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What does it mean that Jesus is Lord? Christians say these words in worship, prayer, and confession of faith, but we can become so familiar with the expression that we forget how radical it really is.
Calling Jesus “Lord” means much more than giving Him a religious title. It means recognizing His authority, submitting to His leadership, and trusting Him with every area of our lives.
Jesus is not only the Savior who forgives our sins. He is the King we follow.
Understanding the Lordship of Christ can change the way we think about our relationships, decisions, sexuality, finances, work, worship, and future. So what does the Bible mean when it declares that Jesus Christ is Lord?
What Does the Word “Lord” Mean in the Bible?
The Lordship of Jesus is not a secondary Christian doctrine. It stands at the heart of the gospel.
Romans 10:9 connects salvation with confessing “Jesus is Lord.” Philippians 2:10–11 describes the day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. After His resurrection, Jesus declared that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him (Matthew 28:18).
Therefore, when Christians call Jesus “Lord,” we are confessing His authority, kingship, and rightful rule.
The word “lord” may sound distant to modern readers. Historically, a lord was someone who possessed real authority over those under his rule. His title was not merely ceremonial. It communicated authority, responsibility, and allegiance.
This helps us understand something important about the biblical declaration that Jesus is Lord. Scripture is not simply giving Jesus an honorary title. It is declaring His authority and kingship.
What Does It Mean That Jesus Is Lord?
The concept of a Lord is a little strange for us, as we are living in the 21st century. However, imagine yourself living 500 years ago. People back then knew much better the meaning of the word ‘lord’. Try to imagine that you lived 500 years ago in a small village, somewhere in Europe. Maybe you lived in a little cottage made of mud and straws with some pieces of wood. Perhaps the roof over your head was with cracks through which water would pour out when raining. Many people lived like that back in the Medieval Age.
Moreover, imagine that looking through your small window you could see, on the opposite hill, a prominent and beautiful castle. The owner of the castle would bear the title of a lord. He would own everything. He would have owned your house and everything in it, all the land in the area, the rivers and lakes, the forests and the animals living in them. You were supposed to work all day long for him, and you did not receive any payment!
You were allowed to work for yourself only if you had some spare time. If he ever needed help to repair the roads, you had to help him. If he required men for his army in a war, you had to fight for him. His word was law, and he had the right to judge any cause and make justice. Therefore, he had the right to put someone in prison or to free another one from it. The lord had the last word in everything.
There were some good lords too. They behaved like a father for their subjects. For example, when there was a war, he would send his army to protect his people. When there was a famine, he would have open his barns and feed his people. When someone was sick, he would send his doctors with medicine and took care of his people. However, he was still a lord. He always had the final word in any matter. He again did not pay you for your work, and you still had to work all day long for him, and everything you had belonged to him and you had no rights. Because he was the lord.
Jesus Is Lord and King, Not an Elected Leader
We are not used with the word lord, because many of us live in democracies, where we have Presidents that we vote. However, the Kingdom of God is not a democracy, and we do not vote in His Kingdom. Jesus Christ is Lord and King in His Kingdom—not a president. We need the Kingdom mentality if we are to function correctly in His Kingdom.
The word lord appears almost 6000 times in the Bible. So, that makes it a significant word to understand. The word lord bears authority in it. It was a word used by a slave when talking to his master. Someone used the word lord regarding a King or Commandant, and it means master and owner. Deuteronomy 4:39
know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other (ESV).
Everything we are, we are because of the grace of God. Everything we have is because of God. We are His creation, and we live in the Universe which He created. God is the Sovereign God, and I am no god or lord. There is only one Lord — Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:9, Phil. 2:11, Eph. 4:5). Therefore, I do not believe a true Christian can live his life as he or she wants. When we understand the meaning of Jesus Christ is Lord, our life will change. We know that we do not belong to ourselves but to our Lord.
If Jesus Is Lord, He Has Authority Over Our Lives
Sometimes Christians speak as though we can receive Jesus as Savior while permanently refusing His authority as Lord. But the New Testament does not divide Christ in this way. The Jesus who saves us is also the Lord who calls us to follow Him.
