Making Jesus Lord of your life

I’m not fond of this phase as a part of salvation. Not that I don’t agree, but there’s the spirit behind it, and I think it could be more simply put.

That sounds like works to me. Yes, you must turn and it must be real – the repentance part… regretting your sin. If you accept salvation, that IS you making Jesus lord of your life.

OK, I can see someone accepting Jesus, but then turning their back on God, but that just means they didn’t really mean it in the first place, or that they’re using God to just feel good temporarily, but then just turning back. “Fruit isn’t proving faith” is what I would call that. I think my way of explaining it is maybe better.

Fruit proves faith

If you want to know if you’re really saved or not, just look and see if there’s fruit. The Fruit of the Spirit is:

• Love: The foundation of all virtues, showing genuine care and putting others before yourself.
• Joy: A deep, enduring gladness that stems from spiritual confidence and connection with God.
• Peace: A calming inner stillness and the ability to live in harmony with others, even during life’s storms.
• Patience: The strength to remain calm and gracious through trials and when dealing with others’ flaws.
• Kindness: Treating others with compassion, warmth, and a generous spirit.
• Goodness: A commitment to righteousness and doing what is morally sound.
• Faithfulness: Being dependable, trustworthy, and loyal in all relationships and responsibilities.
• Gentleness: Approaching others with humility, grace, and a soft heart.
• Self-control: The discipline to manage desires and reactions, aligning actions with godly values.

If that’s not there, like something you really want to do, then you might not have made a real commitment to Jesus. Or, it could just mean God’s still working on you.

I used AI to rewrite those fruits listed above (so as not to plagiarize) and then it offered this as a companion statement:

“These nine qualities, often referred to as the Fruit of the Spirit, reflect the character of a life shaped by God’s presence. They aren’t just lofty ideals—they’re meant to be lived out daily, guiding how we treat others, respond to challenges, and grow in faith.”

Hey, I agree.

And, we’re not perfect. We don’t have to be perfect to remain saved. That’s a lie. We’re human. We are going to fail – guaranteed. Don’t feel super down when you fail. Talk to God. Ask him to help you, and move on, loving others. Simple.

In fact, God says he is perfected in our weakness… what?! Dang!

Check it out:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

That’s God speaking to the author of 2nd Corinthians, which is a letter to a church and a book in the Bible. God says the grace he gives us (salvation) is enough. It’s all we need. And God’s power is made perfect (glorified, I might say) as he takes our weaknesses and works on our behalf because of his great love for us. Wow.