Chapter 146
The Lordship of Christ
magazine article inveighing against lordship salvation began with the question "Must a person make Christ Lord as a condition for salvation?" No less than ten times in the brief two-page piece the author spoke of "making Christ Lord" of one's life.1 That terminology has become so familiar in our generation that some Chris tians are tempted to think of it as biblical. It is not.
Scripture never speaks of anyone "making" Christ Lord, except God Himself, who "has made Him both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36). He is Lord of all (Rom. 14:9; Phil. 2:11), and the biblical mandate is not to "make" Christ Lord, but rather to bow to His lordship. Those who reject His lordship or give mere lip ser vice to His sovereignty are not saved (cf. 1 Cor. 12:3; Luke 6:46 – 49). We observed from Jesus' words in Matthew 7:22 that many who verbally or intellectually admit the lordship of Christ will be turned away from heaven because they do not do the will of the Father in heaven.
All who believe the Word of God will agree that Jesus is Lord. He is ever and always Lord, whether or not anyone acknowledges His lordship or surrenders to His authority.
Nevertheless, some contemporary evangelical writers have questioned the place of Christ's lordship in the gospel message. While not denying that Christ is Lord, they suggest that it is a truth best kept out of the good news we proclaim to unbelievers. The article I referred to earlier says this:
It is imperative to trust Christ as personal Saviour and be born again. But this is only the fi rst decision. Acknowledging Jesus as Lord is made by believers [sic]. . . . Th e decision to trust Christ as Saviour and then make Him Lord are two separate, distinct decisions [sic]. Th e fi rst is made by nonbelievers, the second only by believers. Th e two decisions may be close or distant in time. But salvation must always precede lordship. It is possible, but miserable, to be saved without ever making Christ Lord of your life.2
1. Rich Wager, "Th is So-Called 'Lordship Salvation,' " Confi dent Living (July – August 1987), 54 – 55. 2. Ibid., 55.