Calvary Road Baptist Church
“HOW THE LORD BECAME THE LORD”
Romans 1.3-4
Let me ask you a question, this
morning. How many of you have ever thought about how the Lord became the Lord? Since
you’ve become a Christian (if you are a Christian) you’ve probably thought
about a great many things, but have you ever given any thought to how the Lord
became the Lord?
There’s no need for you to panic. This
preacher hasn’t gone off the deep end theologically. I’m not questioning the
eternity of the Savior. I’m not questioning the deity of the Savior, suggesting
that He is anything less than the eternal God. Nor am I trying in any way to
cause anyone to doubt Who He is and What He is to the child the God. I am
convinced and have the personal conviction that “in Him dwelleth all the
fullness of the Godhead bodily,” Colossians 2.9. Further, I am of the opinion,
am fully persuaded, am delighted to be able to proclaim, that we “are complete
in Him Who is the Head of all principality and power,” Colossians 2.10. So,
without in any way questioning what the Bible says about my Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ, without demeaning either His person or His mission in any way, I
wonder if any of you have ever thought about, ever wondered about, ever
considered how the Lord became the Lord. You see, for years in my Christian
life I had never given thought to how the Lord became the Lord. However, the
Apostle Paul does address the issue in his letter to the Romans.
Put yourself in his shoes. Here you
are, a church-planting missionary who is writing a group of Christians in
churches that are scattered about the largest city in the entire world. You
have never been to Rome in your life and you have had no direct role in
starting any of the churches in that city. However, you realize that for you to
accomplish your goal of getting to Spain to preach the gospel at the western
end of the known world this group of churches can provide vital assistance. These
churches are not led by ignorant and unwise men. They are pastors with a great
deal of experience in handling virtually every kind of problem you can think
would come the way of those who live at the very crossroads of the empire. I
mean, every cultist and religious nut case in existence has come through Rome
trying to grab their church members. So these spiritual leaders are wary of
anyone who would come in under the guise of a spiritual leader and pose a
potential threat to their flocks.
Realizing that these spiritual leaders
are only doing what Paul would do himself, he seeks to give his readers
assurance that he is not a religious nut case and that he is not a cultist. And
how does Paul do this? Well, he actually begins to qualify himself to his
readers in the first two verses of this letter to the Romans. In the first
verse of Romans Paul identifies himself. He is a servant of God, a called apostle,
a man separated unto the gospel of God. In the second verse, Paul scores
another round by declaring his position on the Word of God. Just as in our day,
there were men in Paul’s day who had a very low opinion of scripture. But when
Paul refers to the Bible as “holy scriptures,” a title apparently never before
applied to God’s Word, he put to rest any possible notions that he might have a
low view of the Bible. However, he still hasn’t done enough. You see, from our
own modern day experience we know that cultists and even religious nut cases
claim to have a high opinion of scripture, even as they twist and pervert and
misinterpret and misapply it. The Bible alone just is not the sole criteria in
determining Christian orthodoxy. No, where the cultist is detected for what he
is, both then and now, is with regard to his position and beliefs about the
Lord Jesus Christ. Every modern day cultist, whether it be the Seventh Day Adventist,
the Jehovah’s Witness, the Christian Scientist (who is neither Christian nor
scientist), the Moonie, the Children of God movement, etc., has beliefs about
the Lord Jesus Christ, either His person or His saving work, which deviates in
some way from scriptural truth. And the same thing was true in Paul’s day. Therefore,
Paul wanted to assure his readers that he was not a religious deviant or a
cultist, so he includes what he believes about the Lord Jesus Christ in the
introductory remarks of his letter to the Romans. And what he chooses to say
about what he believes about the Lord Jesus Christ is just how the Lord Jesus
Christ became the Lord Jesus Christ.
Stand with me as we read together
Romans 1.1-4:
1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an
apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy
scriptures,)
3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made
of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4 And declared to be the Son of God with power,
according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
Using verses 3 and 4 as the text for
my message this morning, I want us to see how Paul established his credentials
as an orthodox Christian, teacher, and spiritual leader, to the Roman
Christians by stating what he believed about the Second Person of the Trinity
and how the eternal Son of the living God came to be to us the Lord Jesus
Christ. Though what I am about to share with you may be new to you, so far as
Bible doctrine is concerned, I assure you that it is not new. For centuries
Christians who study their Bibles have realized that some things had to occur
for the eternal Son of God to become something He wasn’t always . . . our Lord
Jesus Christ. Precisely, there were two things that had to occur:
First, WHAT HAD TO OCCUR IN ORDER THAT
THE ETERNAL SON OF GOD COULD COME TO BE JESUS CHRIST?
