Serving Jesus as the Lord God

The Holy Bible clearly teaches that believers cannot revere and serve any other being as their heavenly Lord apart from YHWH:

“None is able to serve two lords (Oudeis dynatai dysikyriois douleuei), for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to the one, and despise the other; ye are not able to serve God and Mammon.” Matthew 6:24 Young’s Literal Translation (YLT)

“Serve the Lord with fear (douleusate to Kyrio en phobo), and rejoice in him with trembling.” Psalm 2:11 Septuagint (LXX)

“Serve the Lord (douleusate to Kyrio) with gladness; come before his presence with exultation. Know that the Lord he is God; he made us, and not we ourselves; [we are] his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” Psalm 99:2-3 LXX

“[A Song of Degrees:] Unto thee who dwellest in heaven have I lifted up mine eyes. Behold, as the eyes of servants (doulon) [are directed] to the hands of their masters (ton kyrion auton), [and] as the eyes of a maidservant to the hands of her mistress; so our eyes [are directed] to the Lord our God , until he have mercy upon us.” Psalm 122:1-2 LXX

“Ye said, He that serves God (ho douleuon Theo) labours in vain: and what have we gained in that we have kept his ordinances, and in that we have walked as suppliants before the face of the Lord Almighty?... Thus spoke they that feared the Lord (hoi phoboumenoi ton Kyrion), every one to his neighbour: and the Lord gave heed, and hearkened, and he wrote a book of remembrance before him for them that feared the Lord and reverenced his name (tois phoboumenois ton Kyrion kai eulaboumenois to onoma autou)... Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, and between him that serves God, and him that serves [him] not (tou douleuontos Theo kai tou me douleuontos).” Malachi 3:14, 16, 18 LXX

This explains why all throughout the Old Testament believers and prophets are described as the slaves/servants of YHWH:

“And it came to pass after these things that Joshua the son of Naue the servant of the Lord (doulos Kyriou) died, [at the age] of a hundred and ten years.” Joshua 24:30 LXX

“O ye servants of the Lord (douloi Kyriou), bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.” Daniel 3:62 LXX

“And he said to them, I am a servant of the Lord (doulos Kyriou ego eimi); and I worship the Lord God of heaven, who made the sea, and the dry [land].” Jonah 1:9

Remarkably, Jesus’ Jewish followers began describing themselves as his slaves/servants shortly after his physical ascension into heaven:

“Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus (doulos Christou ‘Iesou), called as an apostle, having been set apart for the gospel of God,” Romans 1:1

“For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own stomach, and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” Romans 16:18

“For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave.” 1 Corinthians 7:22

“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a slave of Christ.” Galatians 1:10

“not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ (hos douloi Christou), doing the will of God from the heart,” Ephesians 6:6

“Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus (douloi Christou), To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:” Philippians 1:1

“Epaphras, who is one of your number, a slave of Christ Jesus , sends you his greetings, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand complete and fully assured in all the will of God.” Colossians 4:12

“James, a slave of God AND OF the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are in the Dispersion: Greetings.” James 1:1

“Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received the same kind of faith as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (tou Theou hemon kai Soteros ‘Iesou Christou):” 2 Peter 1:1

“Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ , and brother of James, To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ... For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our ONLY Master and Lord, Jesus Christ (ton monon despoten kai Kyrion hemon ‘Iesoun Christon). Now I want to remind you, though you know all things, that Jesus , having once saved a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.” Jude 1:1, 4-5

The statements by Peter and Jude are truly remarkable since they not only identify themselves as the slaves of the heavenly Christ, they also have no qualms describing Jesus as their Sovereign Lord God and Savior! Jude goes even further by stating that it was Jesus who both delivered Israel and punished them during the time of Moses!

This explains why the first Christians devoted themselves to serving and revering their risen heavenly Lord:

“For he who in this way serves Christ (douleuon to Christo) is pleasing to God and approved by men.” Romans 14:18

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ , so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. So then, knowing the fear of the Lord (ton phobon tou Kyriou), we persuade men, but we have been made manifest to God; and I hope that we have been made manifest also in your consciences.” 2 Corinthians 5:10-11

“and being subject to one another in the fear of Christ (en phobo Christou).” Ephesians 5:21

“Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but with integrity of heart, fearing the Lord (phobemounoi ton Kyrion). Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord (hos to Kyrio) rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord (apo Kyriou) you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ (to Kyrio Christo douleuete).” Colossians 3:22-24

“Lords, give ye to servants that that is just and even, witting that also ye have a Lord in heaven (Kyrion en ourano).” Colossians 4:1 Wycliffe (WYC)

These Jews would not have taken Jesus in heaven as their Lord whom they were to revere and serve is if they believed that he was a mere human being. They would only have done so if they were convinced that the risen and heavenly Christ is God Almighty that became a Man.

Unless noted otherwise, scriptural references taken from the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB).