The Truth About The Lordship of Jesus Christ as it Pertains to Salvation:

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Romans 10:9-13

This is a wonderful and liberating scripture.  Salvation is for anyone who will call upon the name of the Lord.  This scripture says, “you will be saved”, not, “you might be saved”, not, “you could be saved”, not, “if you are in the number”, not, “if it is your destiny”, but, “you will be saved”.

            There are those in the church that teach that all anyone needs to do to be saved is “accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior”.  Once a person has taken Jesus to be their personal savior, they teach that the individuals can continue on with their lives without any fear of losing their salvation.  In spite of what manner of life they live, when they die, they will go to Heaven because at one time they took Jesus as their “personal savior”.  There will be rewards in Heaven for their good deeds and punishment for their evil deeds.

            The previous statement is false.  Yet there are vast numbers of people in Christianity today that believe all you have to do to make it to Heaven is to accept Jesus as your personal Savior and then you can go live your life any way that you want.  Then, upon death, your “ticket is punched” or you get to go to Heaven regardless of the way you have lived your life.  This is just not true.  No one who is really thinking, or assessing what this is all about is going to accept the notion as being true.  It just does not make sense.   It is not logical.

            There are people who believe that all you have to do to be saved is walk an aisle and shake a preacher’s hand.  Somehow, the fact that this happens on Sunday Morning in a church service while the choir is singing “Just As I Am” makes the notion more palatable to people.  It still is not true. 

            Others believe that all you have to do to be saved is to get baptized in water.  As long as you use the right formula and you are baptized in water.   From that point on, no matter how you live your life, no matter what you do, you are saved. You will go to Heaven when you die.  This would be nice if it were true, but it is not.  That is not what we just read in Romans chapter ten.  What we read in Romans chapter ten gives us the essential elements of salvation.  In this passage we find the word “lord” and not “savior”.

            No where in this passage does it say for us to accept Jesus as personal Savior and we shall be saved.  It rather says, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved”.  Salvation being the result of confessing Jesus as Lord.  Salvation is the reward to those who receive Jesus as the Lord of their life. Salvation does not come through receiving Him as our Savior, it comes through receiving Him as our Lord. 

            Lordship is a term that we Americans and Westerners are not very familiar with.  It sounds medieval to us.  It sounds like something out of the ancient history books, or the King James language.  We have never had a true understanding of what it means to receive someone as the Lord of our life. 

            [1] This word “lord” is mentioned 6,748 times in the Bible.  Due to the fact that God and Jesus are continually called “Lord” throughout the Bible, I would think that it is an important subject worthy of full investigation.

[2] Vine’s gives the following meanings to the word “lord”:

I. KURIOS, properly an adjective, signifying having power (kuros) or authority, is used as a noun, variously translated in the N.T., “‘Lord,’ ‘Master,’ ‘owner,’ ‘Sir,’ a title of wide significance, occurring in each book of the N.T. save Tit. And the Epp. Of  John.  It is used (a) of an owner, as in Luke 19:33, cp.Matt. 20:8; Acts 16:16; Gal. 4:1; or of one who has the disposal of anything, as the Sabbath, Matt. 12:8; )b) of a master, i.e., one to whom service is due on any ground, Matt. 6:24; 24:50; Eph. 6:5; (c) of an Emperor or King, Acts 25:26; Rev. 17:14;

2. DESPOTES, a master, lord, one who possesses supreme authority, is used in personal address to God in Luke 2:29; Acts 4:24; Rev. 6:10; with reference to Christ, 2 Pet. 2:1; Jude 4; elsewhere it is translated “master” or “masters”, I Tim. 6:1,2; 2 Tim. 2:21 (of Christ); Titus 2:9; I Pet. 2:18.”

That Jesus Himself gave claim to lordship as defined above is clear from His statements in the Gospels:

[3] (Mat 28:18 KJV)  "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."

  (Luke 6:46 KJV)  "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"

Also, in Luke’s account of the sermon that Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost:

  (Acts 2:36 KJV)  "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."

