The doctrine of the royal family

1. All believers of the Church Age belong to an unique system of royalty. This royalty is based on the spiritual concept of Bible doctrine, a specific doctrine, the doctrine of the mystery. Regeneration is no mystery, it occurred from Adam right down to this day. But with the interruption of the Age of Israel by the Church Age there are some additional things at the point of regeneration. God the Holy Spirit baptises every believer into union with Jesus Christ who is royalty forever. Being in union with Christ every believer is a royal member of the family of God and only the Church Age believer is in the royal family.

2. The basis of royalty in the Church Age is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Regeneration is the basis of salvation but baptism of the Spirit, unique to the Church Age, is the basis of royalty. No believer before the Church Age and no believer after the Rapture will ever have the baptism of the Spirit.

3. There is a precedent for royalty. It was set up by one man, Melchizedek. It should be noted that Melchizedek acquired royalty by becoming king of Salem. Jesus Christ was born royalty. Melchizedek, in other words, conquered and through conquest became royalty; he wasn’t born royalty. Jesus Christ was born royalty. Melchizedek was king of Salem; Jesus Christ is King of kings. One acquired royalty; one was born into it. The royalty of the Church Age believer, however, comes not through physical birth and not through any ability in life but simply through grace at the moment we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

4. The relationship to the King.

a) While Jesus Christ was alone on the cross God the Father had to provide for Him a body or a bride — a family. His aloneness had to be implemented as with the first Adam.

b) Through the baptism of the Holy Spirit every believer is entered into union with Christ and therefore becomes the body of Christ.

c) Union with Christ means body of Christ. Therefore believers in this dispensation are called the body of Christ.

d) being the body of Christ makes every believer in the Church Age personally related to the King of kings just as any member of the body is related to the head of the body — 1 Corinthians 12.

e) Positional sanctification places every believer in the palace. Application: You are in the palace.

f) When the body of Christ is completed [Rapture of the Church] then the Church Age terminates and the body becomes the bride.

5) During the Tribulation the bride is no longer on earth but in heaven being prepared for operation footstool which is the second stage of our Lord’s strategic victory.

5. The sign of royalty is the unprecedented universal indwelling of God the Holy Spirit. Never before in history has the third person of the Trinity indwelt every believer. The purpose of this indwelling is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ who is the King of kings — John 7:37-39.

6. The security of royalty. Both the sealing of the Holy Spirit and positional sanctification provide an eternal security for royalty. We have a double security, positional truth plus the sealing ministry of the Holy Spirit.

7. The function of royalty is twofold. First, moving toward the objective of the supergrace life in which the believer receives the accouterments of royalty in supergrace as well as the tactical victory in the angelic conflict. The accouterments of royalty are the supergrace blessings which come to you. Secondly, the function of royalty is the modus operandi of the new royal priesthood.

8. The future of royalty. As members of the body of Christ and the royal priesthood all Church Age believers will return with Christ at the second advent. We will participate in the strategic victory, the overthrow of Satan plus the Millennial reign of Christ. After the Millennium the royal family will be with Christ forever in the new heavens, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem. Specifically, our abode in eternity is the new heavens. The new heavens belong to us as members of the royal family.