The King of Kings says: “A new command I give you: Love one another.” We have no excuse for rebelling against Him.

King Jesus is too often robbed of His authority. Like a figurehead king, He’s honored with words, but His commands are ignored.

The Romans placed a sign on Jesus’ cross (written in the Jewish, Roman, and Greek languages) that said, “This is Jesus, King of the Jews,” revealing that they were threatened by the assertion that He is King. Later they persecuted Christians because of their loyalty to the risen Jesus as their King. Throughout history, the more Jesus has been followed and obeyed as the ever-living, supreme King, the more His followers have been persecuted.

I owe my allegiance to King Jesus, the King who matters most. Christ-followers aren’t bound to a religious chain of command. They’re bound heart-to-heart to the living King Jesus. Any chain of command that comes between you and the risen Jesus is bondage.

If King Jesus is truly living in you, then He needs no human chain of command to guide and direct you. He can do it Himself. The Bible calls Christ-followers “a royal priesthood” because they communicate directly with God and are members of the eternal royal family.

The ever-living King who communicates directly and individually to each of His subjects needs no chain of command. To be “led by the Spirit” is to receive your orders directly and continually from King Jesus. When people are trained to rely on organized religion more than on direct communication with the risen Jesus, the Holy Spirit is hindered.

Whenever there’s a tug-a-war between a chain of command and your conscience, follow your conscience. Jesus will often lead you through your conscience.