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Jesus is Lord
Jesus is Lord! Do you understand the depth of meaning and profound implications contained in this statement? The 1st century Church of God sure did, as did the Apostles who penned these very words. Do you realize by understanding the significance of this phrase and the reason it was taught will strengthen your stand in the salvation process? Paul taught, if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9). Likewise, as we read, therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says Jesus is accursed; and no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:3).
The Spirit of God, which is a gift given to those who are baptized (Acts 2:38), to those who obey God (Acts 5:32), is the spirit that joins with the mind of converted sons and daughters of God (Romans 8:16), and is the impetus behind the human mind’s the ability to understand the phrase - Jesus is Lord.
Historically, during Paul’s lifetime, the term “Jesus is Lord” challenged the core beliefs of the religious establishment of that day. Not only did the Jews not acknowledge the man Jesus as being The Christ (Greek: ho Christos meaning The Anointed one, The Messiah), The Son of God, but they totally rejected any concept of His existence prior to His human birth. Paul had the Pharisees and Sadducees specifically in mind when he taught what we read in I Corinthians 12:3. We will learn what exactly the Pharisees and Sadducees could not comprehend with their carnal mind and what many of the professing Christian faith, even some within the labeled Churches of God will not acknowledge.
Now no doubt there must be an acknowledgement of the very fact that Jesus Christ is The Lord. No doubt, a confession of this truth should be spoken by and expressed by those who are in the salvation process, by those who are “in Christ.” No doubt, those who have the very Spirit of God dwelling in their minds will understand and confess that Jesus, the Christ is The very Lord. However, just what does this phrase mean? Do you understand what is meant by this truth – Jesus is Lord?
In this 21st Century, these words, this phrase, is found on bumper stickers, on roadside billboards, on tee shirts, in roadside stores and religious bookstores, on posters and placards, refrigerator magnets, on Bible covers, within and without the community of Christianity. “Jesus is Lord” can be heard spoken from the mouths of preachers and lay members alike. “Jesus is Lord” is used like a mantra, like a talisman spoken among professing Christians. In America, from televangelists and within evangelical revivals “Jesus is Lord” is the rallying cry used to inspire the faithful, often bringing to a frenzy, crowds who desire to feel the presence of the Lord and the movement of the Holy Ghost. On double portion night, “Jesus is Lord” is shouted at the tops of the lungs, with halleluiah and amen accompanying the cry.
An indisputable fact is that this phrase “Jesus is Lord” is spoken throughout the Christian community with such frequency and often flippancy, that its meaning, if understood in the first place, becomes insignificant. So common is the intonation among Christians, “Jesus is Lord,” that quite often the words being communicated become lost, eluding both the speaker and the hearer. This phrase, so oft repeated becomes trivial and trite. Did Paul ever expect this phrase to become an opportunity for commercial gain, to be slapped on the bumpers of cars and SUVs and slashed across the fronts of tee shirts and bedroom posters? Would Paul approve? Is Christ pleased by the way 21st Century Christians handle such a profound truth about Himself?
If walking on the earth today, and seeing the activity of the Christian-world, would Jesus Christ not speak with even greater authority and intensity, what He preached some 1,970 years ago?
Then Jesus said, and why do you call Me, Lord, Lord and do not what I say? (Luke 6:46) Likewise, as Matthew recorded, not everyone who says unto Me, Lord, Lord will enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in your name and in your name cast out demons and in your name done many wonderful works. And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me you who practice lawlessness (workers of iniquity) (Matthew 7:21-23).
“Jesus is Lord,” is professed and confessed by those within the Christian community. However, it is done so with banal frequency, in vain repetition. What are the fruit of those professing, “Jesus is Lord?” Moreover, just what does this phrase mean?
Once you understand the meaning of this phrase and learn just why the Apostles taught the 1st Century believers to acknowledge such a truth, you will have a more secure and thorough understanding of just who Jesus Christ, The Only Savior and God’s Anointed One, is.
To understand the significance of the phrase, “Jesus is Lord,” will reveal to you a better understanding of the life and person of the one who saves us, who can save you, from your sins and from eternal death. Once you understand the meaning behind such a phrase you will have no choice but to deeply respect and will carefully communicate the very name, acknowledging the very person, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. For you, the phrase “Jesus is Lord” will not be miscommunicated or abused or loosely emitted from your lips.
The depth of meaning contained in this powerful phrase “Jesus is Lord,” can only be fully understood when one acknowledges the consistency and integrity of truth shared between the Old and New Testaments.
When writing to the Church of God in Rome and breaking into his thought, Paul asked the question, but what does it say? Continuing, he taught, the word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart – that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is over all, abounding in riches for all who call on him; for whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:8-13).
