[...] gospel. Paul Washer, Lordship Salvation and Repentance | Notes From A Retired Preacher <-link Lordship Salvation, Free Grace, and Easy-Believism | Parchment and Pen <-link __________________ God is sovereign in salvation. Not any man. Not even you. [...]

I just wanted to say that I totally agree with wayne in the aspect that without repentence, we cannot be a Christian. Indeed, except ye repent, ye all will likewise perish. Those who are disobedient with be punished with an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his majesty.

I am sure that salvation comes through faith alone in Jesus Christ, not by our own works of righteousness in the flesh. I just wish everyone else could see this truth. I think they get hung up on the commandments of God and seek to keep them by their own works, and not by faith alone in Jesus. For those who do so, please consider this, consider your ways. The bible,for example, commands us not to lie. 1 John 2:22 tells us a liar is one who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Therefore, when we believe he is the Christ, we are no longer liars according to the biblical definition of a liar in 1 John. All the commandments are kept like this one through faith in Jesus. When we believe in him, we fulfill the commandments of God which are telling us to believe Jesus is the Christ, for example we are not to lie, or deny that JEsus is the Christ in unbelief. In other words, the commandment not to lie is a commandment not to deny JEsus is the Christ, but a commandment to believe he indeed is. For it is through faith we are saved. This is God’s commandment, to believe on JEsus and abide in the faith. To see other commandments according to the biblical interpretation by rightly dividing the word of truth, please visit this bible study website. Another example, we are commanded not to steal. If we steal, we are thieves, but if not we are not thieves. In John chapter 10, Jesus told us to seek salvation any other way than through him makes us thieves. THerefore, when we climb up through faith in Jesus alone, we are not theives who steal, spiritually speaking of course, for the law of God is spiritual according to Romans 7:14. The entire bible is spiritual and is not given for private intepretation based on our own natural wisdom and understanding. We are to let God define the words of the bible. Jude speaks of those who are carnally, or naturally minded.

I always go to Paul’s epistles for answers to GRACE and works questions. There are no other books in the Bible that fully explain the fine points of GRACE salvation like Paul’s!

With all of the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself Paul goes forth and confronts the judizers–law keepers–gospel perverters without apology knowing who taught THE GOSPEL to him.

Paul TWICE warns the Galatians about “ANOTHER GOSPEL” and calls those “accursed” who preached anything contrary to “his” Gospel that he preached to them when he first visited Galatia. He minced no words in the condemnation of the “WHO” (Galatians 3) that had bewitched the believers, leading them back into “bondage” which Christ had set them free from. If it wasn’t what Paul preached he said they are to be damned to the lake of fire! (accursed)

It was Paul who went into in Arabia and was taught by revelation from the Lord Jesus Himself about the Gospel he preached to the Gentiles. The “LAW” was given to Moses in Sinia of Arabia and here Paul travels to Arabia is the taught “GRACE GOSPEL” by the Lord Jesus Himself!

In Romans 3 Paul takes away all doubt how the Lord Jesus feels about ‘works’ (law-keeping) salvation. He boldy proclaims we are ALL under the condemnation of the LAW as “transgressors”, and that it is the “free gift” of Christ’s “righteousness” not our own that saves the soul! As Law breakers “works” have no saving efficacy. It is impossible for sinners to not sin (stop sinning) and gain ground for Heaven.

In Romans 4 Paul teaches the Lord’s doctrine of justification in the sight of God by “FAITH” only. Abraham is the example he uses that “faith alone in Christ” is the vehicle by which we please God.

In Romans 4:5 He makes the astounding statement–”But to him that WORKETH NOT, but BELIEVETH ON HIM, that justifeth the UNGODLY, his FAITH is counted FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Righteousness is imputed NOT EARNED! (Romans 4:6)

Lordship…

The Lordship Gospel issue is the most of all difficult primary doctrine that I have tried to grasp, and straw men abound. The Gospel is the vehicle by which Salvation is transmitted. Mr. C.M. Patton defines “Easy Believism” as the Gospel that I do believe is the correct one. However, I always thought that it was synonyms with “License”, makeing it ‘another Gospel’. Looking at his definition (which may be the correct one), I have no problem with preaching ‘Easy Believeism’ exceipt there must be a change in ones life. However, as fruit enspectors, we are not consistant. I have led (I hope) many to Christ and sometimes I had to go back and ask again what they now believe and if they have had any changes at all in the way they live. Few in America allow you to go on to disciple them. They generally prefer to seek out their own teachers, usually via radio or television. Something that I dislike very much but what can I do but try and interact with them and pray for them. There has to be a change but it may not be perceivable to us. I agree with his defintion of ‘repentance’, I agree. In Acts 2:5, we have ‘God fearing’ jews that did not primarily need to repent of their sins, but needed to find another way of Salvation and that was The Lamb of God: Christ Jesus. About understanding Christ as God, we see the Biblical record showing Him primarily as Emmanuel and therefore God the Sovereign of the Universe and us. Can a person “believe in Christ” and not believe that He is Emmanuel? I do not think so. The whole point of differing with the Lordship Gospel is to keep the Free Gift of Salvaion free and not to have it become an exchange or trade-off. Where we committ our lives to Christ and He then Saves us through His atoning work upon the cross. On the other end of the spectrime is License. We need to remind anyone that the Gospel is not a light thing and that God does not hear anyone while they reguard iniquity in their heart (i.e. license). What is wrong with preaching “Lord and Savior”? Nothing really, as long as the believer candidate understands that he or she is receiving a ‘Free Gift’ and not entering into a trade. That is, not making promises to God inorder to be saved. What makes this so very hard to work through is all the strawmen and the fact that it is ‘right and just’ to love, adore, worship, submitt and serve Christ. It’s just that the Lordship Gospel may be putting the cart before the horse if understood wrongly and then you have a neverending ‘Works’ type of false salvation.

