Who is the King?
Then Pilate asked Him, ?Are You the King of the Jews?? He answered and said to him, ?It is as you say.?~Mark 15:2
Jesus is still the King of the Jews. Paul tells us who true Jews are in these verses:
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.~Romans 2:28-29 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ?s, then you are Abraham?s seed, and heirs according to the promise.~Galatians 3:28-29
But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, ?In Isaac your seed shall be called.? 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. ~Romans 9:6-8
Jesus is King of those whose hearts (not bodies) have been circumcised. They are true Jews. Bloodline Jews who continue in unbelief and rejection of Christ are called ?a synogogue of Satan? by Our Lord Himself, and indicted as being false Jews by Jesus Christ!
I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.~Revelation 2:9
Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie?indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.~Revelation 3:9
When we confess the truth that Jesus is King by demonstrating it in our own lives as well as sharing it with others, the pride of men will come against us with full force, just as it did Jesus.
Notice how Jesus? accusers made many claims about his wrongdoing and unrighteous character (Mark 15:3), yet Pilate knew that the real reason they hated him was because of their own pride and envy of Him (Mark 15:10). After all their best accussations and insistance that He be put to death, Pilate is still asking, ?Why? What evil has He done?? If their arguments were that convincing or valid, the wise leader would not have to continue asking these questions.
If we truly seek to have Jesus as our Lord, we will face our own trial and death as well, not only from the outside forces of evil, but from the inward sinful nature as well. Pride and self must die before we can live triumphant in Christ, and this death is a daily crucifixtion; it does not end after our moment of conversion, it is a lifelong daily battle. It?s why Paul said he ?dies daily.? We all must if we are going to have Jesus be Our Lord. The pride of man will not put up with the exaltation of anyone but themselves. Our death may or may not be physical, but it will be social and death to self.
The world (especially the most religious of the world) still seek to kill those who uncompromisingly declare Christ King. Our conduct must be above reproach so that when our accussers come, the wise will have nothing with which to condemn us from their fine sounding arguments, but simply be left asking, ?Why? What evil has he done?? The answer will reveal who truly is King in our lives ? we or Jesus. ?Whenever this slanderous spirit tries to lift up his head, grant that my faith and love may be quickened and strengthened in such a manner as heartily to praise they great love in spite of all his suggestions; this is the chief desire which I offer unto thee in all my prayers, night and day.? ~Bogatzky
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. ~1Peter 2:11-12