confess Jesus as Lord and die
We had a great chat at toh on Sunday on our doubt night and I want to make a quick comment about one of the questions concerning whether verbal affirmation/ belief of the message of Jesus is adequate to consider oneself saved.
Maybe it was something in the reading of this passage or the understanding of the context, but when we read from Acts 4:12 concerning salvation found only in Jesus and Romans 10 that we must confess Jesus as Lord I was floored with the implications.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
This was a statement the citizens in any area conquered by Caesar had to say about Caesar revealing the authority and allegiance that the Roman empire required. And to deny this statement meant certain death. So we have good ol’ Peter utilizing this statement:
Acts 4:8-13 – Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is
” ‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
So any time you confessed in this way that Jesus was Lord you were pretty much asking to die.
Romans 10:9-13 – That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
The statement Jesus is Lord is a direct rip off of Caesar is Lord and is a statement Caesar would have used and required the public to state. Yet in this context it is used in connection to Jesus. If you are going to confess Jesus as Lord, you are making a statement that gives the Roman government the right to kill you. I think Jesus said something about taking up your cross in order to follow him…
Today we can confess with no implications. We can confess and we end up getting more stuff! It’s a nice addition to your life. A little heaven and some purpose.
It was my professor who said to me in seminary that “we need people to stop learning how to live for Jesus and more people who are willing to die for Jesus.”
So if you really believe this Christian message that we read in the Bible and experience in this life I dare you to confess this message… and die.
Tags: Caesar, church, gospel, Jesus, salvation, the open house
Well said. What does this look like for us in a country where we never have to worry about our lives being put at risk because of religious belief or statement?
I am both fearful and greatly encouraged by these words. What will it require and when? I think of the young woman shot dead in Columbine for her “confession”. Will there come a time in my life when someone will step up and ask? Would I be ready? Am I ready?
really good post kyle
I thought this might come up. As it is hard to write all my thoughts down in one post.
I think it will start with the community of God acting in a way contrary to the culture it is in. that will look different depending on the place you live, but it should bring up a response from our culture.
I think that Ad Busters gives us a good start with things like Buy Nothing Day, and it may begin with us being more embarrassed than killed (i.e. not buying another pair of shoes and sticking with your out of date style in order to give that money away) and it may then move to life choices like working less, and volunteering more, which reduces income and status.
I am sure I could keep going. These are only preliminary steps and it is my sentiment that as we take these baby steps we will up the anti and begin to really live counter culturally.
I’m done with being popular and although I still resemble it, Anna and I are seriously making family decisions to being living counter culturally.
Please add more ideas to the list here. I would love to do a follow up post on some of the ideas people have.
I’m looking for a church community more on the small side. Just wondering whether toh is open to the public.
Stop participating in gift giving for Christmas in the traditional sense?
Hey jocelyn, we are totally open to the public.
let me know if you want to drop by kyle AT theopenhouse.ca