I. Introduction

The Reformed Presbyterian and the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Synods meet together today for the first time ever! We have been officially sundered since 1782, when all but one Reformed Presbyterian minister and all but a very few of our congregations went to form a union that, sadly, made for three churches instead of two. There are yet differences between us on how we understand Christ’s commandments in His inerrant Word. Some of those differences date back to 1782, and some are much newer. We thank God together, however, that there is much that we share, in God’s grace!

Both our denominations acknowledge, via the Westminster Standards, that Christ has three grand mediatorial offices, inseparable but distinct. He has been and abides as our final prophet, like to but far surpassing Moses; our final and consummative high priest after the order of Melchizedek; and our high king – King of kings, and Zion’s only king and head – great David’s greater Son. It is this last office of kingship that we will explore.

II. Christ’s Mediatorial Kingship

Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matt. 28:18-20)

God the Son, as the second person of the Holy Trinity, is king over all things. This exalted position He holds in common with the other persons of the Trinity. Jehovah God is king in His essential deity. The Lord Jesus Christ, the God-man mediator, reigns as mediatorial king over all things, for the benefit of His church to the glory of the Father. This is shown in Matthew 28, as the Messiah says, “All authority in heaven and earth is given unto me.”

Plenty of other Scriptures confirm and amplify this kingship of Jesus, such as Psalm 2, Psalm 110, Daniel 7:13-14, Ephesians 1:20-23, Philippians 2:5-11. More references could be mentioned. Enough have been cited to show, however, that there is a distinct dominion given to the Messiah. This mediatorial dominion is distinct from, additional to, and coterminous with the dominion which He retains essentially as the second person of the Godhead. Note that this additional dominion is given to Him. It is bestowed upon Him. The reasons for this bestowal by the Father is seen in Scripture: it is a reward for Christ’s “doing and dying.” The mediatorial dominion is purchased at the price of His blood. Further, we see that this dominion is bestowed in order to bless Christ’s body, the church. For this morning, we will concentrate upon His gracious headship of His church.

III. Historical Background

Together, before and since 1782, the RP and ARP churches shared a struggle against others claiming to be the head of the Church, such as in the First Reformation against Romanism, led by Knox and others. Together we shared a struggle against another claiming to be the Head of the Church in the Second Reformation against an Erastian king and his evil lackeys. Both were fights unto blood, but both produced noble saints and martyrs. They also produced testimonies to the truth of God’s Word in the National and Solemn League and Covenants, in the Westminster Standards, and in the various testimonies emitted by the persecuted remnant from 1661 onward, through the incomplete Glorious Revolution in 1689-90. A new Kirk (national church of Scotland) was established, but by an Erastian settlement from which our forefathers dissented as the remnant of the Second Reformation Church.

Sadly, the post-revolution Kirk had many tares among the wheat. This led to doctrinal weakness, as witnessed by the indulgent treatment of some prominent ministers and professors who strayed into “Enlightenment” bypaths, while orthodox men who were valiant for truth and for the freedom of the gospel were vilified or even cast out. Such happened to men like John McMillan of Balmaghie and the Marrow Men. Finally, hatred of the purity of the gospel and Covenanted Reformation led to the imposition of ungodly men into the pulpits of the congregations by the power of both the State and the managing faction within the Kirk. A bold man, Ebenezer Erskine, testified against it. He and three others who were cast out of the Kirk organized an Associate Presbytery to testify for what they believed to be Scriptural doctrine, discipline, government, and worship as held officially by the Kirk, and to testify against any who would try to assail the reign and rule of Messiah the Prince, Zion’s only king and head.

The men of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church share that heritage with the RPCNA! When the United Presbyterian Church of North America was founded in 1858, a number of men of the Associate Church remained outside, including the whole of the Northern Indiana Presbytery. In 111 years, union came. Prior differences were settled by better understandings of history and Scripture’s teaching. The RPCNA, since 1969, is an Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, in fact if not in name.

IV. Christ’s Kingdom of Grace

What then is this doctrine so precious to our fathers in the faith? As noted above, there is a general consensus among Reformed churches that Christ is mediatorial king of the saints. The church is His kingdom of grace, His “special kingdom.” As we look at Christ’s mediatorial kingship, we find implications for doctrine, discipline, government, and worship. In these four areas, it must be asserted that the Word of Christ alone determines matters, either as it is “expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence…deduced from Scripture” (WCF 1:6). Therefore, the church of Christ, and every branch of it, must see that it holds and practices the directions of Him Who is alone Zion’s king and head.

Mathew 28:20 reads, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Everything that is truly attained from Scripture must be held tenaciously and perseveringly. Anything that is added must be excised. That which has been dropped must again be displayed. No one but Zion’s king and head may make a change in these matters. Councils and Synods—and most certainly not a “universal bishop”—may not. The church must interpret Scripture and judge truth and falsehood, good and evil, right and wrong, by the Word, but must not legislate. Magistrates and politicians, though under obligation to be servants of God for good, who must protect the Church, only have power circa sacra, not in sacris. They cannot and may not demand a change in the church’s matters, even if such a demand should win votes or solidify an ideological base. For Jesus’ sake, they are to be kings and heads in His world, but not in His church. Certainly, the whims of the worldling mob, incensed that their latest darling doctrine is not found acceptable, and who seek to destroy the church for its “intolerance,” have no legitimate voice.

