RomansSample

Romans 5
The Allure of Royalty

I love that the Netflix series The Crown has reinvigorated interest in the British Monarchy. As a small child, I remember having tea in Royal Albert china with my paternal grandmother and discussing the Royal family. I was always fascinated by the stories behind the formal gates of Buckingham Palace—the mysteries, the intrigues, and especially the exclusivity of it all. After all, there is no way to earn or navigate your way to Royal life; it's simply a matter of being born or married into the Royal family.

And even more so, to reach the position of King is even more elusive. You can't earn your way into becoming King of the British monarchy—there's simply no path in. It's not about talent, ambition, or even marrying well. To be King, you must be born into the royal family and be in the direct line of succession. That means your birth order, your parents, and your royal heritage are all predetermined. Even if you marry a royal, like Prince Philip did, you won't become King unless you were already in line. It's a closed system—sealed by centuries of tradition and law. For the rest of us, no matter how good, noble, or capable we are, the crown is completely out of reach.

The Locked Gates

This royal exclusivity mirrors our spiritual reality. Through Adam's disobedience, we find ourselves standing outside the gates of God's kingdom, unable to enter by our own merit or effort. We are spiritual commoners with no birthright, no royal bloodline, no access to the throne room of heaven. The doors to true significance, purpose, and eternal life remain firmly closed to us, no matter our good intentions or noble efforts.

The Unexpected Proclamation

Yet Romans 5:17 (TPT) makes an astounding declaration: "So because of Jesus we are royalty; in fact, we are reigning as Kings in life."

We have no right to be Kings. We are not royal; most of us are not even born into God's chosen people. We are ordinary, everyday people who have been shown a secret passage to Royal life.

The Cross-Door Opens

Can you picture a beautiful door at a grand castle, perhaps Buckingham Palace? If you could gain entry through this doorway, you would experience all the splendor and significance of Royal life—the power and purpose of a position that holds time-honored significance, untold treasures, and immeasurable provision. Now, picture this magnified by becoming a King in that palace. But there is no way we can access this doorway. We have no birthright, no connections, and absolutely no access to this entrance.

Now picture the doorway changing, and on the door itself is a wooden cross—a weathered, beaten, and bloodstained cross.

The Way In

Romans 5:19 TPT reveals the key: "One man's disobedience opened the door for all humanity to become sinners. So also one man's obedience opened the door for many to be made perfectly right with God and acceptable to him."

A doorway that allows access for us to enter the palace, become a king, and rule and reign in life. A doorway that we enter not because of who we are, but because of what Jesus has done, what He paid for us. He has opened the door for us to live a victorious, free, and significant life.

The cross is not just a symbol of sacrifice—it is the very entrance to royalty. Through Jesus' perfect obedience and sacrificial love, the impossible becomes possible. The excluded become included. The commoners become kings.

Today, you can step through that cross-door and discover what it means to reign in life as the beloved child of the ultimate King.