The kingly office of Christ is described in all those passages of Holy Scripture in which it is said that to Him in time universal dominion has been communicated, Eph. 1, 20-23; Matt. 11, 27; 28, 18; Ps. 2, 6. 8; 8, 6; 1 Cor. 15, 27; etc. The universal character of Christ's rule is emphatically stated in Scripture; for it teaches very clearly that the dominion of the Son of Man extends a) to all nations and peoples, Dan. 7, 13. 14; b) to all things on earth, in the air, and in the sea, Ps. 8, 6-8 ; and c) even to the enemies of Christ, Ps. 110, 2. In short, from the glorious reign of Christ nothing is excluded except God Himself, 1 Cor. 15, 27. Hence the kingly office of Christ has been very aptly defined as "the theanthropic function of Christ whereby He divinely controls and governs, according to both natures, the divine and the human (the latter as exalted to the right hand of majesty), all creatures whatever in the kingdoms of power, grace, and glory by infinite majesty and power” (Quenstedt).
Also in His state of humiliation Christ was a true King, possessing and exercising divine power, not only according to His divine nature (essentially), but also according to His human nature (by way of communication), as was shown in the article on the second genus of the communication of attributes (genus maiestaticum). To the incarnate Christ, Scripture ascribes government, Is. 9, 6, kingship, John 18, 37, divine power, Matt. 28, 18, etc., in an absolute degree, that is to say, in the same manner as to God Himself. But the full and constant use of the divine dominion communicated to the human nature was not exercised by our Savior until His exaltation at the right hand of God, Eph. 1, 20—23; 4, 10; Phil. 2, 9—11.
On the basis of clear Scripture-passages our dogmaticians speak of Christ’s threefold kingdom, of power, of grace, and of glory. However, this threefold division must not be understood as if there were three separate kingdoms over which our Lord rules. In reality the dominion of Christ is one, though it exerts itself in different spheres, according to the different character of those who are governed. (Pro diversa ratione eorum, quos rex Christus sibi svJbiectos respicit et diversimode gubemat. Baier.) Thus Christ rules over all unbelievers, apostate angels, and irrational creatures by means of His omnipotent power (regnum potentiae), Ps. 2, 9 f.; 45, 5; 8, 6—8; 97, 7. 10; 1 Tim. 6, 14—16; Rev. 17, 14.
In a general way all creatures as such belong to Christ’s Kingdom of Power because the regnum potentiae is essentially the realm of nature (regnum naturae).
All who in true faith have accepted Christ’s Gospel of reconciliation, 1 Cor. 15, 1, He most graciously rules through His revealed Word (regnum gratiae), John 8, 31.32. To the Kingdom of Grace belong only those who have been justified by faith or who by faith are true members of the Christian Church on earth (ecclesia millions), the latter term being a synonym of the former, Rom. 5, 1. 2; Acts 5, 14. While Satan works in all unbelievers as in “children of disobedience,” Eph. 2, 2, the exalted Christ exercises His gracious dominion in all who by faith acknowledge Him as their Lord, John 14, 23.
All true believers, who in this life were subject to Christ in His Kingdom of Grace, will forever be His subjects in the Kingdom of Glory (regnum gloriae), which is the continuation of the Kingdom of Grace in perfection, Acts 7, 55. 56; 1 Pet. 5, 4; 1 John 3, 2. Then the adherents of the Church Militant (membra ecclesiae militantis), Rom. 8,17, will be members of the Church Triumphant (membra ecclesiae triumphantis), Rom. 5, 2; John 17, 24. To point out the inestimable blessings of Christ’s Kingdom of Grace and the ineffable bliss of His Kingdom of Glory is the real burden of Christian preaching, the purpose of which is not only to make sinners partakers of eternal life, but also to fill them with an ardent longing for heaven, 1 Cor. 1,7; Rom. 8, 23; Titus 2, 13; 2 Pet. 3, 13; Phil. 3, 20.
In this world the Kingdom of Power serves the Kingdom of Grace, Matt. 28, 18; Rom. 8, 28; for in both kingdoms the same Lord governs all things to His glory, Eph. 1, 20—23, with the same almighty power, Eph. 1, 19; 1 Pet. 1, 5, sustaining the present world for the sake of His elect, Matt. 24, 22; 2 Pet. 3, 9, and protecting His Church Militant against all attacks of the gates of hell. Matt. 16, 18.
While the dominion of our Lord Jesus Christ is one, yet His Kingdom of Grace must not be confounded with His Kingdom of Power. Christ Himself thus distinguishes His Kingdom of Grace from the kingdoms of this world, John 18, 36. Although the Kingdom of Grace (the Church) is in the world, it is not of this world, 1 John 2, 5; John 17, 16. The world is only the domicile of the Kingdom of Grace, John 17, 11.15; 1 Tim. 2, 1—4, which is not built and maintained after the manner of earthly kingdoms, Mark 16,15. 16. The kingdoms of this world are formed and preserved through the divine institution of civil government, Rom. 13, 1—4, while the Kingdom of Grace is founded and sustained alone through the means of grace (the Word and the Sacraments), Matt. 28, 19. 20.
