“Why Call You Me Lord…and Do Not the Things Which I Say?”

This question has been occupying much of my thinking in recent days. The avowed body of Christ is terribly divided today and is more and more embracing the mindset that the scripture does not mean what it says. I find myself thinking about how this must grieve the heart of our Lord and Savior.

The news is full of information about just how quickly global governance is advancing toward its end. It is also replete with evidence of how society is determined to turn away from biblical standards and morals and embrace evil as good and normal. In light of this truth, it is more important than ever that we as Christians are acting in obedience to God’s will. I think the time is coming soon in which our faith is going to be severely tested. Our submission and obedience to the Lord establish a strong foundation that we are going to need to endure the coming times of trial and testing.

Luke 6:46-49 “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”

To recognize Jesus as Lord is to acknowledge Him as the supreme authority in your life. To accept God’s gift of salvation in Jesus is to acknowledge Him as Lord in your life.

Acts 16:30-31 “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

Jesus declared to His disciples that they rightly called Him “Master and Lord.”

John 13:13-17 “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”

It seems as though many in the leadership of the “church” today have positioned themselves as “lords” in rejection of the declared truth of God’s word. God’s word declares that all scripture is inspired by God and is absolutely true…

2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

Psalms 119:160 “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”

…that life begins in the womb…

Jeremiah 1:4-5 “Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

Psalms 139:13 “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.”

Job 31:13-15 “If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me; What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?”

…that homosexuality is sin…

Romans 1:24-27 “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”

Scripture is clear in declaring that we are to live according to every word that God utters.

Deuteronomy 8:3 “And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.”

Jesus used God’s word to fight against the temptation of the devil, and it was established earlier that we are to follow His example.

Matthew 4:4 “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

These should all be obvious truths to every true child of God, and therein is my concern. How can people claim to be part of the body of Christ and reject His truth? The Holy Spirit indwells every true believer, and I know that He is not teaching in contradiction to God’s word. I think that there are many in “Christian” leadership who are part of the prophesied end time multitude of false prophets/teachers. Peter makes it clear that these hypocrites are in it for themselves, for the money.

2 Peter 2:1-3 “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”

In Paul’s letter to Timothy he warned him what to expect in the last days in words that are an accurate commentary on today’s society.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

In light of this truth I believe that every true child of God should be seeking to emulate the example of our Lord by standing boldly against sin while showing love to the sinner. We should be ready to give an answer as to the truth of God’s word with humility toward man and in fear of God.

1 Peter 3:15-16 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.”

We should live with desire for and in expectancy of the Lord’s return.

Matthew 6:9-10 “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

Matthew 24:42 & 44 “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come…..Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

Most importantly, we should show love to one another if we want our testimony to have an impact on the fallen world.

John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

1 John 4:12 “…. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.”