Here Paul, teaching a New Testament concept, a New Testament doctrine, quotes directly from the Old Testament. Notice Joel 2:32, as quoted from the King James Version. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered, for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.
The Septuagint (LXX) version (a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures), a book with which Paul would have been familiar and from which he frequently quoted, states Joel 2:32 as follows: And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved: for in mount Sion and in Jerusalem shall the saved ones be as the Lord has said, and they that have glad tidings preached to them, whom the Lord has called.
Read carefully and notice the similarities between the Septuagint’s wording and Paul’s word structure as found in Romans 10:13-15. This is just one of many examples where Paul quotes directly from the Septuagint version of the Sacred Scriptures while teaching the 1st Century Church.
As one reads throughout the New Testament and especially from the Epistles of Paul, one will frequently and consistently come across phrases such as: Jesus Christ, the Lord, or the Lord Jesus Christ, or our Lord Jesus Christ, or Christ Jesus, the Lord or Christ, the Lord. Hundreds of times in total, these phrases are taught, are expressed, are written. So much so that the message is clear; the Lord is Jesus Christ or put another way, Jesus Christ is the Lord. These were the combination of terms, of titles, of nomenclature, which were and are attributed to the Son of God. Jesus Christ, known as well as “The Son of Man” was also simply called “The Lord.” It is that term of which we read most frequently in the four Gospel accounts. Let us continue to read what else the 1st Century church was taught about the Savior Jesus Christ.
As we read earlier, no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:3). Notice also II Corinthians 4:5, for we preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord: and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
So as not to belabor the point, finally Philippians 2:11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Just what can we learn from this doctrine? When the phrase “Jesus is Lord” is spoken what should be known? What does that phrase communicate? Just what truth is contained in the phrase “Jesus is Lord” which irritated and enraged the religious establishment of Paul’s day, just as it frustrates many today?
As the Apostles and the 1st Century Church understood and as do those in the Intercontinental Church of God today fully understands, that to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, is to confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ was and is the very God of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:3-4; I Corinthians 10:4). To confess that Jesus is Lord is to confess that Jesus Christ was and is the God of the Old Testament and the very God who spoke to Moses saying, I AM that I AM (Exodus 3:14). Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh (John 1:14), the God who created the world and all things therein (John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:16-17). Jesus Christ has been with the Father before the worlds were made (John 17:5, John 8:58). Jesus Christ existed before time began, for he created time. Jesus Christ, as the I AM, willingly gave himself to die a death of crucifixion so that you might be saved. He sacrificed His life for you; He died so you don’t have to. Jesus Christ is the God that told Israel, through the prophets (I Peter 1:11) that He personally would save His people and all humanity. Does the Bible support this truth?
Yes, with absolute certainty. Notice again, Philippians 2:11, but let us start at verse 5. Having this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who although He existed in the form (Greek morphe meaning shape, nature, form) of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in the appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the stake (cross erroneously so called). For this reason God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him a name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under earth and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
As we progress to the meat and depth of the truth that Jesus, the Christ is the Lord, let us unwrap the truths that are revealed in Philippians 2:5-11.
… Christ Jesus, who although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped …. Confer with John 1:14 – Jesus Christ, existed as the Word (who was with God and was God), became flesh. Then John 10:30 I and the Father are one, yet … the Father is greater that I John 14:28. The Father and Christ are two distinct individual spirit beings; both are God, who have among themselves, unity of purpose. They are spiritually speaking “on the same page.” For saying that He and the Father are one, Christ was accused of making himself equal with God. Notice John 10:31-33 and John 5:18. Finally read John 6:38.
Continuing, … but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in the appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the stake …
Hebrews 2:9 - But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Then Hebrews 2:14 and 16. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power over death, that is the devil … For verily he took not on the him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Jesus Christ, prior to His human birth was the Great God of All creation. Yet, Jesus started His human life in the womb of His mother Mary, being born like as every other human, with a cry as His lungs began to function. Prior to His human birth and human existence (as a human being), Jesus Christ was with His Father as the two shared in eternity and absolute power and authority, honor and Glory (John 17:5). Jesus Christ possessed all things (II Corinthians 8:9). Much more can and should be said, but suffice it for now, we will continue to unveil the short text in Philippians, to understand the power behind the statement, “Jesus is Lord.”
For this reason God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him a name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under earth and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).
Paul, in teaching this New Testament concept, a New Testament doctrine, again quotes directly from the Old Testament. Read Isaiah 45:20-23. Assemble yourselves and come, draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image and pray unto a god that cannot save. Tell ye and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together, who hath declared from ancient time? Who hath told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord and there is no God else besides Me; a Just God and Savior; there is none besides Me. Look unto Me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is none else. I have sworn by Myself, the word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
Consider here, according to Paul, what shall every tongue swear? What phrase did Paul add to these well-known, already established Old Testament Scripture verses, scriptures of which the Pharisees and Sadducees would have had full knowledge? Paul added, Paul taught “that every tongue will confess (swear) that Jesus Christ is Lord.” That fact infuriated the religious establishment of the day.
