Submission to Sovereignty — Stephen Olford

The Lordship of Christ in Romans 14

Reading from the scripture comes from the epistle of the Romans chapter 14 and reading from verse 1 Romans the 14th chapter and verse 1. Him that is weak in the faith receive ye but not to doubtful disputations.

For one believeth that he may eat all things. Another who is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not. And let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth for God hath received him.

Who art thou that judgest another man's servant to his own master. He standeth or falleth. Yea he shall be holden up. For God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another. Another esteemeth every day alike.

Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day regardeth it unto the Lord and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he does not regard it. He that eateth eateth to the Lord for he giveth God thanks.

And he that eateth not to the Lord he eateth not and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself. 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. For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living. But why dost thou judge thy brother. Or why dost thou set at nought thy brother.

For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

The Redemptiveness of Christ's Lordship

May God bless the scripture to our hearts each one. Submission to sovereignty. The lordship of Jesus Christ. Our thoughts can never be brought under subjection to his lordship until we have an idea of the totality of that reign and sovereignty in our lives.

Our moods cannot be brought under his submission until we know him king of kings and Lord of Lords. And so we're going to the passage that was read to us a little earlier from Romans 14 verses 1 to 12.

And we're going to consider in three respects what we understand by submission to sovereignty or the lordship of Jesus Christ. If you followed closely in the reading you will have noticed that Paul's purpose in the opening verses of this 14th chapter of Romans was to silence a dispute which was threatening the church at Rome.

The two vexed questions on which there was difference of opinion was that of the celebration of the Sabbath day and the eating of flesh or of meat. And without attempting to defend or condemn either of the opposing groups Paul shows that the final solution to all matters of faith and practice is a final acknowledgement of the lordship of Christ in any group or in in any church or for that matter in any life where there is complete submission to the sovereignty of Christ and therefore to the Godhead there is as much unity in the individual life by reason of its integration group or community as there is between the three persons of the Godhead.

So that sovereignty acknowledged is unity on earth. And so he reaches the climax of his argument when he comes to that verse 9 which is our central text. For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

Now my dear friends I do not imagine that there is a greater need in all our ministry than the emphasis of this particular message. This is a word that is called for right throughout our country in every single local church across our conventions our denominations.

For I believe that this is the word of the hour. And if we give it you listening and attention and response this morning something's going to happen in your life that's never happened before the lordship of Christ.

To understand this submission to sovereignty we must notice carefully three aspects. The first is what I'm calling the redemptiveness of the lordship of Christ the redemptiveness of the lordship of Christ.

For to this end Christ both died and rose. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are associated inseparably with the lordship of Christ. In other words from the human standpoint there is only one reason why Christ came into the world and died upon the cross was buried and rose again.

That purpose was that he might bring men and women out from the bondage of Satan into the blessing of a life that is submitted and yielded utterly to the lordship of Christ. We completely mistake the purpose of his redemption if we lose sight of the fact that it's to this end.

For this purpose with this one aim in mind that Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord. Any life here this morning over radio any church that not accept the lordship of Jesus Christ without qualification without condition without any hesitancy repudiates the total redemptive work of Jesus Christ to bring that to focus.

Let us look at this for a moment a little more closely. Paul declares in no mistakable terms that Christ died to purchase us as Lord. To this end Christ died that he might be Lord. The idea inherent in that word Lord is ownership or proprietorship.

In another place Paul says. The church of God which he purchased with his own blood. A frightening staggering utterance. The blood of God purchased us. When I consider that I tremble at the thought of anything but lordship utterly and completely in my life he says.

In another place you have bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's. You've been bought outright. Peter says. Ye are redeemed not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ.

Jesus died to purchase us completely so that as we consider ourselves in the totality of our faculties we are obliged to acknowledge that there is no part of us not one single area of our lives that isn't under the lordship of Jesus Christ by reason of his redemptive death.

In other words he owns our eyes to view the world. He owns our hands to serve his will. He owns our feet to walk his ways. He owns our minds to think his thoughts. He owns our hearts to love him fervently.

