“From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven has come near.’” -- Jesus (Matt. 4:17)
“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ …you will
be saved.” -- Paul (Rom. 10:9)
“Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you….’” – Jesus (Matt. 28:18-20)
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
– Jesus (Luke 6:46)
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the
kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” – Jesus (Matt. 7:21)
This is not how most evangelicals today present the gospel, and the way
of salvation.
In order to be saved, person must ‘confess Jesus as Lord’, acknowledging
him to be the Supreme Authority (“King”) over him or her. For the Lordship of Jesus is the current
expression of the kingdom of God.
Becoming a true disciple (= Christian, Acts 11:26) means committing to
obey everything Jesus commands.
Jesus himself defined his Lordship in terms of people doing what He
says – doing the will of God.
And Jesus warns that just because someone is in the habit of calling
Him ‘Lord’ – that person will not be among the saved if they were not an obeyer
of Christ’s word.
Far too often this truth is not clearly explained in our presentations
of the Gospel. In fact, far too many
evangleicals don’t even seem to be trying to make this clear and, even more bizarre,
some evangelicals deny that this proclamation of Jesus as Supreme Authority is
even necessary, or even accurate.
Tragically, instead of urgently and boldly proclaiming this true
message concerning the way of salvation, too much of the evangelical church
seems committed people-pleasing ‘preaching,’ presentations and programs that do
much more entertaining than faithful evangelizing of the lost (or edifying of
the saved) – which is just what the apostle Paul warned would happen (2 Timothy 4:1-5)
