<p>1:6 <i>And who made us kings and priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen</i>- Having spoken of the kings of the earth, who will be portrayed later as dominating God's people temporarily, we learn that in fact it is we who are freed from any domination by sin who are the king-priests. Immediately we are introduced to what shall be a major theme in the visions- that there are two spheres of things. On the earthly level, the kings of the earth dominate us. But on the spiritual, heavenly level, we are the kings, and are radically free from all domination because of the freedom won for us on the cross. This earthly-heavenly distinction is to be found throughout John's Gospel. Things as they are in secular life only appear like that. For things are radically different from God's perspective.</p><p>The Lord &quot;has <i>made</i> us kings and priests&quot; in prospect, although we will only exercise this power in the Kingdom. Frequently we read of the saints being 'made' things which we must still strive to attain (Rom. 5:19; 6:18,22; 8:2; 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:6; 2:13). God <i>made</i> the Lord a sin offering, that we might be <i>made</i> the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21), although our Lord still had to exercise freewill effort to be that offering, as we must too. &quot;God... saved us (in prospect)... that... we should be <i>made</i> heirs according to the hope of eternal life&quot; (Tit.3:5-7).</p><p>Note too that the idea may well be of king-priests, after the order of Melchizedek, seeing we are &quot;in Christ&quot; and all that is true of Him comes true for us. So the idea is not that some will be kings and others priests.</p>