Many today would say they ‘believe’ that Barack Obama is the president of the United States but many of those same people would also tell you they DON’T ‘believe’ in how he runs the presidency or in his ideals or policies-basically they don’t stand behind him. Now this isn’t about one’s political stance or view. In fact the very same thing could be said of former president George W. Bush. The point being that you can ‘believe’ that someone exists or holds a certain office or position without necessarily ‘believing in what they stand for’ or ‘standing behind them’ in their policies. We see this all the time in different political arenas or in jobs or in just about any area of modern life.

So many people today, if you ask them about their faith, or if they are a Christian, will say ‘Oh yes, I am. I go to church. I even believe in Jesus.’ Believing in Jesus is the first step but not the only step. The Bible tells us that it’s our faith and belief which saves us. But there is another aspect to it besides just a general ‘belief’. The Bible tells us that even the demons in hell and Satan himself believe, not only in Jesus but that He died on the cross, rose from the grave and ascended back into Heaven. So if that’s the case, what’s the difference between us and the devil? Now that may be a harsh comparison but let’s get real. It’s the Lordship of Christ! That’s the difference.

Romans 10:9-10 states the following: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified. With your mouth you confess and are saved.”

We see here that it’s both ‘believing’ in Jesus and His work here on Earth, as well as, confessing His lordship of our lives. I’ve heard a great many make statements like ‘Oh He is my savior just not necessarily my Lord.’ Or…’well He has been my savior and now I’m going to make Him my Lord’. Let me tell you something…those statements are pure nonsense and a fabrication of one’s mind. In reality, they are one of the biggest lies of the devil himself. Jesus is not your savior if He is not your Lord. Point blank. We see this clearly in much of the denominational churches today throughout America-even now in many of the evangelical and non-denominational churches. These people go to church (maybe) on Sundays but little else in the way of a changed life or commitment to living their lives FOR Jesus. Want Biblical proof of my statements?

“The man who says ‘I know Him’ but does not do what He commands is a liar and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His Word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:4-6/NIV)

Here we have the apostle John stating very plainly (as he does in other areas of this same Epistle) that if we say we know Him then we must live as He did and do what He commanded. We know from 2 Timothy 3:16 that all scripture is inspired straight from God Himself. The Bible is the written Word-Jesus is the living Word. They are one in the same-truth upon truth. The Word is truth and provides for our complete sanctification (John 17:17). So the apostle Paul’s words in Romans are commands from Jesus that need to be fulfilled if one is to be a Christian.

It’s the Lordship of Jesus Christ that we must surrender unto. The beautiful thing is that His Lordship provides covering, freedom, peace and victory in every area of our lives. Here lies an enormous problem in people coming to Jesus to be saved: They think it means they have to get their lives in order and stop sinning to do so. They think they have to provide their own holiness and righteousness in order to come to Jesus. That is completely backwards and not how it works at all! Another lie of the devil. Jesus already paid for the sins of the entire world-for every person. That was accomplished on the cross when Jesus gave His life for ours. So sin in not the issue. The Bible tells us we are saved by grace. This is great news!! But does this mean every person is saved and a Christian now? Nope. Why? Because the Bible tells us ‘We are saved by grace…through faith.’ It’s our faith that accesses this grace which saved us. Then when we decide to believe that Jesus rose from the dead and confess His lordship over our lives, our faith in Him accesses what is already ours and purchased by Jesus Christ some 2,000 years ago.

Then…when we make this confession and profession of faith, Jesus sends His Holy Spirit into our lives and we are ‘born again’ and ‘saved’ from our sins. Born again means we are born a second time, starting over, as in Christ. We are brand new creatures. Brand new people on the inside. We still live in this body of flesh and sin but on the inside, we have a brand new nature-the very nature of Jesus Christ, which is the very life of God residing within! The life of God is enormously stronger than the flesh we live in. As we pray and study God’s Word, we build the new spirit on the inside and become more like Jesus, having the ability to overcome sin and come into greater and greater relationship with God Himself, through Jesus Christ.

‘If anyone is IN Christ, he is a brand new creation. Everything old has passed away and behold…all things are brand new!’ (2 Cor 5:17/paraphrased)

This whole thing isn’t just about eternity in the future-when we die. It’s also about right now! This life. Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to dwell within us for this life-to be overcomers and conquerors. Did you know that Jesus told His disciples “If anyone believes in Me he will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things (than I have been doing) because I am going back to the Father (in Heaven).’ We can have the life of God in us now…on our way to eternity! But…

…we have to make Him Lord of our lives. Don’t be fooled into thinking you are saved and a Christian just because you attend church every week or that you grew up in home where your parents were pastors, or that you attended Sunday School all your life, or that you simply believe that Jesus existed and died on the cross.

IT’S NOT ENOUGH! You must surrender your life unto Him. In doing so, you can be reborn spiritually, receiving the power of God into your life. That’s Christianity. Not just a title of one who goes to some church. If you bear the name of Christian, it means you KNOW Jesus. You really need to KNOW Him!

?Do you KNOW Him? Have you surrendered your life? Have you been filled with supernatural life of God on the inside? If you can’t answer this question with an emphatic ‘YES’ then I challenge you right now to do so. It’s not hard but it is a commitment. Don’t worry about trying to clean yourself up or that you have to ‘do this’ or ‘do that’ if you give your life to Jesus. God will take care of that in you when you give your life to Him. We can’t fix ourselves. That’s why Jesus came and died for you. He will fix you up. Your sins have been paid for. YOUR SIN ISN’T SEPARATING YOU FROM GOD. That’s right. The real question is this: IT’S WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH JESUS? All you have to do is profess your belief in who He is and His sacrifice for you and then confess (out loud with your mouth) that He is Lord of your life. That’s it! If you pray that to the God, you are part of the kingdom of God and born again.

If you prayed today for the Jesus to be your Lord and savior I would love to hear from you. You want to get connected to good group of other Christians-in a good local church or Christian fellowship. You want to get hold of a Bible and begin reading. If you’ve been born again, the words on the pages will like actual food to your spirit. The Bible is life to the believer. You also want to pray to God regularly. Not fancy churchy prayers-just real talk to God. Don’t be overwhelmed. Don’t feel inadequate. Jesus did everything for you and will help you along as you go. He gave His Holy Spirit to come along side us to help us. The Holy Spirit lives inside of you now. Again, congratulations! And don’t forget to write me or comment on this post. I will most definitely get back to you! There is nothing better than knowing Jesus!

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever would believe on Him, would not perish but rather would have everlasting life (God life within-forever). For God did not send His Son into the world to damn the world but instead, to SAVE the world through Him. Whoever believes in Jesus is not damned but whoever DOES NOT BELIEVE, is damned already for he has not believed in God’s one and only Son-Jesus Christ.’ (John 3:16-18/NIV paraphrased)