Lord of All
The False Teaching:
The
Spirit of Christ was Lord over certain categories.
New Testament Response:
Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can't serve both God and Mammon.
(See also Luke 16:13)
Lord of Dead and Living
The False Teaching:
The
Spirit of Christ was in
Hades and was Lord of the dead there.
New Testament Response:
Paul and Peter respond by saying that Jesus is Lord over both the dead and the living:
Romans 14:9
For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
1 Peter 4:5
who will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
New Testament authors also stress that Christ is in heaven (Col. 4:1, Matt 26:69, Acts 1:11) and that he was not in Hades:
Acts 2:27
because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.
Related Verses in Ephesians:
Eph. 1:20,
Eph. 2:1,
Eph. 2:5,
Eph. 5:14, Eph. 6:9
Lord of Husband and Wife
The False Teaching:
Since the wives in Ephesus saw the
Spirit of Christ at their ultimate Lord, apparently there were some areas of their lives that Christ trumped the the authority of their earthly lords (husbands). This caused wives not to
honor their marriage contracts.
New Testament Response:
Colossians 3:18
Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Related Verses in Ephesians:
Eph. 5:22
Lord of Parents and Children
The False Teaching:
Children viewed the
Spirit of Christ as making the authority of their parents obsolete in some areas of life.
New Testament Response:
Colossians 3:20
Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord.
Luke describes that even Jesus submitted to His earthly parents:
Luke 2:51
And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth. He was subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
Lord of Master and Slave
The False Teaching:
In the Greek, the same word is used for both "Lord" and "Master". Slaves saw the
Spirit of Christ as making the authority of their lords (masters) obsolete in some areas of life.
New Testament Response:
Colossians 3:22
Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.
Titus 2:9
Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing in all things; not contradicting;
Paul makes it clear that slaves should obey their earthly masters in all things and they should remain slaves unless they can do without
breaking their contracts (1 Cor. 7:21).
Lord of this Age and the next Age
The False Teaching:
The Lord of this
age was Caesar and governing authorities (principalities and powers), but in the next
age, the
Christ in the Flesh would come and conquer those authorities and be Lord of all the earth.
New Testament Response:
1 Timothy 1:17
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Jude 1:25
to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
Related Verses in Ephesians:
Eph.
1:21, Eph. 3:21
Lord of Heaven and Earth
The False Teaching:
Since the false teachers were saying that the
Spirit of Christ was Lord of dead, he was Lord of
Hades and was Lord of neither heaven nor of earth.
New Testament Response:
Matthew 28:18
Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth."
Lord of Jew and Gentile
The False Teaching:
Jews did not consider the
Spirit of Christ to be their Lord since they would not be going to
Hades but to Heaven. Gentiles did consider the
Spirit of Christ to be their Lord but in some areas of life, this was causing conflict with their earthly authorities (government). Of course, the Jews saw their Lord as being the
Christ in the Flesh, who would come in the next
age. So they were at conflict with their earthly authorities as well.
New Testament Response:
Romans 10:12
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him.
Acts 10:36
The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ--he is Lord of all--
Romans 13:6-7
For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of God's service, attending continually on this very thing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