But not only must the Kingdom of Grace be distinguished from the Kingdom of Power, but Scripture likewise distinguishes it from the Kingdom of Glory, 1 John 3, 2; Rom. 8, 24. 25, though formally the two cannot be separated, John 5,24; 3, 36; Col. 3, 2—4; Gal. 4,26. They agree in having the same Lord and the same blessings of divine grace, but differ a) with respect to the mode of perceiving divine things; for while in the Kingdom of Grace all divine knowledge is mediate, that is, is obtained through faith in the Word (cognitio abstractiva), John 8, 31. 32, in the Kingdom of Glory it is immediate, that is, it is received through beatific vision (cognitio intuitiva), 1 Cor. 13, 12; and b) with respect to the different external conditions of the members of the two kingdoms; for while the condition of the Church Militant is one of distress and tribulation, Acts 14, 22, that of the Church Triumphant is one of supreme glory. Rev. 7, 17; 21, 3. 4.
The doctrine of Christ's kingly office is an article of faith; that is to say, on the basis of Scripture we believe that Christ rules most gloriously in His kingdoms of power, grace, and glory. In the Kingdom of Power we indeed see the objects of Christ's reign, but not Christ's ruling scepter, Heb. 2, 8. Indeed, quite frequently it appears as if Satan were ruling this world, and not God. In Christ’s Kingdom of Grace the means indeed are perceptible, for we hear the Gospel and see the external Sacraments; yet the kingdom itself is invisible to us, since it is internal, or in the hearts of men, Luke 17, 20. 21; 1 Pet. 2, 5. But in spite of the opposition of the devil, Matt. 16, 18, of false teachers, 2 Tim. 2, 17—19, and of the world, John 16, 33, we believe that the Christian Church, or the Kingdom of Grace, will exist on earth till the end of time. Matt. 28, 20. The Kingdom of Glory, which will be revealed in the Lord’s own appointed time. Acts 1, 7, is, however, always the object of the Christian’s fondest hope, 1 John 3, 2; Rom. 5, 2; 8, 24. 25, and for its coming he continually waits and ardently prays, Phil. 3, 20.
With respect to the kingly office of Christ all those err from the divine truth who deny the Scriptural doctrine concerning His divine person and His divine work. Of the many errorists we mention the following : -
a. The papists and Reformed, who separate the human nature from the divine nature by denying the communication of attributes and consider Christ to be King only according to His divine nature, Matt. 28,18; 11, 27; Phil. 2, 9—11; etc.
b. The modern kenoticists, who deny the divine kingship of Christ in His state of humiliation and claim that Christ, when becoming incarnate, completely emptied Himself (ixevwoev) of the divine attributes of omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. In that case Christ could not be King even according to His divine nature, Col. 2, 3. 9; John 1,14.
c. The Subordinationists, who deny that Christ according to His divine nature is consubstantial (ὁμοούσιος) with the Father and hence exclude Him from the eternal divine reign, whereas Scripture ascribes to Him an everlasting dominion, Luke 1, 33; Eph. 1, 21. — The subjection of which St. Paul speaks in 1 Cor. 15, 27. 28 refers to the change of Christ’s present mode of rule, which is mediate and hidden, into a mode of rule which is immediate, revealed, and common to Christ together with the Father and the Holy Ghost.
d. All who reject Christ’s rule in His Church by substituting human doctrine and ordinances for Christ’s Word and ordinances. Matt. 23, 8; 15, 9, as, for example, all false prophets, 1 John 2,18, and, above all, the Papacy, 2 Thess. 2, 4, or the Antichrist.
e. All who intermingle the regnum naturae and the regnum gratiae, or State and Church (papists. Reformed, and other enthusiasts).
f. All chiliasts, or millenarians, who teach the establishment by Christ of a dominion which is neither a Kingdom of Grace nor a Kingdom of Glory, but a caricature of both, namely, a reign of thousand years in duration, which will either precede or follow His second advent (premillenarians; postmillenarians). We reject the figment of millennialism, because, contrary to Scripture, it a) changes Christ’s spiritual kingdom into a visible, or earthly, kingdom and b) directs the hope of all Christians, not to the perfect glory of heaven, 1 Cor. 1, 7; Phil. 3, 20. 21; John 17, 24, but to a future earthly glory, which Scripture clearly repudiates. Matt. 24,1—42.
g. All Modernists, who deny Christ’s vicarious atonement; for if Christ is not the great High Priest, He is neither the glorified and exalted King of heaven and earth. The Christ of Modernism is a mere man, who could never rule with power at God’a right hand.
h. All advocates of work-righteousness (papists, Arminians, etc.); for all who endeavor to be justified by the Law are fallen from grace. Gal. 5, 4, and hence cannot acknowledge Christ as their gracious and glorious King. Those who reject Christ’s regnum gratiae must likewise reject His regnum gloriae. Luther: “All who do not have Christ for their King and are not adorned with His righteousness are, and forever will be, in the kingdom of the devil, in sin and in death.” (St. L., V, 148.)