The Lordship of Christ (Part 3)

D I S C I P L E S H I P W O R K B O O K Jay Wegter, Bible Teacher

The Lordship of Christ (part three)

I. SAVING FAITH: A SPIRIT-IMPARTED RECOGNITION OF WHO CHRIST IS. No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:3b). A. work of the Holy Spirit is required for a person to recognize Christ as Messiah and as supreme Lord of heaven and earth.

1. God testifies to the fact that man is born dead to the things of God (Eph 2:1-3) Sinners are aware of God; but are blind to His glory; thus the things of God are not viewed as precious; as life; as wisdom; and as infinitely desirable.
2. Only when a man is brought to recognize Christ will he love and worship Him and gladly submit to His Lordship.

B. Knowledge of God in Christ is not a mere matter of intellectual apprehension; it is a matter of spiritual discernment; to be derived from the Spirit.

1. To fall at the feet of Christ as Lord is only attainable by the work of the Holy Spirit. God must shine in the heart to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Cor 4:6; Matt 16:17; Gal 1:17; 1 Cor 2:10; 14).
2. When the Lord said to His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” “Peter’s response was , “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The Lord said to Peter that his answer was the result of the Father’s revelation (Mt16:17).
3. Peter had not arrived at his belief by mere reason: ‘flesh and blood’ had not worked out the problem; there had been a revelation to him from the Father who is in heaven. The truth had been written on his heart by the heavenly Spirit. This is the only knowledge worth having as to the Person of our Lord (C. H. Spurgeon).

4. The fact that sinful man is dependent upon the Spirit’s gracious working does not remove responsibility from man. God commands men everywhere to seek Him diligently. Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other (Is 45:22). Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts (Is 55:6-7). God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17:30b-31; Strive to enter. . .Luke 13:24).

II. WHEN THE APOSTLES PREACHED THE GOSPEL; THEY PREACHED
THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST.
A. Christ’s Lordship was the central confession of the Christian community.

1. To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 1:7).
2. To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. . . (1 Cor 1:2).

B. For the Apostles, Christ’s Lordship was a key part in presenting the Gospel.

1. For in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you (2 Pet 1:11).
2. To ‘recognize’ Christ as Lord is to recognize His authority in every sphere.

For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet (1 Cor 15:25). And on His thigh He has a name written, “King of kings, and Lord of lords”

(Rev 19:16). To be saved is to be transferred into Christ’s Kingdom (Col 1:13).

3. The Apostles preached the Lordship of Christ. In the book of Acts, the word “Savior” occurs only twice in the book of Acts (5:31; 13:23). The title “Lord”

is mentioned 92 times; “Lord Jesus” 13 times; and “Lord Jesus Christ” 6 times.

In the N.T. Jesus is referred to as “Lord” 822 times. The word “Savior” is only used 24 times (Ernest Reisinger, Lord and Christ).

4. It is popular today to speak of a person deciding to make Jesus Lord. But in reality, it is not the believing sinner who makes Christ Lord. Jesus is Lord already. God has made Him Lord of all. Therefore 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; Phil 2:9-11). Sinners are commanded to seek God; but it is the regeneration by the Holy Spirit which produces faith; repentance; humility; and submission to Christ (Titus 3:5-7).

III. SAVING FAITH RESPONDS TO CHRIST’S LORDSHIP WITH SPECIFIC
ACTIONS AND DESIRES.
A. True saving faith wants Christ without exception.

1. False faith wants the benefits of salvation (escape from hell); but not the loving rule and reign of Christ over one’s life.
2. True saving faith is willing to have Christ unconditionally (without exception). This is illustrated by our Lord’s parables in Matthew 13. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it (Mt 13:44-46).

B. True saving faith wants Christ as He is set forth in the Scriptures.

1. Christ is set forth in Scripture as our Mediator and Great High Priest (1 Tim 2:5; Heb 4:14). As Priest, Christ secures pardon and peace for His people by His death on Calvary’s cross. His ongoing work as Priest is intercession for His sheep. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom you have given Me; for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I am glorified in them (Jn 17:9-10; Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25).
2. As Mediator Christ has three offices: Prophet (to instruct us); Priest (to redeem us); King (to rule us). Only the person with true saving faith desires the ministry of all of Christ’s offices in his life. A person with false faith wants Christ’s role as Priest (to save them from hell); but not Christ’s role as King over their life. Many use the name “Lord Jesus”; but do not submit to Him as Lord and King. Jesus said that they will be cast out forever (Mt 7:21-23).