“Jesus is Lord” is a statement of confession, which Paul and the 1st Century Church of God thoroughly understood. “Jesus is Lord” is a confession that Jesus Christ is the God of the Old Testament, the God of Israel, and the God whose word went out long ago stating that He will save Israel and Judah and the world. It was Jesus Christ’s words that Isaiah recorded, of which we read in Isaiah 45:20-23. Jesus Christ said, “every knee shall bow before Me.” Complete homage to the Son of God is what God the Father has allowed and requires. The world will glorify and acknowledge its creator, The Son.
Jesus Christ, who is the God of Israel is The One who Saves! Let it be fully established, no other god, as was known back then, not Baal, not Dagon, not Molech or Chemosh, nor as known today, not Allah, nor Buddha, nor Siva, nor any other god will have any power to save their people, this world or any of its inhabitants. And yes, not even the imposter, counterfeit Christ(s), many that there be (Matthew 24:4-5) will save you! Only the Real Jesus Christ of your Bible, the Jesus Christ who is the Head of His body, the Church (Colossians 1:22-23) and yes, the One who is acknowledged by and the truth of His existence is preached by those of the Intercontinental Church of God; only the Real Jesus will save you! REQUEST YOUR FREE COPY OF THE REAL JESUS [request] [view].
Those who believe in Jesus Christ know He was put to death by crucifixion. While on the stake He was pierced. John 19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side and forthwith came there out blood and water. John then further writes, and again another scripture saith, they shall look on Him whom they pierced” (John 19:37). Confirm this verse with Revelation 1:7. Speaking of Jesus Christ (verse 5), we read, Behold he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him and they also which pierced Him … When John indicated “and another scriptures said,” just where is "that other scripture?" From where did John quote and what can it reveal to us regarding the fact that Jesus is Lord, the God of the Old Testament?
Consider Zechariah 12:4-10, but we will read at verse 10. Here the Lord, the God of Israel is speaking. Here we read And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication (notice what came by way of Jesus Christ - John 1:17) and they will look upon Me (notice me) whom they have pierced … The Lord, the Great Eternal God of Israel said they will look upon Him as the one who was pierced. Yes, once again we can learn that Jesus Christ is the Lord, God of Israel who emptied Himself and came in the flesh, and was pierced thereby becoming the savior of humanity.
As we have read, as Paul taught, Jesus Christ emptied Himself, He humbled Himself, and He gave His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28, I Timothy 2:5-6). The very being, Jesus Christ, while existing “from the beginning” as God, at one point in time (I Peter 1:20), He, Jesus Christ, as the I AM of Israel, made the decision to give up His life and become the sacrifice for all humankind (John 10:17-18; Hebrews 9:14, 26), for His creation.
It was Christ’s decision and it was that decision which was honored by the Father, the God “who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son.” It was Christ’s decision that He as the God of Israel, the Son of God come to this earth to live a perfect life as an example (I Peter 2:21) for you and I and to be our redeemer (I Peter 1:18-19). Jesus Christ as GOD, willing gave up His life for you! Can you fathom that fact?
As we understand, Jesus Christ was the God of the Old Testament. This fact is clear throughout the Bible and that reality is made even clearer when we understand the original Hebrew and Greek languages, the languages that were extant at the time the Scriptures were being written. It was from the Hebrew and Greek languages that the scriptures which we commonly read today in the English language, were translated. Although we today can not, with absolute certainty, know how these languages were spoken, that is how any particular word was pronounced, for all languages are dynamic and pronunciation and usage changes dramatically over time, the elements of meaning maintains. Consider Matthew 1:21. And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name JESUS, for he shall save his people from their sins.
Once again, let us confer with the Old Testament to learn the truth revealed in this New Testament teaching. Isaiah 43:3 and 11 we read: For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior … I, even I am the Lord and besides Me there is no Savior.
Throughout the prophetic books, too numerous to mention all here, the God of Israel constantly reminded His people that He will save them at a time yet ahead. He told Ancient Israel and modern day Israel that He would let them go into captivity and punish them for their sins but He promised to bring them back (by way of the resurrection (Ezekiel 37), to save them from their sins. The fulfillment of His (who His? None other that The God of Israel) promise came when He (who He? None other that The God of Israel) emptied Himself, became flesh, and was given the name Jesus.
