A Lesson from Merry Brandybuck
Ever since Christ ascended to Heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father, Christians have wrestled with ways to interact with the world around them. In other words, Christians have commonly been concerned throughout the last two-thousand years regarding the relationship between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of man. In the context of any discussion, it should be understood that ultimately God is the ruler and sovereign over both Kingdoms. He is the creator and sustainer over the entire universe, thus both Kingdoms are under His reign. Nonetheless, this world is fallen, and until Christ returns it will not be fully reconciled to Himself. Until that day, evil will prevail to some extent throughout the Kingdom of man. The ultimate question discussed amongst Christians is how should Christians interact with this fallen Kingdom until the time when Christ returns? Should Christians just give up and leave this world be and retreat from the cultural issues that surround them? Would it be more profitable for Christians to live in the world peacefully, yet interact moderately with the world around them? Or should Christians take up spiritual arms against the Kingdom that stands in direct opposition to the King that Christians serve? in Lord of the Rings, there is a conversation between Merry Brandybuck, Pippin Took, and Treebeard that I think is relevant to this discussion of how Christians should interact with the Kingdom of man.
My hope is that those who are reading this article have already read and seen J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, but for those who have not, some context is necessary in order to understand the conversation that will be discussed below. In the realm of Middle Earth, Sauron is the great evil power that is attempting to gain control over all other living things. To do this, he needs the One Ring that was created by himself that will control all other rings that were given to the rulers of their own particular race. The story follows the Fellowship of the Ring as they are traveling to the fiery mountain of Mordor. It is in this volcano that, not only was the ring created, but the only location where it can be destroyed. The individual responsible for carrying the burden of the ring is the Hobbit, Frodo Baggins. Included in the Fellowship are two other Hobbits: Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took. Unfortunately, in the process of an ambush by Orcs on the Fellowship, the two Hobbits were captured. They later were rescued by none other than the leader of the Ents (a race of living trees), Treebeard. The Ents rarely interfere in the doings of other races, so when Merry and Pippin requested for them to help in defeating Sauron, naturally they rejected the request. Thus, the conversation between Merry, Pippin, and Treebeard took place:
Treebeard: The Ents cannot hold back this storm. We must weather such things as we always done.
Merry Brandybuck: How can that be your decision?
Treebeard: This is not our war.
Merry Brandybuck: But you’re part of this world! Aren’t you? You must help! Please! You must do something.
Treebeard: You are young and brave, Master Merry. But your part in this tale is over. Go back to your home.
Pippin Took: Maybe Treebeard’s right. We don’t belong here, Merry. It’s too big for us. What can we do in the end? We’ve got the Shire. Maybe we should go home.
Merry Brandybuck: The fires of Isengard will spread. And the woods of Tuckborough and Buckland will burn. And all that was once green and good in this world will be gone. There won’t be a Shire, Pippin.
What does this fictional conversation in the world of Middle Earth have to do with Christians in the 21st Century? Like in Middle Earth, there are evil powers in the world that are attempting to destroy all that is good. Will this ever happen? Scripture is clear that nothing will overtake the Kingdom of God (Matthew 16:18). Nevertheless, like in Middle Earth, evil forces can and will overtake certain places and people here in the real world. This will happen in institutions like schools and even in certain denominations. When I mention “Kingdom of man,” what do I mean by that? Generally speaking, whenever scripture refers to the Kingdom of man, it simply uses the word “world.” The Greek word for this term is “kosmos.” Throughout the New Testament, this word is used in different contexts. For example, John 3:16 refers to the “world” in a way that is related to mankind in a corporate sense. However, there are other passages whereby the author intends to utilize this same word in a different manner. 1 John 2:15 says:
Do not love the world nor the things in the world
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him
In this passage, the Apostle John is simply describing the sinful system of mankind. In other words, the world in this verse reflects an evil phenomenon whereby those that are included in this institution are enemies of God and rebelling against His Lordship. This evil system can exist in governments, colleges, businesses, and even in Churches. To be more precise, what makes this particular use of the world so evil is the particular ideology that exists within it. What is believed is directly contrary to scripture and distorts truth in a deceitful manner. This particular ideological machine can be seen in many different ways in the world today. For example, the LGBTQ+ community has consistently pushed a narrative that has successfully redefined the family and ensured that certain sinful activities are celebrated in the culture. There is a specific ideological framework involved in this narrative that is contrary to God and His law (Romans 1:26). This is an obvious example of what could be understood as “the world,” yet there are certainly other anecdotes. This ranges from denominations that now reject the gospel to businesses that are involved in corruption. The point is, what I mean by Kingdom of man is the evil system of man that has a particular ideology which is antithetical to what God has revealed in His word. In Lord of the Rings, the war against Sauron was not as much of a ideological war as it was a physical battle between differing and distinct sides. In the real world today, this war that rages is one that is spiritual (Eph. 6:12) but is manifested ideologically. So what can Christians learn from Merry’s words to Pippin and apply to the world today?
