Christ the King
From Encyclopedia Reformata
Contents |
The Kingly office
As Son of God Christ naturally shares in the universal dominion of God. In distinction from this we speak of a kingship that was conferred on Him as Mediator This kingship is twofold, namely, His spiritual kingship over the Church, and His kingship over the universe.
Christ as the Son of God naturally shares in the dominion of God over all His creatures. This kingship is rooted in His divine nature and is His by original right. In this connection, however, we are concerned with a kingship with which He as Mediator was invested. We distinguish a twofold Mediatorial kingship of Christ, His spiritual kingship over the Church, and His kingship over the universe.
The Nature of This Kingship
The Nature of This Kingship
This kingship should not be confused with the original kingship of Christ as the Son of God, though it extends to the same realm. It is the kingship of the universe entrusted to Christ as Mediator in behalf of His Church. As King of the universe He now guides the destinies of individuals, of socia1 groups, and of nations, so as to promote the growth, the gradual purification, and the final perfection of the people which He has redeemed by His blood. Moreover, this kingship enables Him to protect His own against the dangers to which they are exposed in the world, and to vindicate His righteousness by the subjection and destruction of all His enemies.
The spiritual kingship of Christ is His royal rule over His people, or over the Church. It is called spiritual, because it relates to a spiritual realm, is established in the hearts and lives of believers, bears directly and immediately on a spiritual end, the salvation of sinners, and is administered, not by external, but by spiritual means, the Word and the Spirit. This kingship is exercised in the gathering, the government, the protection, and the perfection of the Church. The term “head” is sometimes applied to Christ as the king of the Church, I Cor. 11:3; Eph. 1:20–22; 5:23. It is just because Christ is the head of the Church that He can rule it in an organic and spiritual way.
(1) THE SPIRITUAL KINGSHIP OF CHRIST
The Bible speaks of this kingship in many places, Ps. 2:6; 45:6, 7 (cf. Heb. 1:8, 9); 132:11; Isa. 9:6, 7; Micah 5:2; Zech. 6:13; Luke 1:33; 19:27, 38; John 18:36, 37; Acts 2:30–36.
His spiritual kingship
The Bible speaks of this in many places, Ps. 2:6; 132:11; Isa. 9:6, 7; Micah 5:2; Zech. 6:13; Luke 1:33; 19:38; John 18:36, 37; Acts 2:30–36. The king. shin of Christ is His royal rule over His people. It is called spiritual, because it relates to a spiritual realm, is established in the hearts and lives of believers, has a spiritual end in view, the salvation of sinners, and is administered by spiritual means, the Word and the Spirit. It is exercised largely in the gathering, the government, the protection, and the perfection of the Church. This kingship as well as the realm over which it extends is called in the New Testament “the kingdom of God” or “the kingdom of heaven.” In the strict sense of the word only believers, members of the invisible Church, are citizens of the kingdom. But the term ‘kingdom of God’ is sometimes used in a broader sense, as including all who live under the proclamation of the gospel, all who have a place in the visible Church, Matt. 13:24–30, 47–50. This kingdom of God is on the one hand a present, spiritual reality in the hearts and lives of men, Matt. 12:28; Luke 17:21; Col. 1:13; but on the other hand a future hope, which will not be realized until the return of Jesus Christ, Matt. 7:21; Luke 22:29; 1 Cor. 15:50; 2 Tim. 4:18; 2 Pet. 1:11. The future kingdom will be essentially the same as the present, namely, the rule of God established and acknowledged in the hearts of men. It will differ, however, in that it will be visible and perfect. Some are of the opinion that this kingship of Christ will cease at His return, but the Bible would seem to teach explicitly that it will endure forever, Ps. 45:6; 72:17; 89:36, 37; Isa. 9:6; Dan. 2:44; II Sam. 7:13, 16; Luke 1:33; 2 Pet. 1:11
Biblical References:
Ps. 2:6. “Yet I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.”
Isa. 9:7. “of the increase of His government and of peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even for ever.”
Luke 1:32, 33. “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end.”
