Jesus Christ is Lord…Lord of All

Jesus Christ is God (Jn 1:1; 10:30; Phil 2:6), Him being the only begotten Son of God (Mt 27:54). As such He is eternal, and the Bible attributes the creation of all things to Him, that is, all things in heaven and on earth (Col 1:16). Thus, Jesus is Lord of everything in heaven and on earth (Acts 17:24).

When we consider the attributes of God, we ascribe them to our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, He is all-wise and all-powerful (1 Cor 1:24), with all authority in heaven and on earth entrusted to Him (Mt 28:18). This authority is called “sovereignty.”

The Apostle Paul refers to Jesus as, “He who is blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Tim 6:15).” This follows the psalmist who declares, “The Lord (Yahweh) has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all (Ps 103:19).”

A sovereign king has absolute authority. Nothing and no one can thwart the will of a sovereign Lord. Jesus, the Sovereign Lord of all, accomplishes all His holy will, despite the machinations of men and devils (Eph 1:11). He is Lord of all and over all (Acts 10:36).

Men hate God, when in their natural, sinful state (Rom 1:30; 1 Cor 2:14). Every man in this rebel status is a liar (Rom 3:4), even denying the enmity between God and man (Rom 5:10; Eph 2:15–16). The natural man is unregenerate, meaning he does not have the Holy Spirit living in him (Rom 8:9, 11). Without the Spirit of God, this man will deny the Person and work of Jesus Christ. He cannot say, “Jesus Christ is Lord” and mean it because he does not believe it to be true.

Jesus Christ is Lord whether a man believes it in his heart or not. God is immutable and never subject to the speculations of unbelievers or believers. In other words, God is who He is, regardless of the scrutiny afforded to Him by skeptics. In addition, God does not become something other than He is when He saves His elect people from their sins (Mt 1:21; Eph 1:4–5; Titus 3:5).

The saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is grace that actually saves us. Salvation belongs to our sovereign Lord, alone (Ps 3:8; Jon 2:9; Rev 19:1). Jesus Christ is our Savior (Titus 1:4; 2:13; 3:6), our Lord, our God, who does everything required to manifest a full salvation, from eternity past to eternity future.

If a soul is regenerated (Jn 3:1–8; 1 Pet 1:3), and a body is resurrected to life on the last day…it is the Lord’s doing (Jn 5:25–29). If a soul is reprobate and its body is resurrected to judgment on the last day, it is also the Lord’s doing (Rom 9:22). Everything is ordained by God to fulfill its purpose in Creation, even the wicked are made by God for the day of evil (Prv 16:4).

God created the devil and the darkness (Is 45:7), and from the book of Job, we learn that Satan is subject to the will and authority of the Lord like everyone else. There is no salvation for Satan and his demons because the Lord has no design for it. It has not been decreed.

The sovereignty of God in salvation is the doctrinal answer for those who would strip God of His exalted title “Lord of all.” Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Joel 2:32). Who is the hearer of the Gospel learning about, when Jesus is being preached? It is the Lord.

Believers call upon the name of the Lord Jesus because they have heard the voice of the Lord calling them to follow Him (Jn 10:3–4, 27). Believers are believers because the Lord has given them His Spirit (Jn 14:17), who is the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor 3:17). Thus, it is the Lord Jesus sending forth the Lord, who is the Spirit, manifesting in the one He has baptized with His own presence (Mt 3:11; Acts 2:38; 10:45).

One does not make Jesus, Lord. No one can deny that He is Lord, unless that one remains in an unregenerate, unbelieving state. Then, it makes sense that his unbelieving testimony is a denial of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Still, we remember that nothing changes the truth about the fact that Jesus is Lord.

Christian, rejoice in the grace that made you see your Lord, high and lifted up (Heb 12:2). Others that God intends to see the King of glory must not be deprived of every title ascribed to Him in the Bible. Lord is prominent from Genesis to Revelation.

May we be found faithful to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Jn 1:23; 2:2, 4). May we help others to know His true identity, which is, “exalted Lord.” Let us be wise to present Him, as He is, and always will be, our one Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

In conclusion, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, with eternal joy or eternal lament. Woe to anyone who would mislead others into believing anything other than what Jesus Christ is…yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8). Here is our Lord, the Lord of all, and our salvation from this time forth and evermore.

David Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

September 24, 2022