THE CURRENT REIGN OF JESUS

" For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet." 
(1 Corinthians 15:25)

Devotion 17 of  25

POWER OVER ALL FLESH
     "As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him" (John 17:2).

     The Lord Jesus is not anticipating authority over the entire human race. He already has it! If this does not comport with appearance, we must believe it anyway! It is a matter of revelation. God has given Jesus power, or authority, over all flesh. It makes little difference whether it is political flesh, religious flesh, wealthy flesh, or common flesh. Christ has power over it all. There is person that is not under His power. Whether they are aware of it or not is completely beside the point. Whether or nor they desire to be under His authority has no bearing on the case.

     Following His resurrection, Jesus announced to His Apostles that "all authority" had been "given unto" Him in heaven and on earth (Matt 28:18). That is all the authority there is. This is not authority He is expecting to receive, but authority He HAS already received. He has all authority in heaven! Nothing comes from heaven to earth without His approval. Nothing is received in heaven from earth without recognition of Him. God looks at the world through Jesus. He has all authority in heaven! The angels are at His beck and call! The Holy Spirit is given to men because of Him, and in order to illuminate them to His will. 

     Jesus has all authority in earth. Nothing can transpire in this world without His sanction. No circumstance occurs in this realm without His approval. He is the King of kings, and the Lord of lords! He is the "Governor among the nations" (Psa 22:28). Ultimately, the affairs of men are not determined by vote or by the imposition of powerful individuals. Daniel prophesied to king Nebuchadnezzar "to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men" (Dan 4:17). That is simply the way it is. It is our business to believe it.

THE INTENT: TO GIVE ETERNAL LIFE
     What is the divine intent behind Jesus receiving "power over all flesh?" Jesus reveals the purpose Himself. It is not made known in a discourse to men, but in a prayer to God. It is not prayed at a time of unusual blessing, but on the eve before His own cursing by God (Gal 3:13). Our Lord said these words in anticipation of the "glory that should follow" His vicarious death (1 Pet 1:11). "That He (the Son) should give eternal life to as many as Thou (the Father) hast given Him" (John 17:2). Note, the power was not given to Him to subdue His enemies--although He shall surely do this! A mere word from His mouth is all it will take. Or even more precisely, the "spirit (or breath) of His mouth" is all that is required to destroy the chiefest of His enemies (2 Thess 2:8). When Saul of Tarsus was breathing out threatenings against the saints of God, Jesus only had to shine a portion of His glory upon him to totally subjugate him (Acts 9:3-6).

     The mightiest display of Divine power is NOT the subjugation of those aligned against God! A tremendous display of God's power took place in the deposing of Satan, the greatest of all foes. But that is nowhere set forth as the preeminent display of Omnipotence. Rather, it is giving eternal life to those whom the Father has given to the Son. And what is involved in "giving eternal life to as many as" God has given to Him"? 

     Nominal Christendom has oversimplified the matter of salvation. Too often they equate it with shrewd evangelistic techniques, oratorical presentations, and disciplined procedures. God associates it with "power over ALL flesh!" It takes more than a little power to get people from earth to heaven; out of sin into righteousness; delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son! Such dramatic results require "ALL power in heaven and on earth."  The magnitude of salvation has simply not dawned upon the masses of professed believers. That is why they find is easy to entertain only futuristic views of a reigning Christ.

GIVING REPENTANCE AND REMISSION
     Jesus has been exalted to give repentance and the forgiveness of sins. This is the express statement of the Holy Spirit. "Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins" (Acts 5:31). Those who would have Jesus occupying a political throne upon the earth as we know it, do well to take heed to this announcement. Christ's sovereignty is related to salvation, not the subjugation of His enemies: i.e., "Prince and Savior," not Prince and Conqueror. This unique role has a twofold objective: "give repentance . . . and forgiveness of sins." 

     No person is capable of "repentance unto life" (Acts 11:18b) without Divine intervention! Such repentance is "granted," though it involves the will and effort of those receiving it (Acts 11:18a). God "gives" repentance through the exalted Lord Jesus Christ (2 Tim 2:25). Also, no person can be forgiven apart from a reigning Savior. Our sins would forever remain associated with us, were it not for the omnipotence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank you that eternal life is given to men by an Omnipotent Savior.

-- Tomorrow: OPENING THE HEART --