The King Who Actually Matters
The streets were filled this past Saturday; “No Kings Day,” they called it. The second such protest this year, a demonstration against what many perceive as executive overreach, a president acting more like a monarch than a servant of the people. The signs waved with righteous indignation: “No Kings But Christ!” “Democracy, Not Autocracy!” The irony is thick enough to cut with a knife.
Many protesting centralized power often champion policies requiring massive, centralized government to implement. Those defending limited government are accused of enabling authoritarianism. Meanwhile, the actual King whose name appears on some of those protest signs, Jesus Christ, seems to have been conscripted into a political battle he never volunteered to fight, at least not in the terms we’re using.
As Christians seeking to live faithfully in this moment, we need to step back from the heat of partisan warfare and ask deeper questions: What does Scripture actually teach about authority, power, and governance? How did John Wesley, a lifelong loyalist to the British Crown, navigate questions of political authority while proclaiming that Jesus is Lord over all? And what does a distinctly Wesleyan worldview offer us in this moment of deep political division?
All Authority Under Christ
Let’s start where we must: with Scripture.
The Apostle Paul, writing to a church living under the sometimes-brutal authority of Caesar, declares something astonishing: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Romans 13:1). This isn’t a blank check for tyranny; the same Paul would later appeal to Caesar when facing injustice, and he would ultimately be executed by that same government. But it’s a clear statement that all human authority exists under God’s sovereign ordering.
Peter echoes this: “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him” (1 Peter 2:13-14). Again, this comes from a man who would tell the Sanhedrin, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). The tension is real and must be held carefully.
But here’s the crucial point both Paul and Peter are making: all earthly authority is provisional, delegated, and accountable to the one true King. Caesar is not lord. The emperor is not sovereign. Every governor, every president, every monarch exercises authority only insofar as it’s been granted, temporarily, by the God who alone holds ultimate power.
As the Psalmist declares: “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1). And Jesus himself, after his resurrection, could claim without qualification: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18).
This is the foundation of a Christian political theology: Jesus Christ is Lord. Not metaphorically. Not merely spiritually. Actually and comprehensively Lord: over nations, rulers, systems, ideologies, and powers. Every king, president, prime minister, and premier exercises authority on loan from the King of kings.
A Monarchist Who Preached the Kingdom
John Wesley lived his entire life as a loyal subject of the British Crown. He never questioned monarchy as a form of government. He never advocated for democracy or representative governance. When the American colonies rebelled against King George III, Wesley sided with the Crown, publishing pamphlets opposing the Revolution. His political instincts were thoroughly conservative, even reactionary by today’s standards.
And yet.
Wesley’s entire ministry was a testimony to a higher loyalty, a greater Kingdom, and a more ultimate authority than any earthly throne. “I look upon all the world as my parish,” he famously declared, not because he rejected particular loyalties or local attachments, but because the Kingdom of God transcends every political boundary and temporal power structure.
Wesley preached to coal miners, prisoners, the poor, and the outcast, those whom the existing political and social order had marginalized and forgotten. He organized them into societies, classes, and bands where they held one another accountable, studied Scripture, prayed together, and lived as citizens of a Kingdom that operated by entirely different rules than the kingdoms of this world. He called them to personal holiness and social holiness, to be transformed inwardly by grace and to extend that transformation outwardly through acts of mercy, justice, and witness.
Wesley’s emphasis on “social holiness” was inherently political in the best sense. Not partisan, but polis-shaping. He believed the Gospel had implications for every sphere of life: family, work, economics, education, and yes, governance. The early Methodists didn’t withdraw from society or accept the status quo; they engaged it as salt and light, confident that the Kingdom of God was breaking into the world through the lives of transformed people.
Consider William Wilberforce, an evangelical convert deeply influenced by Wesleyan revivalism. Wilberforce didn’t stage protests or burn effigies of King George. He worked within the system, patiently, persistently, faithfully, for decades to abolish the slave trade and then slavery itself throughout the British Empire. He understood that Christian faithfulness doesn’t always look like dramatic resistance. Sometimes it looks like long obedience, sacrificial service, and relentless advocacy for the vulnerable within the structures that exist.
Beyond Left and Right
So what does a Wesleyan worldview offer us on “No Kings Day”?
First, it refuses false binaries. The debate is not really “monarchy vs. democracy” or even “centralized vs. limited government.” The question is: “Under whose authority do we live, and to what ends?” A democracy can become tyrannical (think ancient Athens or the French Revolution). A monarchy can be just (think Alfred the Great). Centralized power can serve the common good or crush the vulnerable. Distributed power can protect liberty or devolve into chaos.
The form of government matters less than the substance of justice, the character of leaders, and the faithfulness of the people. Wesley would have us ask: Does this government honor God’s law? Does it protect the vulnerable? Does it promote human flourishing? Does it allow the Gospel to be preached and lived freely?
Second, it affirms the dignity and agency of every person. Wesley’s doctrine of prevenient grace, God’s grace working in every human heart before conversion, meant he took ordinary people seriously. He trusted the Holy Spirit to work through coal miners and washerwomen, not just bishops and kings. His class meetings and band societies were radically egalitarian spaces where rich and poor, educated and illiterate, met as brothers and sisters under the Lordship of Christ.
