Question 56: What Does It Mean To Call Jesus Christ “Lord”?

An Anglican Catechism (Expanded Version)

Question 56: What does it mean to call Jesus Christ “Lord”?

To call Jesus Christ “Lord” means to confess that He is truly God, the risen and exalted King who has authority over all creation and over my life. It is a declaration of worship, allegiance, and obedience to the One who has redeemed me and reigns forever. (Philippians 2:9–11, Romans 10:9, Acts 2:36, John 13:13, Revelation 17:14)

Full Scripture References

“Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” — Philippians 2:9–11 (BSB)

“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” — Romans 10:9 (BSB)

“Therefore let all Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!” — Acts 2:36 (BSB)

“You call Me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, because I am.” — John 13:13 (BSB)

“They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings—and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.” — Revelation 17:14 (BSB)

Expanded Explanation of Catechism Question

To call Jesus Christ “Lord” is to affirm that He is God in the flesh and the rightful ruler over all things. In the ancient world, “lord” (Greek: Kyrios) was a title of authority, used for kings, emperors, and even pagan deities. But in the New Testament, this title is lifted higher—it is applied to Jesus as the one who shares in the divine name and authority of Yahweh. When we say “Jesus is Lord,” we are not just giving Him a title of respect—we are confessing that He is the risen Son of God, reigning with all authority in heaven and on earth.

This confession was central to the faith of the early Church. In Acts 2:36, Peter proclaims at Pentecost that “God has made this Jesus… both Lord and Christ.” From the earliest days, calling Jesus “Lord” meant worshiping Him, trusting Him, and submitting to His rule. As Romans 10:9 makes clear, this confession is also essential to salvation—it is the public declaration that Jesus, not Caesar, not self, not sin, is Lord. This confession brings both freedom and responsibility.

John Stott, the influential Anglican evangelical, once wrote: “Jesus is Lord. That is the earliest Christian creed, and it is still the essence of Christian discipleship. If Jesus is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.” Likewise, Stephen Noll, a contemporary Anglican theologian, says: “To call Jesus Lord is to give Him absolute claim over your time, your money, your relationships, and your destiny. It is to bow before Him as both Savior and Judge.” Anglican liturgy echoes this daily in prayers such as: “O Lord, open thou our lips,” and “Through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Historic Anglican teaching also upholds Christ’s lordship. Bishop Lancelot Andrewes (1555–1626) emphasized that calling Jesus Lord meant “to live under His rule and within His grace.” The Thirty-Nine Articles confess in Article II that Jesus “took man’s nature… to reconcile His Father to us, and to be a sacrifice… and to reign in glory.” This reign is not theoretical—it demands our obedience, trust, and surrender in every area of life.

To call Jesus “Lord,” then, is to enter into a relationship of reverence, loyalty, and worship. We do not merely respect Him—we serve Him. We are not merely helped by Him—we belong to Him. As Philippians 2:10–11 reveals, every creature will one day bow before the Lordship of Christ. To call Him Lord now is to join that worship in faith and joy, pledging our lives to the King who died for us and now lives forever.

Early Church Fathers On Catechism Question

St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130–202 AD) wrote: “He is Lord, and the only One who is rightly called Lord, for through Him all things were made, and to Him all things belong.” — Against Heresies, 3.8.3

Irenaeus emphasized Jesus’ authority as Lord over creation and redemption.

Tertullian (c. 155–220 AD) declared: “Jesus is not merely a teacher or a prophet. He is the Lord, the eternal Son of the Father, to whom all must bow.” — Against Praxeas, 15

Tertullian upheld the divine Lordship of Christ as essential to the faith.

St. Athanasius (c. 296–373 AD) stated: “It is the Lord who became man, that He might make us sons of God. To deny His Lordship is to deny salvation.” — On the Incarnation, 54

Athanasius tied Christ’s Lordship to His incarnation and saving work.

St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD) wrote: “To call Him Lord is not enough unless we also obey Him. The devil called Him Lord but did not follow Him.” — Expositions on the Psalms, 50.2

Augustine warned that true confession of Jesus as Lord includes obedience.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 313–386 AD) taught: “When you say ‘Jesus Christ is Lord,’ do so not with lips alone, but with faith and love in your heart.” — Catechetical Lectures, 10.1

Cyril exhorted believers to make their confession of Jesus’ Lordship sincere and life-altering.

An Anglican Catechism (Expanded Version)

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An Anglican Catechism (Expanded Version)