Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The whole world waits for the certification of our presidential election. American Christians, even many I respect, are suspended in fear about who will be set over them. This is understandable for the world, but shameful for a believer.
For us, it betrays a frightful failure to grasp the importance of the ascension of Jesus Christ to “the right hand of God.” Since we haven’t considered what that means, it becomes nothing more than a statement of abstract faith, with no real ability to save us.
We repeat it in church, and then return to our chains.
By and large, we are ignorant of real, biblical freedom. There are slaves who are as frightened by the prospect of their liberty as are their masters. I’m seeking something better for all of us.
After praising God for blessing us, Ephesians 1:20-21 teaches this: Christ was seated in the heavens, at the place of ultimate authority, “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.”
Standard, Christian teaching says this refers not only to powers in this world, but also in the spiritual realm. There is no power, ruler, or master, human or supernatural, that is not ruled by Christ. This claim to authority is the basis of the entire Christian enterprise in the world. (Matthew 28:18)
OK, great. We’ve always believed Jesus is king of kings.
What we’ve ignored in this regard is found a few verses later in Ephesians 2:6. God “raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places.” If you have been “raised up” to new life through faith in Christ, then you have been seated with him. And where was he seated, again? Far above all rule and authority, and so on.
Here and now, that means you have one master, Jesus. Everything else that claims mastery over you is lying. Whether that’s a government; a church official; a spiritual entity; or, a substance that has convinced you of your own slavery, it is a lie. If you are in Christ, you are over it, not under it.
So who will be the president for the next four years? Regardless, he will not be my master. I hope he’s a mostly tolerable servant. I may find him an enemy. But, he won’t be my master.
These ideas sustain my faith, and energize my prayers. When I pray, it’s conversation with one who has brought me to sit next to him, to discuss these lower things that may be causing trouble. I’m not shooting desperate arrows into the sky, hoping some angel decides to snag one before it falls back down to earth. We’ve been invited to share the rule, not beg crumbs from a bunch of petty masters.
I know how radical that sounds. A close-to-zero percentage of you will believe it. No one can make you drink this water, but the truth will set you free.
Gordan Runyan is the pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Tucumcari. Contact him at:
