“The kingdom of Christ is not a niche of private piety—it is the dominion of the risen Mediator over all things, for the sake of His church.”

We say things like “God is sovereign,” “God is in control,” or “Christ is King.” But what do we really mean when we say them? Are these just safe phrases we repeat to reassure ourselves in uncertain times, or do they reflect what we truly believe about Christ’s authority and reign?

What would it mean for my life—for yours—to acknowledge that Christ truly is King? Not just in a general, cosmic sense, but in the ordinary details of our lives—how we parent, how we work, how we worship, how we rest?

I’ve been challenged lately to think more thoroughly about the Kingship of Christ. I’ve come to realize that at times I’ve functionally limited His rule to the inner life of the believer or the gathered life of the Church. But the Bible presents something far greater: Christ reigns now, and His rule is not distant or abstract—it’s real, present, and pressing. His authority reaches into every area of life.

This theme is at the heart of Messiah the Prince Revisited, J.K. Wall’s modern abridgment of William Symington’s 19th-century work on the mediatorial kingship of Christ. The book is an invitation to recover a big, biblical view of Christ’s reign—one that is grounded in Scripture, centered on Christ, and relevant for how we live today.

In the opening chapters (pages 1–67), Symington lays a theological foundation. He explains what it means that Christ reigns not just as God, but as the God-Man Mediator—invested with all authority by the Father after His resurrection (Matthew 28:18). That authority isn’t theoretical or postponed. It’s active now. Christ rules over all things for the sake of His Church.

What I found especially stirring in these early pages were two things. First, the weight of biblical support showing that Christ is, in fact, reigning now. Scripture doesn’t present this as an eventual reality but as something already in effect.

Psalm 2:6–8
“As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.’”

Matthew 28:18
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

Ephesians 1:20–22
“[God] raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion… And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church.”

Revelation 1:5
“Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.”

Hebrews 10:12–13
“But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.”

This isn’t future hope only. This is present reality: Jesus reigns now—over all things, for the good of His people.

Wall also unpacks what it means that Christ’s kingdom “is not of this world” (John 18:36). Jesus did not deny that He is a King—He affirmed it plainly. But His kingdom is unlike the ones we know. Richard Phillips puts it well:

“This man, standing as a prisoner before the worldly governor, brought in as a criminal, bearing no emblems of worldly power, is a King… ‘You,’ Pilate said, ‘are you a king?’ (John 18:33).”

“Jesus might be a worthy fellow, a nice example in a spiritual sort of way, but he is not a power to be reckoned with”—or so people still think. Yet Jesus insists that he is a King and that he has a kingdom. It is not, however, a kingdom like any other.”

This is key to understanding the nature of Christ’s reign. His kingdom does not originate from the world—it is from heaven. It is spiritual in character but not merely internal or invisible. Jesus reigns by heavenly power, over real people, in real time.

Phillips continues:

“When we say that Christ’s kingdom is not of this world, what we are really saying is that Christ’s kingdom is of heaven and therefore has an even greater claim over us than do the earthly kingdoms we know so well.… Over these is Christ, and we flout His kingship not merely at the peril of our fortune and lives but at the peril of our eternal souls.”

Second, Wall does a careful job answering the natural objections. If Christ is King, why is there so much chaos? Why do so few seem to acknowledge Him? Why does evil still prevail in so many corners of the world? He shows that Scripture expects Christ’s reign to be opposed for a time. But opposition doesn’t cancel authority. The risen Christ is subduing His enemies—even now—by the steady advance of His Word, Spirit, and Church. This isn’t about triumphalism. It’s about trusting the quiet, certain power of a reigning Savior who rules with wisdom and patience.

Reading these pages made me pause. It’s easy to affirm Christ’s lordship in theory but live as though His authority stops at the church door. But if Christ reigns over all things, what should that mean for how I live today?

Am I consciously submitting every area of my life—my time, my speech, my priorities—to the risen King?
Do I rest in His rule when life feels out of control, or do I grasp for control myself?

“God the great Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things… by His most wise and holy providence.” — Westminster Confession of Faith 5.1

That line reminds me that even the hardest or most confusing moments in life are not outside the scope of Christ’s reign. His providence is not abstract—it is wise, holy, and lovingly personal. He is a good King.

Does my discipleship reflect a growing awareness that Christ governs all of life?
Am I raising my children, making decisions, and ordering my week as someone who truly believes Jesus is reigning now—not just in heaven, but over me and all things? And do I anchor my hope not merely in personal salvation, but in the promise that Christ the King will renew and restore the world He created—bringing His kingdom fully, not just to our hearts, but to all creation?

This book isn’t just recovering an old doctrine—it’s calling us back to a way of seeing the world. A way of living in joyful, reverent submission to a real King, right now.

Next: In Part 2, I’ll continue reflecting on Messiah the Prince Revisited, especially the more demanding sections that explore Christ’s kingship in relation to the state. These chapters push us to think carefully about what it means to be a Christian in the political sphere, and how we understand the difference between faithful public witness and distortions like Christian nationalism or theonomy. These are difficult conversations in our current climate, but necessary ones if we are to live as those who believe Christ really is King over all.

1.Richard D. Phillips, John, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, 1st ed., vol. 2 of Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2014), 513–514.

2. J.K. Wall, Messiah the Prince Revisited: An Abridged and Modernized Version of William Symington’s Classic Work on the Mediatorial Reign of Jesus Christ (Indianapolis: The Worldview Center, 2023).