Romans 10
9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
James 2
19You believe that God is one; you do well. So do the demons believe and shudder [in terror and horror such as [1] make a man’s hair stand on end and contract the surface of his skin]! (Amplified Bible)
In order to be saved, is it simply enough to say: “Jesus is Lord?” Like so many in the church, I used to think so. I like so many American “Christians” failed to grasp the potency behind this verse. I am sure most of the people in our town would say: “Jesus is Lord.” However, saying that Jesus is Lord and making Him such are two different things. This morning we are going to look at this statement and what it has cost some of those who have made it.
To understand the potency of Romans 10:9, we must first look at who this letter was originally written to—the Romans. We must understand that according to Roman law only Caesar could be called “Lord.” In fact, there was a whole cult of Caesar worship.
In Latin, Roman believers would declare: “Dominum Iesum!” (Jesus is Lord!)Paul understood that for the Roman to publicly declare “Jesus is Lord” was a state felony often prosecuted with a death sentence. Romans and others in the empire declaring Jesus as Lord were beheaded, crucified, and ripped apart by animals in the Roman arena. For those believers living in Rome, saying “Jesus is Lord” was synonymous with saying: “I am ready to be persecuted, tortured, and die for His namesake.”
I believe the potency of saying “Jesus is Lord” has been lost in our American culture of compromise. Certainly I am not saying that all American Christians are guilty of this, but certainly many who claim to be. When I look at the history of the persecuted church, I see that the meaning of this verse does not escape those believers. Consider, for example, the fate of the first apostles.
Here is how they died:
Peter-Crucified upside down.
Andrew-Crucified on an x-shaped cross.
James-Killed with a sword. (see Acts 12:1-2)
John-Died of natural causes, but still suffered immensely for his faith. He was exiled to Patmos during the reign of Domitian. According to Tertullian, John had been put into a cauldron of boiling oil in Rome, but suffered no injury.
Philip-Crucified.
Bartholomew-Beaten and crucified.
Thomas-Speared to death.
Matthew-Axed to death with a halberd.
James, son of Alphaeus-clubbed to death at age 94.
Thaddaeus or Judas Lebbaeus-Crucified.
Simon Zelotes-Crucified.
Paul of Tarsus-Beheaded.
Matthias-Stoned and Beheaded.
Let’s not forget Stephen, the first Christian martyr, who was stoned. Let us now look at the persecution others in the Roman Empire experienced simply for making this statement. What did it really cost those in the empire to say: Jesus is Lord?
Persecution under Nero
Claudius Nero became emperor when he was 16, reigning from A.D. 54-68. Nero was so evil that he almost made King Ahab in the Old Testament look good. He was so paranoid and power hungry that he had his mother killed in A.D. 59. He even had his wife killed so he could marry another woman. He also killed a brother and his teacher, Seneca.
The worse that Nero was to do, however, was to the Christians in Rome. This occurred shortly after the Great Fire of Rome in A.D. 64. When talk started going around that Nero started the fire himself, he turned to the Christians as a scapegoat. Phillip Schaff in his book, History of the Christian Church, Vol 1, says that "there began a carnival of blood such as even heathen Rome never saw before or since....A ‘vast multitude’ of Christians was put to death in the most shocking manner." Many were crucified, sewn up in animal skins and thrown to savage animals. Others were covered in pitch, nailed to wooden posts, and burned as torches to light up Nero’s macabre parties. (http://www.probe.org/docs/persecution.html)
Those believers certainly understood what it meant to declare Jesus as Lord!
Persecution under Trajan
Persecution in Syria and Palestine became quite fierce during Trajan’s reign. In 107, it was decreed that everyone in Antioch sacrifice to the Roman gods. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch and pupil of the apostle John, refused and was put to death by being thrown to wild animals.
Before his martyrdom, he wrote: "Let the fire, the gallows, the wild beasts, the breaking of bones, the pulling asunder of members, the bruising of my whole body, and the torments of the devil and hell itself come upon me, so that I may win Christ Jesus." He certainly knew what it meant to declare Jesus as Lord! (http://www.probe.org/docs/persecution.html)
Persecution under Hadrian
Emperor worship was promoted under the reign of Hadrian. Roman subjects were often required to offer a pinch of incense in honor of the emperor and were required to declare him as “Lord.”
Antonius Pius (A.D. 138-161)
While this emperor did not actively persecute Christians, believers still suffered under the hands of local communities.