This means Christians should be for governance structures that honor human dignity, protect fundamental liberties, and allow for meaningful participation in the common good. Whether that’s through representative democracy, constitutional monarchy, or some other form is a matter of sensible judgment. But systems that crush conscience, silence dissent, or treat people as mere subjects to be managed are fundamentally at odds with a Christian understanding of the human person.
Third, it calls us to faithful presence, not utopian politics. Wesley was no revolutionary. He didn’t believe the Kingdom of God would arrive through political means, whether through revolution or legislation. The Kingdom comes through the Gospel preached, the Spirit poured out, and hearts transformed by grace. Changed people change communities, and changed communities gradually reshape culture.
This doesn’t mean Christians withdraw from politics. It means we engage without idolatry, without investing ultimate hope in any political party, movement, or leader. Our hope is not in Washington or Mar-a-Lago. It’s not in the Democratic Party or the Republican Party. It’s in the Kingdom that cannot be shaken and the King who reigns forever.
Fourth, it demands moral seriousness about the use of power. If all authority is delegated by God, then all who hold authority will give an account to God for how they used it (Romans 14:12, Hebrews 4:13). This should make every politician, president, and officeholder tremble. It should also make every citizen take seriously their own exercise of political power, through voting, advocacy, service, and witness.
Christians should oppose the abuse of power wherever it occurs, whether it’s a president acting unilaterally in ways that violate constitutional limits, or bureaucrats imposing regulatory burdens that crush small businesses and families, or cultural elites leveraging media and technology to silence dissent. The question is never merely “whose side are you on?” but “is this just? is this true? does this honor God and serve neighbor?”
What Then Shall We Do?
So, what does faithful Christian witness look like on “No Kings Day”?
First, refuse the idolatry of politics. Jesus is Lord. Trump is not. Biden is not. No political party, ideology, or movement deserves your ultimate loyalty. Hold your political convictions with humility, knowing that Christians of goodwill disagree on many serious matters. But never compromise on this: Christ alone is King.
Second, pray for those in authority. Paul commanded this even when Nero was on the throne: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Pray for President Trump. Pray for those in Congress. Pray for judges, governors, and local officials. Pray that they would govern wisely, justly, and with humility before God.
Third, bear witness to the Kingdom. Live as a citizen of Heaven first (Philippians 3:20). Let your life be marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Work for justice and mercy in your own spheres of influence: your family, your church, your workplace, your neighborhood. Don’t wait for political solutions to live faithfully now.
Fourth, engage with wisdom and grace. If you believe the president is overstepping his authority, make your case clearly, persuasively, and respectfully. If you believe the protests are misguided or hypocritical, say so, but without rancor or contempt. Speak truth. Listen well. Seek the common good, not merely tribal victory.
Fifth, remember the long game. The Kingdom of God has outlasted every empire, dynasty, and regime in human history. It will outlast ours too. Don’t be anxious. Don’t despair. Don’t place your hope in political outcomes. “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).
One King, Many Citizens
“No Kings Day” reveals something true and something false.
The true part: We should be vigilant against the abuse of power, the concentration of authority, and the erosion of constitutional limits. Christians believe in human sinfulness, which means all power structures need accountability, transparency, and restraint. No human ruler should be above the law or immune from criticism.
The false part: The idea that we can have “no kings” at all. Every society, every political system, every ideology serves some ultimate authority, some vision of the good, some functional god. The only question is which one.
As Christians, we confess: Jesus is Lord. He alone is the King whose rule is perfectly just, perfectly merciful, perfectly wise. Every earthly authority exists under his authority and will one day give account to him.
Until that day, we live as faithful citizens, of Heaven first, and of our earthly nations second. We obey lawful authority. We resist unjust authority. We pray for our leaders. We work for justice. We love our neighbors. We proclaim the Gospel. And we do it all with confidence that the Kingdom of God is advancing, one transformed life at a time, until the day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).
That is a Kingdom worth living for. And the only King worth dying for.
Soli Deo Gloria
Questions for Reflection
- How do you hold together submission to earthly authorities and ultimate allegiance to Christ? Where might these come into tension in your own life?
- In what ways are you tempted to treat politics as ultimate, investing hope, identity, or security in political outcomes rather than the Kingdom of God?
- How can you engage in political conversations with both conviction and grace, speaking truth without succumbing to rancor or tribalism?
- What does “faithful presence” look like in your own sphere of influence: your family, workplace, neighborhood, or community?
- How can you pray more faithfully for those in authority over you, even when you disagree with their policies or actions?
Prayer
Almighty God, you are the King of kings and Lord of lords, and all earthly authority exists under your sovereign rule. Grant to our leaders wisdom, humility, and a hunger for justice. Give us as your people the courage to speak truth, the grace to love our enemies, and the faith to trust you in all circumstances. Keep us from the idolatry of politics and the despair of cynicism. Help us live as faithful citizens of your eternal Kingdom, bearing witness to the Lordship of Christ in every sphere of life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Want more resources like this?
Be sure to subscribe to my free Substack newsletter at daletedder.substack.com so you don’t miss new devotions, Bible studies, and tools to help you walk faithfully with Christ, that might not appear here.
If this devotion was meaningful to you, please consider liking, sharing, or forwarding it to others who would be encouraged.
