A Government We’ll Love To Be A Part Of

A Government We’ll Love to Be a Part Of

I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

— Luke 22:29-30

A place in God’s creative order has been reserved for each one of us from before the beginnings of cosmic existence. His plan is for us to develop, as apprentices to Jesus, to the point where we can take our place in the ongoing creativity of the universe.^a

— DALLAS WILLARD

The Bible’s central story line revolves around a question: Who will reign over the earth? Earth’s destiny hangs in the balance. Because it is the realm where God’s glory has been the most challenged and resisted, it is also the stage on which his glory will be the most graphically demonstrated. By reclaiming, restoring, renewing, and resurrecting Earth—and empowering a regenerated mankind to reign over it—God will accomplish his purpose of bringing glory to himself.

Righteous human beings, first enthroned by God to reign over the earth from Eden, then dethroned by their own sin and Satan, will be re-enthroned with God forever. “And they will reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:5).

Upon hearing for the first time that mankind will rule the earth, govern cities, and reign forever, countless people have told me they’re uncomfortable with the idea. It sounds presumptuous and self-important. If it were our idea to reign over the universe, it would indeed be presumptuous, even blasphemous. But it was not our idea, it was God’s. And it’s not a minor or peripheral doctrine; it’s at the very heart of Scripture.

God’s purpose and plan will not fully be achieved until Christ confers on us the Kingdom he has won. This will take place after our bodily resurrection, when we will eat and drink with the resurrected Christ on the resurrected Earth. Jesus said, “I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Luke 22:29-30).

This is an astounding statement. Christ has conferred to his apostles a kingdom? a kingdom? The apostles will rule most prominently, but Scripture makes it clear that Christ will make rulers of everyone who serves him humbly and faithfully here and now:

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things’ ” (Matthew 25:21).

“If we endure, we will also reign with him” (2 Timothy 2:12). As Christians, we’ve been born into the family of an incredibly wealthy landowner. Our Father has a family business that stretches across the entire universe. He will entrust management of this business to us, his heirs, and that’s what we’ll do for eternity: manage God’s assets and rule his universe, representing him as his children, his image-bearers, and his ambassadors.

Still, a number of people have said to me, “But I don’t want to rule. That’s not my idea of Heaven.”

Well, it’s God’s idea of Heaven. Whose idea do you think is better, yours or his? We are part of God’s family, and it’s a royal family, because he’s the King. Ruling the universe is the family business. To want no part of ruling the Kingdom is to want no part of our Father. It may sound spiritual to say we don’t want to rule, but because God is the one who wants us to rule, the truly spiritual response is to be interested in and embrace his plans and purposes.

Whom will we rule? Other people. Angels. If God wishes, he could even create new beings for us to rule. Who will rule over us? Other people. That may go against the grain of our values and assumptions that in Heaven everything will be equal for everyone, but it is nonetheless true.

There will be a social hierarchy of government, but there’s no indication of a relational hierarchy. There will be no pride, envy, boasting, elitism, or anything else sinful. The differences in our responsibilities will be a manifestation of God’s creativity, as well as a reward for our faithful service here and now. As we’re different in race, nationality, gender, personality, gifting, and passions, so we’ll be different in positions of service. Scripture teaches that God will evaluate our service for him on Earth to determine how we’ll serve him on the New Earth. The humble servant will be put in charge of much, whereas the one who has lorded it over others in the present world will have power taken away: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). If we serve faithfully on the present Earth, God will give us permanent management positions on the New Earth: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” (Luke 16:10).

We’ve been conditioned to associate governing with self-promoting arrogance, corruption, inequality, and inefficiency. But these are perversions, not inherent properties of leadership. Imagine responsibility, service, and leadership that are pure joy. Of course, not all positions of responsibility involve people. Adam and Eve governed animals before there were any other people. Some of us may be granted the privilege of caring for animals. Perhaps some will care for forests. Ruling will likely involve the management of all God’s creation, not just people.

Perhaps God will offer us a choice, in keeping with our service for him on Earth, of where we might want to serve him on the New Earth. In any case, we can be certain that we’ll do something we enjoy, because on the New Earth we’ll want what God wants.

In addition, we’ll have no more skepticism and disillusionment about government. Why? Because we’ll be governed by Christ-like rulers, and all of us will be under the grand and gracious government of Christ himself. We will forever rejoice that “of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:7).

Does this sound like a government you’d like to be part of ?

Father, thank you that a perfect government awaits us, one for which we will always be thankful and one for which we will always be proud. Though we may be patriotic and proud citizens of our present earthly nations, remind us that our true citizenship is in Heaven. Remind us that one day we will live on a truly united planet where all nations will share a total devotion and allegiance to Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords. God, empower us to unashamedly affirm our allegiance to you today, in our homes and workplaces and schools and neighborhoods. May you find us faithful, and may we one day hear you say those amazing words: “Well done, good and faithful servant. . . . Enter into the joy of your master.”^b