Kingship
The Rule and Reign of God!
“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
Acts 2:36 (NIV)
The Kingdom of God is a key idea in the Bible, with Jesus' role as King at its heart. Jesus continually spoke of the Kingdom of God.
What is the Kingdom of God?
The act of God reigning and ruling through Christ on earth, together with his earthly family.
The beginning of your journey to salvation starts with acknowledging the Lordship of Christ. In the New Testament, Jesus is referred to as “Lord” 622 times, with the book of Acts mentioning it 100 times.
While Jesus is your Saviour, rescuing you from death, He also becomes the Lord and King of your life. You have moved from the domain of darkness into the Kingdom of Light—His Kingdom.
“and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Rulership and Salvation
You cannot truly receive Jesus solely as your saviour and neglect the essential aspect of Him as your Lord (King).
Salvation encompasses both aspects of Jesus, recognizing Him not only as your Messiah who redeems (saves) you but also as your Lord or King who guides and rules over your life.
““If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.””
Obedience originates from love
Embracing Jesus’ leadership within a faith-based relationship. Living your life with faithfulness and loyalty to His guidance demonstrates your love for Him.
Because He first rescued and redeemed you, He can now expect your loyalty and faithfulness toward Him. This reflects the order of grace and obedience. We are initially saved by grace and then into a relationship characterized by loyalty and obedience, motivated by our love for Him.
Loving God is not just an emotional idea; it is a covenantal commitment. To love God means being loyal and obedient to Him in every way.
“If you love me, keep my commands.”
”The person who has my commandments and obeys them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to him.”
Active life of obedience
Total commitment to His way of living is choosing an active life of obedience under Jesus’ rule and reign as King.
Submitting to Jesus as King is not about following strict religious rules; it is about the attitude of your heart toward Him. If you genuinely wish to submit, that desire will begin to reflect in your actions.
Remember, God does not expect you to be perfect, but He does expect your behaviour to start changing as you grow in your faith and trust.
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”
Expanding the Kingdom of God
The invitation of Jesus involves: following His lead in a faith-based relationship, being obedient out of love, committing to His way of life, and living with Jesus as your role model.
You began your new life as a follower of Jesus by acknowledging that Jesus is Lord and King. Now you need to continue on his pathway, as this is not a one-time event but it is a lifetime journey of following Jesus.
In other words, as you follow Jesus as your example, your new life (spirituality) will begin to manifest and show itself in your everyday reality.
Personal Application
Are there areas in your life that you have not yet submitted to Jesus?
Are your relationships under His leadership?
What about your finances??
Finally, your time, is that submitted to King Jesus?