Making Jesus the Lord of one’s life is the most important decision a person can make. It involves surrendering your will to His and committing to follow Him each day. Here is a biblical look at what it means to make Jesus Lord and how you can take this vital step.
Repent of Your Sins
The starting point is acknowledging you are a sinner in need of a Savior. Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Sin separates us from a holy God, but Jesus came to bridge that gap. To make Him Lord, you must repent of your sins. Acts 3:19 says, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Repentance means having a change of heart and mind regarding sin. We must turn from sin and turn toward God.
Believe Jesus Died for Your Sins
Not only did Jesus come to show us the way, He came to be the way. His sacrificial death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins once and for all. As 1 Peter 2:24 explains, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” When we put our trust in Christ’s finished work, we receive forgiveness and new spiritual life.
Receive Christ as Savior and Lord
We must individually receive Jesus Christ into our lives as both Savior and Lord. John 1:12 promises, “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” When we welcome Him in, He forgives our sins and gives us new life through the Holy Spirit. He saves us from sin and rules over our lives as Lord.
Surrender Your Life to His Lordship
Making Jesus Lord goes beyond just believing facts about Him. It means surrendering your ambitions, plans, relationships, habits, priorities, and schedule to Him. It is giving Him full ownership and control of your life. As Colossians 3:23-24 explains, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Everything we do should be an act of worship unto Him.
Obey His Commands
If Jesus is truly Lord, then His words become our commands. We demonstrate we are His disciples by obeying His teachings. John 14:21 says, “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” Obedience flows from love and gratitude for all Christ has done for us.
Publicly Identify with Christ
Making Jesus Lord is not something we can do privately. Eventually, He leads us to publicly identify with Him in believer’s baptism. Baptism illustrates Christ’s death and resurrection, our death to sin, and new life in Christ. Romans 6:4 declares, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Baptism marks the beginning of our visible walk with Christ.
Join a Bible-Believing Church
Once we follow the Lord in believer’s baptism, the next step is becoming part of a local church. The New Testament emphasizes the importance of fellowshipping with other believers. Hebrews 10:24-25 commands us, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” A church becomes our spiritual family.
Walk in the Spirit Daily
The lifelong journey of making Jesus Lord involves learning to yield to the Holy Spirit each day. Galatians 5:16 urges us, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” As we submit moment-by-moment to His presence and voice speaking to our conscience, the Spirit empowers us to grow more Christlike. Staying closely connected to God in prayer and Scripture is essential.
Renew Your Commitment Daily
We may begin by surrendering our lives fully to Christ, but we must renew that commitment each new day. Luke 9:23 emphasizes, “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’” Making Christ Lord of your life is not a one-time choice but a daily practice as we yield everything afresh to Him and align ourselves with His will.
Persevere in Obedience and Holiness
The Lord promises His faithful followers an eternal reward in heaven. Hebrews 12:14 reminds us, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Staying true to Jesus is essential. By God’s grace and strength, we can choose daily to walk in righteousness and obedience until we see our Savior face to face.
Reflect Christ in All You Do
As we increasingly surrender to Jesus as Lord, His character becomes reflected in our thoughts, words, and actions. Our lives take on the aroma of Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:15 describes it this way: “For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” Making Jesus Lord transforms everything about our lives. What an impact when others can see, hear, and experience the savior we serve!
Faithfully Endure Hardships and Persecution
Truly making Jesus Lord will lead to tested and proven faith. As 2 Timothy 3:12 warns, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Following Christ requires courage under fire. But Jesus is worth any sacrifice, and His promised reward far outweighs present troubles. Our suffering produces endurance, maturity, and confidence in God.
Be Ready for His Return
Part of making Jesus Lord involves living each day with the eager expectation of His coming again. We are called to be faithful stewards until He returns or calls us home through death. Luke 12:35-36 charges us, “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.” May our lives reflect our readiness.
Summary
In closing, making Jesus the Lord of one’s life begins by receiving His offer of salvation. We repent and believe he died to pay for our sins. As Savior, He frees us from sin’s control and penalty. As Lord, He takes charge over our priorities, choices, schedule, relationships, and everything else. Making Him Lord means total, unconditional surrender of our will to His. It is both a point-in-time decision and an ongoing daily practice as we consistently submit everything afresh to His control. The evidence of His Lordship is obeying His Word, growing in Christlike character, public identification through baptism and church membership, faithfully enduring hardship, and living in readiness for His return or our departure to heaven through death. What a joy to give the reins over to the One who created us and provided the way for us to be reconciled to God.