This does not mean Christians obey Jesus perfectly. We still struggle with sin and need His grace every day. However, genuine faith does not make peace with a life of deliberate independence from Christ. Grace teaches us to surrender more and more of our lives to His Lordship.
If Jesus is Lord over your life, that means you will not do what you want but what He wants. You will not listen or watch what you want, but what He wants. You will not go where you want but where He wants. And you will be careful what thoughts you allow in your mind, and what emotions or feelings will dwell in your heart. You will spend your time and money as Jesus wants. Because everything you are and everything you have belongs to Him and are to honor Him. Someone well said that Jesus Christ is Lord of all or lord of nothing!
Is Jesus Christ your Lord?
A Prayer of Surrender to Jesus Christ
Recognizing the Lordship of Christ should lead to surrender. The following prayer is not a formula that saves us or earns God’s favor. Rather, it can help us prayerfully examine the areas of our lives that we may still be reluctant to surrender to Jesus.
Spend some time now and ask for the Lordship of Jesus in your life. Make sure you pray daily the following prayer! Even if you did that before, do it one more time. You can pray something like this (you can add many more things in your prayer):
Lord Jesus Christ, I acknowledge my need of You and accept You as my Savior, my Redeemer, and Lord and Deliverer.
I invite You to be Lord of the whole of my life:
Lord of my mind and all my attitudes and my mental health
Lord of my body and my physical health
Lord of my spirit and all my worship
Lord of my family and all my relationships
Lord of my sexuality and its expression
Lord of all my work and service for You
Lord of all my material goods and needs
Lord of all my finances
Lord of all my emotions and all of my reactions
Lord of my will and all of my decisions
Lord of the manner and time of my death
Thank you, Jesus, that Your blood was shed that I might be set free.
Invite Jesus to become Lord over your ears — and everything you hear, eyes — and everything you look, nose, mouth— and everything that comes out of it and goes inside it, hands— and everything you touch, legs— and all your ways.
What Does It Look Like to Surrender to Jesus as Lord?
Invite Jesus to be Lord over your intuition, instincts, conscience, identity, creativity, communion with God — through prayer, mediating at the Word of God, etc. You can extend this declaration for all your relationships, time, finances, family, marriage, singleness, destiny, calling, gifts, abilities, masculinity or femininity, the books you read, your sense of humor, etc. Be lead by the Spirit of God!
I am confident you will find this declaration powerful, especially if you do it with a genuine desire and out of love for God and with faith. We must put our lives in order, and that is under the Lordship of Jesus. Moreover, we can do that only with the help of the Holy Spirit. Take your time as you do this. And pay attention to every word you pray.
If you sense that some words are hard to pray, then ask the Lord why it is so. For example, you might find it difficult to ask Jesus to be Lord of the manner and time of your death. Talk to Jesus about it! Try to discern, with the help of the Holy Spirit, what exactly is in your heart or what frightens you. God knows!
Jesus Christ is Lord!
Is Jesus Christ Lord of Your Life?
The question is not simply whether we believe that Jesus is Lord. The deeper question is whether His Lordship is shaping the way we live.
Are there areas of your life that you are still trying to control without Him? Your relationships? Sexuality? Money? Career? Future? Thoughts? Habits?
Following Jesus does not mean that we will obey Him perfectly. It means that when He exposes an area that is outside His will, we do not defend our independence. We bring that area back under His authority.
What does it mean that Jesus is Lord? It means that He is not simply part of our lives. He is our Savior, King, Master, and Lord.
And because He is a good King, surrendering to Him is not something we need to fear.
Jesus Christ is Lord. Therefore, every area of my life belongs to Him.
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I am a blogger, writer, pastor, Director of Zion Romania Bible School, husband to Olguta, a father and, most importantly, a child of God. I also completed my studies at the King’s University where I earned a B.A. in Theology with a concentration in Messianic Jewish Studies. I love Israel and I love the ‘Jewishness’ of the Bible.
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