            The word “lord” comes from language that literally means “owner, controller, possessor, head, boss”.  In Jesus’ day, a lord was someone who owned you “lock, stock and barrel”.  You would be considered his “slave”.  This language is found throughout the Scripture.  When it comes to God, we belong to Him.  The Bible says that the earth is His and its fullness.  The Bible also declares that children are the heritage of the Lord.  We belong to Him!. 

            When Adam and Eve sinned, they became traitors to God and also became the personal property of Satan.  Satan became an evil dictator over the lives of human beings, destroying them, stealing from them, crushing them.  Satan is an evil lord.  God had pity on mankind and sent Jesus Christ in the form of a man, to die upon the cross, to purge us, and redeem man back to his rightful place with God.  The Bible very clearly declares that we are not our own.  We are bought with a price, therefore we are to glorify God in our  body and in our spirit.  You are not your own, you were bought with a price.  Legally we all belong to Jesus! He bought us with His own blood.  In the legal sense we are all slaves to God.  We are His property.  We all think that we are our own man or own woman and that we can do whatever we want.  In the political sense, yes we are free people.  In the true spiritual sense, which is a higher law than natural law, we are the property of God.  God bought us back from the Devil with the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son.  This should be wonderful news to mankind because we can now tell the Devil to leave us alone and get out because we do not belong to him any longer, we belong to God.

            We cannot walk away from the Devil by saying, “I am my own person, I can do whatever I want”.  We have to answer to a new Lord.  This new owner, controller, possessor, head and boss is no other than Jesus Christ Himself.  We acknowledge or confess that we are no longer slaves under the lordship of the Devil and are under the new Lordship of Jesus Christ. This is what Paul is saying in his letter to the Romans,

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Romans 10:9-13

            When man accepts and acknowledges that he is not longer slave to sin and servant to the Devil but he is now a servant to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bible says that he shall be saved.  Lordship is what saves him.    Salvation is what results from accepting the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  The ownership of Jesus Christ.  The possession of Jesus Christ.  Salvation is the product of belonging to Jesus.

            Belonging to Jesus can save you in a time of trouble.  A woman I know testified of a great deliverance that illustrates this point very well.  She had been a prostitute before receiving Jesus Christ as her Lord.  We she was born-again she fell in love with Jesus realizing that her decision had made her the personal property of Jesus.  Before, she had been the property of a pimp.  She understood this slavery relationship very well.  Before, she was a slave of unrighteousness and sin, a slave to wicked men who wanted to use her, but when she accepted the Lordship of Jesus she became liberated from all of her abusers.  She became the servant, property and possession of Jesus Christ.  She was delighted and meditated in this thought, really getting it into her spirit.  One night, while she was sleeping in her apartment, she was awakened by a nude man getting into her bed to rape her.  She rolled to the other side of the bed and out of the bed onto the floor.  She pointed her finger at the rapist and said, “You can not come near my body.  My body is the property of God Almighty.  Jesus Christ is my Lord and you can not touch me.”  When she said that, it seemed as though an invisible hand took the man by the neck and threw him against the wall near the ceiling.  He slowly slid down the wall to the floor.  Once he reached the floor, he ran away and never returned.  God defended her because she recognized that she belonged to God.  She made that her confession and it was her salvation from the rapist.

            We need to know to whom we belong.  The confession of our mouth that “I belong to God” is our salvation.  This results in salvation.  It we want to accept Jesus as our salvation, we have to receive Him as our Lord.  Salvation is the by-product of His Lordship.  Salvation is depicted as the resulting benefit of receiving Jesus as Lord.  We have to have Him as Lord or we do not get the resulting benefit.  Keep in mind that it is important that Jesus saves us, but it is based upon our submission to Jesus as our Lord.  We must be thankful that He is our Savior.  Savior comes after Lord, not before or not instead of Lord. 

            There are only four references in the New Testament referring to the “Savior Jesus Christ”.  There are one hundred and six times where He is referred to as the “Lord Jesus Christ”.  Six of the one hundred and six times referring to Him as “Lord and Savior”.  The weight of Scripture is certainly behind the truth that Jesus Christ is Lord, then Savior.

            Salvation is always in reference to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  In our Western mentality we think it is just a title like “Sir Walter Raleigh”.  In the Spanish culture there is no word for Lord.  The word “Senior” is used just as they would with any other male.  Man, Jesus, and God all share the same title.  This is the Western equivalent to “Mister”. A more accurate meaning would be to address Jesus as “El Heffy” (the Boss Man).

            Many Christians suffer defeat in their lives because they do not understand Lordship. They fear the Devil and his power until they find out that the Lordship of Jesus Christ liberates them from the powers of the Devil.  This is a very important concept to understand and share with people.  It is with the Lordship of Jesus that we are delivered from Satan’s dominance.

            B.  How Jesus Christ Became Lord.

Acts 2:36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 

Acts 10:36  The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

Acts 20:21  Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

            Clearly, God Himself made Jesus Lord and no one else will unmake Him from being the Lord.  Jesus is the Lord by the will of God the Father. 

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

            Faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ produces peace with God.  Those who have never received Jesus as Lord are missing out on the peace that it affords with God. 

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

            Eternal life comes by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord.  The ability to live forever is directly connected to accepting the ownership of  Jesus Christ over one’s whole existence.

Rom 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

            Notice that this passage says to “put on” the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  This cold also apply to Romans 10:13, which would read, “For whoever shall call the Lord upon himself shall be saved.”  “Put on the Lord” is the same terminology as “call upon the name of the Lord”.  We are calling the Lordship of Jesus Christ upon our own heads.  We are taking Him as our Head, Master, Owner, Controller, our Lord.  This same concept is demonstrated in the marriage ceremony when a woman takes her husband to be her head.  The husband takes the woman to be his wife and the woman takes the man to be her husband.  The word “husband” in the Greek is a word that means, “master, owner, tiller of the ground”.  This is not a negative thing.  It is recognizing his headship over the home.

            For a woman, it is a Biblical thing to take the husband as her head (covering).  It is scriptural,  just as the man is to take the Lordship of Jesus to be his head (covering). It is this Lordship of Jesus that makes the marriage work.  If  Jesus is not the Lord of the marriage, the marriage is not going to work.   God can not bless a house full of rebels and run-away slaves.  The husband must submit to the headship of Jesus and make Him the “Master” or he cannot be a fit head over his own wife.  How can the wife serve her “lord” or head, if the husband is not serving his “Lord” or head?  It is plain to see that all of this has profound impact upon every area of life.  So we see the need for the admonition; “But put ye on the Lord (Headship or Mastery) Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13:14).

            C.  There Can Only Be One Lord.

1 Cor 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

            The salvation of man depends upon the acceptance of the fact that there is only one God.  Who is He? He is the Heavenly Father.  Man must also accept the fact that there is only one Lord.  He is Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father God.  We are by Him, we live and move and have our being in Him.

2 Cor 4:5  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

            Paul says, “What do we preach? We preach the Lordship of Jesus Christ”.  Paul did not go around saying that “we preach the Saviorship of Jesus”.   The theme of much preaching today centers upon Jesus being man’s “ticket to Heaven” or “insurance policy against the fire’s of Hell”.  This is not what Paul preached.  He preached the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  He told people that “they had a new master now.  There was a deal done at a place called Golgotha.  On a cross God purchased you back from the Devil and you now belong to God and God has made Jesus Christ your Master.”  This arrangement was made before we were ever born.  While we were just a thought in the mind of God, He sent Jesus to pay the ransom for us two thousand years ago.  We were bought and paid for by the Blood of  Jesus.  Now all mankind belongs to Him.  That is what Paul said he preached.  That is good news for all mankind.

            Modern religion (as well as the old religions) has attempted to deny God His ownership of mankind saying that each person belongs only to himself and can be the master of his own life and destiny.  The Devil knows that if man rebels against the control of Jesus Christ, then man will come under his domination again.  The Devil can take rebels at his will.

In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. (2 Timothy 2:25-26).

