Preface
This article aligns with my article submission for the Young Writers Program, managed by Press Services International. This program helps to provide a ready-source of content for the magazine publication Christian Today Australia.
This PSI/Christian Today article is my 25th and is available here. It remained on the CTA Most Popular for close to a week.
View the full list of my articles here.
Introduction
One of the first milestones that all believers go through is the moment of salvation. This is typically and culturally known as when a believer confesses Jesus to be their Lord and Saviour.
Jesus as Lord
The term lord in our modern twenty-first century society carries a specific meaning with it; but the connotation that comes with “lord” harkens back to earlier times. Particularly when we consider the Biblical context and Roman society of the New Testament, lords and masters represented the upper class of society compared to the lower class of servants/slaves.
There may be modern day preconceptions around slaves and masters which are largely negative connotations, but there were respectable aspect to the relationship. So, when we consider Jesus as Lord, the nature of Jesus as our God taps into this master – slave relationship, but God/Jesus is the ultimate and perfect master so there is nothing wrong with drawing this parallel out.
When we choose to call Jesus our Lord, we are submitting to His Lordship, and accept our position in the relationship as subservient to Him. And naturally so! Jesus’ ministry and teachings were all about loving our neighbour. He also taught (John chapter 3) us all about the nature of His own relationship with Father God. Consider some examples of Jesus – as the Son of God – modelling for us, how we can relate and submit to Father God. He humbled himself and received the water baptism from his cousin John. Jesus explained that our obedience in following God’s commandments would demonstrate our love to God. Jesus’ commandments deserve our obedience because this shows our love for him as Lord.
In this way, if we profess Jesus as Lord, but we don’t obey His commandments as provided in the Bible, or struggle to do so, then we need to consider exactly how sincere our faith is. For Jesus to be Lord of your life means that He is the ruler, the boss, the master of your whole life. He cannot be Lord of a part – He must have control of your entire life – the whole life.
Jesus as Saviour
The idea of a Saviour originated in the Old Testament. The Jews had for centuries believed the prophecies given by God through the various prophets that they would be saved by Messiah. One key parts of Jesus’ divinity is that he that he saved us – not just the Jewish people who were the original chosen favoured people of God, but in fact, all of us. It is a core tenet of the Christian faith that we call Jesus our saviour.
Jesus’ role as saviour is God’s answer to original sin and the separation caused by it. Whilst we were once in union and harmony with God, the fall of humanity via Adam & Eve in the garden of Eden meant that we were destined to be separated from God. For when a person understands that Jesus came to rescue sinners – He died in our place – the righteousness of Jesus is credited to your life. You move from guilt before God to righteousness before God! Jesus saves from the wrath of God to the love of God.
Recognising our sinful nature, repenting and thus confessing Jesus as our Saviour is thus a key part of that heart transformation which leads us to salvation. Through salvation, we become a new creation – one that never existed before. When God makes you right with Him, you are definitely right.
The Saving Name of Jesus
In Acts chapter 4, verse 12 says that “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Only the sacred name Jesus offers salvation. No religion, cult, or human can do what Jesus did for us. As we put our faith in Jesus Christ and in His name, we are saved.
The name of Jesus represents who Jesus is and what He does, which is save. The name of Jesus has power to raise us up just as God raised Jesus from the dead. Only the name of Jesus has the power of resurrection salvation attached to it. Jesus’ resurrection is proof that Jesus is who He said He is: the Saviour of the world.
As we are saved and speak His name, the authority of Jesus resides in His name. Use of His name by believers is the same as if Jesus was on the earth speaking. It has the same power and backing. When we speak that Name, demons tremble, and sin, sickness, fear, death, lack, and Satan must bow. As we speak the name of Jesus in faith, we will see victory every time.
Everything submits to the authority of Jesus’ name. When we speak the name of Jesus, problems must bow and surrender; salvation is here. Jesus can be your Lord and Saviour.
Jesus: What a Beautiful Name
In the 1990s, Hillsong released this song which has a timeless beauty in the worship of proclaiming the name of Jesus. Based on 2 Thessalonians 1:12 and Colossians 3:17, you can sing it or just read/meditate on the lyrics.
Verse 1
Jesus, what a beautiful name
Son of God, Son of Man
Lamb that was slain
Joy and peace, strength and hope
Grace that blows all fear away
Jesus, what a beautiful name
Jesus, what a beautiful name
Verse 2
Jesus, what a beautiful name
Truth revealed, my future sealed
Healed my pain
Love and freedom, life and warmth
Grace that blows all fear away
Jesus, what a beautiful name
Verse 3
Jesus, what a beautiful name
Rescued my soul, my stronghold
Lifts me from shame
Forgiveness, security, power and love
Grace that blows all fear away
Jesus, what a beautiful name
Use this worship song as you consider Jesus your Lord and Saviour.