“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
— Acts 2:36 (NKJV)

If Jesus is not Lord, then the foundation of the Christian faith collapses under its own weight. Christianity rests on the claim that Jesus is not only Savior but sovereign; that He is divine, exalted, and worthy of worship. Without His Lordship, His teachings lose ultimate authority, His death lacks saving power, and His resurrection becomes meaningless.

This is precisely where many faith systems challenge Christianity. Islam, for instance, honors Jesus as a prophet but denies His divinity. To Muslims, calling Jesus “Lord” is a form of shirk; associating partners with Allah, which is considered an unpardonable sin. Islamic apologists often argue that Jesus never explicitly claimed to be God and that the title “Lord” was a later invention by His followers.

But is this argument consistent with the evidence?

The Christian claim is not based on tradition or hearsay. It’s built on Scripture, rooted in the teachings of Christ Himself, affirmed by the apostles, and confessed by the early Church at great personal cost. The Lordship of Jesus is not a later development—it is a central truth that shaped Christian identity from the very beginning.

Let’s begin by understanding what Scripture means when it calls someone “Lord.”

What Does “Lord” Mean in Scripture?

In the New Testament, the word translated as "Lord" is Kyrios, a Greek term that can mean master, owner, or one with authority. It was commonly used to address someone in a position of respect or rule. However, when applied to Jesus, the meaning goes far beyond courtesy or social status.

The Old Testament provides the foundation for this usage. In the Hebrew Scriptures, God’s personal name, YHWH (often rendered as Yahweh), is the name by which God revealed Himself to Moses. When the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek (the Septuagint), the translators used Kyrios in place of YHWH consistently. This means that when a Jewish reader encountered the word Kyrios, they understood it as a direct reference to the one true God.

The New Testament authors, fully aware of this background, used Kyrios in reference to Jesus repeatedly. For example, Paul writes that "every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2 verse 11). This statement echoes Isaiah 45 verse 23, where God declares that every knee will bow to Him. The apostle applies that same worship and authority to Jesus.

Calling Jesus "Lord" is not a ceremonial title or honorary term. It is a declaration of His divine identity. It is to say that He shares in the very name, authority, and worship that belong to God alone.

Jesus’ Own Claims to Lordship

Jesus did not leave room for doubt about who He claimed to be. Through His words and actions, He repeatedly demonstrated that He was not only sent by God but shared in the very identity of God Himself.

1. “Before Abraham Was, I Am” — John 8 Verse 58

In a tense exchange with the Jewish leaders, Jesus made a bold statement: “Before Abraham was, I am.” This was more than a claim to pre-existence. He was directly echoing the name of God revealed in Exodus chapter 3 verse 14, where God told Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” The response from the crowd was immediate, they picked up stones to kill Him, recognizing this as a claim to deity.

2. Authority to Forgive Sins — Mark 2 Verses 5 to 7

When a paralyzed man was brought to Jesus, instead of healing him right away, Jesus said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” The scribes who were present were shocked. They said in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Their reaction confirms that they understood the implications of Jesus’ words. Only God has the authority to forgive sin, and Jesus was claiming exactly that.

Jesus then healed the man to prove that He had the authority to do both, heal the body and forgive the soul.

Common Objections and Responses

The claim that Jesus is Lord faces strong opposition, from both secular skeptics and within other religious systems. These objections often sound reasonable on the surface but fall apart under the weight of Scripture and historical truth. Below are some of the most common challenges and how the Bible answers them.

1. “Jesus Never Said, ‘I Am God’”

This is one of the most common objections. People argue that if Jesus truly was God, He would have said it in those exact words—plainly and unmistakably. But this objection overlooks the context in which Jesus spoke and how claims to divinity were understood in His time.

In first-century Jewish culture, no one went around saying “I am God” as if explaining a concept. Instead, divine claims were made through actions, titles, and references to Scripture that carried deep theological meaning. One such moment is found in John chapter 10.

After Jesus said, “I and the Father are one,” the Jews picked up stones to kill Him, accusing Him of blasphemy. In response, Jesus quoted Psalm 82, saying, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’?” (John 10 verse 34). His point was not to confuse categories but to expose their double standard. If human judges could be called “gods” in Scripture because of the authority delegated to them, how much more appropriate was it for the One sanctified and sent by the Father to speak in divine terms?

The very fact that they wanted to stone Him proves they understood what He was claiming.

2. “The Title ‘Lord’ Was a Later Invention”

Some argue that the idea of Jesus being Lord was developed generations after His death, influenced by Greek or Roman thinking. But the New Testament, written within decades of Jesus’ resurrection, consistently refers to Him as Lord.

Paul’s letters, written before the Gospels, are filled with references to the Lordship of Christ. Romans 10 verse 9 connects salvation directly to the confession that Jesus is Lord. Philippians 2 verse 11 says every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. First Corinthians 8 verse 6 identifies Jesus as the Lord through whom all things exist—a role attributed to God alone.

These are not later theological developments. They are part of the earliest Christian belief, grounded in the resurrection and the apostles’ direct witness.

3. “He Was Just a Prophet or Moral Teacher”

Islam and some modern thinkers try to place Jesus among the great prophets or moral leaders of history. But Jesus never allowed for that kind of category.

Prophets pointed people to God. Jesus pointed people to Himself.
Prophets said, “Thus says the Lord.” Jesus said, “I say to you.”
Prophets refused worship. Jesus received it gladly.

C. S. Lewis captured it best: “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic, or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice.”

To call Jesus a good man while denying His Lordship is not safe or logical. It is to ignore what He actually said and did.

4. “The Trinity Is Confusing, Jesus Can’t Be God If the Father Is God”

This objection reflects a misunderstanding of the doctrine of the Trinity, not a problem with the Lordship of Christ. The Bible clearly teaches that there is one God who exists in three distinct persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Jesus is not a separate god. He is the eternal Son, fully God, co-equal with the Father and Spirit. This is why He could say, “I and the Father are one” (John 10 verse 30), and why Thomas, upon seeing the risen Christ, said, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20 verse 28).

The Trinity is not easy to grasp, but mystery does not equal contradiction. The divinity of Jesus is consistent with Scripture.

Conclusion

According to Scripture and the witness of the early Church, Jesus is not merely a man, prophet, or teacher; He is Lord. His authority is not limited to heaven, but extends over every life, every nation, and every soul.

If you are wrestling with this truth, or seeking clarity about what it means to follow Jesus as Lord, we invite you to reach out. You can contact us at [email protected].