            D.  Man Must Submit To Jesus To Be Saved.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Phil. 2:5-8).

            Here is how man is supposed to think.  He is to humble himself and be obedient to the Master, Jesus Christ.  Even if it kills us.  Jesus did that very thing.  He is our example.  After Jesus humbled himself even unto the death of the cross, God highly exalted Him.  Salvation is God’s exaltation of mankind.  It glorifies God when we call Jesus Lord of our lives.  Savior come next, Baptizer after that, then comes Healer and all the other names of  Jesus.  Everything comes in its own order.  Nothing is insignificant, but they wait for man to first accept the Lordship of  Jesus. 

            E.  Many Deny The Lordship of Jesus.

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jude 1:4

            What does it mean to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness?  Evil men who are telling people that they can live ungodly lives and the grace of God covers it.  These ungodly men are condemned by God because they turned the grace of God into license to sin.  They deny our “Lord” God and our “Lord” Jesus Christ.  There are people that are saying that you can live any way you want and the grace of God will cover it.  Jude is saying here that these are ungodly men that deny the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  Care must be given to not fall into the thinking that one can deny the Lordship, the Mastership, the Ownership of Jesus Christ and God’s grace will just cover his sin. 

            The confession of Jesus Christ as Lord cannot be empty words.  People need to know what they are saying and mean it from the heart.  There must be consistent evidence to support the fact that Jesus has indeed been made Lord and Master of the confessor’s life.  This confession cannot be lip service.  Many pray the sinner’s prayers, yet when they walk away, their actions and attitudes following indicate that they did not mean their prayers.  Not everyone who prays the sinner’s prayer is getting saved.  We cannot assume that because they mouthed the correct words that they understood the importance of making Jesus Lord of their life.  People need to be told up front, before they walk the aisle, the cost they will be required to make if they want to be saved.  This may cut down on the number of conversions, but it will result in truer conversions that will last the test of time and eternity.  People need to be told that salvation is offered to those who make the commitment to spend their lives in service to God.  That is the complete truth.  We owe people the full truth when it comes to their salvation so they can make an intelligent, accurate decision about serving God. 

            Those who are reaching out to see souls saved need to instruct them to serve Jesus as Lord from the point of their conversion on for the remainder of their lives.  A big part of bringing someone to the Lordship of  Jesus Christ is to count the cost with them.  We should not be so eager to just tally up the souls we have prayed the sinner’s prayer with so we can have bragging rights.  We should be leaving them with the understanding that they are saved because they have trusted their lives to a new master, owner, controller, the Lord Jesus Christ.

            F.  Many Will Be Disappointed

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Matthew 25:11-12

Just because you call Jesus Lord does not make it so.

  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Matthew 25:40-46

These people called Him Lord but they did not serve Him.

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

Luke 13:23-29.

            Notice what happened.  There are a group of people who are excluded from the Kingdom of God and they are saying “Lord, Lord we ate and drank in your presence.  We sat under your teaching”.  He is saying “I do not know you. Get out.” Jesus is raising the likelihood that there will be many who just give lip service to making  Jesus Christ Lord.  Jesus is teaching that we must be sincere in accepting Him as Lord.  We cannot just use the title without serving Him as Lord.   It is one thing to call Him Master and another to live like He is your Master.  We must be sincere about making Jesus the Lord of our lives.

II. The Salvation of Man Through Obedience To The Lord Jesus Christ:

            A.  The Gospel requires “Obedience”: 

Take a look at the following Scripture in reference to the action required of man in relation to the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10.

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

1 Peter 4:17-19.

[4] According to Strong’s Concordance, the word for “obey not” is apeitheo which means to “obstinately rebel” and “unpersuadably unbelieving”.

These passages of Scripture clearly point out the responsibility that each individual has to not only believe the message of the Gospel of  Jesus Christ, but to submit to it in obedience.  The Apostle Paul calls this our “reasonable service” in  Romans 12:1: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” 

This obedience to the Gospel is only significant to save us if we do it voluntarily of our own free will.  All mankind will eventually be forced to bow its collective knee and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord according to Romans 14:11-12  For it is written: "As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.  This event, at the Judgment, will not save anyone.  Only as individuals choose of their own free will to obey Christ, will they be rewarded with salvation.  This must happen in this life, before the event mentioned here.

