Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:8–11)

The apostle Paul had no issue declaring the lordship of Jesus Christ over all of creation. In 1 Corinthians 6:8, Paul wrote, “yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” Jesus is God and Lord over all that He has created and Paul declares that we owe our allegiance and worship to Him.

Paul also recognized Christ’s authority to judge all persons throughout all of time. In Romans 2:16, he wrote, “on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.” A judgment he did not exempt himself from, “For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me” (1 Corinthians 4:4). Yet, while Christ is both Creator and Judge, He is also our salvation. Through his propitiatory work on the cross, and by our repentance and profession of Christ as Lord, we are saved from our sins (see Romans 10:9).

Still, even over our salvation, Paul recognizes the lordship of Christ as he writes in 1 Corinthians 12:3, “no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit.” Furthermore, to the Ephesians, he writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8–9). Paul clearly understood that Christ is both God and Lord. He is King over all things and there is nothing that was outside His reign and rule.

With this as our backdrop, we ask how Paul viewed our relationship with the King who rules not only the whole of creation, our judgment, and our salvation but over the very care of our souls. He reveals this in his letter to the Philippians. Paul begins his letter by writing of his imprisonment for his preaching of the gospel, an imprisonment that has brought the glorious, soul-saving message to the imperial guard itself! Paul not only endures this suffering (one in which he declares he would prefer to depart this life and go to Christ, yet he will remain for the work to be done) but rejoices in it because, through this unjust persecution, the work of God is being accomplished.

Paul recognized that the sovereignty of Christ over the affairs of all mankind included suffering on the part of His beloved people. That, through the ordaining of suffering and trials, Christ accomplished the very works He intended in the lives of His people. Paul’s own arrest and imprisonment not only brought the gospel to members of Caesar’s own military but also emboldened other Christians to proclaim the message publicly. Where some may think their gods negligent or capricious in allowing their adherents to suffer, Paul declared that Christ’s sovereign rule meant that nothing occurred that was without serving His divine purpose.

He then writes to the church in Phillipi to take encouragement in Christ and to be unified in one mind and body. He appeals to Christ’s own work in coming to earth as a man, humbling Himself by stepping out of Heaven, taking on flesh, becoming a servant, and being obedient to the point of death (see 2:5-8). It is this model, this willing service to the Father for the sake of others, that Paul calls to the Philippians’ mind as he tells them, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves”  (2:3). Christians are to model Christ’s humility and willing service on the part of others for the sake of loving and being obedient to God.

Paul reminds his readers that Christ, the One who willingly and humbly served of the will of His Father, is also the One whom the Father, “has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (2:9-11). The Lord of glory, the King of all creation came as a humble servant but one day, all the nations will bow before Him and acknowledge His sovereign rule. Even those who will be cast into eternal hellfire will confess his kingship and rightful judgment over them.

One would admittedly understand if Paul felt himself a little haughty over those who would reject the one true King of the universe. Paul was personally called to be an apostle of the Lord, the one who would preach salvation through this Christ to the very masses who sought his demise. One could understand a certain sense of privilege in knowing those who persecuted him would get their just reward. Yet, Paul shows none of this. He knows His King came as a humble servant to save a wretch like himself. Paul would not allow himself to be prideful when the model of his Savior was humility.

To that end, in chapter 3, Paul warns the Philippians against those who prided themselves in their outward appearance of piety, those who “mutilate the flesh” (3:2). These would be the Jews who made an outward appearance of their obedience to the law of God, who appealed to their heritage and traditions that they believed made them the people of God. Yet, Paul demonstrates in verses 4 through 6 that he not only had their pedigree, he exceeded it. He had been the top of the class, so to speak, in his adherence to and zeal for the law. If there was anyone who could have earned some kind of divine merit, it was Paul.

But, Paul throws it all out! He declares it rubbish, just worthless garbage in light of Jesus Christ. Paul willingly “suffered the loss of all things…in order that I may gain Christ” (3:8). Paul walked away from the status and pride of being seen as a highly respected Pharisee, a religious leader to be lauded and modeled, to become a humble servant and follower of Jesus Christ. Paul would endure poverty, persecution, suffering, beatings, and arrests to submit to his one, true King in totality. For Paul, Christ as King meant that there was nothing in this world so valuable that it could not be parted with in order to gain Christ.

In gaining Christ, Paul is looking forward to the promise of eternal life with his Savior in heaven. It is what drives him to live a life devoted to humble servitude and pursuing righteousness. Paul already had all that the world could have given him as a Pharisee – prestige, honor, position, and more. But, none of it compared to the “goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (3:14). For that prize, Paul was willing to endure the loss of everything and the worst sufferings. There was no question that his loyalty lay with his Savior and King.

This is what it means for Christians to recognize and proclaim, “Christ is King!” It is not a political slogan. It is not a motto by which we seek to advance some sort of cultural change. It is a declaration to the world that Christ is Lord over all and will hold each person accountable for their rebellion against Him. It is a profession that only through confession of our sins, repentance from them, and turning to Christ as Savior and King that we might be saved. It is giving public notice that we are willing to forsake all that we have to follow and submit to the Lordship of Christ, even if we must suffer at the hands of wicked men to do so.

Christians, yes indeed, Christ is King! It is our privilege and honor to serve this King, to humble ourselves as servants before Him, and to call others to not only recognize his kingship but submit to Him completely. It should be for us, as it was for Paul, the driving motivation in our lives in all that we do. Christ as King is our greatest joy because we gain Him and His promise of eternal life. There should be nothing that the world offers us that can compare to this. Therefore, serve your King this day. Proclaim Him to the world around you. Live in joyful obedience to His commandments. Forsake yourself and pursue Christ with all the energy and fervor you can muster. Christ is King and you will be with Him for all eternity. Rejoice!

(This article was also published at X.com)