The title of “Lord”—which denotes someone who should be obeyed—is found over 350 times within the 3,180 verses of Romans through Revelation, and most often in reference to Jesus. So, at least one out of ten New Testament verses written to Christians mentions Jesus as Lord, that is, as one to obey. Remember Jesus once asked: “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:36).
Within that same range of verses (Romans through Revelation), Jesus is referred to as “our Lord” over 70 times.
All that being so, it is safe to say that, if Jesus is not your Lord, the New Testament epistles have no relevancy to you. None whatsoever. You are not yet a Christian, and you are certainly not ready to stand before the “Lord of lords”—as we all assuredly one day will.
Yet there exists an entire class of professing “Christians” who claim that Jesus does not need to be one’s Lord in order for one to be saved, and that if that was the case, it would contradict the principle of salvation by grace. Worse, they speak disparagingly of what they label “lordship salvation” (as if there is any other kind of salvation).
In light of how glaringly obvious their heretical error is, there is really no sense debating them. Their problem isn’t in their heads, but rather in their hearts. They don’t need doctrinal adjustment. They need repentance and faith in our LORD Jesus Christ. They need to hear and believe the gospel.
Salvation is by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9). Anyone who honestly reads the New Testament will quickly see that the grace God is offering is not a license to sin, but rather a temporary opportunity to repent, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, be born again, and be indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit by which one can obey God. That saving grace is received through faith, but not faith in a theological doctrine about Christ that the devil himself believes. Rather, it is through faith in a Person (John 3:16), and that Person is the Lord Jesus Christ. To believe in Him is to submit to Him. To not submit to Him is to not believe in Him.
