But today in the religious world there are multitudes who, as they believe, are working for the establishment of the kingdom of Christ as an earthly and temporal dominion. They desire to make our Lord the ruler of the kingdoms of this world, the ruler in its courts and camps, its legislative halls, its palaces and market places. They expect Him to rule through legal enactments, enforced by human authority. Since Christ is not now here in person, they themselves will undertake to act in His stead, to execute the laws of His kingdom. The establishment of such a kingdom is what the Jews desired in the days of Christ. They would have received Jesus, had He been willing to establish a temporal dominion, to enforce what they regarded as the laws of God, and to make them the expositors of His will and the agents of His authority. But He said, "My kingdom is not of this world." John 18:36. He would not accept the earthly throne.

Men i dag findes der inden for den religiøse verden en mængde mennesker, der, efter hvad de tror, arbejder for oprettelsen af Kristi rige som et jordisk og timeligt herredømme. De ønsker at gøre vor Herre til hersker over denne verdens riger, til hersker ved dens hoffer og i dens feltlejre, dens lovgivende forsamlinger, dens paladser og handelspladser. De venter, at han skal herske ved lovbestemmelser, der er påtvunget andre af menneskers myndighed. Da Kristus nu ikke er personligt til stede, vil de selv påtage sig at handle i hans sted og bringe lovene i hans rige til udførelse. Oprettelsen af et sådant rige er netop det samme, som jøderne på Kristi tid så hen til. De ville have taget imod Jesus, hvis han havde været villig til at oprette et timeligt rige for at påtvinge andre, hvad de anså for at være Guds love, og hvis han havde villet gøre dem til fortolkere af sin vilje og til udøvere af sin myndighed. Men han sagde: "Mit rige er ikke af denne verden." Joh. 18,36. Han ville ikke tage mod en jordisk trone.