His Lordship

John 20:28 (ESV)
²⁸  Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

There is a controversy among Christians today concerning what it means to be a Christian.  Do we just believe that Jesus is God?  Is that all it takes, or is there more?  Or do we need to make Him Lord of our lives?  This is called the “Lordship Controversy.”

The Greek word for “Lord” Thomas used in John 20:28 is kurios and means lord, master, and even owner.  “Sure,” someone might say, “That was Thomas.  He was an apostle.  They turned their lives over to Christ.  Their’s was a super heavy commitment.  We’re not required to have that sort of relationship with Christ, are we?”  Let’s see.

Those who argue against lordship will often point to Acts 16:31 “And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’”  “So,” they say, “only belief in Jesus is needed for salvation.”  Pisteuo is the Greek word there for “believe,” and it means to believe, but is belief all that is involved.  Is a simple belief enough to assure one’s salvation?  The Greek word can mean a variety of things from simple belief something is true to belief that is so strong, so deep, that someone would commit their whole life to that belief.  Which sort of belief is Acts 16:31 talking about?

The story surrounding Acts 16:31 is about the Philippian jailer.  The verses following show that he didn’t just accept the message was true.  He acted on it.  He was baptized, and rejoiced in his newfound faith.  His life had been changed. 

What sort of belief changes our lives?  Is it just acceptance of a truth, or is it a belief so strong it forces us to commit to that truth?

In Acts 8, we are introduced to an interesting character in Church history, Simon Magus, Simon the magician.  According to the passage, Simon believed and was even baptized (vs 13), but was his life changed? Verses 18 through 23 of Acts 8 tell us in fact Simon’s life was not changed.  He had not truly made that commitment required for a life changing relationship with Christ.

Our churches have people in their pews who have accepted the gospel as true but never acted on that truth, never committed their lives to Christ.  I know because I attended church and counted myself as a Christian for five years before I was shown a commitment was needed, and my life changed.

Why is this important?

Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV)
²¹  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²  On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³  And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Matthew 7:21-23 should be the scariest verse in Scripture.  Certainly, it speaks of cultists and followers of false religions, but I think it is speaking to some in the church today as well.  God doesn’t want them to rest on a mere acceptance of the gospel as true.  He wants them to act on it.

When I was in this situation, I didn’t think there was something more than just belief.  If you have belief without commitment, church is a club of likeminded members.  It’s not much different than the Elks or Masons.  God wants more than that for us.  He wants a personal relationship with each and every one of us.

If you are only holding a belief that Jesus is God and Savior but have not committed your life to that truth, like Simon the Magician you are still lost.  A Christian is not someone who is independent of God.  We are God’s servants, God’s property.  We are not our own.  We have been bought and paid for.  Something to think about.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV)
¹⁹  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰  for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.