MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD / JOHN 18:36

(KJV) John 18:36

Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Concerning the true nature and purpose of Christ’s kingdom, three points should be noted:

1. What Jesus’ kingdom is not: It is “not of this world.” It did not originate in this world, and its purpose is not to take over the world’s system. Jesus did not come to establish a political theocracy (a government ruled by a religious body or particular view of God) or aim for world control. Jesus states that if He had come to establish a political kingdom on earth, then “my servants would fight.” Since this is not the nature of His kingdom, they do not resort to military war or revolution to promote Christ’s purpose on earth (Matthew 26:51-52). They do not align themselves with political parties, social pressure groups or any secular organizations in order to establish God’s kingdom and purposes on earth. They refuse to use the power gained through Jesus’ victory on the cross (the message of Christ) as a proud attempt to rule society. Rather than using worldly weapons (2 Corinthians 10:4), Jesus’ followers are armed only with spiritual weapons (Ephesians 6:10-18). This does not mean, however, that Christians should avoid participating in government or social action. They are still responsible to uphold God’s demand for justice, peace and restraints against lawlessness. By their gracious words and blameless and honorable lifestyles, Christians should challenge governments and societies regarding their moral responsibilities to God.
2. What Jesus’ kingdom is: Christ’s kingdom – or the kingdom of God – involves His power, authority, purposes and spiritual activity in the lives of all who receive Him and obey His Word (John 18:37). The kingdom of God is a matter of “righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17; notice that these are all inner spiritual qualities that affect outward attitudes and actions). Christ’s kingdom is in active battle against the spiritual forces of Satan, using spiritual weapons (Matthew 12:28; Luke 11:20; Acts 26:18; Ephesians 6:12). The role of the church (the community of all true followers of Christ, worldwide and in local congregations) is that of a servant to Jesus Christ, not that of a ruler over this present world. The church’s strength is not in worldly power but in the cross – the sacrifice and salvation of Jesus Christ. When God’s people suffer rejection and persecution at the hands of the world, it is really an honor because they are identifying with Christ (2 Corinthians 3:7-18). Only by rejecting worldly power did the New Testament church find God’s power. Christ’s followers today face this same choice in their individual lives: only by losing their lives in the world (putting aside all selfish interests and concerns and surrendering completely to God) will they find their highest purpose in God. 
3. What Jesus’ kingdom will involve will be: In the future, Christ’s kingdom will involve His rule and reign in the new heaven and earth. This will occur after He returns to earth following the tribulation period to judge the nations, destroy the antichrist and reign on earth for a thousand years. He will then bring Satan to a final end in the lake of fire (Revelation 19:11-20:15).

• NIV Bible
• King James Bible
• www. biblegateway.com
• www.biblestudytools.com
• Map Pencils
• Strong’s Concordance
• College Ruled Spiral Notebook
• Ballpoint Pens
• Some links may be affiliated. By purchasing an item from an affiliate link, I receive a small commission – but you are not charged more or less by clicking or purchasing through the link. Thank you for supporting me!