He owns our personalities to radiate through us his glory and his charm. He owns us outright. And failure to recognize this is a refusal and a repudiation of his redemptive authority. And I'm coming to see more and more and more that the man a woman who refuses insistently and continually to accept that redemptive authority is not a New Testament Christian.

Whatever claim he makes to new birth he may be a deacon he may be an elder he may be a pastor he may be a member of a church for many years but he's not a New Testament Christian. Christ not only died to purchase us as Lord.

Christ rose to possess us as Lord. To this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord. There is no more dangerous spot on earth than a vacant house or a vacant lot. It is the trouble spot for seducers murderers robbers whoremongers.

Likewise there is no more dangerous spot in a person's life than any area that's not committed to the lordship of Christ. God created men and women to be inhabited and until God possesses us completely through the lordship of Jesus Christ we are open to all manner of satanic attack.

Peter, Ananias, and Sapphira Under Christ's Lordship

It was because Jesus was not Lord in the life of Peter that he refused the way of the cross and ultimately collapsed under pressure and strain. When the eve of the cross drew near and he was challenged by a little slave girl he denied his Lord with oaths and curses and said I know not the man Jesus had to turn to him.

You remember and say even after he had declared that Jesus Christ was the Messiah of God the Son of God thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God. Jesus began to disclose his purpose to go to the cross and die.

And Peter said far be it from the Lord far be it from the Lord. And Jesus had to turn to his own beloved disciple who had signed on the dotted line the most amazing statement of evangelical faith and say get thee behind me Satan for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men.

It was because Jesus was not Lord in the lives of Ananias and Sapphira that those a bridgehead for Satan to enter and fill their hearts with duplicity and deceitfulness. The searching word to them you remember was why has Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost.

Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God. I repeat the Bible gives absolutely no hope to any man any woman any young person whose life isn't under the total Lordship of Jesus Christ. The fact of the matter is that a life that is not possessed by God is already open to the control of the devil.

It is a matter of time only a matter of time before that life is invaded by the devil and the satanic attacks intrigues and intentions are made manifest. In this connection it is important to state quite categorically and dogmatically that when Jesus Christ possesses us as Lord he does so in completeness completeness totality Jesus Christ becomes Lord of all or not Lord at all as dear Hudson Taylor used to put it to be half-hearted in this matter of submission to sovereignty is a contradiction is a contradiction in our response to redemptive authority.

So much then for the redemptiveness of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Christ both died to purchase us rose to possess us that she might be Lord and Calvary means absolutely nothing at all. The death of Christ is a farce.

The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is meaningless unless Jesus Christ is undisputed Lord. Can you say then that Jesus Christ is Lord of all in your life. If so consider further what Paul describes as the relatedness of the Lordship of Christ.

Life, Death, and Accountability to Christ

Whether we live or whether we die we are the Lord's says Paul in verse 8. It is plain from these words that in life we are responsible to him. In death we are accountable to him. So that whether we live or whether we die we move in the orbit of the sovereignty of Jesus Christ.

Life and death are only relative terms so far as God is concerned whether I'm alive here upon earth or have passed through the article of death into that greater life means absolutely nothing in relation to the fact that life here upon earth or life beyond is under the Lordship of Christ.

Look at this a little bit more closely. In life we are responsible. In life we are responsible to the Lordship of Christ. Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord of the living. One of the great problems of modern religious life is that of irresponsible living.

This is the biggest bane and menace throughout evangelical and religious circles today. It is the result of misinterpreting the doctrine of grace by preaching what Bonhoeffer calls cheap grace cheap grace.

We produced a generation of antinomianists lawless ones. Paul however makes plain that one of the functions of the grace of God is to discipline us. That's the word that's used teaching us to discipline us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly.

In this present world such grace involves nothing less than the life indwelt controlled by Jesus Christ as Lord. We often quote the text Galatians 2 and 20 a verse incidentally that has become my life verse a verse that challenges me every time I sign it or every time I read it or every time I meditate upon it.