            B.  Man as a Free Moral Agent

When considering this subject the question inevitably arises concerning whether or not an individual can obtain salvation from the Lord Jesus Christ, and then through an act of disobedience or rebellion to Christ’s authority, lose eternal salvation.  This question has given rise to extensive debate and has brought about considerable division among Christians that exist even today.  It is not my intent here to give a definitive answer to such a huge issue.  However,  it is pertinent to the subject of salvation through the Lordship of  Jesus Christ.

[5] Finis Dake had this to say about man’s free moral agency:

“If Adam was responsible for his fall from grace or favor with God, if he chose to fall from his former state, if grace and divine nature did not keep him saved and holy, and if God left it up to the free will of man in the beginning, then it is the same with all men today.  There is no passage, and no one has ever given one, that proves that man is not a free moral agent all the days of this life, whether he is saved or unsaved. 

Man is absolutely a free moral agent and serves the devil or God as he freely chooses.  If man wants to turn to God from the devil he is always free to do so, and if he wants to turn from God to the devil he is always free to do so.  Neither master can force man to obey him if man does not freely choose to do so.  Man has the free choice until death, of serving either.

Man is morally obligated by his moral make-up to serve righteousness, live holy, and consecrate himself to the same end that God is consecrated--the highest good of all.  Man is not forced to live holy.  He is free to consecrate to the end that the devil is consecrated--a life of self-gratification.  He is free to choose either end or the means of attaining to that end.

A saved man has the same power of choice as he had before salvation. His desires are changed in salvation, but he can again permit the same old desires to take hold of him again and the flesh can gain ascendancy over him again and he can choose to live in the old sins again.  If he chooses to sin again he incurs the same death penalty and will be damned as much as if he had never been saved (Ezek. 18:4; Rom. 6:14-23; 8:1-13; Gal. 6:7-8; James 5:19-20).

In matters outside the moral realm in which man has no choice, such as the case where man is not free to choose to be born, such has nothing to do with free oral agency which every man has when he is born.  He is, as he grows up, free to choose his own destiny by the choice of the life he lives in serving God or Satan.  It is only when man becomes a free moral agent that he is held responsible.

To say that a man has no will power when he chooses to go back into sin and becomes overpowered by sin and Satan is to state a falsehood.  This does not prove he is not a free moral agent.  It proves man is a free agent or he could not have chosen to sin again.  When man chooses to yield to sin again, Satan can make him a captive and can more or less dominate his life, depending on how much the man submits to him.  Man can completely submit to demons and become a total slave to them.  He can at any moment turn to God by his own free will and defeat the same spirit-rebels by the help of God.  If he had no choice power to live right and turn to God, then we might argue he is not a free agent in the moral realm.  Because the Allies overcame the Axis nations in the last World War is no proof that the Axis did not have will power.  We were stronger than they were and we were helped by God in their defeat.  Their resistance as well as their choice in making war and in choosing to surrender proves they had will power. 

If man can resist sin at all it proves will power on his part.  If he is exercising will in the least degree concerning moral things it proves he is a free moral agent.  To be a servant of Christ does not do away with will power.  It proves that the man does have such power or he could not have chosen to turn from Satan and sin.  To believe as the above men do would make God an unjust tyrant holding slaves in greater bondage than Satan ever did.  It is Satan who tries to enslave men and control their choices.  God always gives them freedom of action to serve Him.  When they voluntarily turn to God then He delivers them from Satan and sin and permits perfect freedom of action as to whether they will continue to serve Him or go back into sin.  It is true men are spoken of as servants to God, but it is a voluntary service.  There is nothing arbitrary about it on God’s part.

No freedom of choice to come into existence and no freedom of choice to become nothing again is naturally true, for man is an eternal creature and cannot will to cease to exist.  This does not disprove free moral agency for man, who is always free to choose the highest good for himself and others or to choose selfish ends contrary to the highest good.

