1 Corinthians 12:1-3 - Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit.
It's rather an odd thing that Paul says, isn't it? If anyone curses Jesus, that person is not speaking by the Spirit of God; and anyone who says "Jesus is Lord" is speaking by the Holy Spirit.
It sounds almost too simple to be true—and yet, this test goes right to the heart of the matter. For Jesus is what divides the human race. For those who know Him only as Judge, He is someone to fear, even to hate. His very goodness and holiness makes Him someone to avoid—an unbearable light, a brightness that shows up all of our darkness. No wonder they curse Him! No wonder they find ways to put Him down—to paint Him as something less than He really is. Oh, they may call Him a visionary, or a great teacher, or a revolutionary—but all of these are ways to avoid giving Him the glory that belongs to Him by right. It's what the poet Alexander Pope called "damning [Him] with faint praise."
For those who know Him as Savior, Jesus is the One who gave Himself up for us all to rescue us from sin, death, and evil. He is God Himself become a Man, to suffer and die for us, and to rise again. He is our Life forever, and because we belong to Him and trust in Him, we will never die. To us, He is the One we love above all others—our joy, our comfort, our beloved Lord. And that word "Lord" is not just a meaningless title—it means that He rules both us and the whole universe, and has all power and authority. What better news can there be?
Paul's test makes it possible for us to see the truth about people who are trying to get us to follow them. What do they think of Jesus? If Jesus is anything less than Savior and Lord to them, it doesn't matter what they say to us. We're sticking with Jesus.
WE PRAY: Lord, keep me with You forever, and don't let me be misled. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. What groups or people do you know who claim to honor Jesus but refuse to acknowledge Him as Savior and Lord?
2. Your "Lord" is someone who is in charge of you to take care of you, someone to obey. Why would such people refuse to call Jesus Lord?
3. Why are we glad to call Him Lord?
Today's Bible Readings: Job 17-19 Matthew 10:21-42
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