But I've been increasingly challenged by verse 21 that follows it. Verse 20 reads. I have been crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

And we put a full stop there period. But no the word goes right on I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

And then Paul adds. I do not frustrate the grace of God. I do not frustrate the grace of God. The man who isn't living a responsible life that is to say responsible to the lordship of Jesus Christ is denying the indwelling of Jesus Christ is frustrating the grace of God.

Such a life indwelt by Christ is the utter antithesis of a self-centered life. The question never arises as to what I think what I speak or what I do. The issue has been decided once and for all. Once and for all I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me.

And the motto of the life henceforth is not I but Christ. Not I but Christ. Any difference to that is the frustration of the grace of God. So in spiritual social and vocational areas of life all matters for you and for me are already decided already decided.

You haven't to get up in the morning and say what should I do where should I go what should I say. It isn't a question of discussion committee or otherwise it's been decided. And whether or not we live under such sovereignty in time will determine whether or not we're answerable to God in eternity.

For let me point right on that if in life we are responsible to the lordship of Christ in death we are accountable to the lordship of Christ. Paul says whether we die we are the Lord. We die unto the Lord.

Death is not the cessation of life it is only a change of life. When a Christian passes from this scene he's immediately ushered into the august presence of Jesus Christ as Lord. Paul describes this state as being absent from the body present with Jesus.

No absent from this body present with Christ. No absent from this body present with the Lord. But more than this there is a day coming after the rapture when we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive for the things done in the body whether they be good or bad.

And Paul amplifies this in this very context you heard it read just now as I live set the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess. So then every one of us shall give our count of himself to God before that judgment seat we shall have to answer not only for service we have rendered but for the motivations that have inspired that service.

Every life that is lived under the control of the sovereignty of Jesus Christ shall receive the unqualified well done good and faithful servant enter into the joy of thy Lord. On the other hand every life that has been lived under the mastery of self will suffer unspeakable loss.

In the graphic language of 1 corinthians 3 it will be wood hay stubble fuel for the fire of the judging eyes of our Lord of gold silver precious stones endurable worthwhile tribute to a life lived under his sovereignty here upon earth.

So whether we be dead or whether we be alive in terms of human comprehension Jesus Christ must be Lord. And I believe one of the great reasons why the devil in the most seductive and subtle manner has taken away the vision of eternity again and again from the church.

The reason why the doctrine of the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ has again and again been lost in the church. The reason why that cry that brought out the great holy ones who really caught that vision and took the flag and planted it in the midst of christian doctrine again about a hundred years ago behold the bridegroom cometh going out to meet him.

The reason why the doctrine of the coming again of Lord Jesus Christ isn't preached today is because people don't realize that they're going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Paul uses one of the strongest expressions in all his writings talking about the judgment seat of Christ when he says knowing the terror of the Lord.

And he's writing to Christians not to the unsaved not to those who are going to be banished into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. But when he's talking to Christians he says knowing the terror of the Lord knowing the reverential fear that's going to come upon men.

Knowing the terror of the Lord. We persuade men. For we have to stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Men can leave this audience this morning. Women can leave this audience this morning. Young people can leave this audience this morning.

And they can snap their fingers that doesn't affect me at all except to grieve me because God be pressing this message hard on my heart. But we all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. And we'll remember this date.

We'll remember this service. We'll remember it was broadcast. We'll remember the text. We'll remember what I preached. We'll remember that I mentioned the Lordship of Christ and pressed you to live under the Lordship of Christ.

The Requirements of Christ's Lordship

That brings us to our third thought. In closing thought we have not only the redemptiveness of the Lordship of Christ taught here clearly not only the relatedness of the Lordship of Christ but finally the requirements of the Lordship of Christ.

And here I want to wait with you a few moments because so often this whole message of the Lordship of Christ is nothing more than evangelical cliches flung around glibly thoughtlessly without any understanding of the implications.

There is no question as to what God demands of a life that is under the Lordship of Christ. There are two main truths that emerge from this passage. The first is an unconditional submission to Christ in all relationships of life.

