I recently had another conversation centered around the topic of “can Jesus be savior and not Lord” in your life. It is a question I have wrestled with from time to time as I have grappled with behaviors and mindsets of some (mostly loved ones and relatives, and some closely held christian friends) who call themselves Christians but turn again to the vomit of the world after professing Jesus as, at least, savior.
A couple of things up front here:
1) I am no man/person’s judge as to their salvation!
2) Salvation is by His grace alone, not earned by works, piety, or merit. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. To make salvation works based or merited is to nullify grace, and we will all fall short, we are under the law. [Galatians 2:19-21 NASB95] 19 “For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. 20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the [life] which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 21 “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness [comes] through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.” Salvation is by grace through faith… period. So I am not talking about works/behavior as the foundation of salvation and our relationship with Jesus.
3) Mental ascent to historical fact is not faith. Faith has an outworking that is based, for the believer, primarily in obedience. That obedience is not under compulsion, but is a response to revealing and understanding of the fullness of God’s love in Christ. It is driven by the desire to live in Christ and co-labor with Him in the will of the Father. Not by a compulsion or effort of self to earn salvation, brownie points, crowns and rewards, positions of honor, or to make yourself better or even more pleasing. Jesus has made us eternally alive and righteous by His work and obedience to the Father (See Philippians 2:5-8)
Many pray a “sinners prayer ” and walk through religious activity as a form of mental ascent to the historicity of Jesus life, death, burial, and the hope of resurrection as a form of fire insurance. A kind of c.y.a. for eternal damnation. But they give little time at all to walking with or co-laboring with Him in the Fathers eternal purpose on a daily and ongoing basis. Seeking first the kingdom… the domain of a Lord or King… and walking out His righteousness.
Here then, as Shakespeare said, is the rub. And the conundrum of Savior & Lord … or just Savior.
[Ephesians 2:1-10 NASB95] 1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
This passage, particularly verses 8-9, are familiar to nearly all believers. It makes it clear that we were dead in sin! BUT GOD made us alive together with Christ…by grace through faith! Praise God. His grace, mercy and love are astounding.
However, as I believe I have shared in times past, while everyone loves to quote verse 4-5 and, particularly, verses 8-9 regarding salvation by grace through faith, they rarely ever quote verse 10 in the context! And it makes it clear God was as at work in Christ creating us in Him for what…… good works. What kind? Not the kind we dream up to try and please, appease, or impress Him. Not the kind to earn anything, reward, salvation, honor, position, or prove piety or righteousness. NO! These are “good works” God prepared beforehand (I think the indication is probably before the foundation of the world) that would, not should, but would walk in them. He has not saved us FROM something, namely hell or damnation to give us a fire escape. But, has saved us UNTO something IN Christ Jesus, namely good works. Co-laboring in Jesus, with Jesus, in the eternal purpose of the Father. And, that requires us to be submitted to the Head of the Body we are, and are in; the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:19-23). It requires us to be submitted to the King in the Kingdom we have been transferred into (Colossians 1:13), born from above to see; the kingdom of God (John 3:3). We, co-laboring in these good works in Christ preordained by God and not dreamed up by us, manifest the fulness of Christ and the Kingdom where He is Lord.
As the adage says. A dog barks because He is a dog, not to become or stay one. A christian does good works because He is one, not to become or stay one.
So salvation is simply the portal to being in Christ and then co laboring in the eternal purpose of God, and under His Lordship manifesting the Kingdom, to each other, the world around us, and principalities and powers aboves us (Ephesians 6:12)
Now, whenever I talk with anyone about this Savior/Lord conundrum Luke 23 and the thief on the cross is brought up. I love the passage and God’s grace revealed in it. No argument. And, I too have been awed by the Alistair Begg video where he animates the story and when the thief is questioned in glory about why he is there he says “because the Man on middle cross said I could come”. It is a great message regarding grace through faith (if you haven’t seen it, here is a link Alistair Begg man on the middle cross). However, if we look at the context I think we can see a bit more of the thief’s relationship with Jesus.
[Luke 23:37-43 NASB95] 37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” 38 Now there was also an inscription above Him, “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 39 One of the criminals who were hanged [there] was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 “And we indeed [are suffering] justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
It is interesting to note this section begins with the mocking of Jesus’ Lordship by the crowd, calling out “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” and the hanging of a sign over Him “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” They didn’t attack Him as savior. That mattered little to them. They attacked His Lordship, reasoning that if He was Lord He could save Himself. They did not comprehend that He was doing the will and eternal purpose of the Father, a work that would save them!
One of the criminals joins in the mockery “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us! But the other defends Jesus rebuking his fellow thief saying, we are under condemnation of law and justly so. But Jesus has done “nothing wrong”.
Then rather than attacking Jesus’ Lordship, as all around Him were doing, or mocking any saving power Jesus seemed to lack. He says:“Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” Not, “save me and yourself from this present agony”. Not degrading Him as less than a King. His request I think reveals a revelation He has had.
This thief speaks His name “Jesus”, a derivation of Joshua – Savior. He recognizes Him!… And, His ability to save as Savior. But, He also sees something more! Much more!
He says remember me “when You come in Your kingdom!“ Not “IF” you come into a kingdom, “WHEN you come into YOUR Kingdom“. And, the thief references not just a or any kingdom but YOUR kingdom. He sees that Jesus is definitely a King/Lord and that He reigns in a Kingdom Dominion that supersedes this current state .
In fact, I think you could say He comprehended, even in the moment, that He/Jesus would reign over death as Lord and King. The thief knew they were dying, but He also indicates faith by revelation…. that this Jesus will be in, and can bring him as well into, a kingdom not of this world. The thief comprehends Jesus’ Lordship beyond momentary salvation, or a fire escape from the judgment he is justly under.
He comprehends what we all must! That we have already been judged, and are in need of eternal life delivered through a Savior Who is the LORD of Lords, as the only begotten. (See Jesus and Nicodemus John 3:16-18)
Did he want salvation? Yes! But, he was dead on that cross and knew it! So, what he knew he needed was a Lord who was ruling in the eternal purpose of God and could deliver life eternal.
“Randy, you make too much of this!” you say. Perhaps. Yes, I know there are deathbed conversions. There are thieves on crosses. Those that have little to no time in this realm to co-labor as one “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand” But overall, that is rare. For most believers coming to know Him as Savior, there is ample time to know Him as Lord, the one in Whom we were created…… for good works, which God prepared beforehand SO THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.… under His direction and Lordship day after day as long as we call it today.
Let us not sit on salvation for He is more than a fire escape savior. Let us co-labor with Him as Lord, being given to doing what He is doing in any given moment under His Headship, direction as LORD.
And, when we cross to the other side and are asked like Alistair Begg’s thief “why are you here?” May we not have the audacity to say “Lord, Lord,in your name… didn’t we … (Matthew 7:22-23)”. But, may we also, even as good and faithful servants who have done only what the master has asked of us (Luke17:7-10) still reply:
“The Lord,…. the Man on the middle cross said I could come.”