INTRO: The message I am about to preach is certainly not popular message today.

A few years back a preacher who was attending my church got mad with me called me a John MacArthurite, because I preached the Lordship of Jesus Christ. John MacArthur, well know radio preacher wrote a book which taught the truth that Jesus Christ is Lord. This man caused great strife in our little congregation and finally left. He called himself a Baptist preacher. I was glad when he left because he was not of us as 1 John 2:19 says.

Let me ask you are a question? If Christ is not the Lord of your life, who is? Romans 5:8 says we to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Peter on the day of Pentecost preached a message to the Jews. He said this.... “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:36) The word “lord” means the supreme authority, and the word “Christ” means Messiah. Acts. 10:36 says Jesus is Lord of all. In fact 85 times in the New Testament Jesus is called the “Lord Jesus Christ.”

This man in our church did not understand one of the most fundamental truths in Bible, that being that Jesus Christ is God incarnate in flesh and He is the Lord, recognize or accept it or not. Basically, he said thought it was wrong to teach that one had to make Jesus the Lord of their life to be saved. Well, if one is saved Christ is the Lord

He's not alone. Many preachers and denominations have left off this vital teaching of the Bible. Today, you can supposedly repeat a little prayer and get saved and then go out and live like you please. You can have Heaven and all the blessings of God and only have to deal with Christ twice in your life. Once when you supposedly let Him save you and then when you die and need to get into heaven. The rest of the time you do what you please.

Yet, Jesus said to his disciples in Matthew 16:24, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

When God saves a soul, that person is in Christ Jesus. 2 Cor. 5:17. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

The word "if" makes the statement subjective. That is a term which refers to the state of salvation this is being in Christ. When God comes into a heart He changes and ones life changes.

This is not some new philosophy we embrace, or some part-time endeavor we embark on. This is not a "try Jesus" affair, but a complete surrender of one's self to Him...as your Master.

It was many years before believers were called Christians. Until those outside the church at Antioch saw the Christ likeness of those that followed Jesus and called them "Christ ones" which is what Christian means...they were called disciples.

A disciple is one who gives his whole life over to follow another. The disciples of Karl Marx, became devout Communists totally committed to communism. The Red Guard were devoted and committed disciples of communism and Mao and they murdered hundreds of thousands of their fellow countrymen who rejected their political ideas.

The liberals of America are totally dedicated to their false and destructive ideas and the result is the murder of unborn children by abortion, gay rights that supports to most sinful of sexual perversions and the destruction of the traditional family. They are good examples of what it means to be a disciple.

Why do you think Jesus ask the Pharisees, the greatest religious people of his day. "Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not the things I say." They professed to know God, they were religious to the core and would in fact they would kill you for the sake of their religion. How do I know that? The Bible says so. They murdered Stephen, James, and demanded the Romans crucify Christ. They crucified Jesus in the name of their religion.

I hope you do not misunderstand what I am about to say. I have more respect for them than the wishy washy religion of most professing Christians today. The modern trend among many who profess to be Christians is to refuse to take a stand on anything. These claim to believe in Jesus Christ, yet by their actions and philosophy of life deny most of what Jesus said. Their slogan is

"Lets us take the non-denominational approach, let’s forget sound doctrine and let us all just come together and love everyone in Jesus' name."

John 1:1 says, that "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:14 explains "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.." Jesus Christ is the word and you cannot ignore, compromise, discount the Word of God without ignoring, compromising and discounting Jesus Christ Himself.

ILLUS: A good example was the promise keepers movement that flamed up some years ago and now is mostly dead. There was never been any true life in it because it was based on many false concepts. God did not tell a man to make a promise to Him, but to believe and obey. You don’t make deals with the Lord, you believe and put your trust in him. It sounds good, but it is not biblical. The men running it did it in the flesh, because God will not bless error. At the PK meetings many who attended I believe were sincere people who loved the Lord. However, they were told to return home to their churches to break down doctrinal barriers that separated Christians. That is called ecumenicalism which means you throw doctrine and biblical truth out the door and declare we are all brothers and sister in the Lord, no matter what we believe...even heresy. By the way, it made the PK leaders all rich. They sold millions of dollar worth of books.

