Based on 1 Peter 4:1-2, this episode spells out the gospel expectation that “calling Christ Lord” means “living for the will of God.” Peter says that Christians “no longer live for the lusts of men but for the will of God.” In essence, a Christian is one who repents from living for his own lusts and now follows Christ. So calling Christ Lord presumes repentance. Unfortunately many trust in confessional formulas where assent to the truths of the gospel, devoid of repentance, is sufficient for salvation. But mere assent doesn’t address one’s attitude towards sin, which is fundamentally not living for the glory of God. The evangelist then should not shy away from preaching repentance, the repudiation of the flesh-centered life that misses the glory of God. Faith in Christ manifests itself in an obvious change of direction: “living for the will of God” replaces living “for the lusts of men.”
