Day 2: Biblical Creeds: Jesus is Lord 

If instead of calling them a ‘creed’, what if we just referred to them as ‘Statements of Faith’? At the heart of it, the core of a creed should be just that: a ‘statement of faith’. We see three of these that stand out and are recorded in New Testament scripture: the first being that Jesus is Lord.

Jesus is Lord: We find this, an early statement confessing the belief in the Lordship of Jesus in Paul’s letters to the Romans and Corinthians among others. Long considered the ‘earliest creed’, it could also be considered the same as ‘Jesus is the Promised Messiah’, a phrase that fell out of use the further away from the Messianic prophesies of the first Advent went, as well as ‘Jesus is the Son of God’.  They both mean the same thing: Jesus is the Anointed One, God’s only Son, the one who holds our eternal life in His hands. 

In the 10th chapter of Romans Paul was drawing parallels-or, more likely differences-between Moses and Jesus. Not between the two men, rather between what they represented: Moses the Law and Christ justified by faith. In its’ short form it is simply ‘Jesus is Lord’ to show the dominion of Jesus over Moses, of Grace over Law, without diminishing either. A phrase used by many as a greeting in the early church-a simple ‘statement of faith’, a ‘creed’. Paul, in referencing Isaiah uses this phrase to show a belief-a strong belief that is undeniable and needs to be shared and lived by Jew and Gentile alike.

In the first letter to the Corinthians Paul will connect this creed-this ‘statement of faith’-with the gift of the Spirit. For we cannot truly say with honesty that ‘Jesus is Lord’ unless we have learned it FROM the Spirit. Grace. Freely given by Jesus-our Lord-but only accepted and recognized by the opening of our eyes by the Spirit. Grace. Freely given by our Lord-the only One who can do so.

Scripture reading for today:

Romans 10:5-13
Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down)“or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

I Corinthians 12:1-3
Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: