Bill cites Old, New Testament passages stating Christ’s authority over all nations
Just days after President Donald Trump referred to Americans as “a people ordained by God,” lawmakers in North Dakota are proposing a bill that would officially recognize the “Kingship of Jesus Christ.”
House Concurrent Resolution 3020, co-sponsored by a group of Republican state representatives and senators led by Rep. Nico Rios of Williston, advocates for the belief that Jesus Christ holds dominion not only in the spiritual realm but also over civil affairs, asserting His power over the governance of the state and the world.
Citing Bible passages such as Matthew 28:18, where Jesus declares, “All power is given to me in heaven and in earth,” and Daniel 7:14, which predicts Christ’s ultimate authority over all nations, the resolution states that acknowledging Christ’s kingship is not merely a religious statement but one that has profound implications for how the state of North Dakota and the nation as a whole approach issues of governance, justice and liberty.
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The proposed bill states: “the Father is said to give to Christ all nations and the utmost parts of the earth for His inheritance and possession, and, in response, people and their leaders are called to learn and receive instruction from Him … including those in this great state.”
It also specifically names Christ as “the ruler of Kings on earth and the King of Kings and presented with crown and royal robe,” in reference to multiple passages in the book of Revelation.
The resolution also invokes the founding documents of North Dakota itself, noting that the preamble of the state Constitution includes the statement, “We, the people of North Dakota, grateful to Almighty God …”
HCR 3020 calls for the secretary of state to forward copies of the measure to Trump, Gov. Kelly Armstrong, and each member of the state’s congressional delegation so that “North Dakota acknowledge the Kingship of Jesus Christ over all the world so that this great state may at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace, and harmony…”
A committee hearing for HCR 3020 has been scheduled for Feb. 13.
Rios, who introduced HCR 3020, said he’s “looking forward to fighting for this resolution and sharing my journey with everyone about coming home and finding Christ.”
Earlier this month, North Dakota Democrats criticized Rios for “bigoted comments” he posted on social media about Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum.
In a now-deleted X post, Rios wrote, “Wonder if the CIA would help Trump overthrow and kick this Jew out of power in Mexico?” Scheinbaum is Mexico’s first elected female head of government and the first to come from a Jewish background.
A March 2024 study found North Dakota and Mississippi had the highest support for Christian nationalism in the U.S., with each state having 50% of its respondents saying they adhered to or sympathized with Christian nationalism, compared to a national average of just 33%, according to the left-leaning Public Religion Research Institute.
Rios’ legislation comes less than a week after Trump stated, “After years of decline, Americans are re-asserting our true identity as a people ordained by God to be the freest and most exceptional nation ever to exist on the face of the Earth.”
Ian M. Giatti is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ian.giatti@christianpost.com.