1. THE CUP / JOHN 18:11
2. THE GLORY THAT YOU GAVE ME / JOHN 17:22-23
3. THAT ALL OF THEM MAY BE ONE / JOHN 17:21
4. I SANCTIFY MYSELF / JOHN 17:19
5. SANCTIFY THEM BY THE TRUTH / JOHN 17:17
6. THEY HAVE OBEYED YOUR WORD / JOHN 17:6
7. ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 17:3
8. JESUS’ PRAYER JOHN 17:1
9. THE FATHER HIMSELF LOVES YOU / JOHN 16:27
10. TAKING FROM WHAT IS MINE / JOHN 16:14
11. HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH / JOHN 16:13
12. CONVICT THE WORLD / JOHN 16:8
13. IF I GO I WILL SEND HIM / JOHN 16:7
14. THEY WILL PERSECUTE YOU ALSO / JOHN 15:20
15. GO AND BEAR FRUIT / JOHN 15:16
16. REMAIN IN MY LOVE / JOHN 15:9-10
17. ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH / JOHN 15:7
18. LIKE A BRANCH THAT IS THROWN AWAY / JOHN 15:6
19. REMAIN IN ME / JOHN 15:4
20. EVERY BRANCH / JOHN 15:2
21. WE WILL … MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM / JOHN 14:23
22. I AM THE TRUE VINE / JOHN 15:1
23. HOLY SPIRIT / JOHN 14:26
24. HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE ME / JOHN 14:24
25. WE WILL … MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM / JOHN 14:23
26. WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS / JOHN 14:21
27. I WILL COME TO YOU / JOHN 14:18
28. THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH – WITH YOU AND WILL BE IN YOU / JOHN 14:17
29. I WILL ASK THE FATHER – COUNSELOR / JOHN 14:16
30. IF YOU LOVE ME YOU WILL OBEY / JOHN 14:15
31. ASK IN MY NAME / JOHN 14:13
32. GREATER THINGS / JOHN 14:12
33. I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE / JOHN 14:6
34. I WILL COME BACK / JOHN 14:3
35. MY FATHER’S HOUSE / JOHN 14:1-4
36. LOVED PRAISE FROM MEN / JOHN 12:42-43
37. KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES / JOHN 13:35
38. LOVE ONE ANOTHER / JOHN 13:34
39. AT A LOSS TO KNOW WHICH OF THEM HE MEANT / JOHN 13:22
40. WASH ONE ANOTHER’S FEET / JOHN 13:14
41. UNLESS I WASH YOU / JOHN 13:8
42. WASH HIS DISCIPLES FEET /JOHN 13:5
43. LOVED PRAISE FROM MEN / JOHN 12:42-43
44. THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE / JOHN 12:39-40
45. DRAW ALL MEN TO MYSELF / JOHN 12:32
46. PRINCE OF THIS WORLD WILL BE DRIVEN OUT / JOHN 12:31
47. WHOEVER SERVES ME / JOHN 12:26
48. HATES HIS LIFE IN THIS WORLD / JOHN 12:25
49. SON OF MAN … GLORIFIED / JOHN 12:23-24
50. MARY … POURED IT ON JESUS’ FEET / JOHN 12:3
51. FOR THE SCATTERED CHILDREN OF GOD / JOHN 11:52
52. THE DEAD MAN CAME OUT / JOHN 11:44
53. JESUS WEPT / JOHN 11:35
54. DEEPLY MOVED IN SPIRIT / JOHN 11:33
55. I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE THE CHRIST / JOHN 11:27
56. I AM THE RESURRECTION / JOHN 11:25-26
57. STAYED WHERE HE WAS TWO MORE DAYS / JOHN 11:6
58. JESUS LOVED MARTHA AND HER SISTER AND LAZARUS / JOHN 11:5
59. SICKNESS … FOR GOD’S GLORY / JOHN 11:4
60. THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH / JOHN 10:28
61. YOU ARE GODS? / JOHN 10:34
62. THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH / JOHN 10:28
63. MY SHEEP LISTEN TO MY VOICE / JOHN 10:27
64. I KNOW MY SHEEP / JOHN 10:14-15
65. I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD / JOHN 10:11
66. THE THIEF COMES … I HAVE COME / JOHN 10:10
67. I AM THE GATE / JOHN 10:9
68. JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD / JOHN 10:1
69. THOSE WHO SEE WILL BECOME BLIND / JOHN 9:39
70. THEY THREW HIM OUT / JOHN 9:34
71. WORK OF GOD MIGHT BE DISPLAYED / JOHN 9:3
72. BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS BORN, I AM / JOHN 8:58
73. HE IS A LIEAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES / JOHN 8:44
74. IF GOD WERE YOUR FATHER / JOHN 8:42
75. YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED / JOHN 8:36
