That is why I told you that you would die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

— John 8:24

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

— Matthew 16:16

Therefore let all Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!”

— Acts 2:36

5 He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

6 This is the Spirit He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

— Titus 3:5-6

For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.

— Philippians 2:13

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life.

— Romans 6:22

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and salvation from Christ to you.

Is “Make Christ Lord of your life” or “Submit to the lordship of Jesus” required for salvation? It is true that in order to be saved you must believe Jesus is the Lord God. Jesus’s title, Christ, signifies that Jesus is the Lord. In Matthew 16:16, when Jesus asked His disciples who He was, Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. It would be nonsensical to trust in Jesus for salvation if you thought He was merely an ordinary , sinful human like yourself. However, while you must believe Christ is the Lord God in order to be saved, making Him Lord of your life will not save you because your salvation would be your belief based on Christ’s finished work only.

How can an un believer who is dead in trespasses and sins, under Satan’s control and without the Spirit of God in his or her ever honestly and successfully promise submissions to the lordship of Jesus Christ? If making Jesus the Lord of your life were a requirement for salvation, no one could ever be saved. Lord ship is a discipleship issue for the believer, not a salvation issue for the unbeliever. The Lord Jesus Christ wants to be Lord of every member of His body. He initiates this lifelong process the moment a person believes in Him and He promises to continue working toward this goal until the second we die. But for an unbeliever, believing in Jesus is the only requirement for salvation.