The Two Kindgoms.

The Two Kingdoms

From Daily Readings with Martin Luther

Christ did not come to establish any temporal kingdom, for the promises of god are altogether far too glorious for that sort of thing.  It would not well befit our Lord to establish such a kingdom.  Christ is not concerned with political and domestic economy, but is a King who came to destroy the dominion of the devil, and to save mankind.  Our prayers should be: Give temporal kingdom and crown to whom you will, grant only this to me, that I shall not die eternally.  I shall be satisfied with but little, if only I am secure against death and eternal damnation... But only Christ can effect this, and this is the real treasure and heritage Christ brings to all men.

I must always drive in and hammer home the distinction between these two kingdoms... for the cursed devil himself does not cease to cook and brew these two kingdoms into one dish.  In the devil's kingdom the secular lord is always wanting to teach and instruct Christ how he should run his Church and the spiritual government.  By the same token, the false and fictitious agitators, though not in God's name, always want to teach and instruct the secular rulers how they are to govern...  All this is just to confuse and mingle into one secular and spiritual government.

The minister of state is 'God's left hand'.  His work is not simply a matter of human order or appointment. His is a divinely ordered office.