You may recall the “Lordship controversy” which raged within evangelicalism several decades ago—and still resurfaces from time to time. The subject of the debate was whether or not someone could “accept Jesus as their Savior” but not make him “Lord over their lives.” While one side argued that it was biblically impossible to come to saving faith in Christ without submitting to his Lordship over every area of our lives, the other side argued that this was to confuse faith with repentance, and in effect, to deny justification by faith alone.

Confessional Reformed Christians understood the matter to arise from a lack of clarity about the offices of Christ. By setting forth Christ as Savior and Lord, the debate left untouched much of the biblical data about what Christ does to save us, and how his saving work still applies to us today (as prophet, priest, and king). Yes, Jesus Christ is both Lord and Savior. And yes, we come to Christ as he reveals himself to us in his word, or we haven’t come to Christ. But to speak of Christ as “Savior” and “Lord” are not the most helpful ways to frame his person and work. Read More»

Kim Riddlebarger | Christ’s Three-Fold Office and the “Lordship Controversy” | September 19, 2022

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