We are saved by grace through faith in Christ. Not by works lest we should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
But that does not mean that those who strive to live for Christ are being legalistic. A desire to obey His teachings does not necessarily mean the person is trying to earn salvation. Granted, there may be a few who are—to no avail. But generally speaking, those of us who desire to live for Christ do so because we regard Christ as not only Savior but also He is Lord.
The lordship of Christ demands that we give Him more than mere lip service. “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not what I say?” He asked (Luke 6:46, NASB).
I felt the need to say those things up front because of what I see as a growing assault on the message of obedient Christian living. Christ’s teachings are not limited to salvation by grace through faith. He has also commanded us to make disciples. The last time I checked, a disciple is a follower of the teachings of Christ.
Reconciling the Liberty of Grace with the Lordship of Christ
I have been hearing a message of grace from some believers that says if you spend much time praying and studying the Bible and fasting, you are trying to earn your salvation. And you are the enemy of grace.
Did Jesus not preach that men should always pray? Did He not teach that we should study the Scriptures? And did He not teach us to fast?
My point is that the message of Christ’s lordship is not incompatible with the message of God’s grace . The fact that we live under the covenant of grace does not make Christ’s lordship null and void. When He speaks, we are to listen AND obey. No one sent by God has been authorized to preach or teach otherwise.
Paul the apostle warned Pastor Timothy that in the last days, men would not endure sound doctrine (see 2 Timothy 4:3). I submit that we are already living in those days. A growing number of churchgoers today don’t want to hear words such as sin and repent mentioned in the pulpit. Many don’t believe that absolute moral truths exist. They want to do what’s right in their own eyes and not be challenged through the Word.
But that’s no excuse for us to lower the bar to make the gospel more palatable. We must not fear preaching the whole truth of the Bible. Jesus Christ is Lord—even under the umbrella of grace.
Copyright © 2022 by Frank King. All rights reserved.