In revival meetings whenever a good atmosphere is reached, the emphasis is being made that Jesus Christ is Lord. But it is not clear what these people actually think when they make this statement. According to the Scripture if somebody says, Jesus Christ is the Lord, he must refer to Him as God, if not, true revelation is lacking. When Jesus is described in His humanity we do see Him beside God, namely as Prophet and Son of man who could do nothing of Himself. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but whatheseeth the Father do; for whatever things he doeth, these also doeth the Son in the same manner …I can of mine own self do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father who hath sent me.” (Jn. 5: 19+30). Certainly we do not have here a nescient and an omniscient, an almighty and a helpless person within the Godhead, but rather the man Christ Jesus Who did not perform His Own will but the Will of God.
The Holy Scriptures also describe Him as Lord who could make the majestic statement, “All authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Mt. 28:18). In His humanity Jesus is referred to as Prophet, as Mediator, as Advocate, as Son of man etc., then He is shown beside God. Thus He was seen by Stephen, “… looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.” (Acts 7: 55). Stephen saw the supernatural glory, the Shekinah. In this glory the Son of man will come: “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.” (Mt. 25:31).
Again it is necessary to have the right knowledge. Jesus is not only Lord, He is the Lord. At His birth the shepherds heard the announcement, “… a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” (Lk. 2:11). This is what Paul meant when he wrote, “… and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Cor. 12: 3b). It is always the same Spirit (vs. 4), the same Lord (vs. 5), the same God right to the last book of the Bible. “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” (Rev. 4: 8). “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev. 4:11).
Regardless of the many different expressions and descriptions, there is always the same God in action. “… and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” (Rev. 11: 15).
“And 1 heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ…” (Rev. 12:10).
“We give thee thanks, O Lord God AImighty, who art, and wast, and art to come, because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.” (Rev. 11:17). Finally, we are told Who the One is that will reign.
The overcomers at the sea of glass will sing the praises of the lamb with following words, “Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.” (Rev. 15: 3).
In the 16thchapterof Revelation a voice is heard from the altar, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgements.” (verse 7).
The great mystery of the Godhead will remain incomprehensible. It has to be that way and it is the will of God, that we cannot fully comprehend or search the deepest things of God. They can only be revealed by the Holy Spirit but never explained. He wants us to come into His presence with respect and give praise unto Him for all eternity.
Jesus Christ was born a man. As child He was presented and dedicated in the temple (Lk. 2: 22-24).
Simon took Him into his arms, “… and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word.” (Lk. 2: 28-29).
When the Son speaks as man, He says, “The Father is greater than I” (Jn. 14:28). When He speaks as Lord, He says, “Iand the Father are one” (In. 10: 30). The Father in heaven, the Son on earth, and yet, we are to come to the knowledge, “… that the Father is in me, and I in him.” (Jn. 10: 38). Whether beside or under or in the Father, all are correct right to the statement, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father… “ (Jn. 14: 9).
The apostle Peter described the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ as follows, “Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know; Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain; Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.” (Acts 2:22-24). He was man, as man He died in His body of flesh. By His resurrection He overcame death and gave us also the possibility to be changed from this body of flesh into the likeness of His resurrection body.
The apostle Peter writes further, “The LORD (YAHWEH) said unto my Lord (Yahshua), Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2: 34-36).
The apostle Paul said, “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the ages unto our glory; Which none of the princes of this age knew; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
(1 Cor. 2: 7-8).
In chapter 6, he writes to the Corinthians, “And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.” (vs. 14).
Whoever is converted to Christ does not turn to an infant Jesus in a cradle or to the one who is in the arms of Mary, but rather to the One Who was crucified and died and rose again from the dead. The Lord is also spoken of as the Spirit in the same way as John 4: 24 declares God to be the Spirit. “Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Cor. 3:17). The apostle then continues, “But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (vs. 18).
For some this might be a puzzle which cannot be put together, for others it is altogether harmonious and perfect. In 2 Cor. 4, Paul writes about the Glory of Christ Who is the very image of God and then brings it to the climax: “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (vs. 5-6).
