June 15, 2021 | Lord

One of the most recognized verses from Scripture is from Romans 6:23, it says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” If you have been in the church for any number of years you have probably said it. But have you ever thought about what its saying?

 

Essentially, it’s saying that the free gift of salvation comes from Christ Jesus because He is our Lord. He has earned that title because of His unselfish sacrifice which took upon Himself all of our sins so that by His death, we may have eternal life. He has earned the title of Lord for all He has done for us, but, what, exactly, does that title of Lord mean?

 

The classic definition of Lord describes a person who has authority, control, or power over others. It is said that the man is the Lord of his castle, his home (I can claim that title because my wife said so). The most powerful men in the banking business have been described as the Lords of banking. A bishop in a church is more formally called, ‘Lord Bishop.’ Their authority over others has warranted this title.

 

Jesus has been given His title because, through His death and resurrection, we have all been given to Him by the Father and are now under His authority. Philippians 4:13 reminds us that, “(We) can do all things through Him who strengthens (us). We can because we are under the Savior’s authority. It is He who strengthens us, who prepares us and who motivates us.

 

Under His lordship, we have been granted the power to do spiritual things, not just temporal. Under His Lordship, we have been given His Holy Spirit has a helper to lighten our path to heaven. Under His Lordship, we have been gifted with faith and hope to live this life in anticipation of the next. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:16-17).

 

Another definition of Lord describes a person who has great influence in a certain area of life. As Christians we have come to know of the benefits of having Christ Jesus as our influence and it has been given to us the task to share that knowledge with others.

 

Many of the problems we see in this world have come because we have taken that authority and influence away from Christ in our thoughts, words and deeds. We have demoted Jesus in our lives to someone who surrenders to our influence rather than the other way around. To far too many, Jesus Christ is not Lord in their lives, he is simply a footnote.

 

Yet, the promise still remains written in Paul’s letter to the Romans, 10:9, “..if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Just because so many have relegated Christ to being an afterthought doesn’t mean His authority has changed. Just because people turn a blind eye and a deaf hear to Him does not mean He doesn’t maintain the power over life and death.

 

Our Savior will always retain the title of Lord because it is still through Him, and only through Him, that we might achieve everlasting life in heaven. He is our Lord because we are under His control whether we choose to believe it or not. He is our Lord because only He has the power to bring salvation to all those who believe in His name.

 

If Jesus Christ s not your influence, then He is not your Lord. One must acknowledge His authority over them to truly understand the role He plays in their everlasting life. Praise Him that He is a Lord of love and patience and not one of vengeance and intolerance. Serve Him as your Lord of life and surrender to Him all your wants and needs. Please pray with me:

 

Heavenly Father, Thank you for being our Lord and for loving us enough to be patient with us during those times that we prove our unworthiness before you. Help us to be strengthened by Your influence and saved by guidance. Amen.