The Lordship Of Jesus Christ

In a recent personal evangelism study, Mike suggested we should do a lesson on the “Lordship of Christ.” The first verse that came to mind was Luke 6:46 – “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Truly recognizing Jesus’ Lordship doesn’t just mean calling Him Lord; it means making him Lord of our life. It means we “do” what Jesus said. It is not enough just to believe in Jesus; we must follow His teachings.

I think what Mike meant by “Lordship of Christ” was our commitment level to Jesus should be off the charts, and he’s right: Matt 16:24-26 says “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” and Luke 14:33 reads “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple”

When I asked Mike what he specifically meant by “Lordship of Christ,” he said there are many topics that are not taught on in most churches. He’s right – some topics are never taught on at the majority of congregations, for example:

· repentance is always necessary to forgiveness – Prov 28:13 “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy”, Acts 3:19 “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out …”, Acts 8:22 “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee”, II Pet 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”

· communion frequency Acts 20:7 “… on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight”

· adulterous marriages must be terminated (just like homosexual, polygamous, and OT incestuous marriages) – Matt 19:9 “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery”, Mark 6:17-18 “For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife”

· obedience is necessary to salvation, not just faith only – James 2:24 “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only”, Heb 5:9 “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him”, Matt 7:21 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven”

· doctrine really does matter – II John 9 “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son”, Matt 15:9 “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” – doctrines/issues like I Cor 14:34-35 women preachers?, Rom 6:4, Acts 8:35-37 sprinkling babies for baptism?, Matt 4:10b praying to Mary?

· we have to be baptized to be saved – Mark 16:16 “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be condemned”, John 3:5 “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”, Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins …”, Acts 22:16 “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord”, Gal 3:26-27 “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ”, I Pet 3:21 “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”

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