Many Christians will take their cue from Pippin and say, “we need not worry about the ideological war. We have our homes and communities still. That is all that matters.” Like Pippin, those that say this mean well and sincerely want to help. Yet, they also do not seem to understand that the forces of evil will not be satisfied with only defeating certain enemies and taking over only certain institutions. The evil ideologies that are pushing this war will not stop until every institution and household bows to their narrative. Merry understood that Sauron only desired power, and would not stop until all of Middle Earth was under his dominion. In America, the Kingdom of man desires to push an ideological narrative that is contrary to scripture. Like Merry, Christians must understand that evil will not stop nor will it be satisfied until all are under it’s control. If there is any desire for future generations to be trained and educated well in the public square according to Christian values and thought, the ideological fight must be taken to them. How can Christians do this effectively, though? What are the steps to be taken in order to provide future generations with a society and culture that truly honors God?
#1 — Go to Church
The first way Christians can engage in this ideological fight is by simply attending a bible-believing and gospel-centered church. In today’s society, being faithful to such an institution is a very radical and offensive action. In these churches, pastors will preach the word faithfully, members will be taught to love God and their neighbors, and biblical morality will be the standard of what is to be believed by all that are members.
#2 — Preach the gospel
The second way Christians can engage in this ideological fight is by preaching the gospel to others. Whether this would include preaching the gospel to total strangers, or preaching the gospel to one’s own children, sharing the gospel to others is as offensive as anything else from the perspective of the Kingdom of man.
#3 — Speak up on cultural issues
The third way Christians can engage in this ideological fight is by speaking up on issues that are related to the culture. This can include issues such as abortion, racial issues, matters related to the LGBTQ community, and education. However, it is not enough for Christians to simply speak on these issues. They must speak accurately and biblically. This means that Christians should be informed and educated on what the Kingdom of man says regarding these particular issues. It is not helpful when faithful Christians interact with these arguments in such a way that lacks critical thinking.
#4 — Do not be silent
One of the tactics that the Kingdom of man will use in this many of these ideological battles is the method of silencing. Rather than simply engaging with the arguments of Christians, many of those in the Kingdom of man settle for accusations against the Christian’s character. For example, this can be seen in many discussions related to racial issues in America in 2020. Rather than entering into discussions, many have quickly labeled others as simply racist. By doing this, they are signaling to others in the Kingdom of man that he or she is not to be interacted with any further. The solution for the Christian is not to accept this evaluation, point out the hypocrisy and evil within their argument, and to continue interacting with the arguments from the Kingdom of man.
#5 — Love Others
The final way that a Christian can engage in this ideological fight is by simply loving others. Much of this article might seem combative and antagonistic. Nevertheless, an important and necessary way to engage in this war is by simply loving others unconditionally. This includes desiring the best for them and communicating truth for the sake of their own soul. This also includes being careful in how one engages with others in this fight. Rather than being reckless in speech by saying things that are either intentionally or unintentionally filled with venom, speaking with and in love will further engage in the ideologically war that is being waged. The Kingdom of man will not be loving to others, even if they continue to use that word. Christians must be different in this regard.
The Christian life is not only a spiritual journey, but it is a war against one’s own sin and those that are on the side of the Kingdom of man. Merry Brandybuck provides Christians with a great example of what it means to engage the enemy faithfully. Rather than running home and hiding from the enemy, faithful believers are to engage with those with that are representatives of the Kingdom of man. If Christians abandon this war, the evil that is in the Kingdom of man will eventually make it’s way to the heart of even the most rural communities. As a result, future generations of Christians will not be able to enter into the public square, and the freedom that has been so easily taken for granted will dwindle away. The fight that Christians are ultimately participating in are against the spiritually evil forces at work in this world, but these evil forces use those in the Kingdom of man to make war on Christians. Following the example of the Apostles and early Christians, these men and women cannot be ignored. Do not be like Pippin. Be like Merry who encouraged his friends to stand bravely for the good in the world.