UPDATE: A new J.C. Ryle 365 Day Devotional has been released from Reformation Heritage Books. This devotional was taken from hundreds of J.C. Ryle's sermons. You can order the devotional HERE.
Comments on John 18:36 by J. C. Ryle
“My Kingdom is Not of This World”
But our Lord did not intend to teach
that the kings of this world have nothing to do with religion, and ought to ignore
God altogether in the government of their subjects. No such idea, we may be
sure, was in His mind.
He knew perfectly well that it was written, "By Me kings reign" (Proverbs 8:15), and that kings are as much required to use their influence for God, as the meanest of their subjects. He knew that the prosperity of kingdoms is wholly dependent on the blessing of God, and that kings are as much bound to encourage righteousness and godliness, as to punish unrighteousness and immorality. To suppose that He meant to teach Pilate that, in His judgment an infidel might be as good a king as a Christian, and a man like Gallio as good a ruler as David or Solomon, is simply absurd.
3. To tell us that a Government must leave religion alone, because it cannot promote it without favouring one Church more than another, is simply absurd. It is equivalent to saying that, as we cannot do good to everybody, we are to sit still and do no good at all.
5. It is undoubtedly true that Christ's kingdom is a kingdom independent of the rulers of this world, and one which they can neither begin, increase, nor overthrow. But it is utterly false that the rulers of this world have nothing to do with Christ's kingdom, may safely leave religion entirely alone, and may govern their subjects as if they were beasts and had no souls at all.
He knew perfectly well that it was written, "By Me kings reign" (Proverbs 8:15), and that kings are as much required to use their influence for God, as the meanest of their subjects. He knew that the prosperity of kingdoms is wholly dependent on the blessing of God, and that kings are as much bound to encourage righteousness and godliness, as to punish unrighteousness and immorality. To suppose that He meant to teach Pilate that, in His judgment an infidel might be as good a king as a Christian, and a man like Gallio as good a ruler as David or Solomon, is simply absurd.
Let us carefully hold fast the true
meaning of our Lord's words in these latter days. Let us never be ashamed to maintain
that no Government can expect to prosper which refuses to recognise religion,
which deals with its subjects as if they had no souls, and cares not whether
they serve God, or Baal, or no God at all. Such a Government will find, sooner
or later, that its line of policy is suicidal, and damaging to its best
interests.
No doubt the kings of this world cannot
make men Christians by laws and statutes. But they can encourage and support
Christianity, and they will do so if they are wise. The kingdom where there is
the most industry, temperance, truthfulness, and honesty, will always be the
most prosperous of kingdoms. The king who wants to see these things abound
among his subjects, should do all that lies in his power to help Christianity
and to discourage irreligion.
...
The following leading principles are
worth remembering...
1. Every Government is responsible to
God, and no Government can expect to prosper without God's blessing. Every
Government therefore is bound to do all that lies in its power to obtain God's
favour and blessing. The Government that does not strive to promote true
religion, has no right to expect God's blessing.
2. Every good Government should
endeavour to promote truth, charity, temperance, honesty, diligence, industry,
chastity among its subjects. True religion is the only root from which these
things can grow. The Government that does not labour to promote true religion
cannot be called either wise or good.
3. To tell us that a Government must leave religion alone, because it cannot promote it without favouring one Church more than another, is simply absurd. It is equivalent to saying that, as we cannot do good to everybody, we are to sit still and do no good at all.
4. To tell us that no Government can
find out what true religion is, and that consequently a Government should
regard all religions with equal indifference, is an argument only fit for an
infidel. In England at any rate a belief that the Bible is true is a part of
the Constitution; an insult to the Bible is a punishable offence, and the
testimony of an avowed atheist goes for nothing in a court of law.
5. It is undoubtedly true that Christ's kingdom is a kingdom independent of the rulers of this world, and one which they can neither begin, increase, nor overthrow. But it is utterly false that the rulers of this world have nothing to do with Christ's kingdom, may safely leave religion entirely alone, and may govern their subjects as if they were beasts and had no souls at all.
UPDATE: A new J.C. Ryle 365 Day Devotional has been released from Reformation Heritage Books. This devotional was taken from hundreds of J.C. Ryle's sermons. You can order the devotional HERE.
