Who Wears the Pants? Or
Authority and the Two Kingdoms
The Christian finds himself in a precarious position. Like the Church herself, he is in the world, but he is not of the world. He is but a stranger here; heaven is his home. His citizenship belongs in the New Jerusalem, the mystical body of our crucified, risen, and ascended Lord Jesus to which he has been joined through Holy Baptism. Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil 3:20).
And yet the Christian lives and works and acts in this world. He is a citizen of his state and nation. He obeys the law. He pays his taxes. He votes. And he gets embroiled in the political and moral arguments of the culture. How is the heavenly-minded Christian to interact with this world? How is he to straddle politics and religion? What is the relationship between the church and the state?
Lutherans speak of the church and the state as two realms or kingdoms. The kingdom of the left is the earthly authority and rule. This kingdom is governed by the natural law, which all men have written on their hearts. The kingdom of the right is the church, the kingdom of Christ. She is governed by grace and mercy, the Gospel, which is the forgiveness of sins, the proclamation of Christ crucified and His blessed Sacraments. We believe that our Lord rules over all things. He has power, dominion, and authority over both kingdoms, though He works differently in each.
In the kingdom of the left God calls the government to promote and protect justice, to punish wickedness, and to maintain peace. This is accomplished by law and order, by means of the curb of the law and threat of punishment. For he [rulers/government] is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer (Rom 13:4). The civil government receives its God-given authority from the fundamental unit of society – the family, and the calling of fathers to rule over and protect their families. “In this commandment [the fourth] belongs a further statement about all kinds of obedience to persons in authority who have to command and to govern. For all authority flows and is born from the authority of parents” (Large Catechism I 141). For there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God (Rom 13:1).
The kingdom of the right, however, is our Lord’s kingdom of grace, His Church. She is not of this world, as Jesus tells Pilate. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But My kingdom is not from the world (Jn 18:36). The Church is not ruled and governed by the Law, which is the threat of punishment. Within the kingdom of grace the Gospel reigns. Here Christ’s verdict is the absolution, the proclamation of a forgiveness of sins not achieved by merit or worthy. The chief concern of the Church ought to be the preaching of the Christ crucified. She is not to be about leading armies, conquering nations, or getting wrapped up in politics.
But the free course of the Gospel takes place best in an orderly and peaceful society. Thus the Church, while not being of the world, prays for the world, its citizens, rulers and authorities, even her [the Church’s] enemies. So too the Christian is given to pray for his leaders, even if his man or woman didn’t win. I urge then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior (1 Tim 2:1-3).
In an article titled “Two Kingdoms – One Lord” Rev. John T. Pless (coming speaker at the 2nd Annual Diakonia Conference – see below) writes,
Lutherans are rightly concerned with keeping the teaching of the two kingdoms straight and clear for the
sake of the Gospel, which alone gives forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation. Luther fumed that the devil
is incessantly seeking to “brew and cook” the two kingdoms together. Satan would like nothing better than
duping folks into believing that salvation comes through secular government or, conversely, that the church
is the institution to establish civil righteousness in the world. Either confusion displaces Christ and leaves
sinners in despair (For the Life of the World, Vol 16 No 1, p13; emphasis mine).
This does not mean, however, that the Christian or the Church remain completely out of politics or the culture. The Christian lives his life within the Church from the living Word of Christ, which forgives all his sins, and the Holy Eucharist, which is the food of heaven. And he lives in the world as a redeemed child of our heavenly Father, giving honor to those in authority and loving his neighbor as God has given him. And he trusts that our Lord is in control, having all things in the palm of His hand, and working them together for his good.
Your unworthy servant,
Pastor Mierow
Festival of St Mark, the Evangelist
Icon of Vocation
Authority and the Two Kingdoms
The Christian finds himself in a precarious position. Like the Church herself, he is in the world, but he is not of the world. He is but a stranger here; heaven is his home. His citizenship belongs in the New Jerusalem, the mystical body of our crucified, risen, and ascended Lord Jesus to which he has been joined through Holy Baptism. Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil 3:20).
And yet the Christian lives and works and acts in this world. He is a citizen of his state and nation. He obeys the law. He pays his taxes. He votes. And he gets embroiled in the political and moral arguments of the culture. How is the heavenly-minded Christian to interact with this world? How is he to straddle politics and religion? What is the relationship between the church and the state?
Lutherans speak of the church and the state as two realms or kingdoms. The kingdom of the left is the earthly authority and rule. This kingdom is governed by the natural law, which all men have written on their hearts. The kingdom of the right is the church, the kingdom of Christ. She is governed by grace and mercy, the Gospel, which is the forgiveness of sins, the proclamation of Christ crucified and His blessed Sacraments. We believe that our Lord rules over all things. He has power, dominion, and authority over both kingdoms, though He works differently in each.
In the kingdom of the left God calls the government to promote and protect justice, to punish wickedness, and to maintain peace. This is accomplished by law and order, by means of the curb of the law and threat of punishment. For he [rulers/government] is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer (Rom 13:4). The civil government receives its God-given authority from the fundamental unit of society – the family, and the calling of fathers to rule over and protect their families. “In this commandment [the fourth] belongs a further statement about all kinds of obedience to persons in authority who have to command and to govern. For all authority flows and is born from the authority of parents” (Large Catechism I 141). For there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God (Rom 13:1).
The kingdom of the right, however, is our Lord’s kingdom of grace, His Church. She is not of this world, as Jesus tells Pilate. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But My kingdom is not from the world (Jn 18:36). The Church is not ruled and governed by the Law, which is the threat of punishment. Within the kingdom of grace the Gospel reigns. Here Christ’s verdict is the absolution, the proclamation of a forgiveness of sins not achieved by merit or worthy. The chief concern of the Church ought to be the preaching of the Christ crucified. She is not to be about leading armies, conquering nations, or getting wrapped up in politics.
But the free course of the Gospel takes place best in an orderly and peaceful society. Thus the Church, while not being of the world, prays for the world, its citizens, rulers and authorities, even her [the Church’s] enemies. So too the Christian is given to pray for his leaders, even if his man or woman didn’t win. I urge then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior (1 Tim 2:1-3).
In an article titled “Two Kingdoms – One Lord” Rev. John T. Pless (coming speaker at the 2nd Annual Diakonia Conference – see below) writes,
Lutherans are rightly concerned with keeping the teaching of the two kingdoms straight and clear for the
sake of the Gospel, which alone gives forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation. Luther fumed that the devil
is incessantly seeking to “brew and cook” the two kingdoms together. Satan would like nothing better than
duping folks into believing that salvation comes through secular government or, conversely, that the church
is the institution to establish civil righteousness in the world. Either confusion displaces Christ and leaves
sinners in despair (For the Life of the World, Vol 16 No 1, p13; emphasis mine).
This does not mean, however, that the Christian or the Church remain completely out of politics or the culture. The Christian lives his life within the Church from the living Word of Christ, which forgives all his sins, and the Holy Eucharist, which is the food of heaven. And he lives in the world as a redeemed child of our heavenly Father, giving honor to those in authority and loving his neighbor as God has given him. And he trusts that our Lord is in control, having all things in the palm of His hand, and working them together for his good.
Your unworthy servant,
Pastor Mierow
Festival of St Mark, the Evangelist
Icon of Vocation
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