We may not often think of ourselves as kings and queens who will rule over creation, but this consequence of our redemption flows directly from who the Lord made us to be and what salvation accomplishes in repairing His broken images. In one of several “trustworthy sayings” found throughout 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus, the Apostle Paul outlines the incredible truth that those who persevere in faith are truly united to Christ and will live and reign with Him forever (2 Tim.

This is the teaching of today’s passage, which is one of the proof texts for question and answer 32 of the Heidelberg Catechism. Yet we do not share in Christ’s kingly office only in the sense that we fight against the Devil and his minions rather, we also reign with Jesus over creation. In a sense, we are all prophets called to proclaim God’s Word, priests ordained to offer ourselves as sacrifices, and kings enthroned to war against the Lord’s enemies and help expand His kingdom (Matt. Therefore, every believer fulfills the prophetic, priestly, and kingly roles for which our Savior has been anointed. In some ways, Christians share in the anointing that Jesus enjoys as the Christ, the “anointed one” (Acts 10:34–43 1 John 2:20, 27).

Who are we in christ