Whatever our leaders’ faith, this also is true

One of the most memorable moments of our late Queen’s funeral was when the orb and sceptre which had been given to her at her Coronation were removed from her coffin and placed on the table in St George’s Chapel.

While evangelicals would rightly quibble at some of the ceremonial, the basic theological point is true: ‘There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God’ (Rom.13:2). Queen Elizabeth’s authority to reign was granted to her (symbolised by the sceptre) by Christ, who has been given all authority in heaven and earth (symbolised by the orb topped with a cross). God the Father has placed all things under his feet (Eph.1:20-22). All earthly rulers derive their authority solely from Him; they hold it for a time, and in time it is removed from them by Him again.

This is a basic New Testament doctrine. The Son of God came announcing the Kingdom of God. The reign of the risen and ascended Christ over all human affairs, at the right hand of God in the heavenly places, with all things in subjection under His feet, is everywhere in the New Testament. And so all human rulers receive their authority from Him, and owe their allegiance to Him; for all authority in heaven and earth has been given to Him (Matt.28:18).

We must think clearly about this, now that we have a Hindu Prime Minister in Westminster, a Muslim First Minister in Holyrood, and a King who, it has been reported, wishes to have ‘multi-faith’ elements in his Coronation. Most politicians have long ignored the Lordship of Christ as acknowledged in the British (unwritten) constitution. But a situation in which they openly give their allegiance to other gods and lords, and explicitly deny the Lordship of Christ, is a new one for us. What does it change?

In the most important senses, nothing. Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev.19:16) today as He has been from His resurrection onwards. Both Nero and Queen Elizabeth equally reigned by His permission and were called and commanded to submit to His rule. Queen Elizabeth did so imperfectly (as she would no doubt have been the first to admit); Nero did not do so at all. If our current rulers are more Nero than Elizabeth, Christ is Lord over them nonetheless.

We Christians have, I think, five duties regarding our rulers, which apply now as much as ever.

First, we must pray for them (1 Tim.2:2); personally for their salvation, and publicly for them to rule us justly, preserving righteousness and peace. Of course it is best if they do so consciously in submission to King Jesus, but He is quite able to cause them to do so even if they deny Him.

Second, we must submit to them, for God’s sake, for He established them for our good. Christians should never be those with a lawless spirit; we of all people know the importance of humble obedience, and should be the best citizens in every country in which we live.

Third, we must not deny the one who gives them their authority. Christ has delegated authority to others also; to the church and the family in particular. If they trespass on areas they have not been given, we may submit, but we are not obliged to do so. In the years ahead this is likely to happen more and more. If we are told how we are to bring up our children, when and how we can worship God, and how we are to run and organise our churches, we should submit where we can in good conscience; but church leaders, and parents, are free to say otherwise.

Fourth, we must proclaim to our leaders that Christ is Lord. If this was right under the despotism of Rome (Acts 9:15), it is certainly right for us to do in a democracy where we have both a vote and a measure of legal permission to campaign and protest. As churches, and individuals, it is right for us to call our leaders both to recognise the Lordship of Christ and to implement laws which are in line with God’s laws.

Finally, we must remember that Christ’s Lordship is for the church. God has given him as head over all things to the church (Eph.1:22). Whatever the sins and successes, the piety or idolatry of our political rulers, Christ exercises His rule for the good of His people. We need never despair, for the head of the church is King of kings and Lord of lords, and ensures that all things work together for the good of those who love Him.

Matthew Roberts is the Minister of Trinity Church York. He is one of the authors of the Greater Love Declaration on Marriage, Sex and Identity. His book Pride: Identity and the Worship of Self is out now, published by Christian Focus. He is on Twitter at @ MPWRoberts.