Thursday, February 27, 2014

JESUS IS LORD

Jesus began the "Great Commission" by telling His disciples, "...All power (authority) is given unto Me in heaven and in earth" (Mt. 28:18).  And, within His instructions to them, He said, "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you..." (v. 20).  In other words, Jesus, having ALL authority, as their Lord, was commanding them make disciples who would also be under His authority!  He was their Lord!
According to the Blue Letter Bible, the word "Lord," is translated as such from the Greek κύριος (kyrios).  It is defined as:  "he to whom a person or thing belongs; about which he has power of deciding; master; lord."  "Lord" appears 748 times in the New Testament. 

The Book of Acts, which records the beginning of the Church, has the most references to Jesus as "Lord."  The Apostles made it quite clear that the One they were proclaiming, the One who had died of the sin of the world, and the One whom the Father raised, was the Lord Jesus Christ!  Of the 102 times Luke used the word in Acts, twenty of them include the Lord's name (1:21; 4:33; 7:59; 8:16; 9:17, 29; 11:17, 20; 15:11, 26; 16:31; 19:5, 10, 13, 17; 20:21, 24, 35; 21:13; 28:31).  Perhaps the most important of all of these verses is 16:31, which is the Apostle Paul's answer to the question, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" in the previous verse.  Paul's answer?  "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."  Notice that when asked what he must DO, Paul said BELIEVE ON THE LORD!  Believing has nothing to do with works; it is the acknowledgement of Jesus as LORD!

In Romans 10:9-10, Paul wrote:  "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."

My question to all those who view "Lordship Salvation" as heresy is:  Who is Jesus?  He was worthy of our worship and obedience long before His death, burial, and resurrection!  To me, the Bible is clear:  He is God; He is Creator; He is Lord! 

Salvation results from in believing in Him!



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