Scriptures:

John 18:36 – “Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. 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.'”

• Jesus makes it clear that His kingdom operates on a spiritual plane, separate from worldly governments, and that His servants are not permitted to fight for an earthly kingdom.

 

Matthew 22:21 – “Then he said to them, ‘Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.'”

• Jesus establishes a division between the responsibilities owed to secular authorities (represented by Caesar) and those owed to God, implying that the church should not be entangled with political powers.

 

Acts 5:29 – “But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.'”

• This verse highlights the primacy of God’s authority over any human government. When secular rulers interfere in matters of faith or dictate practices contrary to God’s law, Christians must remain loyal to God.

 

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 – “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you. “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty.

• Although often applied to personal relationships, this also applies to partnerships between the church and worldly powers. The church befriended Constantine, who was a pagan idol-worshiper, and thus they touched what was unclean and became enemies of God.

 

James 4:4 – “You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

• James is warning Christians against aligning themselves with worldly values and systems, which can draw them away from their ultimate allegiance to God.

 

1 John 2:15-16 – “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.”

 

Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

 

2 Timothy 2:4 – “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.”

• This metaphor, likening Christians to soldiers, stresses that they should focus on pleasing God rather than getting caught up in worldly matters, including political affairs.

 

Philippians 3:20 – “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

• This verse reminds Christians that their true allegiance is to the heavenly kingdom, not earthly governments, reinforcing the separation from political involvement.

 

Colossians 1:13 – “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.”

• Christians are described as being transferred from one kingdom (the world) to another (God’s kingdom), underscoring the separation from earthly governments.

 

1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

• This verse emphasizes the special identity of Christians as a “holy nation,” distinct from worldly nations.

 

Revelation 17:1-2 – Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality.”

Revelation 18:2-4 – And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality. I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; ”

Matthew 20:25-28 – “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

 

Church Fathers:

Let us not give loose reins to our soul, that it should have power to run with sinners and the wicked, lest we become like them. – Barnabas (A.D. 70-130) ch.4

Let us be imitators also of them which went about in goatskins and sheepskins, preaching the coming of Christ. – Clement of Rome (A.D. 96) ch.17

Let us rather give offence to foolish and senseless men who exalt themselves and boast in the arrogance of their words, than to God. – Clement of Rome (A.D. 96) ch. 21

Wherefore, brethren, let us forsake our sojourn in this world and do the will of Him that called us, and let us not be afraid to depart out of this world. – Second Clement (A.D. 100) ch.5

And you know, brethren, that the sojourn of this flesh in this world is mean and for a short time, but the promise of Christ is great and marvelous, even the rest of the kingdom that shall be and of life eternal. What then can we do to obtain them, but walk in holiness and righteousness, and consider these worldly things as alien to us, and not desire them? For when we desire to obtain these things we fall away from the righteous path. – Second Clement (A.D. 100) ch.5

But the Lord said, No servant can serve two masters. If we desire to serve both God and mammon, it is unprofitable for us: For what advantage is it, if a man gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? Now this age and the future are two enemies. The one speaks of adultery and defilement and avarice and deceit, but the other bids farewell to these. We cannot therefore be friends of the two, but must bid farewell to the one and hold companionship with the other. – Second Clement (A.D. 100) ch.6

And I too, taking part in the festivity, am permitted by letter to bear you company and to rejoice with you, that you set not your love on anything after the common life of men, but only on God. – Ignatius to the Ephesians (A.D. 35-105) ch.9

The work is not of persuasiveness, but Christianity is at it’s greatest, whenever it is hated by the world. – Ignatius to the Romans (A.D. 35-105) ch.3

Bear with me, brethren. Do not hinder me from living; do not desire my death. Bestow not on the world one who desires to be God’s, neither allure him with material things. Suffer me to receive the pure light. When I am come thither, then shall I be a man. – Ignatius to the Romans (A.D. 35-105) ch.6

Rather stand you on my side, that is on God’s side. Speak not of Jesus Christ and withal desire the world. – Ignatius to the Romans (A.D. 35-105) ch.7

Since I see, that you are exceedingly anxious to understand the religion of the Christians, as to what God they trust and how they worship Him, that they all disregard the world and despise death. – Letter to Diognetus (A.D. 125-200) ch. 1

Those who have never investigated concerning the truth, nor enquired concerning the deity, but have merely believed, and have been mixed up in business affairs and riches and heathen friendships, and many other affairs of this world – as many, I say, as devote themselves to these things, comprehend not the parables of the deity; for they are darkened by these actions, and are corrupted and become barren. – Hermas (A.D. 150) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg. 26

These are men who have been believers, but grew rich and became renowned among the Gentiles. They clothed themselves with great pride and became high-minded, and abandoned the truth and did not cleave to the righteous, but lived together after the manner of the Gentiles… Others at the last living with the Gentiles, and being corrupted by the vain opinions of the Gentiles, departed from God, and worked the works of the Gentiles. These therefore were numbered with the Gentiles. – Hermas (A.D. 150) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg.42

The Lord said: “Judge not, that you be not judged: for with what judgment you shall judge, you shall be judged.” [The meaning is] not certainly that we should not find fault with sinners, nor that we should consent to those who act wickedly; but that we should not pronounce an unfair judgment on the dispensations of God, inasmuch as He has Himself made provision that all things shall turn out for good, in a way consistent with justice. – Irenaeus (A.D. 180) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.1 pg.504

I do not wish to be a king; I am not anxious to be rich; I decline military command; I detest fornication; I am not impelled by an insatiable love of gain to go to sea; I do not contend for chaplets; I am free from a mad thirst for fame; I despise death… Die to the world, repudiating the madness that is in it. Live to God, and by apprehending Him lay aside your old nature. We were not created to die, but we die by our own fault. Our free-will has destroyed us; we who were free have become slaves; we have been sold through sin. Nothing evil has been created by God; we ourselves have manifested wickedness; but we, who have manifested it, are able again to reject it. – Tatian (A.D.160) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.2 pg.69

Among us nothing is ever said, or seen, or heard, which has anything in common with the madness of the circus, the immodesty of the theatre, the atrocities of the arena, the useless exercises of the wrestling-ground. Why do you take offence at us because we differ from you in regard to your pleasures? If we will not partake of your enjoyments, the loss is ours, if there be loss in the case, not yours. We reject what pleases you. – Tertullian (A.D. 198) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.3 pg. 46

We cannot sit down in fellowship with them, as neither can they with us. Things in this matter go by their turns. Now they have gladness and we are troubled. “The world,” says Jesus, “shall rejoice; you shall be sorrowful.” Let us mourn, then, while the heathen are merry, that in the day of their sorrow we may rejoice; lest, sharing now in their gladness, we share then also in their grief. You are too dainty, Christian, if you wouldst have pleasure in this life as well as in the next; nay, a fool you are, if you think this life’s pleasures to be really pleasures. – Tertullian (A.D. 198) Ante-Nicene Fathers vol.3 pg. 90