When did Jesus become the Lord?
Jesus became Lord as soon as He finished the work of the cross and the power of the resurrection. He was not yet Lord during His earthly ministry because He had not yet died. He then becomes Lord of our life, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Les explains that this goes beyond the Jesus of His earthly ministry, because He hadn't died then yet. As soon as He finished the work of the cross and the power of the resurrection, He now becomes Lord, and Les emphasizes that He becomes Lord of our life. He becomes not just Jesus, but Jesus Christ the Lord, or the Lord Jesus Christ. Les thinks it is only proper to approach Him on those terms. Confession with the mouth of the Lord Jesus and belief in the heart that God raised Him from the dead brings the promise of salvation.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
More Questions
Why do we confess Jesus as Lord and not just as Jesus?
Confessing the Lord Jesus goes beyond the Jesus of His earthly ministry, because He becomes Lord only after finishing the work of the cross and the power of the resurrection.
Why does Romans 10:9 say confess Jesus as Lord if He wasn't Lord during His earthly ministry?
Confessing 'the Lord Jesus' goes beyond the Jesus of His earthly ministry, because He had not died yet then; only after He finished the work of the cross and the power of the resurrection does He become Lord, i.e., Jesus Christ the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ.