The Lordship of Christ

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.”

Each of the Lord’s names and titles carry great significance. His name, “Jesus,” identifies His Person and purpose. He is the Savior. He came to save us from our sins. He came to this earth to die on the cross, His blood was shed that we might be forgiven and reconciled to God. He was the Servant of all servants. He went about doing good, healing the sick, delivering the oppressed, and saving the lost. He was a Friend of sinners. He was betrayed, ridiculed, abandoned, and crucified.

Not only is He the Savior, He is the “Christ.” Jesus is the Anointed One, the Messiah, the promised Deliverer, and the Hope of Israel. This same Jesus is also “Lord.” He is Master, God, supreme in authority. Sometimes people act as though Jesus is their Savior, but not their Lord. The Jesus of the Bible is God, and He is Lord. One cannot have Jesus unless He is Lord. That does not imply that every area of our lives will always be in perfect submission to His lordship, but it does mean that everywhere and at all times, Jesus is Lord. At times, the humility of Christ is so emphasized that His lordship is not recognized or appreciated as it should be.

His lordship is acknowledged at conversion. “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” (Romans 10:9). We are saved when we place our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. But, the Jesus we are trusting is Lord. Anyone who thinks it is possible to receive Christ as Savior while rejecting His lordship is mistaken. He is Lord.

His lordship is also recognized in spiritual growth and discipleship. The child of God walks in the light of Christ’s lordship. He is Lord of Heaven and earth, and He is the Lord of our lives. This lordship is equally realized in the church: “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church” (Eph. 1:22). The church is to be submissive to the lordship of Christ and obey Him at all times.