What Does It Mean To Say That Jesus Christ Is Lord Essay

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"Jesus Christ is Lord" is a statement of faith that those in the early church confessed, testifying that Jesus was the ruler of all things. Paul writes in Philippians 2, "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." But this is more than just a personal declaration of faith: it says that Jesus is Lord of my life, that I will follow him no matter what, and that Christ is above all and over all. Colossians 1:18 says, "He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything." Jesus …show more content…

"The Holy Spirit is God's gracious presence in all people." The Holy Spirit allows us to truly encounter God in the reading of the scripture. "Miraculously, when we read Scripture, Christ stands among us, present through our reading and hearing of mere words." Without the Holy Spirit, we would not be moved in our inner selves to fully let God be the leader of our lives. "It is through the Holy Spirit that we are inspired and enabled to live as God would have us live." Bishop William Willimon writes, "The Holy Spirit tells Christians what to think about God and how to speak to and for God." Paul reminds us in Romans 8 that the Holy Spirit guides us in our prayers when we don't know what to pray for. Jesus tells the disciples in Luke 12 that the Holy Spirit will tell them what to say when they have to defend their faith to the authorities. The Holy Spirit is also at work within the community of believers throughout the process of sanctification. The Holy Spirit provides us with faith (1 Corinthians 12:3), equips us (1 Corinthians 12:4-6) and moves us towards holy living, unites the church (Ephesians 4:3-4), guides us in our prayer life (Romans 8:26), and gives us the gift of assurance (Romans 8:16). This gift of the Holy Spirit, given to all believers, first at Pentecsot, continues to give us guidance, comfort, and

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