The Meaning of Confessing Jesus as Lord and Calling upon the Name of Jesus

First of all, as we already know, the meaning of “Lord” is “master, ruler, one who is exalted,” and so on. Therefore, according to that meaning, to the Jews, Jehovah is their Lord; in Christianity, Jesus is the Lord of those who believe in Him; to those who serve other gods, the god each person serves becomes his lord; and even those who serve no god at all make themselves or other people their lord. From this, we can see that one’s “lord” is determined by whom one exalts and serves. Therefore, the Bible says that there are many gods and many lords in the earth.

1 Corinthians 8:5 “For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, as there be gods many, and lords many,”

Isaiah 26:13 “O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.”

However, no matter how many gods and many lords may seem to exist in heaven or on earth, in truth there is only one Lord for us all.

Revelation 17:14 “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”

Romans 10:12 “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.”

Since this passage says that there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, it is clear that Jesus alone is the Lord of all people. Nevertheless, the Jews in the days of Jesus, even though Jesus had come, understood “the Lord GOD,” that is, “the Lord,” only as “Jehovah.” Therefore, they thought of Christ merely as the son of David, and Jesus corrected this through the following words.

Matthew 22:41-46 “41While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 43He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.”

The word Jesus quoted in verse 44 above is Psalm 110:1: “Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” In fact, to the Jews, this writing of David was a difficult passage whose meaning was hard to understand. This was because, to the Jews, there was only one “Lord,” namely Jehovah, yet in this passage David speaks as though there were not “one Lord,” but “two Lords.” Therefore, through the passage above, Jesus resolved their question. Christ, that is, the Lord, is not merely the son of David; rather, He is David’s Lord. In other words, Christ Jesus is being presented as the same Lord as Jehovah.

Acts 2:34-36 “34For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, 35Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

This is the word of God that the Holy Spirit first caused the disciples of Jesus to preach in the tongues of many nations on the day of Pentecost. Through this word, we clearly know and call Jesus “the Lord Jesus Christ.” Here, “Lord” and “Christ” are titles that explain who Jesus is, and the only name is “Jesus.” Also, we do not have two Lords, as in “the Lord Jehovah” and “the Lord Jesus”; rather, there is only one Lord for us (Ephesians 4:5). This is because “the Lord Jesus” is “the Lord Jehovah.” (John 10:30) Therefore, the statement in Romans 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,” means that we must confess, that is, acknowledge, that Jesus and Jehovah are the same Lord. Therefore, immediately afterward, Romans 10:12-13 says the following:

Romans 10:12-13 “12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

In this passage, the one Lord refers to Jesus. Therefore, because “the Lord Jesus” is the Lord of all people, whoever calls upon “the name of the Lord” can now be saved. This is because the name of Jesus alone is the name given among men whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Yet in fact, verse 13 above is a quotation from Joel 2:32, where it originally says, “Whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered...” If so, “the name of the Lord” should be “Jehovah,” so why do we know and call “the name of the Lord” as “Jesus”? This is possible because, as mentioned above, the one Lord, namely Jesus, has become the Lord of all people, and because “the Lord Jesus” is none other than “the Lord Jehovah.” Therefore, the apostle Paul said that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord—that is, that He is the Lord Jehovah—but by the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 12:3).

John 13:13-14 “13Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

Philippians 2:5-11 “5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Because of such words, many Christians who believe in Jesus often call Him only “Lord! Lord!” However, in truth, if we confess, that is, acknowledge, Jesus as Lord, then we must now call upon the name “Jesus.” This is because to confess Jesus as Lord is to confess that “the Lord Jesus” is “the Lord Jehovah.” Therefore, if this is confessed and acknowledged by us in faith, then we must now call upon the name of the Lord, that is, the name “Jesus,” and receive salvation. (Romans 10:13) In the passage above also, it says that every knee should bow at the name of Jesus.

Acts 4:9-10 “9If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

As this passage says, only the name “Jesus” is the name given among men whereby we must be saved. As mentioned above, “Lord” and “Christ” are titles that explain who Jesus is. The only name is “Jesus.” Therefore, we also must know this and call upon the name “Jesus,” rather than merely saying “Lord” or “Lord God.” The very act of calling only upon the name “Jesus” is already evidence that we are confessing Jesus as our Lord.

John 16:24 “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

John 20:31 “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

Luke 10:17 “17And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 18And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

Truly, the name of the Lord, that is, the name “Jesus,” is the name that has authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy. Therefore, when we do all things, whether in word or deed, in the name of the Lord Jesus, nothing shall by any means hurt us, and we shall receive salvation and life!

Amen.