In the Baptist Church I grew up in, when we stand up to address the crowd, we always say, “Giving honor to God, who is the head of my life” or “To our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”. We say it all the time—so much so that it becomes a rote memory thing. I have noticed that other denominations do this, too.

We SAY Jesus is our Lord and Savior, yet…we live this life looking very much like that is not true. The word Lord means that a person has complete control over you—more than a boss, a Lord owns you. That means that in every area of your life, you do what by this person would have you to do, you live like they want you to live, and say what they would have you to say. You have given up complete control. This is what Lordship looks like.

When we say Jesus Christ is our Lord, we commit ourselves to being what Paul called Christ’s doulos, or bond servant. This is a person who has chosen to make himself/herself a slave to Christ. This means we’ve chosen to actively and intentionally bend our wills to His pleasure. Whatever our Lord decides, that is what we will to do—not what we want.

Is this how your relationship with Christ is? Is it currently fitting the description of a doulos?

In Matthew 6:24, Jesus said that you cannot serve two masters. And while this scripture applies to the god of mammon (context is key),the application is still validly transferred to every area of life. You cannot serve God AND flesh. Both cannot be your Lord at the same time. It’s just not possible. You’re going to love one and resent the other. And you can tell which is which by the fruit you bear. You can tell which one you love by what you lean toward in sticky situations and hard times. Your language tells it. Your actions show it.

Who have bonded yourself to—the Spirit of God or the flesh?

Every day of your life for the rest of your saved life, every decision you make must come through the lens of WHO AM I SERVING: God or flesh? You must choose what or whom you serve. Choose wisely. Choose our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He has paid the price. He has given you life back. He sits enthroned over a Kingdom that will never end. He loves you, and desires that the will of the Father be your portion. The flesh serves its own devices and drags you to destruction. Who got time for that?

Choose wisely. Choose Christ. Bond yourself to the Most High.