If we admit actions have certain effects we should also admit that these actions are free moral actions.  If man had no free actions concerning moral living and God alone had the choice in man’s actions, then He would be responsible for all evil and its effects.  God would be responsible for sin and could not  justly judge man for his actions  He would also be responsible for death, the penalty for sin, and cold not rightly execute the sentence of the broken law.

Adam or no other man ever lost the power of choice in the moral realm as long as sanity remained.  To lose power to be what man was before the fall does not do away with man’s power of choice.  This is simply the result of the fall and of a wrong choice.  Man is still free to choose God and righteousness and come back to the original state where the effects of the moral fall are erased.  Man can be redeemed from the effects of the moral fall and again do right from free choice.  Being overpowered by sin was a willing action to begin with or Adam never would have fallen unless God can be blamed for it.  Since the fall, it is a willing co-operation with Satan to the same end, to gratify self, for one does not have to serve sin and Satan even one day, if he does not choose to do so.

If man never wills to be saved he will never be saved.  This is why some are saved and some are not saved.  It is God’s will that all be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2;4; 2 Pet. 3:9).  If God’s will is done all will be saved, but God will not and cannot save man until he chooses to be saved and calls upon God.  God’s plan is to “whosoever will” and God will not operate contrary to His own Word.  However, man is not saved by his own choice alone , for there is no saving power in a mere choice.  Then, too, salvation cannot be given by God without man’s choice (Mark 16:15; John 3:15-20; 4:13-22; 14:6; Romans 1:16; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 1;9; 5:1; Rev. 22:17).  Neither can man continue to be saved apart from his free choice (Isa. 59:2; Rom. 8:1-13; 2 Tim. 2:12; 1 Cor. 15:2; 1 Thess. 3:8; Heb. 10:26-29; 2 Pet. 2:20-21; etc.).

This power of choice on man’s part to get saved and keep saved does not make will power more sovereign than God’s own power or grace. It simply means that God, as an intelligent being, having made His plan, which includes free wills for man, granting them the sovereignty of their own wills as to whether they want to be saved or stay saved by grace or not, will not break His own law and act contrary to His revealed plan and save or keep men saved contrary to their own choice.  If that is God’s plan, then for God to arbitrarily force men to be saved or stay saved contrary to their wills would be the most unjust action to take and would make God break His own laws.”

It is the responsibility of man to choose the Lordship of  Jesus Christ.  The resulting benefit is salvation for his eternal soul.  Truly this is the main duty of man for this space of time we call our “natural life”.  The second most important duty of each individual being to help his fellow-man to make the wise choice.  Once this life is over, eternity begins in earnest for each of us.  The decision as to where we spend eternity is made in this time, hence the admonition of the Apostle Paul, 2 Cor. 6:2 ”For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Every day is a day of choosing on the part of man.  He must will to do that which the Lord Jesus Christ asks him to do, voluntarily in order for his actions to be considered obedient.  This is what the Scripture calls “walking pleasing unto the Lord” as in,

“Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his

commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”

            1 John 3:21-24.

III.  The Lordship of Jesus Christ Enables Man To Be Saved.

It is a fact that man cannot save himself.  Religion is man’s attempt to save himself by the creation of rites and ceremonies, rules and procedures that he must follow to somehow “earn” God’s favor.  Grace is salvation given to man without his having earned it, through a total reliance upon the righteous work of Jesus Christ on mankind’s behalf.  The positioning of one’s self under the authority of Jesus Christ, making Him Lord (owner, master, controller) allows the saving grace of God to come to bear on one’s own soul.  This relationship breaks the grip of sin and Satan setting the submitting person free to serve God willingly.  By receiving the Lordship of Christ, man is given the power and ability to become “the sons of God” (John 1:12).  Also, man is given his “freedom from sin”.

[6] This fact, that the true Christian believer is, through God’s grace, dead to sin, is stated repeatedly throughout the New Testament.

“Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him (Christ), that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.  For he was has died has been freed (or justified) from sin (Rom. 6:6-7).”