It was during Antonius’ reign that Polycarp, a pupil of the apostle John, was martyred in Asia during one such outburst of violence. When challenged to renounce his faith, the 86-year-old man replied: Polycarp replied, "I have served him these fourscore and six years, and he never did me any harm, but much good, and how can I blaspheme my King and my Savior? If you require of me to swear by the genius of Caesar, as you call it, hear my free confession- I am a Christian; but if you desire to learn the Christian religion, appoint a time, and hear me." (http://www.cin.org/saints/polycarp.html )
When threatened with being burned, he responded: "You threaten me with a fire which burns for a short time and then goes out, but are yourself ignorant of the judgment to come, and of the fire of everlasting torments which is prepared for the wicked. Why do you delay? Bring against me what you please." He was thus burned at the stake. He certainly knew what it meant to declare Jesus as Lord!
Marcus Aurelius
In A.D. 161 Marcus Aurelius took power and ruled the Roman Empire until 180. Many historians consider him one of the “greatest of the Roman Emperors.” It was during his reign, however, that Christians were severely persecuted throughout the Empire. Among those killed for their faith was one whose name would become a synonym for martyrdom--Justin Martyr.
It was during one such instance of fervent persecution that Justin Martyr and some other believers were brought before a Roman official. The prefect Rusticus said: "Now let us come to the point at issue, which is necessary and urgent. Gather round then and with one accord offer sacrifice to the gods."
Justin said, "No one who is right-thinking stoops from true worship to false worship."
The prefect Rusticus said, "If you do not do as you are commanded you will be tortured without mercy."
Justin said, "We hope to suffer torment for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, and so be saved."
In the same way the other martyrs also said, "Do what you will. We are Christians; we do not offer sacrifice to idols."
The prefect Rusticus pronounced sentence, saying, "Let those who have refused to sacrifice to the gods and to obey the command of the emperor be scourged and led away to suffer capital punishment according to the ruling of the laws."
Praising God, Justin Martyr and the other believers were beheaded, thus declaring with their blood the Lordship of Christ and their love for Him. (taken from the Acts of the Martyrdom of Saint Justin and his Companions ) He certainly knew what it meant to declare Jesus as Lord!
Christians were often blamed for a number of natural disasters because of their refusal to sacrifice to false gods. Some of the fiercest persecution broke out in Gaul in 177 A.D. Many slaves were brutally tortured to testify against their masters.
Christianity was spreading in Gaul, but as the church grew, persecution also spread. Believers challenged by city officials about their faith boldly professed their faith in Christ. Many Christians were horrifically tortured during this time. They were placed in stocks and others were even put in oven hot-iron seats where their flesh was burned.Victims chained onto a grate over burning coals were literally barbequed alive.
Despite such torture, however, believers held up courageously. One such person was Pothinus, the 92-year-old bishop of Lyons, who endured two days of torture before he died. Another courageous saint was Sanctus, who boldly professed Christ even after red hot plates were placed on the tender parts of his body.
The persecution of these Christians was considered entertainment. Many were brought to the amphitheater where they would be torn apart by wild beasts. Among those was a courageous young slave girl named Blandina.
She was a frail young woman and because of this many of her companions feared she would not remain faithful under torture. They were wrong.
The Roman legate ordered her tortured in such an arduous way that even the executioners became exhausted by the torture! Throughout the ordeal she kept declaring: "I am a Christian and we commit no wrongdoing."
Blandina and the other believers were soon subjected to new tortures to entertain the crowds in the amphitheater. She was suspended on a stake and placed before angry wild beasts, but they never touched her. After witnessing the deaths of her companions, she was scourged, fastened to a red-hot grate, placed in a net and thrown before a wild steer who tossed her into the air with his horns. She was finally killed with a dagger. (source, St. Blandina, Catholic Encyclopedia online) These believers certainly knew what it meant to declare Jesus as Lord!
Septimius Severus (193-211)
Persecution against the church greatly flared up again during the reign of Septimius Severus. It was during his reign that Clement of Alexandria testified: "Many martyrs are daily burned, confined, or beheaded, before our eyes." (http://www.probe.org/docs/persecution.html)
In 202 Septimius imposed a law prohibiting the spread of Christianity and Judaism. Persecution became especially violent in Egypt and North Africa. During this time, one young girl was savagely tortured, then placed in a kettle of burning pitch with her mother.
