I know you are but what am I?
No need to return and take over and slay the wicked then. I see.
But not king of the hearts and lives of wicked men and nations. Otherwise there would be no rebellion. The world is in rebellion
So the prince of the world is powerless here. Got it. Funny he offered Jesus the kingdoms. Did Jesus say 'I have kingship over them all already'? No. He is coming to take care of that bit soon.
The rebellion of man and nations has nothing to do with God's power. It has to do with man's choices. The world does not know Him. The world chooses evil. If God did not allow that there would be no evil! There is. Notice? If there were no wicked people and nations why would He come to take vengeance and take over? Why would He send the plagues etc?
Get real
Paul confirms:
1 Corinthians 15:25-26:
“For he must reign (present, active infinitive)
, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”
Here he shows that Christ is reigning now. It is written in the present, active infinitive sense. How long does he reign? He confirms: “till he hath put all enemies under his feet.” Again, this couldn’t be clearer! Every last enemy will be subjugated and subdued at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The last enemy is identified as death!
There you have it! The second coming sees the final subjugation of all:
· rule
· authority
· power
· death
Paul then reinforces this thought:
1 Corinthians 15:27-28
“For ‘he hath put’ (aorist active indicative) (
hupotasso or subordinated or submitted to)
all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under (
hupotasso or subordinated or submitted to)
him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put (
hupotasso or subordinated or submitted to)
all things under him. And when all things shall be (
hupotasso)
subdued (or subordinated or submitted to)
unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him (
hupotasso or subordinated or submitted to),
that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.”
Paul, again, repeats the great truth that God “hath put all things under his feet” as He reigns in majestic glory upon high. The reign described here is
aorist active indicative, meaning it is
ongoing. He also shows, whilst Christ is reigning over His enemies as Lord and God, they will NOT be made His footstool, subdued and put down until the second coming.
The whole focus here is the current reign of Christ upon the heavenly throne that will culminate in the final downfall of all his enemies when he appears. Then we'll his enemies finally be subdued, put down, and made his footstool.
Hebrews 1:2, 3, 2:9 says,
“Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things … Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high … Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him.”
There it is! He is the supreme power. He is the government. He carries all authority. Whilst new enemies are being born every day, while new wicked regimes continually arise, Christ determines what He allows and what He doesn't. There is nothing that is not under Him. The world is NOT out of control. God has a plan and that plan will be fulfilled, when God sees fit.
1 Peter 3:22 says, that Christ,
“who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God (now!!!)
; angels and authorities and powers being (currently!!!)
made subject unto him.”
Without a doubt Christ is reigning over His enemies since the resurrection, waiting for their final predetermined put down. Those who question Christ’s current reign do great assault upon the truth of God’s Word and undermine the current sovereign kingly position that He now assuredly holds. They also circumvent clear New Testament writings that teach Christ is reigning now.