The Extent of His Kingship
Realm Over Which it Extends
The spiritual kingdom of Christ is identical with what the New Testament calls the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven. This kingdom is first of all the kingship of God in Christ established and acknowledged in the hearts of man by the work of regeneration. In the second place it is also the realm over which the rule of God in Christ extends, a realm created by the Spirit of God and composed exclusively of those who share in the life of the Spirit. And, finally, it is also a new condition of things which results from the application of the principles of the kingdom of God and which often extends beyond the sphere of the kingdom in the strictest sense of the word. The citizenship of the kingdom is co-extensive with the membership of the invisible Church. Its field of operation, however, is wider than that of the Church and aims at the control of life in all its manifestations. The visible Church is the most important and the only divinely instituted external organization of the kingdom. The term “kingdom of God” is sometimes used in a sense which makes the kingdom practically equivalent to the visible Church, Matt. 8:12; 13:24–30, 47–50.
The spiritual kingdom of Christ is both present and future. It is on the one hand a present, ever-developing spiritual reality in the hearts and lives of men, and as such exercises influence in a constantly widening sphere, Matt. 12:28; Luke 17: 21; Col. 1:13. But on the other hand it is also a future hope, which will not be realized until the return of Jesus Christ. This future aspect of it is the more prominent of the two in Scripture, Matt. 7:21; 19:23; Luke 22:29; I Cor. 6:9; 15: 50; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5; II Tim. 4:18; II Pet. 1:11. In essence the future kingdom will consist, like that of the present, simply in the rule of God established and acknowledged in the hearts of men. But at the glorious coming of Jesus Christ this establishment and acknowledgment will be perfected, the hidden forces of the kingdom will stand revealed, and the spiritual rule of Christ wil1 find its consummation in a visible and majestic reign.
His universal kingship
After the resurrection Christ said to His disciples: “All authority hath been given unto Me in heaven and on earth.” Matt. 28:18. The same truth is taught in 1 Cor. 15:27; Eph. 1:20–22. This kingship should not be confused with the original kingship of Christ as the Son of God, though it pertains to the same realm. It is the kingship of the universe entrusted to Christ as Mediator in behalf of His Church. As Mediator He now guides the destiny of individuals and nations, controls the life of the world and makes it subservient to His redemptive purpose, and protects His Church against the dangers to which it is exposed in the world. This kingship will last until the victory over the enemies of the kingdom of God is complete. When the end is accomplished, it will be returned to the Father. 1 Cor. 15:24–28.
Biblical References:
Matt. 28:18. “And Jesus came to them and spake to them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth.”
Eph. 1:22. “And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the Church.”
1 Cor. 15:25. “For He must reign, till He hath put all His enemies under His feet.”
(2) THE KINGSHIP OF CHRIST OVER THE UNIVERSE
Before His ascension Christ said to His disciples: “All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth,” Matt. 28:18. The same truth is also taught in Eph. 1:20–22; I Cor. 15:27.
The Duration of Christ’s Spiritual Kingship
Socinians claim that Christ did not become king until the time of His ascension, and Premillenarians, that He will not be seated upon the throne as Mediator until He establishes the millennium at the second advent. As a matter of fact, however, He was appointed as king from eternity, Prov. 8:23; Ps. 2:6, and began to function as such immediately after the fall. Yet He did not formally and publicly assume His throne until the time of His ascension and elevation to the right hand of God. Some opine that this kingship will cease at the return of Christ, but Scripture would seem to teach explicitly that it will endure forever, Ps. 45:6; 72:17; 89:36, 37; Isa. 9:7; Dan. 2:44; II Sam. 7:13, 16; Luke 1: 33; II Pet. 1:11.
The Duration of This Kingship
Christ was formally invested with this kingship over the universe when He was exalted at the right hand of God. It was a promised reward of His labors, Ps. 2:8, 9; Matt. 28:18; Eph. 1:20–22; Phil. 2:9–11. This investiture did not give Him any power or authority which He did not already possess as the Son of God; neither did it increase His territory. It simply gave this authority to Christ as the God-man, so that His human nature was now made to share in the glory of this royal dominion. The government of the world was made subservient to the interests of the Church of Jesus Christ. This kingship will 1ast until the victory over the enemies of the kingdom is complete, I Cor. 15:24–28. When the end is accomplished, it will be returned to the Father
Source: Based on Louis Berkhof’s Summary and Manual of Christian Doctrine.
Further Study:
- Berkhof, Reformed Dogmatics, I, pp. 363–388.
- Hodge, Outlines of Theology, pp. 391–400.
- Hodge, Systematic Theology, II. pp. 459–479, 592–609.
- Stevenson, The office of Christ.
Source: Based on Louis Berkhof’s Summary and Manual of Christian Doctrine.