The meaning here is plain: For each person who has accepted the atoning death of Christ on his behalf, the old man--the corrupt, sinful nature--is crucified; the body of sin has been done away with; through death, that person has been freed (or justified) from sin.  There is no longer any need to be the slave of sin.

A little time later, in the same chapter, Paul repeats this teaching with renewed emphasis.

“Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord (emphasis mine).  Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts...For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace (Rom. 6:11-12,14).”

Again, the meaning is plain:  As Christian we are to reckon ourselves as dead to sin through the grace of God in Jesus Christ.  As a result, there is no reason why sin should continue to exercise any control or dominion over us.  Later in Romans Paul again states the same truth in the clearest and most emphatic way.

“And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness (Rom. 8:10).”

The words Paul uses, “if Christ is in you,” indicate that this truth applies to every true Christian believer in whose heart Christ dwells by faith.  The double consequence of Christ’s indwelling the believer is: 1) a death of the old carnal nature; “the body,” that is, the body of sin, is dead; 2) a new life to righteousness through the operation of God’s Spirit--the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Peter presents the same truth with equal clarity.  Speaking of the purpose of Christ’s death upon the cross, he says:

“Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed (1 Pet. 2:24).”

Peter also presents the two complementary aspects of the transformation that takes place within the believer who accepts the atoning death of Christ on his behalf: 1) death to sins, 2) living for righteousness.  In fact, Peter states this as being the supreme purpose of Christ’s death on the cross: “that we, having died to sins might live for righteousness.”

The condition of being dead to sins, and living to righteousness is something far beyond the mere forgiveness of past sins. In fact, it takes the believer into an altogether different realm of spiritual experience.  The majority of professing Christians in almost all denominations have some kind of belief that their past sins can be forgiven.  In fact, this is probably the main reason why they attend church--for the purpose of confessing and obtaining forgiveness for the sins they have committed.

However, they have not thought or expectation of experiencing any inward transformation of their own nature.  The result is that, having confessed their sins, they leave the church unchanged and continue committing the same kind of sins they have been confessing. In due course they are back in church again, confessing the same sins.

This is a man-made religion on the human level to which some of the outward forms of Christianity have been attached. It has little or nothing in common with the salvation God offers to the true believer through faith in Christ’s atonement.

God’s central purpose in Christ’s atonement was not simply that man should be able to receive forgiveness of his past sinful acts, but rather that, once having been forgiven for the past, he should be able to enter into a new realm of spiritual experience.  Henceforth he should be dead to sins but alive to God and to righteousness; he should no longer be the slave of sin; sin should no longer have an dominion over him.”

The power or ability to live free from sin is imparted to the believer when he places himself under the authority or Lordship of Jesus Christ.  There is an impartation of  power and authority into man’s existence that strengthens him for the task of overcoming the temptations of the flesh, the world, and Satan.  No longer is he a victim of sin and Satan, but now becomes “more than a conqueror” because of the power of Christ that abides in him

(Rev 12:11 KJV)  "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."

(Luke 10:19 KJV)  "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

IV.  The Lordship of Jesus Christ Enables Man To Receive The Indwelling of The Holy Spirit.

There is a direct connection made by Peter in the Book of Acts to accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and the ability to receive baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

(Acts 2:36-38).

And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.

(Acts 10:42-48).

The point to be made here is that when preaching the Gospel to the people on the Day of Pentecost and at the house of Cornelius,  the Apostle Peter did not conceal the importance of the Lordship of Jesus Christ where salvation and receiving of the Holy Spirit was concerned.  Once people were willing and ready to receive the Lord Jesus, they were qualified to be filled with the power and presence of the Holy Spirit as well.  It is evident that the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the believer was not possible until Jesus Christ became Lord.

[7] ”Paul takes it for granted that the Spirit of God is known now only by reference to Christ--’the Spirit of sonship’ voicing Jesus’ prayer, ‘Abba, Father’ (Rom. 8:15), the Spirit known by the confession “Jesus is Lord” (1 Cor. 12:3), the Spirit who transforms us into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).  The Spirit can now be defined as ‘the Spirit of Christ’ (Rom. 8:9, Gal. 4:6; Phil 1:19), and spirituality must be measured against the pattern of Christ crucified (2 Cor. 4:7--5:5; 13:4; Phil 3:10-11). The Spirit is thus redefined as the medium of Christ’s relationship with his people (1 Cor. 6:17)).