76. EVERYONE WHO SINS / JOHN 8:34
77. THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE / JOHN 8:32
78. IF YOU HOLD TO MY TEACHING / JOHN 8:31
79. I PASS JUDGMENT ON NO ONE / JOHN 8:15
80. I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD / JOHN 8:12
81. NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU / JOHN 8:11
82. IF ANY ONE OF YOU IS WITHOUT SIN / JOHN 8:7
83. GAIN HONOR FOR HIMSELF / JOHN 7:18
84. JESUS HAD NOT YET BEEN GLORIFIED / JOHN 7:39
85. AS THE SCRIPTURE HAS SAID – STREAMS OF LIVING WATER / JOHN 7:38
86. GAIN HONOR FOR HIMSELF / JOHN 7:18
87. IF ANYONE CHOOSES TO DO GOD’S WILL / JOHN 7:17
88. IT HATES ME / JOHN 7:6-7
89. FEAST OF TABERNACLES / JOHN 7:2-3
90. JESUS HAD KNOWN FROM THE BEGINNING / JOHN 6:64
91. EATS MY FLESH AND DRINKS MY BLOOD / JOHN 6:54
92. THE FATHER … DRAWS HIM / JOHN 6:44
93. MY FATHER’S WILL / JOHN 6:40
94. I WILL NEVER DRIVE AWAY / JOHN 6:37
95. I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE / JOHN 6:35
96. MIRACLES / JOHN 6:1-2
97. DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT HE WROTE / JOHN 5:47
98. ACCEPT PRAISE FROM ONE ANOTHER / JOHN 5:44
99. YOU DILIGENTLY STUDY / JOHN 5:39-40
100. THOSE WHO HAVE DONE GOOD – RISE TO LIVE – THOSE WHO HAVE DONE EVIL / JOHN 5:29
101. HAS GRANTED THE SON TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF / JOHN 5:26
102. HEARS … BELIEVES – WILL NOT BE CONDEMNED / JOHN 5:24
103. MAKING HIMSELF EQUAL WITH GOD / JOHN 5:18-24
104. PERSECUTED HIM / JOHN 5:16
105. STOP SINNING / JOHN 5:14
106. THE MAN WAS CURED / JOHN 5:9
107. THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS / JOHN 5:5
108. SIGNS AND WONDERS / JOHN 4:48
109. CROP FOR ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 4:36
110. SURPRISED TO FIND HIM TALKING WITH A WOMAN / JOHN 4:27
111. TRUTH / JOHN 4:24
112. WORSHIP … IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH / JOHN 4:23-24
113. SAMARITANS WORSHIP WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW / JOHN 4:22
114. WATER … ETERNAL LIFE / JOHN 4:14
115. SAMARITAN WOMAN / JOHN 4:7
116. WHOEVER REJECTS / JOHN 3:36
117. LOVED DARKNESS INSTEAD OF LIGHT / JOHN 3:19
118. GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD / JOHN 3:16
119. JUST AS MOSES LIFTED UP THE SNAKE / JOHN 3:14-15
120. THE WIND … THE SPIRIT / JOHN 3:8
121. BORN OF WATER / JOHN 3:5
122. DROVE ALL FROM THE TEMPLE AREA / JOHN 2:15
123. SIGNS / JOHN 2:11
124. CHOICE WINE – HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK / JOHN 2:10
125. WINE – THEY HAVE NOT MORE WINE / JOHN 2:3
126. YOU SHALL SEE HEAVEN OPEN / JOHN 1:51
127. CEPHAS … PETER / JOHN 1:42
128. THE FIRST THING ANDREW DID / JOHN 1:41
129. WILL BAPTIZE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / JOHN 1:33
130. LAMB OF GOD / JOHN 1:29
131. GRACE AND TRUTH / JOHN 1:17
132. THE WORD BECAME FLESH / JOHN 1:14
133. BORN NOT OF … HUMAN DECISION / JOHN 1:13
134. RECEIVED … BELIEVED / JOHN 1:12
135. THE WORLD DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM / JOHN 1:10
136. GIVES LIGHT TO EVERY MAN / JOHN 1:9
137. LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS /JOHN 1:5
138. LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF MEN / JOHN 1:4
139. WITH GOD IN THE BEGINNING / JOHN 1:2
140. THE WORD / JOHN 1:1
141. GUIDED BY GRACE ABOUT

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post! May the words inspire and uplift all who read them. Your support and interest mean the world to me, and I’m grateful for every moment you spend here. Stay tuned for more, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!” Blessings, Margarita & Stace

• Amazon
• Etsy
• Facebook
• Google
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Pinterest
• X
• YouTube