What they were saying was let’s put aside parts of God's truth for the sake of unity so we can worship the Lord as one. Well, if you put aside truth then you support lies.

Yes, the Lord has told us to work together, and love one another, but never did He say anywhere to do it at the cost of doctrine which means truth.

What God did say about being in unity with false teachers was: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17)

Jesus address this false teaching saying in John 4:24 "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."

Question? According to what Jesus said a man you worship God and be in error? The answer is obvious.

Do you know why many teach everyone should together without regard for biblical truth? You know why the ecumenical movement is so popular. Do you know why doctrine is ignored, made little of? Do you know why so many who profess to be saved lives worldly lives. Because these people know nothing of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. You see “T-shirts” with the phrase “Jesus is Lord” worn by people who lives mock that very truth.

True believers, the true saints of God that truly love the Jesus Christ, and they follow Him as their Lord. He is the Lord of their lives. That means is in control in their lives and they are His disciples devoted to His will and cause. These true saints see themselves in total subjection to the Lord Jesus, because He is God Almighty and their Creator. They see Him having the full right to tell them what to do and how they are to live their lives.

God's will is their will and what He wants the most important thing in their lives. Yes, Jesus Christ is their Lord and they follow Him. Why, because these dear people know who Christ is and they understand the sin from which he delivered them.

1. Jesus preached the Gospel on earth and it was a plea to discipleship, a call to follow Him in submissive obedience, not just a plea to make a decision or pray a prayer.

a. Matthew 7:13-23. Jesus warned that there would be some who would take salvation lightly and falsely claim to follow Him.

Today, is sad but a lot of preaching and many churches ignore these warnings and teaches a "gospel that is not another".

b. In my experience over the years, many claim to be Christians, and yet it in many cases what they say, do and believe is not based on biblical Truth.

c. In Matthew 7:23, in Jesus's condemnation of these who claimed to know him was what? What did he call them? "You workers of iniquity. " Workers of iniquity meant the practiced lawlessness. They were not in obedience to the Lord. They claimed to know Him, did great things in His name, but Jesus said...He did not know them.

In other words: not even prophesying, casting out demons, or doing great things publicly, could be viewed as evidence of salvation...if that person did not live a Holy and dedicated life to the Lord .

d. People are told that because they recited a prayer, walked down an isle, are baptized, signed a tract, spoke in tongues, were slain in the spirit, or had some experience they are saved. Most the churches and ministries that promote such things emphasized the blessings of God, but rarely mention sin and repentance.

Obedience to the Lord brings the blessings of God and nothing else. The Lord does not bless His disobedient children but as Hebrews 12 says...He chastens them.

I have listened to Christian radio for years and it is a good Christian station....yet I have never heard one of the modern popular preachers preach on the subject of the chastening of God. I wonder why?

Have you ever wondered why so many preachers do not preach against sin. Surely, the Bible is clear that sin, any sin is destructive and harms us and our loving Savior and God wants us free of sin for our benefit. So why not warn men, why not urge men to turn to righteousness and repent of sin?

"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19).

e. 2 Cor. 13:5, Paul said to "examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith, prove your own selves."

Peter said: "Brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure...if you do these things you shall never fall." 2 Peter 1:10

Luke 6:44. "For every tree is known by his own fruit, For thorns men do not gather figs nor of bramble bush gather they grapes" In other words a tree is know by its fruit.

d. Genuine assurance comes from seeing the Holy Spirit's transforming work in one's life, not from clinging on to some memory of some experience we had.

