Purpose

Royal Position

When Kate Middleton wed Prince William in 2011, the world received a crash course on the bestowing of royal titles. It wasn’t long after they said their “I dos” that it was announced that William and Catherine would henceforth be known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, respectively. For those in the global audeince unfamiliar with the customs of a monarchy, it seemed like a strange pronouncement. We know about kings and queens, princes and princesses, but that’s generally as far as our knowledge of such things goes.  Additional titles seem unnecessary. However, this practices confers upon an individual honor, prestige and significance. The titles that one accumulates dictate their place in society.

Because we may be unfamiliar with this practice, we may not give sufficient weight to the title that we have been given as Christians.  Scripture tells us those who have repented of their sins and placed their trust in God are children of the King (See Gal. 3:26, John 1:12, Col. 1:13). We are called the heirs of Christ, and as heirs have been given an eternal inheritance (Ro. 8:17, Eph. 1:11-14). This title was bestowed upon us not because of any greatness or achievement that we obtained, but because God in His great mercy loved and saved us even while we were His enemies. Whatever title or position we might have here on Earth it pales to the royal position we have in eternity.

It is important, however, to realize that unlike Earthly titles which confers prestige upon those that bear them, the children of the King are called to be servants (John 12:26; Gal. 5:13). It is their humility, and not their self-esteem that is to increase as a result of their position. It is acknowledging our own inability to be significant enough to earn God’s favor that prepares us to accept the sacrifice that His Son made on our behalf. The honor that accompanies our title is not ours, nor is any prestige. The One who gave us the right to be called His kids is the one to Whom all glory and praise should be attributed.

So when the days are tough and the miles long, let us not forget that it is not our position that we have achieved on Earth that is ultimately going to matter. However, lest we think that our royal position is caused for arrogance or conceit, let us also remember that it is Christ alone who deserves exaltation for the fact that we are children of the King.

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Growth

Friendship & Fear

The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,

and he makes known to them his covenant. (Psalm 25:14)

The fear of the Lord is an oft-discussed, and debated, topic of the Christian life. Perhaps this is because we tend to think of love and fear as dichotomous. The fact that we serve a loving God is taught to us from a young age. John 3:16 and “Jesus Loves Me” are staples of a young child’s church experience. The topic of fearing God is usually left to much later in their Christian education. By that time many in the church have begun to think of God as a caring grandfather who simply shakes His head at His children’s missteps. It is no wonder that it is difficult to reconcile the concept of fearing God with this caricature that they have created. Their concept of God has been stripped of His awesome power and startling majesty, and they can’t figure out why they should fear a God who, in their minds, is known for His affability.

Yet throughout Scripture, we are commanded to fear the Lord. This doesn’t make God any less loving. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of the awesome power of God it can help us see that His love for us is all the more remarkable. He didn’t need us; yet He choose us. However, just because He choose us doesn’t mean that He is not the King of Creation to Whom all glory, honor, praise and respect is rightly given. We are to fear Him because we are to understand Who He is. And as Isaiah experienced when he encountered God, who He is should drive us to our knees.

As the the Psalm quoted above makes clear, fearing God is the basis of our friendship with Him. This is interesting because if asked, we would likely respond that it is His love that is the foundation of our relationship. And it is true that we can only love God because He first loved us (I John 4:19). Fearing God, however, accomplishes something in our hearts that simply responding back in love does not. When we referentially defer to God, we recognize our dependence on Him. This helps give us the proper perspective of Who God is, and why we should humbly submit our lives to Him. Friendship with the Lord is for those who fear Him, because it is those who fear Him who rightfully acknowledge His rule in their lives and who subjugate their lives to Him and His Will. We realize that is it only through Him that we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28), that He alone is sustaining our lives (Acts 17:25), and that we are utterly dependent upon Him. The friend of God is the one who cast themselves completely upon His care, trusting in His good provision.

So the next time that we read a Scripture or we hear a sermon about how we are to fear God, let us fight the desire to bristle at this biblical command. Those who are friends with God will fear Him, because those who are friends with God rightfully acknowledge who He is.

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