As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God. That is a prophecy of course of what's going to happen in heaven on earth and under the earth. All angelic hosts are going to own Jesus Christ is Lord.

Every man woman and child here upon earth is going to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. Satan and every principality in power and ruler of darkness are going to bow and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father against their wills but nonetheless acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord.

But there is a present application of this truth and it behooves us to understand it and then to heed it. It is no good talking about the Lordship of Christ in some abstract nebulous fashion. If Jesus Christ is Lord it'll be evident in the three areas of life that the scriptures make very clear both in old and new testaments.

Christ's Lordship in the Home

They're universal inescapable areas of life. Christ will be Lord in the relationships of the home addressing husbands and wives parents and children. Paul says submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

This calls for the loving submission of the wife to the headship of the husband. This calls for the loving consideration of the wife in terms of the Lordship of Christ. This calls for the loving obedience of the children to the parents in terms of the Lordship of Christ.

This calls for the loving concern of the parents for the children not provoking them to rot but bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Jesus Christ is not Lord where these relationships are not under the control of the Savior in all his Lordship and therefore of the Holy Spirit in all his fullness.

And I'm going to add because of time if only we knew this in terms of practical experience all our basic problems in all our homes would vanish at once. I'm not talking about the day to day little problems that need the adjustment and common sense of a sanctified mind.

I'm talking about the basic problems. Is Jesus Christ Lord in your home. Dear sir this morning. Did you open your Bible and lead your family in worship. Did you read the holy book. If your answer is no Jesus Christ is not Lord.

Dear lady friend wife or some husband here this morning have you risen to acknowledge the headship of your husband in the priesthood and kingship of his responsibilities in the home. If you haven't he's not Lord.

Parents. Have you considered your children in bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. If the answer is no he's not Lord. And children. If there's any question about obedience to your parents the carrying out of orders in absolute honesty he's not Lord.

Christ's Lordship in the Church

Christ will be Lord in the relationships of the home. Secondly Christ will be Lord in the relationships of the church. Addressing church members the writer to the Hebrew says in words that could never possibly be mistaken.

You can't impose any kind of interpretation upon these words because they stand up as a flag post. Addressing church members the writer to the Hebrew says. Obey them that have the rule over your own. Submit yourselves for they watch for yourselves as they which must give an account.

Submission to sovereignty we're considering this morning. Here is an area which is utterly disregarded in most of our local churches throughout the country. Today by the infiltration of a false concept of democracy and worldly government we've nullified the purposes of God in the local church.

The consequences are that we've produced a state of anarchy. Anarchy like the days of spiritual declension in old testament times. It can be sadly stated in most churches today there was no king in Israel for every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

There can be no doubt however that God's purpose is that the sovereignty of Christ should be recognized through the pastoral leadership of the church through the elders and deacons to whom holy responsibilities have been given to be in samples to the flock and to lead in all such matters as touch faith in conduct if such authority is respected and obeyed so unity blessing and life are enjoyed through the membership.

If that is not respected there's griping and grumbling and backbiting and whispering and criticism and all that constitutes the chaos that holds back revival today. Christ will be lord in the relationships of the home.

Christ will be lord in the relationships of the church. Christ will be lord in the relationships of the state. Peter exhorts submit yourself to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the king or supreme or unto the governors or as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do.

Christ's Lordship in the State and Vocation

Well this is the will of God. Every Christian should recognize that there is no power that is not ordained of God. A study of Romans 13 puts that beyond any question in the measure therefore in which such authority is in accord with the will of God for the good of common man the Christian is to comply with such ordinances of men without reserve and without complaint.

Failure to submit to such ordinances of man is a vital and virtual repudiation of the lordship of Christ. The return of income tax papers without a clear definite honest treatment is a repudiation of the lordship of Christ.

The breaking of the mile limit and the speed limit to be a road hog for the danger of others constitutes a repudiation of the lordship of Jesus Christ. Embezzlement is a repudiation of the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Lack of punctuality and respectability within the areas of your service for God in a job in a professorship or wherever it is constitutes the repudiation of the lordship of Christ. What a difference this would make if master-servant relationships were under the lordship of Christ.

