What "Christ the King" Means
Does the Parable of the Sheep and Goats Upend Grace by Faith Alone?
Nov 21, 2008
Many pastors within some of the more "grace based" churches have difficulty sometimes preaching on texts like Matthew 25:31-46. This text is used on "Christ the King" Sunday and speaks of Jesus as a judge who separates the sheep from the goats: those who cared for the poor and needy as opposed to those who did not. Those who did, they share in the Kingdom. Those who didn't, they are cast out. On the surface, such a text seems to be stating that our salvation is indeed dependent on works. Is this a flaw in the Pauline "grace not works" doctrine?
What is Faith?
Reading this text as a "works righteousness" (or, works = salvation) text misses the over-arching statements of the bible, which this should be read in light of. What the parable of the sheep and goats should spawn Christians to ask is: what then is faith? What does faith actually look like? Is faith just a mere intellectual assent that something is true? Is faith inactive? Does faith mean sitting on the sidelines, doing nothing, just waiting for God to usher in His Kingdom? Or, rather, is faith an invitation to help build the Kingdom of God on earth?
Sharing in God's Image
If one goes back to Genesis, there's an interesting statement that says humans were created in "God's Image." One of the images of God is that of a King. Thus, God created humanity not so that they could be slaves, or just as some accidental by-product, but humanity was created to share in the "kingly" duties. Because a king, while yes, is a ruler, is also a servant. Martin Luther described a Christian as being “Lord of all, servant to none; servant to all and Lord of none.”[1] This is what Christ is saying: "those who have faith in my kingdom will also be a part of bringing my kingdom about. And in my kingdom – we clothe the poor, feed the hungry, and work for justice."
For when one stops partaking in being a part of building God’s kingdom, not only do they get lazy and self-involved, but they start forgetting who exactly their King actually is. Christians who cease to work for God's Kingdom begin to forget who it is they actually belong to. History has shown what happens when Christians forget who their true king is.
Origins of "Christ the King" Sunday
"Christ the King" Sunday was instituted in 1925 by the Roman Pope, using the parable of the sheep and goats, precisely because people had forgotten who their true judge, ruler, and king actually was. In 1925 Italy, Mussolini had been Prime Minister for two years and declared himself the "il duce" (leader or duke) of Italy, and eventually the "supreme ruler." During Mussolini’s reign, he committed unspeakable atrocities against his fellow human. The King of Italy turned a blind eye because he was fearful of Mussolini and his party. Not long after, Mussolini was followed by someone who became an even bigger “supreme leader” – Hitler.
The atrocities that were carried out throughout both Italy and Nazi Germany were allowed to happen for one reason and one reason only – people forgot who the true “Supreme Leader” really was. They allowed swastikas to adorn their pulpits and sat silently as millions of Jews, misfits, and what society considered “undesirables” were carried off and killed in concentration camps. They stayed silent as Germany engaged in a war that killed millions more. These Christians forgot who they were, or more importantly, they forgot who they belonged to. Because they never actually lived their faith, never gave their time to become builders of the Kingdom, they didn't know what to do when faced with false kings, judges and rulers.
Remembering Christ as King
This was not to say there were not those who did remember, and those who did stand up against the Nazis and Italy's National Fascist Party usually paid the ultimate price. But they did not let fear rule them and be their king. This doesn't mean they weren't afraid--but they refused to let it be their ruler.
They remembered that their King was not a tyrant—but a servant. Their king was a king who entered into the depths of hell rather than causing it. Their king was a king who invited them to partake in helping bring heaven, not hell, to earth. Their king was a king who didn’t seek to escape the harsh realities of life. In fact, their king did the opposite – he entered into those harsh realities—even to the point of death. Their king was a king who didn’t turn a blind eye to the suffering and unpleasantness in life. A king who did not worry about what the rulers of this world were going to do to him. A king who did not seek to save his own life at the expense of others. In fact, he handed his life over in order to save others.
Warning and Promise
Thus a passage like this is both a warning, and a promise. A warning that if one neglects one's part in building God’s kingdom - of allowing fear, not faith in Christ, to rule his/her life, of caring only for himself, being blind to the problems of the world - means that the possibility exists that they will not share in a kingdom they neither participated in nor helped build. For if one neglects these things, they are not living in faith. They are living only in "intellectual assent." Faith is therefore something that is active.
However, the amazing promise that is given is those who live out their faith, who have helped build that kingdom, share in everything that the kingdom has to offer. Faith is thus a way of life, not just acknowledgment. Faith drives, it pushes, it causes one to see Christ in others. For faith comes from the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is anything but inactive.
_____________________________
[1] Martin Luther, Freedom of a Christian
 |