Specifically, what event had to
transpire so that the Second Person of the Trinity, being God and therefore
being spirit, could become human, could become Jesus, could become the Messiah,
the Christ?
Verse 3: “Concerning
his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to
the flesh.”
First, as to His preexistence. Nothing
in this passage directly speaks to the preexistence of God’s Son, but I do want
to establish very clearly that His preexistence is both established in the
Bible and believed by this preacher. You see, the Son of God is clearly
understood in Bible prophecy to be that One predicted by Isaiah in 9.6:
“For unto us a child is born, unto us
a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name
shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace.”
He is also the One spoken of by John
in the first three verses of his gospel:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any
thing made that was made.
I could go on and on and on, but for
time. The point that needs to be clearly made here is this: The One Who is
spoken of as the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace, and
Who is spoken of as being in the beginning with God, as having made all things,
and as being, in fact, God, is the Son of God. And being the Son of God, and
God the Son, He is shown by far too many passages to present to you here as
being preexistent. That is, being God, being the Creator, the Son of God has no
beginning. That is a cardinal doctrine of our faith. That is an essential
ingredient in Christianity. He is the Alpha and the Omega.
Next, as To His incarnation. My
friends, Jesus was a man. He wasn’t only a man, but He was a man. He was both
God and man, but He was a man. But He wasn’t always a man was He? He has always
been God, but He has not always been man. In order for Him to become Jesus He
had to become something He had not been before. Additionally, in order for Him
to fulfill all the prophecies about the Christ, about the Messiah of Israel, He
had to become something that He wasn’t always. He had to become a man. Even in
Paul’s day there was rising out of the spiritual sewer a cultic belief system
that theologians have called Gnosticism. Nowadays various kinds of this
spiritual perversion assume the form of organized religious institutions. Whatever
you call them by name, the fact is, they do not believe what the Apostle Paul
believed and what the Bible teaches about the Son of God becoming a man. Jehovah’s
Witnesses deny that He was preexistent. Mormons deny that He was the only begotten
Son of God. Seventh Day Adventists deny that being God He could not have
sinned. What does Paul say about the matter? Paul writes, “which was made of
the seed of David according to the flesh,” three phrases that are packed with
meaning: First, Paul indicates that “His Son” “was made.” That
particular word was used by the Greeks to indicate both the creation of
something and the birth of someone, with the context in which the word was used
determining what the word was to be understood to mean. It is absolutely unthinkable
to assert that the companion of Luke, who wrote so much about the virgin birth
of Christ, and who himself wrote so much about the preexistence of God’s Son in
such books as Philippians and Colossians, would think of asserting that the Son
of God was created. No, when Paul uses this word in this verse he is referring
to the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. Second, Paul indicates that “His
Son” was made “of the seed of David.” Why must it be asserted that Jesus Christ
was a physical descendant of David? Two reasons: First, it establishes Christ’s
humanity. The descendant of a man is a man. Second, it shows that Jesus met the
prophetic requirements to hold the office of Messiah. The Messiah, God’s
Anointed, had to be a descendant of David and had to be a man. Jesus Christ measured
up to both of those requirements. Third, Paul indicates that “His Son”
was made of the seed of David “according to the flesh.” What does Paul mean
when he uses the word “flesh?” “Flesh” is used three ways in both the Old and
New Testaments. In the strictest sense of the word “flesh” refers to that
portion of the human body which is not bone or blood. Slightly expanding the
meaning of the word, it is also used in the Bible to refer to the entire
physical body of a human being. Then, expanding the meaning of the word even
more, the word is also used to refer to the whole man. Romans 3.20 says that
“no flesh shall be justified in His sight.” Flesh in that verse refers to the
whole man. I am of the opinion that Paul is in our text using the word “flesh”
in this final sense of the word. I think he is indicating that the Lord Jesus
Christ was fully human when He was born into this world. He had a human body. He
had human emotions. And though He was entirely without sin, He had during His
earthly ministry all of the limited capabilities that every other man
experiences as a part of everyday life. Paul is letting us know here that he
believes Jesus Christ was truly incarnate. He was not a fake or a fraud human. And
when He became human He did not cease to be God. Such errors do the cultists
make to the damnation of their eternal souls. This is how God’s eternal Son
became Jesus Christ . . . through the virgin birth, born into the lineage of
King David, fully human.
Then, WHAT HAD TO OCCUR IN ORDER FOR
THE ETERNAL SON OF GOD, WHO HAS NOW BECOME THE GOD-MAN JESUS CHRIST, TO THEN
BECOME THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, TO BECOME OUR LORD?