(http://www.probe.org/docs/persecution.html)
Decius Trajan
Emperor Decius Trajan sought to bring a revival to old Roman culture, and in doing so legislated a return to the state religion. This persecution encompassed the whole empire. It was the first to extend over the whole empire, so thus more believers were martyred than under any other wave of persecution.
People charged with being Christians were first given the opportunity to offer sacrifice to the gods before the commissioners.
Roman authorities issued certificates to prove loyalty to the pagan religions. Many of those professing to be Christians eventually gave in to the pressure. Those who didn’t were put in prison and repeatedly questioned. Believers refusing to recant their faith were exiled, tortured, imprisoned, and put death.(http://www.probe.org/docs/persecution.html)
They certainly knew what it meant to declare Jesus as Lord!
Diocletian
It was during the reign of Diocletian that the church was to face its most fiery trial. The first twenty years of his reign, Diocletian tolerated Christians. In fact, his wife and daughter were Christians as were most of his court.
Diocletian, however, was persuaded by two of his co-regents to persecute Christians. He ordered the burning of churches and all copies of the Bible. Christians were not allowed to hold public office and were denied civil rights. In addition, they were required to sacrifice to the gods or else face execution. Co-regent Galerius in 308 commanded that everyone was to sacrifice to the gods and that all goods sold at the market be sprinkled with sacrificial wine. Believers had a choice: they could either commit apostasy or starve.
Many believers faced horrific torture and death for not renouncing their faith. It was so bad that the imperial executioners became exhausted with their work. (http://www.probe.org/docs/persecution.html)
These believers certainly knew what it meant to declare: “Jesus is Lord!”
However, it has not just been believers of the Roman Empire that have understood the cost of declaring Jesus as Lord, there have been numerous believers throughout history have paid the ultimate price with their lives. Consider, for example, the persecution Armenian believers endured under the Turks during World War I. The following account is taken out of the book, Great Revivals written by Colin C. Whittaker:
“A Syrian pastor in Ourfa saw thousands of Armenian women and children on one of the ‘desert marches.’ He said that nearly all were hungry, thirsty, and literally naked. Yet, in spite of all of their sufferings, some of them found pieces of charcoal and wrote on the rocks a few lines to encourage those following behind: ‘As Jesus did not deny us, do not deny Him. We have not denied Him. Follow us.’ “ (Whittaker, p. 128)
You cannot separate declaring the Lordship of Jesus from following in His footsteps. Consider the testimony of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was a well-known German theologian teaching in New York in the 1930s when God called him to return to Nazi Germany to make a stance for the gospel there. He did return to Nazi Germany and his opposition to Hitler eventually cost him his life. In the words of Bonhoeffer, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”
Consider the testimony of Jim Elliot who felt called to be a missionary to the Auca Indians of Ecuador. One of his first visits to these Indians resulted in his death. Was his effort a waste? Consider what Jim Elliot himself wrote: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
As I reflect on those who have gone before me, I am challenged to reflect the cost of what it is to say: “Jesus is Lord.” I am spurred on in my own walk by the words of others who have preceded me. Some of those words are in ink and some have been etched in charcoal: “As Jesus did not deny us, do not deny Him. We have not denied Him. Follow us.” This is what it really means to say: “Jesus is Lord.”
Certainly, you do not have to experience fierce persecution to embrace the Lordship of Jesus in your life. We do, however, need to keep in mind the following verses:
"Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."
2 Tim 3:12 New American Standard
"You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.” – Matt 10:22 New American Standard
“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”—Philippians 3:10-11 (New International Version)
Paul said he wanted to know "the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings.” In reading the book of Acts, we get an idea of some of the suffering Paul endured for Christ. Consider this passage in Acts 14:
Acts 14
At Iconium
Paul and Barnabas Are Persecuted
1 Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. 2But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. 3Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
4But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. (New King James Version)
There was something radical about the life and ministry of the early apostles that provoked a response from those around them: they either embraced them or rejected them, they either loved them or hated them.
When I consider this, I believe that our faith should be such that those around us take notice. We may not be hated or persecuted as the early Christians were, but is the Lordship of Jesus evident to those around us? Is the Lordship of Jesus just a slogan in our lives or is it a lifestyle? Many of you here this morning are Christians. You may have come to embrace Jesus as Savior, but have not really made Him Lord of your life. Like the early believers, are you willing to say: Jesus is Lord? If so, are you willing to back it up with your life? With your lifestyle? Are you willing to make His Lordship evident to those around you?
