“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”
— 1 Timothy 1:17
This weekend, while taking my family to see a local theater production, we could see a group of protestors marching through the streets. Their chants echoed down the blocks — “No kings! No kings!”
At first, it felt like background noise — another moment of unrest in a world that seems increasingly restless. But as we left the performance and walked toward our car, their shouts continued, and something in my heart grew heavy.
How many of those chanting “No kings” truly understood what they were rejecting?
As we drove away, we passed another individual walking toward the crowd, wearing a flag that read simply: “Jesus is King.”
The contrast could not have been more profound — two visions of the world colliding: one rejecting all forms of authority, the other bearing witness to the rightful rule of Christ.
Throughout history, humanity has wrestled with authority. From the Garden of Eden to this very day, the temptation has always been the same — to cast off God’s rule and enthrone ourselves instead.
Our nation’s founding generation understood this tension better than most. When America declared independence, it was not to reject authority altogether, but to reestablish it upon its proper foundation — the self-evident truth that our rights come from God, not government.
One of the literal rallying cries of the citizen soldiers who took up arms during the American Revolution was this truth, “No King but King Jesus.”1 This motto was so pervasive in the culture that Thomas Paine even wrote of it in Common Sense as he made the argument for independence, contending, “But where, say some, is the King of America? I’ll tell you, friend, He reigns above…” 2
This truth endured beyond the American Revolution. When Independence was won and our Constitution was established, the Founders maintained that earthly rulers are accountable to a higher Authority. In the words of John Adams, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
They knew that liberty without virtue collapses into chaos. Freedom detached from God’s moral order does not lead to flourishing — it leads to bondage.
That’s what makes the modern cry of “No kings” so tragic. It reflects not a noble pursuit of freedom, but the ongoing rebellion of the human heart — the desire to be one’s own god, to answer to no one, to rule oneself absolutely.
Against that backdrop, the declaration “Jesus is King” is not just a slogan — it’s a profound statement of reality.
Jesus Christ is not an elected official whose term will expire. He is not a monarch ruling by coercion or fear. He is the King eternal, immortal, and invisible — the Creator of all things, the Sustainer of life, the Redeemer of souls.
His kingdom is not built on the shifting sands of politics but on the unshakable foundation of truth and grace. His authority brings order where there is chaos, peace where there is conflict, and hope where there is despair.
Every attempt to dethrone Him ultimately fails, because His reign is not dependent on human approval — it is established forever by divine decree.
“The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.”
— Psalm 103:19
We live in a time when the very concept of truth is under attack, and when authority — in the home, in government, and even in the church — is often met with suspicion or disdain. Yet as followers of Christ, we are called to live differently.
We are not to join the world’s chorus of rebellion but to stand firm and proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord.
To say “Jesus is King” is to affirm that truth exists, that goodness is real, and that hope is not lost. It is to acknowledge that no matter how turbulent the culture becomes, the throne of heaven remains unmoved.
Our task is not merely to observe the chaos of a world shouting “No kings,” but to lovingly and courageously bear witness of the One True King — the only One worthy of our full allegiance.
And so, as we go about our days — whether at the theater, in the marketplace, or in our homes — may we remember this:
The protest may shout “No kings,” but our hearts will forever proclaim, “Jesus is King.”
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