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) was a sovereign act of the Lord Jesus Christ following His successful death and resurrection and ascension into Heaven whereby He was made “Lord of all”.

(Acts 10:36 KJV)  "The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)" and,

(Phil. 2:8-10). And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus Christ the Savior, then became Jesus Christ the Baptizer, pouring out His Spirit upon all who had received Him and believed on Him. (Acts 2:33)  “Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.”

It is clear that we cannot speak of the salvation of mankind and the rebirth experience apart from the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Neither can we speak of the Church and its mission of evangelism of mankind through the power of the Holy Spirit without understanding it all in the light of Christ’s Lordship Authority.

[8] ”1).This explains the meaning of the present wonderful effusion of the Spirit.  Some of the people had asked, ‘What meaneth this?’ I will tell you the meaning of it says Peter.  This Jesus being exalted by the right hand of God, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, hash sehd forth this which you now see and hear.  The gift of the Holy Ghost was a performance of divine promises already made; this is the promise that includes all the rest.  It was a pledge of all divine favours further intended; what you now see and hear is but an earnest of greater things.

2) This proves that Christ Jesus is the true Messiah and Saviour of the world; this he closes his sermon with (v. 36);   Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made that same Jesus whom you have crucified both Lord and Christ.  They were charged to tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ till after His resurrection (Matt 27:9); but now it must be proclaimed. It is not proposed as probable, but deposed as certain: Let them know it assuredly, First,   That God has glorified Him, and the indignities they had done him served as a foil to his lustre. Secondly,   That he has glorified Him to such a degree as to make him both Lord and Christ.  This is the great truth of the gospel that that same Jesus that was crucified at Jerusalem is Lord and Christ.”

The central theme of Peter’s message to the multitudes that gathered at the Holy Spirit’s outpouring on the Day of Pentecost focused on the exaltation of Jesus Christ by the Father God to the position of Lord.  Acceptance and adherence to this central truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is essential to a saving relationship with Christ.  Simply put, “no Lord, no Savior”. 

Concluding Remarks.

The preceding points have only begun to underscore the importance of man’s surrender to the absolute and total rule of Jesus Christ as Lord.  Salvation is the resulting effect of His lordship in the life of the individual.  Yet many never hear this part of the Gospel message.  Living a life in obedience to Jesus Christ and His Word is foreign to many who claim Him as their personal Savior.  Many, when faced with this reality, have no idea what the Lord Jesus would have them to do, since the subject of obedience to Him has not been even remotely approached in their churches.  Many professed Christians today have accepted forgiveness from Jesus without realizing that He has a claim on them.  The extent to which they are saved is at best in question.  It is severely dangerous to assume one’s salvation.  If man bases his salvation on anything other than a careful study of the Scriptures and a careful application of Gospel truths to his own experience, then he is playing games with his eternal well being.

“And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

Salvation comes as the free gift of God’s grace to all who believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ.  What we have learned here is that the relationship term “Lord” is more that just a title given to Jesus Christ, but it describes the type of relationship that man’s salvation is found within and the life actions that are required to make salvation a reality in the eternal existence of mankind.

Bibliography

Strong, James.  Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.  Nashville: Crusade Bible             Publishers, 1894.

Vine, W.E. The Expanded Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.               Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1984.

Dake, Finis Jennings.  God’s Plan For Man.  Lawrenceville, Ga.: Dakes Bible Sales, Inc.      1949.

Prince, Derek.  The Spirit-Filled Believer’s Handbook.  Orlando, Fl.: Creation House, 1993.

Freedman, David.  The Anchor Bible Dictionary.  New York: Doubleday, 1992.

Henry, Matthew.  The Matthew Henry Commentary.  Grand Rapids, Mi.: Zondervan             Publishing House, 1961.

   Our Mission is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.....
Pastor Ron Thomason

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Last modified November 18, 2008