ILLUS: As a boy I had an experience: In a revival meeting at Pinetops Baptist Church, I heard the gospel preached. It emotionally effected me and I walked an isle crying and told the preacher I wanted to trust Jesus. Many have been genuinely saved in such an experience, yet I was not. I was walked an isle and professed Jesus Christ. Yet, I was not changed. I was baptized in a little white robe, but the truth is my heart was a black in sin coming out as going in. I lived my life for ME. I loved to sin, with little or no conviction.

When I truly was saved, there was no great experience, I again walked an isle, told a preacher I wanted to serve Christ. He improperly, asked if I was a church member! I said yes and he ask the congregation to accept me as a member on transferring my church letter!

But folks, what was outward done had no bearing on what took place in my heart. Christ came in and changed me and I have never been the same person I was since!

My father was upset, when several years later I realized that I had not been scripturally baptized and asked the church I was a member of to baptize me biblically. My father said, dismissing my actions, "You were saved as a boy." I loved my Dad with all my heart and he was the greatest influence in my life for Christ. He died in September 2000 and went to be with the Lord and I miss him so very much. But dear friends, my dad was wrong. After I professed Jesus as my Savior and was baptized I never lived one day of my life for Him. I claimed Him as my Savior....but He certainly was not in my life and I was not a disciple of Jesus Christ. For seven years I was in military service and my dog tags said Baptist. that was not true. True Baptists are saved people who love the Lord....I did not.

e. Several things we must understand that the Bible teaches concerning Scriptural salvation.

These are the truths on the matter.

In Luke 8:12, Jesus explained in the parable of the sower that a sower sowed seed and as he sowed some fell by the way side and was stepped on and bird came and ate it.

In Luke 8:11, He said that the seed was the Word of God, The Scriptural Truth, God's Truth to Man.

He further said that the Devil came and took the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. It is the Devil's purpose: Steal the truth or hide it from you. To give false assurance that one is saved and yet still be in their sins.

I. THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION WITHOUT REGENERATION!

A. John 3:7, Jesus said "ye MUST be born again."

B. Justification means the act of pronouncing one to be righteous, means acquittal, being justified means acquittal from quilt.

Romans 4:8 "blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin"

C. Regeneration: Titus 3:5 "Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”

Being made new, having a new life, changed and one becomes something they were not before. Like the transformation of a butterfly.

D. Jesus Said: "Ye must be born again."

"Except a man be born again, YE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD".

There is no salvation apart from being changed II Cor 5:17 " If any man is in Christ, he is a NEW creature, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new."

E. A man is not saved if his life is not changed.

Romans 8:9 "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

II. FAITH THAT DOES NOT WORK IS DEAD, NO ONE IS SAVED BY DEAD FAITH. James 2:20

A. "Will you know, O vain man, that faith that has no deeds or works is dead?"

B. Faith in a man will produce evidence. It will cause action.

James says, the devils believe in Christ. They have belief, but it is not life changing. They have not been rejuvenated.

James 2:14, says, "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?" It is not teaching works for salvation, but teaching how to authenticate true faith. Faith is obedience, faith produces works and if the works are not there, the faith is not there either.

ILLUS: I once had a little garden. Carolyn and I from that little garden got turnips and mustard salad, squash, a few peas, and several cucumbers. I was not able to get any corn, carrots, or water melons. Wonder why? There are no plants in my garden. I do not get these vegetables because there is nothing to produce them. Friends, if there is faith there will be some fruit.

Accepting the historical Jesus and being a church member or having some emotional experience will not save a person. Wanting heaven and God's blessing will not save unless there is a surrender of one's heart to Him. He only saves those who accept Him as their Lord.

In the New Testament the word "Lord" is found 711 times, and it means "the person to whom a person or thing belongs, the one who has power the of deciding over another as one's master and lord"

C. Saving faith is a faith that works, not to be saved, but the words are the nature result of Christ's life changing coming into one's heart and life.

Can Christ be present in a person and there be no evidence of if? Can Christ regeneration a person, and that person go on the same way they were before they were regenerated?

