Christ, Not Man, Is King

Christ, not man, is king.

This inscription greets every visitor to the tomb of Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell.

He resisted taking on the Crown of England, and continued to do so until his death.

When the Stuart Monarchy returned to power, the British people had established a greater revelation of their authority, which included putting their monarch under the same rule of law as they.

How did they come to accept this revelation? For centuries, the argument of divine right had determined that one man would be king and have greater authority over men.

The Bible became available to common men, that God had intended for every man to reign in life, through His Son Jesus:

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)

Even in the Old Testament, there were hints, inferences, and prophesies of the glory which God meant for man:

"5For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour." (Psalm 8: 5)

and

"5Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,

 

6Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!

 

7He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;

 

8That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.

 

9He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD." (Psalm 113: 5-9)

Christ is king, not man.

This sentiment animates the reason why common people in the 1600s would rise up and overthrow a tyrannical king (Charles I).

However, in our world, we find more people who are unable to stand for anything, because they do not know about the King who gave everything for them.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3: 16)


and

"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? " (Romans 8: 31-32)

In Christ Jesus, we have a King who serves us:

"For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Mark 10: 45)

The perversion pervasive in our times suggested that any king means tyranny and oppression.

Yet in Jesus, we have a King and Priest who serves us, from whom we in turn serve others:

"17Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; 20Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." (Hebrews 6: 17-20)

Men cannot be good kings. They cannot supply the full life and identity which men need.

Only God can do that:

"14That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen." (1 Timothy 6: 14-16)

Christ, not man, is King, and we reign in life with Him (Romans 5:17)