The perfect authority of Christ. If I could submit to it actively, rather than just passively. If only I could question, every moment, the actions and motions of my heart and hands and inquire of my perfect ruler whether they be good or not. I was thinking of this today as I was reading from Isaiah, chapter 9. Most specifically verse 6:

 

 “For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called…”

 

This prophecy concerning the coming of Christ has always kind of perplexed me. For one, I’m not sure that I know of any “government” that rests on Christ’s shoulders at least not in any kind of really overt sense. I mean, I suppose that if the authority on earth is chosen by God, then that would certainly include our various governments as well and in that sense the government would rest on his shoulders. But that doesn’t really seem to speak clearly enough; earthly authority has always been selected by God, even before Christ’s incarnation. It just makes this prophecy seem somewhat erroneous if that’s all it’s talking about.

I also considered the government of the church; the Catholic Church, the various denominations of protestant churches, the just very basic structural hierarchy of non-denominational church leaders. That seems to make sense also, but it just seems too plastic. What about false prophets who wield authority within the church, what about the places and times when the church has clearly not leaned on or built itself upon Christ’s shoulders (i.e., the crusades)? I mean, certainly in some sense, authority in the church must be passed down by God, but what does it mean for the “government” of the church to be on his shoulder?

I think on some level these things are all true; authority in the world and in the church comes from Christ. But I think John Gill said it well when writing of the government of Christ:

 

“not only of the world in general, but of the church in particular; this child is born to royal dignity; he is King of saints; his government consists in ruling in the hearts of his people, in enacting laws for them, and causing them to submit unto them, in subduing their enemies, in protecting them, their persons and properties, rights and liberties, and in supplying them with everything necessary; and this government is delegated to him from his Father, is devolved upon him by him, is not of this world, but is spiritual; it is righteously administered, is peaceable, and will continue for ever…”

 

Christ is the ruler of our hearts specifically. The government rests on his shoulders in our hearts. We are to purpose first and foremost to Him and his ruling; and actively. Every moment, choosing to submit to Him and what He will say we ought to do or make mention.

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