The Long-term Necessity of Building the Kingdom
The Kingdom of God, our Lord said, grows because it is nurtured in the faithfulness of its citizens and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
- Mark R. Rushdoony,
Who could have imagined the devastation that has been caused by a handful of “experts” and government officials in a number of days? Many anticipated “old” problems like war, a banking/debt crisis, or market panic might raise their huge head, but who would have thought we would choose such a self-destructive course?
We shot ourselves in the foot (or worse)! This is exactly the warning of Leviticus 26 against those who disobey God’s law – everything will go wrong.
It is important to note God’s judgments are not necessarily 1:1 (1 to 1). General disobedience leads to a multitude of problems: fear, disease, death, conquest, and low national morale (v. 14-33). In other words, everything will go wrong. A people who rebel against God’s law will not see prosperity or security.
This was a caution to Israel against disobedience, and the warnings became prophetic of their actual history. The principle remains, however, that God is not mocked (Gal. 6:7) when man flaunts His authoritative Word.
When I was younger it was common to hear Christians suggest simplistic, top-down reforms to restore America. “Put Prayer Back in Public Schools,” was a common bumper sticker in the 1960s, as was “Get the U.S. Out of the U.N.” Others saw the defeat of “world communism,” or a particular piece of legislation or amendment to the Constitution as the key. Others felt winning the next election (“the most important in history” has always been the cry) would turn things around.
Many of those were valid battles, but none would have made us more godly.
This is why Chalcedon has always focused on the long-term necessity of building the Kingdom of God by encouraging personal and familial faithfulness which might, by God’s grace, grow. Christian Reconstruction is a bottom-up message of development by dominion. Top-down movements only work if you are interested in power. The Kingdom of God, our Lord said, grows because it is nurtured in the faithfulness of its citizens and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Until we build the Kingdom, first of all, in ourselves, nothing will go right.
- Mark R. Rushdoony
Mark R. Rushdoony graduated from Los Angeles Baptist College (now The Master’s College) with a B.A. in history in 1975 and was ordained to the ministry in 1995.
He taught junior and senior high classes in history, Bible, civics and economics at a Christian school in Virginia for three years before joining the staff of Chalcedon in 1978. He was the Director of Chalcedon Christian School for 14 years while teaching full time. He also helped tutor all of his children through high school.
In 1998, he became the President of Chalcedon and Ross House Books, and, more recently another publishing arm, Storehouse Press. Chalcedon and its subsidiaries publish many titles plus CDs, mp3s, and an extensive online archive at www.chalcedon.edu. His biography of his father will be published later this year (2024).
He has written scores of articles for Chalcedon’s publications, both the Chalcedon Report and Faith for all of Life. He was a contributing author to The Great Christian Revolution (1991). He has spoken at numerous conferences and churches in the U.S. and abroad.
Mark Rushdoony has lived in Vallecito, California, since 1978. His wife, Darlene, and he have been married since 1976. His youngest son still resides with him. He has three married children and nine grandchildren.