In 1936, King Edward the VIII of England decided to step down from the throne so he could marry a foreign woman. He was a young man at the time and his abdication created quite a stir in England. He is probably the best-known example of a king who abdicated his throne.
Abdication from being a ruler of a country is relatively rare. But there is another kind of abdication from a high position which is all too common today. It is an abdication that every man or woman alive is in danger of committing, and it carries with it deep and lasting consequences.
ABANDONED HONOR
Let me explain. Each man or woman has been created with the highest dignity. This is true whether they are born rich or poor, black, white, red, brown, male or female. This dignity belongs to them because of who they are. Each individual human being is a person created in God’s image.
How can a person be said to abdicate? Because they are not living up to the privileges they were created for. They have chosen to act in a way less than what they were created to be. God made them living souls. A very noble thing indeed, but they have chosen to live on the level of animals who do not have a spirit, who cannot understand or love the God who made them. By living in a way that doesn’t come up to the capacities God has given them, they abdicate their true dignity. “Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish” (Psalm 49:2020Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish. (Psalm 49:20)).
One of the reasons Jesus Christ came to earth is for men and women to realize their worth to God. He came to earth so that they might realize the immense value God puts on them. This is demonstrated by the truth that Christ was willing to give His life for them. “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)).
RESTORED TO GOD
Another reason Christ came to earth was to bring people who have fallen into sin back to God. He wants to take those who have fallen into the abject slavery of sin and raise them up so that in a future day they reign with Christ and share in His glory. “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:18). Because Christ suffered on the cross, all of us are given another opportunity to come back to Him and be made right with Him.
“God is love,” the Bible says (1 John 4:88(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) (John 4:8)), and when men and women abdicate and act less than they were made to be, they miss out on knowing His love. Don’t let this happen. If you are living on the level of a beast, it is not too late to change. Tell God you are sorry for your sins and that you never want to live like He doesn’t exist again. “Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. ... The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:1717For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. (Romans 1:17)).
God in His loving-kindness wants men and women to come to Christ and become one of His children forever. “Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:2626For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26)). Faith in Christ brings a person into a far higher position than the kings of the earth occupy. It makes those who were once children of wrath into children of God. Even kings and queens need to believe in the Savior if they are to make it to heaven.
Christ came to earth so that you could come to repentance and faith. He gave His life at Calvary so that those who were dead in sins might live with Him forever. Will you continue to live on the level of a beast that hasn’t the capacity to know God? Or will you realize you have a never-ending existence and look to the Savior by faith and begin to live for Him who gave His life for you?
You will learn more about the most important King of all in Royal News.