3. Consider Christ’s role as King: He calls us out of the world to Himself. He gives us His laws, promises, and warnings. He rules His church by His Word. He governs His people by bestowing saving grace and by correcting us, preserving us, and supporting us in our temptations and sufferings. He sovereignly chooses our trials and chastisements. He restrains and overcomes our enemies and He powerfully orders all things for His glory and our good.

And, He will ultimately take vengeance on those who do not know God and who do not obey the Gospel.

C. Saving faith wants Christ in spite of the inconveniences that follow a commitment to Him.

1. Those with false faith want the eternal benefits of salvation (heaven); but they have never counted the cost of following Christ (Luke 14:25-33). Jesus said, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me (Luke 9:23).
2. Those with a false faith never make the sacrifices necessary to bear fruit. Jesus said of ‘temporary believers’, And those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away (Luke 8:13).

3. Those with true saving faith follow Christ in spite of inconveniences that come with a commitment to Christ. As a result, they are fruitful in Christ’s service.

True saving faith is characterized by the following:

• Continuance in trusting Christ, and in devotion to Him and His service.
• Desire to be useful in the service of Christ.
• Attendance to Christian duty.
• Love of prayer, the Word of God, and worship with His people.
• Devoted love of the brethren.
• Progress in the knowledge of Christ; and of self and sin.
• Progress in loving holiness and hating sin.

4. In light of the above description of true faith’s response to Christ’s Lordship; there is a legitimate place for biblical self-examination. 2 Corinthians 13:5a states, Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!

QUESTIONS:

(I.A.1-2) 1.) When God’s Spirit bestows regeneration (the new birth); He shines into the heart to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Cor 4:6). Describe your own conversion—in your own experience was there a recognition of Christ’s willingness to save you as well as a recognition of Christ as Lord of all?

(I.B.1-3) 2.) Read Matthew 16:13-17. Why did Jesus say that Peter’s answer, given in verse 16, was not the result of ‘flesh and blood’ reasoning (or natural reasoning)?

(I.B.4) 3.) How would you answer someone who said the following: God has predestined those who will be saved, so there is no use for a sinner to try to find God.

(II.A-B.1-2) 4.) Read Colossians 1:12-14. To be delivered from sin is to be delivered from the domain of ____________, and transferred to the _______________ of His beloved Son.

(II.B.1-3) 5.) Read 2 Peter 1:2-4. Those who come to know God in Christ are delivered from what according to this text? Do you see your own salvation in these terms? Are you experiencing the deliverance spoken of by the Apostle Peter?

(II.B.4) 6.) Read Acts 2:36 and Philippians 2:9-11. Which of the three terms is least accurate: a.) The believing sinner makes Jesus Lord. b.) The believing sinner recognizes Jesus as Lord. c.) The believing sinner submits to Jesus as Lord. Why do you think that accurate terminology is important here?

(III.A.1-2) 7.) Read Matthew 13:44-46. A person who recognizes the preciousness of Christ and His kingdom will: a.) Sell everything and become homeless. b.) Give his wealth to the church. c.) See that Christ is the only true treasure; and will therefore make any sacrifice to have Him.

(III.B.1-3) 8.) Read Romans 8:31-34. According to this passage, what encouragements and comforts may be drawn from Christ’s intercession for believers?

(III.B.2-3) 9.) The believer’s submission to Christ as Lord and King involves an obedient responsiveness to the discipline Christ brings into our lives. Read Revelation 3:19-21. What is the response that Christ is seeking when He disciplines us (v. 19)? What additional words in vv. 20-21 also describe our response to His discipline?

(III.C.1-2) 10.) Read the Parable of the Soils in Luke 8:4-15. According to v. 14, what kinds of ‘pressures’ in life revealed that this person had a false faith? What are the characteristics of true saving faith found in v. 15?

III.C.3) 11.) Review the marks of true faith found in III. C. 3 of your outline. Write down the characteristics in which you need the most spiritual growth. What do you plan to do to contribute to this growth?

(III.C.4) 12.) Read 2 Corinthians 13:5. Why do you think that the Apostle Paul would command the members of a local church to examine themselves? Should self-examination be a part of our prayer time (see Ps 139:23-24)?