In the Hebrew language, that name, Jesus would be Yahoshua or a derivation thereof, such as Yahshua, Yeshua, or Joshua. These names are all considered as a compound word/name, which is formed from two root words.
The first root word is Yah (Hebrew, Yaw short for the name of the God of Israel, Yahweh (Psalm 68:4), or as known, YHWH meaning “I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 3:14)). The second root word is oshua (Hebrew oshea or Hosea meaning deliverance or salvation). Consider Numbers 13:16 And Moses called Oshea, the son of Nun Jehoshua. Jehoshua is the Anglicized spelling of the Hebrew Yahoshua. Jehoshua meant GOD or YHWH, YAH or I AM is salvation. (Interestingly Joshua of the Old Testament is portrayed as a type of Jesus.) To properly translate the Hebrew name Yahoshua into the English would be “I AM Salvation” and so Jesus (Greek: Iesous) is the One who is to us, our salvation, our Savior. The name Jesus means “I AM Salvation”.
In every real sense, Jesus Christ is our salvation. Jesus, as the God of the Old Testament, His name then being Yah or YHWH (translated in the KJV as LORD), is the God who promised He would save His people. The God of Israel is the God of Salvation and His name is Jesus (Hebrew Yahoshua or Greek Iesous). That is exactly what Matthew 1:21 teaches us. This is what Paul and the Apostles and the 1st Century Church of God knew. This is exactly what infuriated the religious establishment of Paul’s day. Would it infuriate you?
Now when Paul taught that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, Paul of course wrote and spoke in the Greek language. Paul would have used the Greek nomenclature Iesous, which is a transliteration of the Hebrew Yahoshua, just as Jesus is a transliteration of the Greek Iesous and of course closely resembles the Latin Jesu. We can go further, for example in the Polynesian tongue, that name would be Iokua. Regardless of the language, the fact remains Jesus means I AM Salvation. The I AM is salvation, is your Deliverer. If you do not understand that the God of Israel, the I AM, Yahweh, of Israel is the very one who became flesh and became your Savoir, then you do not have a Savior.
When Paul said at the name of Jesus, He was true to the Old Testament teaching that Jesus who was the YHWH (or the common LORD; other translations, quite acceptable are The Eternal or The Ever Living One), of the Old Testament was now the Savior, God having come (born) in the flesh to save His people. Now the reality is complete. The God of Israel came to save His people by dying in their stead as the sacrifice for sin and as the resurrected High Priest now at the right hand of the Father. Jesus Christ is working with those whom His Father draws to Him (John 6:44), Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, is saving those called into His church. The rest He will save all in their time. God’s Holy Days teach us of the overall plan of salvation God has affected.
To the 1st Century Church of God, the lesson was clear and the acknowledgement was profound. Jesus, the Christ is The Lord because He was and is the Lord, The Eternal One, the I AM, the God of Israel, the God who is commonly called the God of the Old Testament. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Such words could never be truer. The Father did not create Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was not a created being, be he supposedly called wisdom or any of any angelic type.
Indeed, there should never be any jesting, flippancy, nor any posters, mosaics or frescoes, nor tee shirts or loincloths to exhibit. No one in the 1st Century Church would have dared take lightly the name of Jesus (of course in their day and their tongue, Iesous), nor the acknowledgement of His complete existence. One should hold in complete reverence the truth that Jesus Christ is Lord (Greek Kurios from the Hebrew Adonia or Yahweh cf. LXX), and that statement means Jesus Christ is the Eternal, the Lord, the very I AM, the God of Israel. This is who your Savior is and the very character of His being.
“Jesus is Lord” is too powerful and too meaningful of a statement to treat lightly, to speak loosely. When you consider that Jesus Christ is The Lord, consider what your Creator and Savior did for you; consider the greatness and mercy of the God of Israel – Jesus Christ. To acknowledge Jesus Christ as the I AM (for so He said, John 8:58) is to acknowledge a truth that will ultimately lead to your salvation and will Glorify the one who is Christ’s Father and our Father in Heaven (if you are converted), The very Father God, Almighty.
“Jesus is Lord,” you say? Yes, and to say so is to confess the realization that Jesus Christ is the Great God of creation and The Eternal, The Lord God of Israel, the God of the Old Testament. To confess that Jesus Christ is The Lord is to confess a wisdom beyond words and is to give Him, the One Who is your Savior, honor (I Timothy 1:16-17), which I turn will glorify The Farther. When you understand that “Jesus is Lord,” you will by no means speak that phrase irreverently or with vain repetition. When you confess, “Jesus is Lord,” do so having the same mind that the Apostle Thomas left as an example for us. Let us have the same humble mind and contrite attitude that caused Thomas to say: Jesus, “my Lord and my God” (John 20:28). For indeed Jesus, the very Christ is The Lord and is God.
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