Jesus Is LORD-Asher Instrater

Yeshua is Lord
©February 7, 2010 Asher Intrater


One of the most important proclamations of the New Covenant is "Yeshua is Lord." To say that Yeshua is Lord is to recognize His authority. That simply means that you intend to do whatever He tells you. We can learn the correct response from this example of the opposite:

Luke 6:46

Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and do not do what I say?

We must not only say that He is Lord; we must do what He says. One of the "scariest" passages of the New Covenant indicates that there are many people who call Him Lord - seemingly Spirit-filled believers - who are actually deceived. The point of deception is that they call Him Lord but do not obey.

Matthew 7:21-23

Not everyone who calls Me, "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day: "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and in Your name cast out demons and in Your name perform many miracles?" Then I will say to them: "I never knew you. Depart from Me you evil doers."

The separation of faith from basic moral obedience is a source of great deception; so great that "many" who think they are saved actually are not. The word "many" shows how widespread this problem is. Many think that their salvation is based only on a confession, without the commitment to obedience.

Lordship and Salvation

The phrase "Yeshua is Lord" appears three times in New Covenant epistles. The first one deals with this very issue of confession and salvation.

Romans 10:9

If you confess with your mouth, "Yeshua is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

This verse is quoted to demonstrate that only a confession is needed. However this confession must be a truthful one, from the heart. To confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord is to make a covenant commitment to obey Him. We cannot proclaim a covenant commitment to obey Him and then ignore it.

This most basic salvation proclamation declares lordship and obedience as the first words that proceed from our mouths. It is illogical to use a verse that declares the lordship of Yeshua to try to prove that salvation is by confession without obedience. Can one proclaim that Yeshua is Lord without making Him Lord?

Some separate salvation from lordship; as if salvation is a first stage and then lordship a second and optional one. But Romans 10:9 states that the confession of lordship is the very essence and first step of salvation.

Spiritual Gifts

We love the gifts of the Spirit, and rightly so. The second confession of the lordship of Yeshua has to do with the "charismatic" gifts.

I Corinthians 12:3-4

No one can say, "Yeshua is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.

There are many supernatural experiences in the world. Some are from God; others are not. The dividing line is the lordship of Yeshua. This is not a superficial mouthing of the words that Yeshua is Lord, but a commitment of the heart to obey Him.

If we are involved in the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, but do not obey Him, then the proclamation of His lordship is a meaningless incantation; and the spiritual gifts may degenerate into a type of witchcraft under a "Messianic" or "Christian" guise.

When we obey the Lord and operate in the gifts of the Spirit, those gifts become a powerful tool which allows the Holy Spirit to work in our lives and touch those around us. Separating the lordship of Yeshua from the charismatic gifts is a dangerous path toward witchcraft. Combining the gifts of the Spirit with moral obedience releases the supernatural power of the kingdom of God.

Spiritual Authority

The lordship of Yeshua deals with His authority in our lives. When we are under His authority, we have His authority. If we are not under His authority, we do not have His authority. The Roman centurion expressed this simple rule of faith: authority goes both upwards and downwards.

Luke 7:8

For I myself am a man under authority and I have soldiers submitted under me.

All true authority comes from God through Yeshua to mankind. There is only one stream of authority. It flows down from His throne. You are either in it or not. If you are in His authority, you have authority. If not, then you do not. The key to having spiritual authority is being under the lordship of Yeshua.

Philippians 2:8-9

Every knee will bow, in heaven, on earth and under the earth; and every tongue will confess that Messiah Yeshua is Lord.

Philippians 2 calls us to have the same attitude that Yeshua had. He humbled Himself and obeyed even unto death. Therefore He was given authority above all others. If we commit ourselves to total obedience, then we as well will receive spiritual authority. Yeshua is Lord. God desires to delegate to us part of the authority invested in Yeshua.

It is a great revelation to know how much authority God wants to give us. The key to that authority is obedience and the lordship of Yeshua.

A Personal Note:

- Betty and I are pleased to announce that our son Yehezkel and his wife Odeliah are expecting their first child.

- We are also pleased to announce that our son Freddy has finished his bachelor's degree at Hebrew University in Jerusalem in "Old Testament Studies and International Relations."

- Please keep up urgent prayers for the interview recorded on Israeli television last week. We are still awaiting the final broadcast date.