Skip to main content

CAN A CHRISTIAN HAVE A KING BESIDES CHRIST AND REMAIN A CHRISTIAN?

Pic for illustration only
"...all authority in heaven and on earth..." Matthew 28:18

In the last four years, I have witnessed the burials of royal figures: the Queen of England in 2023, a king in Zambia in 2025, and now the King of Tooro in western Uganda. I have followed every media-covered proceeding, and I must say they are very interesting to watch—a royal figure’s burial. What does such a royal send-off imply? How does it resonate with the Christian belief about kingship?

The Scripture presents Jesus Christ to the Jews as their King who would come and deliver them from their enemies. The Jews had several enemies surrounding them, and they were living under the enemies’ monarchy. The Roman Empire was the immediate threat. However, Jesus’ kingship was never a political struggle but an eternal role: to save the souls of the lost. The Jewish leaders rejected His kingship; instead, they teamed up, ganged up on Him, and put Him on the cross.

Despite all these tragedies, Jesus still claims that His kingship has defeated every kingdom on earth. He claims supreme rulership over every earthly king. The Scripture calls Him King of kings (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:16). What a claim! Well, if Jesus met the earthly kings today and told them that He is their King, how would they react? Of course, they must tremble and worship Him.

If Jesus and Kabaka Ronald, Rwot Acana, or King Oyo Rukiidi stood in front of the people, whom would the subjects worship? How does traditional or cultural authority affect people’s response to the gospel? My tribe is working to re-establish and restore the traditional kingdom, and my background is not too far from the royal establishment. Therefore, this is not merely an academic question for me. It is a personal and spiritual question: Can we honour Jesus Christ as King while also honouring our Rwot (King)?

I believe we can honour an earthly king without making him our ultimate king. A traditional king may have cultural authority, but his authority is limited. He is a human being, subject to death, just like every other person. Christ, however, is not merely another king among kings. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Earthly kings are buried, their kingdoms change, and their thrones pass to others. But Christ’s throne is eternal (Philippians 2:9-11).

Therefore, Christians can respect and honour their traditional kings as cultural authorities while reserving worship, ultimate allegiance, and lordship for Jesus Christ alone (1 Peter 2:17). The question is not whether we can have a king besides Jesus. The question is whether we know the difference between honouring a king and worshipping the King of kings.


John Bosco. 

Nimule

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Open Letter to the Governor of Eastern Equatoria State

02-08-2026 His Excellency Louis Lobong Lojore Governor, Eastern Equatoria State Subject: Urgent Appeal for the Immediate Removal of Cattle from Magwi County, Particularly the Nimule Area Your Excellency, I write to you as a concerned citizen regarding the continued presence of thousands of cattle in Magwi County, particularly in and around the Nimule area. This situation demands your urgent attention and intervention. In the recent past, government authorities, local leaders, and communities agreed that the presence of cattle in Magwi County is unacceptable. This position is consistent with the Presidential directive ordering all cattle to return to their areas of origin. Despite this clear directive, many cattle keepers, particularly from Bor, continue to disregard the order and have returned with large herds into the county. Today, thousands of cattle are moving freely in the Nimule area and occupying locations less than ten kilometres from Nimule Municipality. We are all aware of t...
Post a Comment
Read more

DO NOT JOIN STAR INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY MAGWI CAMPUS UNTIL IT FULLY ESTABLISHES ITS OWN STUDY CENTRE

Between 2017 and 2019, I wrote several articles about the fraudulent practices of Kampala University. Those who were its students were aggressively defensive, only to concede later. This happened after the Ministry of Higher Education declared the university illegal. Although the students pursued a legal case against the university, they sadly lost. Education is a right for everyone, but a learning institution should provide quality and legitimate services to the public. In South Sudan, several universities and colleges are operating illegally and exploiting poor students. On 22 June 2026, Star International University (SIU) launched one of its campuses in Magwi Payam, making it the second campus after the Nimule campus, which was established around 2021–2022. Accordingly, this could be the third campus in Eastern Equatoria, including the Torit campus. Such rapid expansion raises serious questions about the credibility of the university. A credible learning institution cannot spread i...
2 comments
Read more

WHO IS "MATTHEW ONEN JOK"?

If names carry weight, then Onen Jok's name is a real load. I have avoided the traditional eulogy of attributing character to names because I found several people, including myself, outside the bond. In Acholi, every name is given based on circumstances or a forecast of the person's life. If it is based on circumstances, it could be the parents' conditions, weather influence, or an event that coincided with the birth. Based on a future forecast, it could be a prophetic wish. What does “Onen Jok” mean in his case, then? Recently, Onen has been delving deep into all hidden caskets to expose the evil phenomena in J1. Surprise? Key officials’ stomachs are running silently in a dilemma. They do not know how their dark deeds will unfold. This is all because of the invisible effects of Onen Jok. Wait; let me explain what 'Onen Jok' means. 'Onen' in the Acholi language is loosely translated as, 1). Let us see. 2). It is seen, and 3). Let it see. And "Jok...
Post a Comment
Read more