CHAPTER 20  Washed from our Sins, Made Kings, and Made Priests Part 2

Rev. 1:6 "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

There are two things this verse tells us that Jesus Christ has made us: kings and priests unto God and his Father. In this essay we will deal with the subject of our being made kings. In the next essay we will deal with the subject of our being made priests.

In order for someone to be a legitimate king he must be a descendant of a king and he must be anointed. Now it is God who established the office of a king in Israel and he started it with King Saul. But because of Saul's disobedience and rebellion, God turned the kingdom to David and his descending sons. It was God who had the prophet Samuel to anoint both Saul and then David to be kings over Israel. Afterwards the high priests anointed the kings that were to reign over Israel and then Judah. Thus for us to be kings today we must descend from a king and be anointed to be a king. First through the new birth we are born of God: 1 Pet. 1:23 "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." Thus thru the new birth we are spiritually born of Christ (the King of kings) the living word. Next, we are anointed of God also thru the new birth as the following verses show:

    1. Acts 10:38 "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."

    2. 2 Cor. 1:21 "Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;"

    3. 1 John 2:20 "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things."

Reference 1 above shows us that Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power. Whereas ref. 2 tells us that God has anointed us and ref. 3 tells us this anointing was also from the Holy Ghost. Thus as Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost so are we anointed with the Holy Ghost. Thus when we are born of the Spirit we are anointed with the Holy Ghost to be a king.

A king wears a crown and God has crowned us as well:

    1. 1 Th. 2:19 "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?"

    2. 2 Tim. 2:5 "And if a man also strives for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strives lawfully."

    3. 2 Tim. 4:8 "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

    4. James 1:12 "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him."

    5. 1 Pet. 5:4 "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."

    6. Rev. 2:10 "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."

    7. Rev. 3:11 "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."

From the above we can see that it is God who crowns us with joy, righteousness, life, glory, and discipleship. Also we see that we can lose that crown of discipleship if we are not diligent.

Next, a king has a realm or dominion in which he is to rule over:

    1. 2 Cor. 1:24 "Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand."

    2. Col. 3:15 "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

    3. Rom. 6:12 "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God."

    4. 1 Cor. 4:8 "Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you."

    5. Prov. 25:28 "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls."

Thus we can gather from the above that each of us is to have dominion or rule over our heart, and over our mortal bodies, and over our faith, and over our spirit. Therefore it is over our own life that we are to bear rule and reign as a king. Please note in ref. 4 that just because we are kings doesn't mean that we are always reigning. The Corinthians had reigned as kings and then were no longer reigning, but Paul desired that they would once again reign. We can live our lives in exile and not reign! It takes an effort on our part to reign.

There are at least four main responsibilities of a king. First a king is to establish the rule of law in his kingdom. The rule of law we are to establish is not our own. Since Jesus is said to be King of kings, we are kings under King Jesus. As a king under King Jesus we are to establish his rule of law in our realm. God himself begins the process when in the new birth he wrote his laws in our heart and in our mind (Heb. 8:10; 10:16). Our responsibility is to establish his rule of law in our lives. This rule of law is found in the scriptures.

Second we as kings have a responsibility to establish a judicial system and be governed by that judicial system. The framework for this judicial system is established in our hearts and mind in the new birth:

    1. Rom. 2:14 "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)"

    2. 1 John 3:20 "For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God."

All the framework of a judicial system is present here as the conscience serves as the witness, the work of the law is the rule on which the judicial system is founded. The thoughts are both the defense attorney and the prosecuting attorney. The heart is the judge and jury to condemn or excuse us. As we measure ourselves by the rule that God has given us in his word, we bring this to our internal judicial system and it serves to either condemn us or excuse us.

Third a king is to lead in the battle against the realms enemies. According to Eph. 6:11 we are to,

"Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"

Additionally, Paul instructs in 1 Cor. 10:3 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." Furthermore, we are to "endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ."

Fourth we are to make provision for our realm. Since the provision is given to us by our King, we are to distribute this provision to our realm. This provision is distributed to our realm thru reading, studying, praying, and meditating on the things of God whose word is a thorough furnisher unto all good works.

As kings we are to reign with Jesus in his kingdom. Also there will be a people reigning with him throughout this New Testament age according to Rev. Chapter 20.