Do you think that God can indwell a person and that person be not changed and living in open sin, and ignore the presence of God? That is not what God says. He says :

“Therefore IF any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Did no the word IF proceeds the statement.

III. THE MARK OF TRUE SALVATION IS THAT THE PERSON PERSEVERES IN RIGHTEOUSNESS.

A. Matt. 10:22. "ye shall be hated of all men for my name sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved."

Revelation 2:26, 3:5, 21. Those that overcome, are given power over nations, clothed in white raiment, names not blot out of the book of life, and Jesus will confess his name before the Father, and will grant to sit the person to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in His Throne.

B. The Child of God remains in the family.

I John 2:19, "they went out from us; but they were not of us, for if they had been of us they would no doubt(means absolutely) have continued with us; but they went out that it might be made manifest that they were not all of us."

1. Over the years I have had a lot of people come to our church to visit and some even joined professing themselves to be born again Christ. However, some left the our church and quit attending. They said they were saved, and were trusting Christ yet, they went back into sin.

2. Why? They apparently were not part of the family.

ILLUS: Why do some children and teens run away from home? Sometimes is because of abuse, yet many run away for other reasons. They are in rebellion and they do not like what is in the home. They do not what to be told what to do or have any restrictions on their lives. They do not love their parents because if they did they would stay with their family.

3. Many come to church and seem for a while to do well, but in time they wither and die on the vine, because their roots were not on firm ground. They built on sand, and when trouble came and they were tested in the storm they withered away.

ILLUS: A child gets in trouble and finds himself in danger. Who does he cry for? Mother or Father. Why, he's in the family and he knows who loves him and whom he loves.

III. FAITH IN A JESUS CHRIST WHO IS NOT ONE'S LORD AND MASTER IS A FAITH IN A ANTI-CHRIST OF ONES OWN MAKING.

A. The Jesus who saves is the Jesus who is the Lord and Master of ones life.

1. Luke 6:46. "Why do you call be Lord, Lord and do not the things what I say?"

2. You cannot separate the Lordship of Christ from Christ. You cannot take away His being your Lord, and have Him be your Savior.

3. He saved and is Lord, or He is not Lord and does not save.

B. You cannot refuse to follow the commandments and instruction of the Scriptures and call Jesus your savior.

1. You cannot believe on a half-Christ.

We take Him for what he is---the anointed Savior and Lord who is King of Kings, Lord of all Lords or we reject Him.

A. W. Tozer said, "The Lord will not save whom He cannot command."

IV. TRUE SALVATION IS MARKED BY REPENTANCE.

A. Matt. 5:13, "The publican, standing afar off, would not lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying God be merciful to me a sinner."

B. Greek work "repentance" means "to precede after with a change of mind.

1. Five times in Revelation 2-3, Christ instructs the disobedient churches to "repent".

2. It means to change one's mind about a prior action and to turn from it and not do it again, because one sees the error of the act.

3. Being sorry for sin is not the same thing as repentance. One can be sorry and continue in the action, only when we repent of an action do we overcome it.

4. Biblical repentance involves a changing of mind from sin and disobedience, to turn to God and obedience to him.

C. The natural working of Christ in Salvation is a seeing of oneself as a sinner, and a turning from that sin to the Lord.

Conclusion:

1. Phil. 2:13 "For it is God which worketh in you, to will and to do of his good pleasure."

2. It is the natural reasoning of man and a trick of Satan to try and steer a person from the truth.

3. Many have been deceived. Yet, in this room this morning no one need continue any longer under a false hope or deception.

4. Genuine salvation, frees from not only the judgment of sin, but the obligation to continue to sin. Christ frees the sinner, eternally and presently from sin.

5. Have you been born again? Have you truly become a disciple of Jesus Christ. Do you follow Him and His word. Are you growing in Christ. Are you more mature and more yield to him today they you were a year ago.

6. Believe and trust in Christ, yield your life to HIM, today.