You see you see the vocational world is involved. The educational world is involved. The student teacher relationship. The governmental world is involved. The president citizen relationship. This is God's purpose for every one of our lives.

And we miss the blessing if we fail to submit. You see my friends you see my friends it's so easy it's so easy to talk about the lordship of Christ here on Sunday morning bowed in worship with great music and the spirit of prayer and fellowship around us.

But I am pointing out that the lordship of Jesus Christ is not something nebulous. The lordship of Jesus Christ is something absolutely vital and practical. It touches the home it touches the world it touches the church.

And you lie to what you say here this morning if it doesn't work in the home. If it doesn't work in the church if it doesn't work in the state. So we have seen that there is no question as to what unconditional submission to Christ means in all relationships of life.

Unashamed Confession of Christ

The second of course is the unashamed confession of Christ in all the relationships of Christ every tongue shall confess to God. Our time has gone. I merely have to say this that when a man has truly yielded his life to the Lord Jesus Christ in terms of lordship there is an unashamed confession.

Something comes into your life by the release of the power of the Holy Ghost which makes your testimony so real so vital in every area of life that there's no apology for it. There's no more fever and strain in this matter of soul winning.

You happen to be chasing people down to try and chalk up. I talked to somebody today for Christ. People press on you because there's a mark upon your life. There's a humility upon your life. There's an authority upon your life.

There is a power upon your life. There is a joy in your life because Jesus Christ is Lord. They want to know the answer. And it's only a man who knows Christ is Lord who can give the answer. Dr. Graham Scroggie speaking at the famous Keswick convention a number of years ago before his death preached on the message of the lordship of Christ.

Peter's Vision and the Meaning of “Not So, Lord”

Young woman deeply deeply stirred came to him afterwards and said Dr. Scroggie that message is inescapable. It corners me. I can do nothing else but make him Lord. I want to make him Lord. But there is something I don't want to do and that is become a missionary overseas.

Do you think if I make Jesus Christ Lord of my life I have to become a missionary overseas. This deeply spiritual experienced mature man of God opened his Bible to Acts chapter 10 and verse 14 and he read the story of Peter who was given a vision from heaven.

Peter prejudiced about his responsibility to the Gentile world. God is teaching him that there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile in the potential work of Calvary. Everybody has been made equal and therefore to everybody is the gospel to be preached.

But Peter can't see it. And God gives him a vision. And in that vision he sees a sheet with wherein all manner of beasts creeping things and fowls were contained. And a came to him in that vision saying rise Peter kill and eat.

And Peter replying used these words not so Lord. Dr. Scroggie picking up those words said to the young woman. A slave can never dictate to a master either it's Lord or not. So you cannot say not so Lord.

That's the most impossible statement. Peter ever made the greatest contradiction that ever passed his lips. You cannot say not so Lord. You say not so no Lord. Or you say Lord without not so. Handing the girl a pencil.

The doctor said go into that tent. Don't leave it until you cross out. I the Lord leaving not so. Or until you cross out not so leaving Lord. Two hours that girl struggled while the doctor paced up and down outside that tent praying for seeing her rise from her knees.

He went in. He didn't have to ask a question. Looking over the shoulder of that girl his eye focused on a tear-stained page of the book of the acts and underlined so deeply that the intentation must have carried hundreds of pages.

The words not so were ruled out. One word remained Lord. And with a glad look in that young woman's eyes she rose to say anywhere anytime any cost for his Lord. And as she left that tent and went into the darkness to one of the places where she was staying Dr. Scroggie said I heard her saying Lord Lord.

She was now a bond slave and Jesus was master. Will you say Lord today. Or will you say not so. I want to ask you my friend. Is he Lord of your life. Can you say this morning Lord of every thought and action.

Lord to send and Lord to stay Lord in writing speaking giving Lord of all things to obey Lord of all. There is of me now and evermore to be if so we're going to sit at the communion table which is the Lord's table this morning.

I'm going to call upon you to make that response. God grant that it may be so for his name's sake amen.