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apostle styles himself the bond-slave, he gives the full title of his Master, as "Jesus Christ
His Son, our Lord" (Rom. 1: 3).
We have observed that many of those who are antagonistic to the teaching of Christ
through Paul rarely speak of the Saviour by His risen title of "Lord", but usually and
familiarly speak of Him as "Jesus". His bond-slaves, "bought with a price", will only too
gladly confess Him continually as Lord.
Truth and lies have no neutral ground between them. Whether the unjust statements
concerning Paul proceed from ignorance or malice, from untaught zeal or from hatred to
truth, such statements are lies and those utter them are liars, the Scriptures quoted above
being witness.
#3.
"The name of Jesus . . . . . Lord."
pp. 143, 144
As mentioned briefly in our last article, many who speak slightingly of the Apostle
Paul, and who make a great show of love and loyalty to Christ speak of Him continually
as "Jesus". The man whom they traduce ever owned Him as "Lord". The very first
utterance of the converted Pharisee was "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?"
(Acts 9: 6). These words epitomized his ministry. To Paul "Jesus was Lord", and Paul
his bond slave. What a contrast to the unholy familiarity of those who continually use the
name "Jesus" is Paul's declaration in Rom. 1: 3 that the gospel of God is concerning
"His Son Jesus Christ our Lord"!
Paul, as soon as he was converted and had entered Damascus:--
"Straightway preached Jesus in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God . . . . .
proving that this is very Christ . . . . . he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus"
(Acts 9: 20-27).
Throughout his testimony he spoke of Christ in terms that acknowledged His glory
and Headship. Where the many, to-day, who are not worthy to unloose the latchet of
Paul's shoes, so familiarly address the Risen Son of God as "Jesus", Paul bows before
Him and owns Him "Lord". To Paul He is "The great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ"
(Titus 2: 13).
In the short epistle of II Thessalonians Paul makes reference to Christ twenty-four
times. Eleven times he uses the title "The Lord Jesus Christ", nine times "The Lord",
twice "Christ", once "Lord Jesus", and once "the Lord of Peace". Surely the man who
within the brief compass of 47 verses uses these full titles so frequently (one to every two
verses) manifests the attitude of heart and mind that was his toward the Saviour. We
know not whether other epistles would reveal more or less than II Thessalonians--we
simply picked upon this as being brief.