Length: 5 minutes

The title of this article may shock some people because it is so prevalent in the church today to call Jesus the “Lord of your life.“ But did you know that this term is not found in the Bible? More importantly, the concept of Jesus being Lord of your life is not taught in the Bible either. 

Did you know that in this new covenant, there has been a change of law? God has a second law, a new covenant law, unlike the first one.

Hebrews 7:12 (KJV) For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

What is God’s new covenant law? It’s not the Ten Commandments (that’s the old covenant law) and it’s not any commandment that you can do with your life. God’s new covenant law is something you can only do with your heart and mind. God’s new covenant law is faith in Jesus. The law of faith. 

John 6:29 (KJV) This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Romans 1:5 (ASV) …we received grace and apostleship, unto obedience of faith among all the nations…

Romans 3:27 (KJV) By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

Again, we are not doing this topic justice right now. You need to read/listen to the “Obedience Is Faith” audio article for all the proof. 

The old covenant law (including the Ten Commandments) given at Mount Sinai was a law of works that could be performed with your life. The very definition of the old covenant law is living for Jesus. All of the “thou shall’s“ and “thou shall not’s“ are things that you can perform with your life. But faith in Jesus — God’s new law — cannot be performed with your life. Faith in Jesus is something you do in your heart and mind. The way you obey God in this new covenant is from your heart, not your life.

Romans 6:17 (NKJV) But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.

If Jesus Is Your Lord

If you want to make Jesus your Lord, you can’t do whatever you think is best. You need to do whatever your Lord says. If you do something different from what Jesus says, then He is not your Lord. Jesus being your Lord means doing what He says.

Luke 6:46 (NKJV)  But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?

Making Jesus your Lord is doing whatever He commands. And Jesus has NOT given you a command for your life, but for your mind. So Jesus clearly does not want to be the Lord of your life. Jesus wants to be the Lord of your mind. And that’s all.

Jesus certainly does want to change your life, but you don’t obey Jesus with your life. Your living for Jesus is not submission to Jesus. You BELIEVING Jesus is how you obey Jesus in this new covenant.

In the old covenant, you could submit to Jesus with your life because that is what was commanded. In this new covenant, Jesus’ only law is to believe and learn from Him. So, are you really doing what your Lord says by living for Him? Not if you’re Lord commanded your faith. 

Again, living for Jesus is a great thing, but that is done by the Holy Spirit. In the new covenant, as we renew our minds to Jesus. The “living for Jesus“ part is not done by us. We believe in Jesus and the Holy Spirit lives through us. 

Galatians 2:20 (NKJV)  …it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God…

Now look at this next verse, in which Jesus prophesies of what people will say when He returns:

Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV) 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?‘ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Jesus says that there will be many people, when He comes back, that will want to be saved. They will say “Lord, Lord, we’ve done all of these good works in your name!“ And Jesus will say, “You may have done all of those good works, but you did not keep my law.”

But wait! I thought the Bible clearly advises us to prophesy, cast out devils, and heal the sick! Yes, it does. But those things are fruits of the Holy Spirit, not God’s law. There are a lot of good works that the Holy Spirit produces through us as we believe, but there’s only one way to obey God’s law — faith in Jesus. 

Calling Jesus your Lord is not doing what you think is best. Calling Jesus your Lord is practicing HIS law. And in this new covenant there is only one law — and it’s not any work — it’s faith in what He’s done. So, you can do all of the works that you want, but don’t call Jesus your Lord, unless you keep His law of faith. 

We’re not living under a law of works anymore, so Jesus doesn’t want to be Lord of your life. We live under the law of faith, so it is evident, Jesus just wants to be Lord of your mind. Works will follow.