THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST
Arthur W. Pink (1886-1952)
Our present subject brings before us a very different
aspect of the Truth from that which engaged our attention in the last
article: a greater contrast could scarcely be imagined— Christ the Servant,
Christ the Sovereign; subject to the will of Another, exercising His own
imperial pleasure; and that, at the same season! Truly, "Without controversy
great is the mystery of Godliness: God was manifest in flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16).
In passing, let it be pointed out that the seeming conflict between the
Divine justice and the Divine mercy, between God's sovereignty and man's
responsibility, between the Christian's being "under grace" (Romans 6:14)
and yet "under law" (1 Cor. 9:21), between salvation itself being both a
"gift" (Eph. 2:8) and a "reward" (Col. 3:24), presents no greater paradox
than the above. Our bounden duty is to believe both sides of the paradox as
they are revealed in the Scriptures, going as far with each as Scripture
goes, and leaving with God the perfect consistency between them.
The Greek word for "Lord" means one having personal right
to rule, such as is exercised in the guiding and governing of a family; more
properly it signifies a master or governor over servants, who are bound to
obey him. Such a Governor and Ruler is Christ, whether we consider His title
to this dominion or the exercise of it. He has this title to universal
Lordship by creation (John 1:3)—having made all things. He has the right to
dispose of them; by sustentation (Col. 1:16)—as the Preserver, He has the
right to rule all things; by Divine appointment (John 3:35)—all things
having been committed unto Him; by personal fitness (Col. 1:19).
There is a twofold "Lordship" belonging to Christ: one
which is natural, absolute, underived, pertaining to Him as He is simply
considered as second Person of the Trinity, to whom all the dignities and
royalties of the Divine nature do belong, equally as to the Father and the
Holy Spirit; which Lordship in all Three is founded upon Their joint concern
in the making of all things and also in the governing of them.
But there is also another "Lordship" pertaining to
Christ, namely, a derived and dispensatory one, which is established by the
counsels of God for the effecting of all His works both for and unto Him;
which Lordship is proper and peculiar to Christ considered as God-man
Mediator, to whom as such "all power" or "authority" has been given unto Him
"in heaven and in earth" (Matt. 28:18); "And has given Him authority to
execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man" (John 5:27). It is this
delegated or mediatorial Lordship of Christ which we are now to contemplate.
It was of this that Peter spoke when he said, "Let all the house of Israel
know assuredly, that God has made that same Jesus, whom you have crucified,
both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36). There is a "made" lordship of Him who
yet, by virtue of it, made all things. Paul also referred to this when he
said, "whom He has appointed Heir of all things" (Heb. 1:2): "Heir" here is
equivalent to "Lord," and "appointed" to "made." Christ's being "Lord"
evidently imports an office and economy committed to Him and undertaken by
Him, as "Christ" also does. As "Lord" Christ has been appointed by the
Godhead to "rule over all things." He Himself avowed, "As You have given Him
power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You
have given Him" (John 17:2). Now it is a serious mistake to suppose that our
blessed Redeemer only entered upon this office at His ascension, as it is to
think that He has ceased to be Servant and no longer obeys in Heaven. Luke
2:11 emphatically declares, "For unto you is born this day in the city of
David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." True, there was only an initial
entering upon that office at His birth, the full assumption and exercise
thereof awaiting His exaltation; nevertheless this, as we shall see, was
real.
If we go carefully through the four Gospels with this
thought before us, we shall catch many glimpses of Christ's execution of His
Lordship even during the days of His flesh. Listen to His words when the
poor leper came to Him for healing, "And Jesus put forth His hand, and
touched him, saying, I will, be clean" (Matt. 8:3). See Him cursing the fig
tree (Matt. 21:19)—none could rightfully do so, save the Maker and Lord of
it. Behold Him giving orders for the winds and waves to be still (Matt.
8:26). Ponder His repeated, "Truly, truly, I say unto you": none other ever
used such language. Observe Him authoritatively bidding disease to flee, and
the dead to arise. See Him casting out demons, and causing them to quake
before Him. What demonstrations were these that He who had taken upon Him
the form of a Servant, had not relinquished His Lordship.
Appropriately was His name called "Wonderful" (Isaiah
9:6). Again and again He referred to Himself in this character. To His
disciples He said, "Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will
send forth laborers into His harvest" (Matt. 9:38). When bidding them ask
for the use of the donkey and its colt He said, "You shall say the Lord has
need of them" (Matt. 21:3). He commended His Apostles for owning Him as
such: "You call Me Master and Lord; and you say well, for so I am" (John
13:13). His commissioning of His servants evidenced the same fact (Matt.
10:5-7; 28:19). His implicit demand for obedience from His followers showed
the same thing (John 14:15). His possession of the keys of death and Hell
(Rev. 1:18) manifest His high dominion. His appointing of officers in the
Church exhibits His Lordship (Eph. 4:11, 12). His rule over the churches
demonstrates His sovereign dominion (Rev. 1-3). His opening and shutting of
doors for His servants (Rev. 3:7) clearly displays His Lordship. His
rewarding of His saints (Rev. 22:12) witnesses to this truth. His destroying
of His enemies (Matt. 22:13) will solemnly attest it.
A word upon the character and scope of His Lordship. He
is "Lord of all" (Acts 10:36), "Lord over all" (Romans 10:12), and Lord by
whom all creatures and things exist and are held together: "But to us there
is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one
Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him" (1 Cor. 8:6)—
"one God" in three Persons; "one Lord" or Mediator. All things are of God
originally, by Christ derivatively. This fact will be universally
acknowledged at the last day, when "every knee shall bow, of things in
heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and every tongue
shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Phil. 2:10).
He is not only a universal Lord, but an all-powerful one,
for He "shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His
glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue
all things unto Himself" (Phil. 3:21). He is an unrivaled Lord, the "only
Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords" (1 Tim. 6:15). We trust
that what has been brought out above will enable the reader to distinguish
clearly between the Deity and the Lordship of Christ. In His person He is
very God of very God. But when He took manhood into union with Himself, as
Mediator the office of universal Lordship was delegated to Him. That office
He assumed at His birth, executed throughout His earthly life, continues to
discharge in Heaven, and will for all eternity. Even on the new earth the
Lamb occupies the throne with God (Rev. 22:1). May Divine grace move each of
us to say from the heart, "My Lord, and my God!" (John 20:28).
What are our responsibilities under such a Lord? First,
to serve Him only—not sin and Satan: "You shall worship the Lord your God,
and Him only shall you serve" (Matt. 4:10). He is to be served unreservedly:
"Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord" (Col. 3:23). He is to be
served diligently: "Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the
Lord" (Romans 12:11). He is to be served perpetually: "For whether we live,
we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we
live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's" (Romans 14:8). May Divine grace
enable us to heed that exhortation, "As you have therefore received Christ
Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him" (Col. 2:6).