Is Jesus your Lord?
For the [remarkable, undeserved] grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to reject ungodliness and worldly (immoral) desires, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives [lives with a purpose that reflect spiritual maturity] in this present age, awaiting and confidently expecting the [fulfillment of our] blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who [willingly] gave Himself [to be crucified] on our behalf to redeem us and purchase our freedom from all wickedness, and to purify for Himself a chosen and very special people to be His own possession, who are enthusiastic for doing what is good. - Titus 2:11-14 (Amplified Bible)
The message of salvation includes a call to surrender to Jesus as Lord. Those who would come to Him for salvation must be willing to acquiesce to His sovereign authority. Those who reject His right to rule cannot expect to lay claim to Him as Savior. True salvation produces a heart that voluntarily responds to the ever-awakening reality of Christ's lordship. - John MacArthur (The Gospel According to Jesus)
Jesus called the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. - Mark 8:34 (Amplified Bible)
For we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus. - 2 Corinthians 4:5 (LSB)
People have been trying to domesticate Jesus' message for many years. In the minds and methodologies of most evangelicals, the entire gospel was finally reduced to one easy idea: that Jesus is a kind Savior who patiently waits for sinners to "accept" Him (or invite him into their hearts), and that He offers eternal life -no strings attached- in exchange for anyone's decision to do so. Jesus proclaimed no such message. The faith He called sinners to was a repentant, submissive surrender to the truth - including the truth of His lordship. - John MacArthur (The Gospel According to Jesus)
For certain people have crept in unnoticed [just as if they were sneaking in by a side door]. They are ungodly persons whose condemnation was predicted long ago, for they distort the grace of our God into decadence and immoral freedom [viewing it as an opportunity to do whatever they want], and deny and disown our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. - Jude 1:4 (Amplified Bible)
The now pervasive influence of no-lordship doctrine among evangelicals reflects the shallowness and spiritual poverty of the contemporary evangelical movement. It is also doubtless one of the main causes for evangelicalism's impoverishment. You cannot remove the lordship of Christ from the gospel message without undermining faith at its core. That is precisely what is happening in the church today. - John MacArthur (The Gospel According to Jesus)
Is Jesus your Savior?
If He is your Savior, is He your Lord?
Is it my desire to "follow Him"?
Am I fully committed to executing His will, His way, in His timing, and for His glory?
Be Encouraged to submit unreservedly to the Lordship of Christ.
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