MY FATHER THE KING

It’s one of my pet peeves. 

I really hate when I hear Christians say something along the lines of “The Bible says I’m a child of the King. That means I’m royalty!”

I guess it bugs me when I hear that because, usually, it comes across to me sounding more like this: 

“I’m super awesome and more important than other people.”

Maybe that’s not what people mean by this, but it’s what it sounds like when I hear people say it out loud.

But it got me thinking, what does it really mean to be a child of the King?

I think, in context with the rest of the New Testament, the idea of recognizing our identity in Christ is essential. We do need to know who we are. If for no other reason than that this might help us to be who we are called to be.

For the record, the New Testament doesn’t really emphasize our position as “sons and daughters of the King” in quite the same way as some Christians today want to frame it. 

We’re told that we are now a “royal priesthood” by Peter, for example, but the context of that is our responsibility to perform the priestly duties. Those include: Pointing others to Christ, administering the ministry of reconciliation, and acting as liaisons between our fellow humans and the King of Kings.

1 John 3:1 also reminds us that God "has lavished His great love upon us by making us His children." 

This is true. But in that verse no mention is made of our elevated status as royal family members. Instead the emphasis is basically on humbly receiving so gracious a gift as to be allowed to call the Creator of the Universe our “Daddy." In other words, it’s the astounding level of intimacy and the breath-taking inclusiveness of God that is being celebrated here. Not our exalted status as the Prince or Princess of the Universe.

So, what does it really mean to be “Children of the King”? 

Here’s what I think:

If our Father is the King of Kings, then that means we do not bow our knees to anyone, or anything other than Him. We owe all our allegiance to our Father. He is the rightful ruler of this planet, and the entire Universe. Nothing else should ever eclipse His absolute rule, reign or authority in our lives.

Our Abba is the King! We are no longer at the mercy of any other ruler or authority. Nothing else has any power over us; Not our sinful natures (which have been put to death once and for all); Not our national identity (because our Father’s kingdom transcends every national border); Nothing else in all creation.

So, go ahead and let everyone know: “I’m a child of the King. That means I’m royalty!” But please keep in mind that sharing a family identity with the absolute ruler of the Universe means that you’re not under the yoke of anyone, or anything, else except your Abba.

Pledge your total allegiance to His Kingdom.

Bow the knee to no one else.

Serve only Him.

Let no other ruler, or authority, or government, nation steal your loyalty.

Your Father is the King.

His rule is absolute. His nation is eternal.

“Before Him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by Him as worthless and less than nothing.” (Isaiah 40:17)

-kg

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My book "Jesus Untangled:Crucifying Our Politics To Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb" is available now on Amazon in paperback and ebook formats. 

Purchase online here>

IS IT A SIN TO LOVE YOUR COUNTRY?

Is it a sin to love your country?

Maybe that's the wrong question to ask. Jesus never said the exact words, "Thou shall not love thy country", but He did say things like:

"If anyone loves mother or father, or son or daughter more than me, he is not worthy of me." - Matt. 10:37-39

So, is it a sin to love your parents? Or your children?

No, but if you love your parents - or anything else - more than you love Jesus, then you might have your priorities out of line and just perhaps, you might not actually be following the words of Jesus.

The New Testament does have a lot to say about our relationship with our country, however. More so than most Christians believe.

For example, Jesus tells us clearly to "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and give to God what is God's." Most Christians are aware of that one.

But Jesus also tells us that we cannot serve two masters, which in context was about trusting in money more than we trust in God, but the principle remains. We really cannot serve two masters.

We're also told that Jesus is our King. That means that our primary allegiance is to Him, and not to our President, or our National authority.

Yes, we're commanded to pray for our leaders [something most Christians only do if the leader happens to be representing their own political party], and we are told to submit to every authority over us, and to pay our taxes and to live quiet lives among the people. But we should keep in mind that those things were written during a time in history when the authority over them was Nero, one of the most cruel, vicious and evil men who ever lived.

If Jesus is our King, and if we are citizens of His Holy Nation [see 1 Peter 2], then our allegiance is to Christ and His Kingdom, not to the nation we were born into.

The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are Ambassadors of Christ. Peter reminds us that we are strangers and aliens in this land. The author of Hebrews reminds us that we are looking for a better country that is from above. John reminds us that the enemies of Jesus are the Kings of the Earth and the Nations of men - not just the "evil" ones, all of them - that all stand opposed to Christ's Kingdom.

So, where do we stand? Are we truly strangers and aliens? Are we actually living as Ambassadors of Christ's Kingdom? Are we looking for a better country that is from above? Are we standing with Jesus, or are we standing with the Kings and Nations of the Earth which oppose Christ's rule and reign?

Is it a sin to love your country? Maybe.

If I were you, I wouldn't take the chance.

One of the repeated warnings given to the early church was about something called "entanglement".

"No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer." - 2 Tim. 2:4

What are "civilian affairs" in this analogy? Anything that isn't pleasing to our commanding officer. How much of what takes place in the political arena would you honestly say is "pleasing" to Jesus: Slandering? Lying? Corruption? Pandering to special interest groups and lobbyists?

There's not much in the world of politics that anyone could say is "pleasing" to Jesus. In fact, I would go as far as to say that none of it is pleasing to Him. Why? Because no one in politics is seeking to please Jesus. Do any of them even give lip service to Christ? Is Jesus ever mentioned? Are they working to promote the values that He spoke of in the Sermon on the Mount?

No, they are not. And why would they? Christ's Kingdom only works when Jesus is the King. As long as men and women are attempting to rule and wield power over others, Jesus is not Lord.

The Apostle Peter also speaks about entanglement:

"If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning." - 2 Peter 2:20

If we have been set free from the "corruption of the world", then we are warned not to return again to that entanglement but to keep our hearts set on Jesus and maintain our allegiance to His Kingdom.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us," - Hebrews 12:1

Entanglement with the world is something we should be very careful to avoid. It's not only politics that we should be wary of, but politics and nationalism certainly qualify as examples of how the world works and we would be wise to avoid them as citizens of Christ's Kingdom.

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them." - 1 John 2:15

Is it a sin to love your country?

Maybe.

Especially if your love for your country leads you to believe that your nation is more special, more loved by God than other countries.

Remember, God is no respecter of persons. He so loved the world that He gave His only Son. No nation is favored over another.

In the Body of Christ, we are reminded that there is no longer any recognition of nationality, or race, or age, or sex. We are all one in Christ, Jesus, our Lord. [See Gal. 3:28]

He makes us one. He unites us. National pride divides people. Patriotism distorts our oneness.

We would do well to abandon those things and to embrace our identity as the children of God who have been called out of every nation to be formed into a new, Holy Nation, where our King stands with arms open wide to welcome people of all tribes, and tongues, and nationalities.

Is it a sin to love your country?

What do you think?

-kg