Maybe you’ve heard the phrase, “Jesus is Lord of all, or not Lord at all.” Basically it means that if you don’t give up all your sinning, if you don’t give up your bad habits, if you “withhold” any part of your time or talents or treasures from God, then you can’t really say you’re a Christian. Or, at least, you have to keep trying to do all these things, anyway. Maybe you don’t have to succeed, but you have to try.
I admit, I once believed this. I thought that if I could convince people to “give it all” to Jesus, then they would better Christians. Nice idea, I guess, but it’s unattainable. What if I yell at my kids? I shouldn’t, I know, but if I don’t stop, does that means that Jesus is not really my Lord? As long as I just *try* to stop yelling at them, that’s OK, then? Hopefully my good efforts are enough to keep me OK with God.
The problem with this phrase is that it uses law – that is, things you should do, things you shouldn’t do, things you can’t do, and so on – to inspire you to obey more. Maybe you’ve learned by now… that doesn’t work. In fact, 1 Corinthians 15:56 says that the strength of sin is the law. The shoulds and shouldn’ts only serve to make you want to do it more. Laying down the law sounds as if it would work, to motivate us to do better, but it doesn’t actually make us better.
Even if it’s meant well, the phrase “Lord of all or not at all” gives your sins and weaknesses power. In fact, what it does is exasperate people. If they can’t stop smoking or lusting or swearing or whatever they think is getting between them and God, they figure they are just not cut out to be Christians, so they stop trying. How sad that someone would give up, just because they can’t seem to stop doing something.
Friends, our hope is not found in what we do, or don’t do. Jesus is Lord, whether you “make” Him Lord or not. The prophet Isaiah said of Jesus, “A bruised reed, He will not break; a smouldering wick, He will not snuff out.” If you are bruised and broken, and your spirit seems barely alive, take heart! Jesus is on your side. Your hope is not in your best performance, but in Jesus’ perfect performance. Rejoice in that.
I admit, I once believed this. I thought that if I could convince people to “give it all” to Jesus, then they would better Christians. Nice idea, I guess, but it’s unattainable. What if I yell at my kids? I shouldn’t, I know, but if I don’t stop, does that means that Jesus is not really my Lord? As long as I just *try* to stop yelling at them, that’s OK, then? Hopefully my good efforts are enough to keep me OK with God.
The problem with this phrase is that it uses law – that is, things you should do, things you shouldn’t do, things you can’t do, and so on – to inspire you to obey more. Maybe you’ve learned by now… that doesn’t work. In fact, 1 Corinthians 15:56 says that the strength of sin is the law. The shoulds and shouldn’ts only serve to make you want to do it more. Laying down the law sounds as if it would work, to motivate us to do better, but it doesn’t actually make us better.
Even if it’s meant well, the phrase “Lord of all or not at all” gives your sins and weaknesses power. In fact, what it does is exasperate people. If they can’t stop smoking or lusting or swearing or whatever they think is getting between them and God, they figure they are just not cut out to be Christians, so they stop trying. How sad that someone would give up, just because they can’t seem to stop doing something.
Friends, our hope is not found in what we do, or don’t do. Jesus is Lord, whether you “make” Him Lord or not. The prophet Isaiah said of Jesus, “A bruised reed, He will not break; a smouldering wick, He will not snuff out.” If you are bruised and broken, and your spirit seems barely alive, take heart! Jesus is on your side. Your hope is not in your best performance, but in Jesus’ perfect performance. Rejoice in that.