The Names of God - Blessed and Only Potentate

Blessed and Only Potentate

1 Timothy 6:13-16 (ESV)

I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign (KJV – Potentate), the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

Here is a word you probably do not hear every day. Potentate, in essence, means, “powerful ruler.” It’s easy to see how this name would be ascribed to Christ. It comes from the Greek word dynastēs, which means, “a ruler or officer; of great authority, mighty, potentate.” Our word today is sovereign. When we use this word in reference to a nation it means they are self-ruled. No one else has authority over them.

This is certainly true about our Lord. Paul described it this way:

Romans 16:25-27 (ESV)

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

This is commonly sung in church gatherings as The Doxology. My friend, Joey Holder, penned these words in his song, “Unto the King.”

Unto the King eternal

Unto the King immortal

Unto the King invisible

The only wise God

The only wise God

Unto the King be glory and honor

Unto the King forever

Unto the King be glory and honor

Forever and forever, A-men

“Unto the King” words and music by Joey Holder

©1980 Far Lane Music.

Regardless of how you express it we should give praise and glory to the Blessed and Only Potentate, our Savior, our Sovereign, our Soon Coming King, Jesus Christ, the Lord. He is the only “man” worthy of praise as a sovereign, because every other man that has ever lived, or will ever live, will bow to The Sovereign (Potentate), Jesus. As believers we do this on a regular basis. Our very lives are to be lived as a praise offering unto The King. (Ephesians 1:12)

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego illustrates when a man decides to exalt himself above God. Nebuchadnezzar decided he was a potentate. Everyone treated him as a god, such that when the call to worship was given, everyone bowed to his image. However, these three Hebrew boys knew there was One higher, even though they had yet to meet Him. When the call to worship sounded they remained standing and would not bow. Even when threatened with death they refused to bow to Nebuchadnezzar.

For the Christian, there is nothing and no one that deserves our praise other than Jesus Christ, our Sovereign. Never compromise your life by paying homage to anyone other than Jesus.