JESUS CHRIST IS LORD! No person nor anything we can create is capable of being Lord in our life! It is as lifeless as the false gods of the heathen nations in the Old Testament.
Jesus’ Lordship will be recognized by all in the future. Philippians 2:9-11 says, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Recognizing Jesus’ Lordship is what gets one born again. Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.”
Even though one is born again that does not mean that he is instantly spiritually mature. Growth is needed in many areas. 1 Peter 2:2 says, “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” Peter further said in 2 Peter 3:18, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” The Apostle Paul indicated the need for believers to grow when he said in Ephesians 4:15, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ.”
An old cliche says, ‘He is Lord of all or He is not Lord at all.’ I think the previous verses, and many others, prove this to not be true. One is a spiritual infant when he is first born again. He needs to be taught the Word of God, he needs to learn to worship, he needs to be discipled in spiritual realities.
CARNALITY
Paul dealt with carnality in the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) as well as those in Colosse (Colossians 3:1-17). These were believers that by now should have been much more spiritually mature than their actions showed them to be.
One can be a believer, truly born again, but still need to grow. This should only last for a short period of time. When one is born again he is “translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God” (Colossians 1:13), he has been blessed with “all spiritual blessings in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3), he has been given “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3-4). While all of these are his positionally in Christ he may not have learned how to appropriate them into daily life. This is where the Body comes into operation. This is why the Ministry gifts are useful (Ephesians 4:11-16). Fellowship with other believers in a local church congregation is also very helpful.
BECOMING WHO YOU ARE
All of us need to know who we are in Christ, and who He is in us. The best place to learn these things is in the New Testament – Romans 1 – Revelation 1. There are 168 things that the NT says you are and possess in Christ. Read these books, make a note when you find wording such as “in Him” or “In Whom.” Until we know these things we will never attain the spiritual stature that is needed in all of us.
OBEDIENCE
Part of the great commission in Matthew 28:19-28 requires this. “Go, therefore and make disciples of all the nations (people groups), baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe (obey) all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end (consummation) of the age.” Recognizing Scripture as the final authority and obeying it is something that many of us have not been taught to do! Why? Most of us do not like to be told what to do! We want to be in charge.
About three decades ago we had a couple in the church who had a young son. The parents were training him to obey what they told him to do. One day he responded ‘I just want to do what I want to do’! This is applicable and descriptive of many of us today.
The more obedient we are to Jesus and His Word the greater His Lordship will be seen in us.