Verse 4: “And
declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of
holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”
Three factors, if you will, were
involved in that single event which resulted in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, becoming
the Lord Jesus Christ:
The first factor is power - “And
declared to be the Son of God with power.” “Pastor,
was not Jesus Christ declared to be the Son of God with power at the time of
His birth?” Though it cannot be denied that the infinite power of Almighty God
came into play with that great miracle of Christ’s virgin conception and birth,
that event is not what Paul is referring to here. The particular word that Paul
uses which is translated “power” suggests that what is being referred to is
something that is striking in its demonstration of power, something that is
triumphant, something that is so obviously a result of divine power being
brought to bear that God’s involvement cannot be denied. And the result of this
demonstration of power? Jesus Christ was declared to be the Son of God like He
had never before been declared. And when the event had transpired Jesus Christ
was our Lord.
The second factor we see in this verse
is a person - “according to the Spirit of holiness.” Whatever this great and
awesome demonstration of power happened to be, it was wrought by the Third
Person of the Triune Godhead upon the Second Person of the Triune Godhead. The
Holy Spirit of God did something that had tremendous impact and a profound
effect on Jesus Christ’s relationship with believers everywhere.
Which brings me to the third factor
mentioned by Paul; the process. That single event in history which resulted in
Jesus Christ the Son of God being to us Lord was the resurrection. It was the
resurrection which was that awesome demonstration of supernatural power
unparalleled and unequaled. And the resurrection was accomplished in and
through the ministry of the Holy Spirit of God.
“according to the Spirit of holiness,
by the resurrection from the dead.”
And the resurrection from the dead, as
Paul terms it, shows us two things about the Lord Jesus Christ which are vital
points of doctrine and belief: First, Paul asserts that it was
resurrection. It was a rising up. The tomb was empty on the third day. And second,
Paul asserts that it was from the dead. Jesus Christ really did die on the
cross and His resurrection was a real victory over sin, death, Hell, and the
grave. And the result of that triumphant victory over these things? The Son of
God, Who through the incarnation had become Jesus Christ, through the
resurrection had become the Lord Jesus Christ.
Think of what Paul had accomplished in
four brief verses. Writing to people that do not know him (but no doubt had
heard of him), and attempting to establish his credibility so they will help
him reach Spain for Christ, notice what Paul has told his readers about
himself: First, he claims special apostleship, in verse 1. Second,
he makes it very clear that he has an exalted view and opinion of God’s Word by
referring to the Bible as “holy scriptures,” in verse 2. And third, he
has an extremely clear understanding of Bible doctrine as it relates to the
Lord Jesus Christ. The phrase “His Son” in verse 3, coupled with what he believes
about Jesus Christ, and a demonstration of power by the Holy Spirit that could
only be true if the Holy Spirit is God, we see at least the suggestion of the
doctrine of the Trinity here. The Son must have a Father, and He was raised up
by the Spirit. Further, his reference to Jesus Christ being of the seed of
David could only be true if He was virgin born, since our Lord’s stepfather
Joseph was descended from the line of Jeconiah, who was a wicked descendant of
David that God cursed.
However, the most important thing that
Paul writes concerns his understanding of the two-step process that resulted in
the eternal Son of God becoming Jesus Christ and then becoming the Lord Jesus
Christ. Has Paul accomplished his goal of showing that he is orthodox in his
doctrine, of showing that his beliefs are true to the Word of God, and that he
has an exalted view of the Savior? Hey, he’s convinced me. If he came to our
church I’d support him. Amen? Paul was writing to Christians to establish that
he was indeed a Bible-believing Christian who was straight on Who Jesus Christ
was and what He had accomplished.
My friends, Christianity is all about
power. In this world of weak and anemic Christians I’m here to tell you that we
have a powerful God Whose Son is a powerful Savior, and that He always does His
business in a powerful way. If you are not a Christian you don’t have the power
to deal with the sin that will drag you into Hellfire. If you are not a
Christian you don’t have the power to establish and maintain healthy
relationships, with Jesus Christ or anyone else. But when your soul is saved by
Christ He will use His power to do great things in your life. He will forgive
your sin. He will give you the gift of eternal life. He will transform you into
a new person. Is that for you? It is only if you trust Him.
I close with this observation: What
good does it do you for the eternal Son of God, God the Son, to leave heaven’s
glory, become a man, walk on this earth for 33 years before being crucified to
pay the sin penalty for your sins and mine, and then to rise from the dead on
the third day as the Lord Jesus Christ, if you don’t believe in Him? I mean,
does all that work that He did to lay the groundwork for saving you from sin’s
condemnation and then going through what He went through so that He could be
enough like us, being a man, that He could relate to us and have a relationship
with us on a personal basis . . . does that do you any good at all if you’ve
not trusted Him as your Savior? No. It helps you, it does you good, only if
you’ve trusted Him and His power is available to do you some good. Why not
trust Him today?
Question? Comment?
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