Years ago, just as I began
to teach women Bible studies, I thought it would be a great idea to open with a
question that would invite the women to share their knowledge, or opinions and
there-by help the group to get to know one another better and feel more
comfortable in the group. That was until I asked the question one day, “Does Jesus need to be both Lord and Savior of your life?”
I honestly thought World War
III was about to break out in my livingroom that day! There were strong opinions
on both sides of the issue, and we finally had to end the discussion by
agreeing to disagree! Both sides seemed to have valid points and neither side
seemed interested in changing or accepting the other side’s view.
That was the last time I
ever opened a study with a question like that until today!
Since that day, I’ve often
thought about whether Jesus needed to be both our Savior and Lord, and I
believe this passage speaks directly on this subject, so I thought it was time to finally answer the question!
Paul begins chapter 10
sharing a bit of his heart for the Jews,
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for
them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they
have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being
ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own,
they did not submit to God's righteousness.-Romans 10:1-3
In other words, though they
had a zeal, they didn’t get it. But Paul continues in assuring us that God’s
salvation really isn’t that difficult!
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.- Romans 10:8-10
Now hold still one moment,
for some have said this passage means we must confess with our mouth to be
saved but that’s not what this passage is saying.
It might be better if we
could understand Greek. The passage is talking about what is in our heart and
in our mind. The Greek word for “confess” is HOMOLEGO. It means “to say the same thing”- to admit with
our mouth what we know to be already true in our heart.
And here in the Book of Romans
is not the only place Scripture talks about confession with our mouth:
- And I
say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man shall
confess him also before the angels of God. Luke
12:8
- Fight
the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were
called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1
Timothy 6:12
- Whoever
confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 1
John 4:15
- Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the
Holy Spirit.- 1 Cor 12:3
Each of these passages
testifies that a Christian’s words will reveal what he or she believes in
his/her heart. But not only our words!
Jesus, Himself told us in
John 14:14-17,
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in
me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do,
because I am going to the Father.
“If you
love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the
Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the
Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees
him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
The real question we need to
ask ourselves is, “Does my mouth and actions reveal what I honestly believe in
my heart about Jesus – that He is Lord of my life?”
One last thing that’s
important for us to understand and that is God the Father has made Jesus Lord,
not only over our lives, but over all of creation. The Father has highly
exalted the Son by giving Him the name that is above every other name (Philippians
2:9).
As the apostle Paul states
in Colossians 1:15–20, "He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven
and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or
authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before
all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the
body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in
everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was
pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether
on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."
All authorities, whether
earthly or spiritual, are subject to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Therefore He
must also be preeminent in our lives as well.