“We Do Not ‘Make’ Christ Lord; He Is Lord!” — John MacArthur
John MacArthur,
We do not “make” Christ Lord; He is Lord! Those who will not receive Him as Lord are guilty of rejecting Him. “Faith” that rejects His sovereign authority is really unbelief. Conversely, acknowledging His lordship is no more a human work than repentance (cf. 2 Tim. 2:25) or faith itself (cf. Eph. 2:8-9). In fact, surrender to Christ is an important aspect of divinely produced saving faith, not something added to faith.
The two clearest examples on the way of salvation in all of Scripture both emphasize Jesus’ lordship: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31); and “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved” (Rom. 10:9). Peter’s sermon at Pentecost concluded with this declaration: “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, emphasis added). No promise of salvation is ever extended to those who refuse to accede to Christ’s lordship.
John MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus, Rev. and expanded anniversary ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008), pp. 43,44
Looks like a book that needs to go on my reading list!
Thanks!
Definitely! I bought a first edition almost 20 years ago. Then I recently bought the 2008 Anniversary Edition (which is actually a third edition).