Christianity Is Not a Democracy

Most of us were raised to think like citizens of a democracy: everyone gets a vote, and every opinion carries equal weight. So when Scripture says something you don't like, it's natural to ask whether your view should count. The short answer is that Christianity is not a democracy. It's a kingdom, and in a kingdom the King has the final word. That sounds restrictive until you see what kind of King He is and what His rule produces in you.

What does it mean that Christianity is a kingdom?

It means there is a King, and what He says goes. Jesus is Lord, and you are not. Every writer of Scripture, Old Testament and New, wrote from inside a kingdom, and following Jesus starts with accepting that.

On Beyond Sunday, Pastor Sean Sloan quoted the late Myles Munroe, who taught widely on the kingdom. His line: when the King has spoken, I have no opinion. That cuts against a culture of opinions. In a democracy, at its best you get cooperation and representation, and at its worst you get mob rule. In a kingdom, what you think about the Bible carries little weight. What matters is what is true.

So the first step into kingdom living is simple and hard. Find what Scripture actually says, and let it challenge your own thoughts and positions. Trends and fads come and go. The Word of God endures, and what culture says can't outrank what Christ says.

Where is the kingdom of God?

The kingdom of God is wherever God's rule and reign is present and evident. Its boundaries are any life, home, or place where God is actually King.

You can see the difference by how people live. In every area of your life, something is ruling: either God or sin. The kingdom shows up wherever His will is done instead of yours.

Why did Jesus say "You have heard that it was said, but I tell you"?

Because He was claiming authority over the law itself. In Matthew 5, Jesus speaks to people who lived under the law of Moses. Again and again He says, in effect, here is what you were taught, but here is what I say.

He takes murder down to anger and adultery down to lust. Then He takes "love your neighbor" somewhere no one expected.

You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Matthew 5:43 to 44

Notice what Jesus never does: He never removes a command. He raises it to a standard you can't reach without God's Spirit living in you. That is the gospel: Christ's power is made perfect in your weakness. He didn't call you up to heaven to figure it out. He came down, became one of us, and made a way through His Spirit.

How does kingdom living change the way you treat people?

It makes you noticeable, the way light is noticeable in a dark room. Jesus' commands go straight to the intent of the heart, and a life shaped by them stands out. The early church spread quickly because believers were doing countercultural things: going the extra mile, loving enemies, forgiving.

Pastor Adrian Cruz, Calvary's youth pastor, put it this way: a flashlight in a pitch black room doesn't have to beg for attention. Pastor Sean added a second thought worth keeping. By that light, you also see everything else in the room. The church isn't here only to be noticed. Its purpose is to light the way so people don't stumble in the dark, and so God gets the glory.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

Can you obey God on the outside without surrendering on the inside?

You can for a while, but it isn't kingdom life. God's kingdom works from the inside out. Every other kingdom lets you comply on the outside while resisting on the inside. In God's kingdom, every moment and every decision puts you under one of two rulers. Either you are under the King of Kings, or under what Pastor Sean called the kingdom of King Me.

The two greatest commands describe postures of the heart. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. Real love for God will show up in what you do. Subservience is outward obedience without inward surrender. By the Holy Spirit, that love can reach even an enemy, the way Jesus prayed from the cross for the people executing Him.

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

Luke 23:34

Is Jesus your Savior, your Lord, or both?

He is both, and you can't keep one without the other. Pastor Adrian said many people, young people especially, love Jesus as Savior and the blessings that come with salvation. Fewer are comfortable with Him as Lord. But true belief shapes behavior, and you can trace your behavior back to its roots.

A Christlike life doesn't come from trying harder. It comes from staying connected to Jesus.

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

John 15:4

You can fake fruit for a little while, but time exposes it. And salvation isn't only rescue from something. It's rescue for something: to be the body of Christ, living in Him as He lives in you.

Common questions

What is the kingdom of God?

The kingdom of God is wherever God's rule and reign is present. It isn't a place on a map; it shows up in lives, homes, and communities that are submitted to Him.

What does Jesus mean by "You have heard that it was said, but I tell you"?

In Matthew 5, Jesus shows His authority over the law of Moses. He doesn't cancel the commands; He takes them to the heart, from murder to anger and from loving neighbors to loving enemies.

What is the difference between Jesus as Savior and Jesus as Lord?

Savior describes what Jesus rescues you from. Lord describes His right to direct your life. Scripture holds them together, and real faith receives both.

Is it wrong for Christians to have opinions?

No, but opinions don't outrank God's Word. The first step of kingdom living is to find what Scripture says and let it challenge your own thoughts and positions.

Read the blog postKingdom People, Not Culture People: The Character Jesus Describes in Matthew 5The culture keeps asking how to fix everyone else. Scripture asks what kind of person you ought to be. Here is what Jesus says kingdom people look like.Read the post