It is true that Romans 9 – 11 deals with the question of Israel's rejection of the Messiah and the nation's
Today's Gospel: Good News or Bad?
saved" (Rom. 10:9).19 Peter's sermon at Pentecost concluded with this declaration: "Let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified" (Acts 2:36, emphasis added). No promise of salvation is ever extended to those who refuse to accede to Christ's lordship. Thus there is no salvation except "lordship" salvation.20
Opponents of lordship salvation have gone to great lengths to make the claim that "Lord" in those verses does not mean "Master" but is a reference to His deity.21 Even if that contention is granted, it simply affirms that those who come to Christ for salvation must acknowledge He is God. The implications of that are even more demanding than if "Lord" only meant "Master"!
The fact is, "Lord" does mean "God" in all those verses. More precisely, it means "God who rules,"22 and that only bolsters the arguments for lordship salvation. No one who comes for salvation with genuine faith, sincerely believing that Jesus is the eternal, almighty, sovereign God, will willfully reject His authority. True faith is not lip ser vice. Our Lord Himself pronounced condemnation on those who worshiped Him with their lips but not with their lives (Matt. 15:7 – 9). He does not become anyone's Savior until that person receives Him for who He is — Lord of all (Acts 10:36).
A. W. Tozer said, "The Lord will not save those whom He cannot command. He will not divide His offices. You cannot believe on a half-Christ. We
19. Some dispensationalists would confi ne the application of Romans 10:9 – 10 to unbelieving Jews. It is true that Romans 9 – 11 deals with the question of Israel's rejection of the Messiah and the nation's place in God's eternal plan. But the soteriological signifi cance of those verses cannot be limited to Israel alone, because of verses 12 – 13: "Th ere is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him; for whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved."
20. I do not like the term "lordship salvation." It was coined by those who want to eliminate the idea of submission to Christ from the call to saving faith, and it implies that Jesus' lordship is a false addition to the gospel. As we shall see, however, "lordship salvation" is simply biblical and historic evangelical soteriology. I use the term in this volume only for the sake of argument.
21. Ibid., 38 – 41. See also G. Michael Cocoris, Lordship Salvation — Is It Biblical? (Dallas: Redención Viva, 1983), 13 – 15.
22. Proper understanding of any biblical term depends on etymology, context, and history. Etymologically, kurios comes from a Greek root that means "rule, dominion, or power." Contextually, taking Peter's use of kurios in Acts 2:36, it is important to note that verses 34 – 35 quote from Psalm 110, a messianic psalm of rule and dominion ("Rule in the midst of Th ine enemies," v. 2). Peter was not saying merely that "God has made Him . . . God"; he was affi rming Jesus' right to rule. Historically, Peter's sermon addressed the Jews' role in crucifying their Messiah (v. 23). At the trial of Jesus before Pilate and the Jewish mob, the issue was clearly His kingship, mentioned at least a dozen times in John 18:33 — 19:22. Clearly, careful historical-grammatical exegesis of Acts 2:36 can lead to only one conclusion: Jesus is the divine King who rules in the midst of both friends and foes. Having thus identifi ed Christ as Lord of all, Peter makes his gospel appeal. Note carefully that Paul preached Jesus in exactly the same way (2 Cor. 4:3 – 5): Jesus is our sovereign Lord, and we are His servants.