Thursday, January 31, 2008

Deceived, He is Lord

But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) or “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, 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. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:6-13.

“Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” Jude 1:3-4.

Remember that as we are studying God’s Word that one is to never presume that something is being said when the Word does not say ‘it’. This is so very important, because when this principle of Bible Study is not used and applied we soon discover that some erroneous statements sometimes become ‘fact’. One of those ‘erroneous’ facts is, “Make Jesus Lord of your life.”

One can search the Scriptures for the basis of that statement and the foundation is not present. Jesus is Lord and we cannot make Him Lord BECAUSE His is Lord and without our help. Nor can we say this to a Christian who feels that life is not being lived as it ought to be lived. That person cannot make Jesus Lord of life because Jesus is Lord, period. “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.” Colossians 2:6-10.
You have heard it said, over and over again, that you must make Jesus the Lord of your life. Let me say that this is an erroneous statement that does not have foundation in Scripture. Just as Paul wrote in Colossians 2:6, “as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him….”

Note: Paul does not write, “so make Him Lord.” He is Lord and no one can make Him to be the Person that He already is.

He is who He is….the Lord Jesus Christ and when one receives Him as Savior….He is received as Lord, too. He is who He is.

We cannot crown Him King, because He does not need a crown. But look at this:
Now it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. Hebrew2:6-9.

Notice that His crown is “glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” And we find in John 19:1-2 the mockery as “Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands.”

We, indeed, sing songs that proclaim Him King and suggest that “We crown Him Lord of all.” But rest assured that we do this to sing praise to Him, but let us not be deceived into believing that we make Him to be King and Lord.

HE IS WHO HE IS, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

At the moment that I believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ became my Lord. This does not mean that I have always done and said the right things and have not sinned, but this does not mean that He, the Lord Jesus Christ is not the Lord of my life. Why? Because He owns my life and heart “do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

I cannot make Him to be that which He already is.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the next time that you feel that you have sinned and have ‘let the Lord down’ do not think that He has left the throne of your life….He has not. He is still King and Lord of your life. You may not feel like it, but He is.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8. Simply recall that if we will, He will.

Do not be deceived into thinking that you must do something to make Him into that which He already is….the Lord of your life. That is, if you are a believer and you do belong to Him.

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