rise again". Well, it hasn't, and it doesn't seem likely that it will.

"My Kingdom is no Part of this World" - should that preclude voting?

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