Zion’s king and head alone speaks through His Word. The church must obey, the church must teach and judge according to that Word, and the church must seek for all to be brought under Christ. This is the reason our churches have retained what they believe to be scriptural doctrine, although it keeps them apart from other brethren whom they hold dear. This is why our churches have tried, though grieving over much of our own inconsistency and negligence, to maintain scriptural church discipline, especially in the matters of common confession, testimony bearing, and the sacraments. This is why our churches still profess to believe in jure divino Presbyterianism. This is why the RP Church, despite unpopularity and ridicule, retains what is believed to be scriptural worship principles and practices, and rejoices to see some interest in those principles and practices continuing or even returning in the ARP Church. These things we believe to be binding upon the whole church of Christ, not mere quirks of our own little circles. Any change on the part of our churches must occur as they are convinced that they have erred in their understanding of the Word of God, as has happened in the past. This is the requirement for change in any part of the apostolic church.

This leads to a consideration of church union. No one can deny that unity is commanded by Christ and is a desirable goal. Both of our Synods are the fruit of union in what was believed to be scriptural truth. Our Savior has commanded His disciples to disciple the nations, teaching them to observe everything that He has commanded (Matt 28:18-20). Putting aside one part of Christ’s commandments in order to follow another is wrong and ineffectual: the one is sinfully ignored and the other is not truly brought about. Both end up lost. Union must be a union in truth. Any true union within the church of Christ must be a union in the truth, where the formerly divided brethren come to a consensus in their understanding of the king’s gracious decrees. Further, the union should involve a corporate pledging of allegiance to the king. In the past, this has been called “public social covenanting.”

V. The Expansion of That Kingdom

What does the King command in the text, Matthew 28:18-20? Zion’s king and head tells us to disciple the nations, baptizing them in the Trinitarian name and teaching them to observe all things He has commanded. We do this at home, our own “Jerusalem” (Acts 1:8), by preaching the gospel freely. This is what we have in both the Associate and Reformed streams of our ancestries, as both took to heart precious truths in the Marrow of Modern Divinity, enhanced hugely in its usefulness by annotations from Thomas Boston. One of the founders of the Associate Church was Marrow Man Ebenezer Erskine. The Associate Presbytery’s Act Concerning the Doctrine of Grace laid out the free offer of the gospel as being both scriptural and Reformed. The Reformed Presbyterian Church, in its first Act, Declaration, and Testimony of 1761 says in Part IV, Chapter VIII, “Of the Gospel Offer”:

They further declare, that as God the Father, out of his unbounded love, has, on the footing of the infinite sufficiency of the death and sacrifice of Christ, made a free and unhampered gift and grant of him, as an all sufficient Savior, unto sinners of mankind lost, as such, in the word: So the ministers and ambassadors of Christ, (according as they are expressly authorized and commanded by him,) are to publish this gospel, these glad tidings of great joy to all the world, wherever they may be called or cast, in the providence of God, and make a full, free and unhampered offer of Christ, and his whole salvation to sinners, without distinction, assuring them of God’s mercy and grace, through Christ, in whom he proclaims himself well pleased; of Christ’s omnipotent power and ability to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him; and that there are no impediments, bars, or hindrances, ab extra, betwixt Jesus Christ, as held forth in the offer of the gospel, and sinners lost, why they, even every one of them, may not receive and appropriate him, as the Lord their righteousness. And the above said frank and unhampered gift of Christ, and him crucified, by God the Father, as a full and all sufficient Savior unto lost and ruined sinners, the presbytery view, as the great and prime foundation, both of the ministerial offer, and of faith in the Lord Jesus, for life and salvation; as is clear, from Rom. x. 14. 1 Cor. i. 21. to 25. Isa. lv. 1. Mark xvi. 15. John iii. 16. Confess. chap. 7. § 3. Larg. Cat. ques. 67. Sh. Cat. ques. 31. &c.

With this common understanding, we have sought and seek to take the good news to the ends of our continent, to bring every thought captive to Jesus Christ, and to proclaim deliverance to all who will come. But as He has bidden us over mountains and rivers, so He commands us beyond borders and over oceans, to other lands and tongues. Historically, He has blessed the work of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in India/Pakistan and in Mexico, with newer missions elsewhere in Asia and in Europe. Historically, the Reformed Presbyterian Church went to the eastern Mediterranean and to China, particularly southern China and Manchuria. The RPCNA now has missions in Japan, in Cyprus, in South Sudan, and new fields in several Asian lands, including South Asia. We suddenly have many South American contacts, both Spanish and Portuguese speaking. And other RP churches minister in France and cooperatively with us in Cyprus. Zion’s only king and head is graciously with us all to bring about His royal commission.

VI. Present Help

Zion’s only king and head concludes, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” He does not leave us on our own resources. It is not that, as we might say, “He has our back.” He does not stand by distantly, empathetically wringing His hands over a foiled will. He is with us. He has our “everything” in His almighty hand, with all authority in heaven and in earth.

What is left? As our mediatorial king, He rules over all things for the sake of His church. In every situation He is present as our King, to do as the Shorter Catechism says in answer to Question 26: “Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.” For each of us individually, in our covenant families, together in our denominations, and as part of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church, Zion’s king and head does this work, and will so continue. He is with us as we wander providentially from home, ministering afield and going to the ends of the earth. All He claims as His; all must learn of Him. He is worthy of all praise, and to bring it about He exercises all kingly power. Foes will oppose, whether they be wolves from within or the wicked without. Never fear! The king is present in power to bring about all His holy will. As He alone commands, so we must go. With Him, we pull down strongholds, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5,

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

With him, in confidence of His love, grace, power, and authority, we defy false churches, ravening magistrates, and hateful mobs. King Jesus shall reign, and all His enemies shall be scattered (Psalm 68:1). Sinners and societies shall be transformed, and all through His bride, His queen, His beloved church for whom He has lived, has died, has raised, and is reigning as her only king and head.