C. Michael – Consider me as another “Free Gracer”. I had followed those who lead the Lordshippers for years, not realizing what the issues were. Many of these men were scholars amongst scholars, but it just didn’t wash with the Scriptures, which is our true authority for life and living. I feel ashamed that these dear brothers have pointed the accusing finger at DTS over the years (an unapologetically proud alum!).
Thanks again.
BHFLU – 1 John 4:19
reo

I always wander why people(such as this one) totally misrepresents Lordship salvation. In essence, a straw man is presented.

I dare to say, name me one Lordship Salvation proponent who teaches that one must repent of every sin(which I doubt we even remember or know of all our sins) or that we are to make Christ Lord over every area of our life in order to find justification.

Please show me which author, preacher, sermon actually preaches this as Lordship Salvation.

I have read both of John Macarthur books on the subject and others who have written on the subject(including A W Tozer) and that particular message is not what they preach.

What is preached is first, we cannot seperate the Lordship or deity of Christ over the beleiver from his actions as Saviour. That Lord is a title of deity, not merely Jesus’ pre first name.

Ro 10:9 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.

Second, that when Christ saves you, he changes your life.
A mere profession of faith without accompying sanctification is not salvation. If you look at Romans 8: 28, you will find that God predestined us to be “conformed to the image of his Son”.

Christ even taught, if there was no fruit, no salvation.
Mt 7:15 ¶ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mt 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mt 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mt 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mt 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mt 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Mt 7:21 ¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mt 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mt 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mt 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mt 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mt 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mt 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

James, the first Pastor even taught that faith without works is dead-which means it was not a saving faith.

Some will say that I am teaching a works salvation. I would point to Ephesians 2:8-10 which shows that salvation is by grace through faith, not of works. Verse 10 tells us that God has made us his workmanship unto good works.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Good works, sanctification, righteousness, faithfulness to the Lord, and holiness is the results of salvation, not the cause of it.

This is Lordship salvation which also does teach repentance. Repentance from sin is only a part of it. It is repenting of that which you rely upon whether another religion or your own standard of righteousness which do(in my honest opinion include sins) The reason why I include sins is first, unbelief is a sin, second-we often allow sins in our standard of righteousness that Christ does not accept. Lastly, we are sinners!

Heb 6:1 ¶ Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

I should note that Christ seperated repentance from faith and belief.
Mr 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

As far as 1st and 2nd Corinthians, if carnal Christianity were acceptable to God, there would be no writing of these two epistles! The first one was written so that the Corinthian believers would “come out from among them” not to allow for the continuing of sin.

Antonio:

Your comment #38 above causes me some concern. There seems to be a disconnect that you may be able to clear up.

At your blog you wrote an article titled, Believe in Christ’s Promise and You are Saved No Matter What Misconceptions You Hold. In regard to evangelizing the lost and the content of saving faith you wrote:

“If a JW hears me speak of Christ’s deity and asks me about it, I will say, ‘Let us agree to disagree about this subject.’”

“At the moment that a JW or a Mormon is convinced that Jesus Christ has given to them unrevokable [sic] eternal life when they believed on Him for it, I would consider such a one saved, REGARDLESS of their varied misconcetions [sic] and beliefs about Jesus.”

“I would never say you don’t have to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. This has the import of the gospel proposition which makes it salvific! If someone asks me point blank, do I believe that one must believe that Jesus is God in order to go to heaven, I would say ‘NO!’”

If you could answer the following questions I’m sure it would help clear up any confusion as to what you believe is the necessary content of saving faith. Antonio:

MUST a person believe that they are a sinner, that Jesus is God, that He was here in the flesh and died on the Cross for our very own personal sins, that He was buried, that He rose to life again and was seen in the flesh by a multitude of people in order to be saved?

Can anything in this “list” be unknown, unbelieved, or rejected at the moment of conversion and the person ACTUALLY be Eternally Saved at that moment?

Thank you in advance for answering these questions.

LM

Re Jason’s comment (#36), “When a person takes the oath of allegiance they become US citizens.”

That argument has no persuasive force, because God’s kingdom is not based upo n American law or consitution and has its own entrance and leaving requirements. Those requirements may be the same as the U.S. one’s, but any similarity would either be coincidental or because the “founding fathers” of Anmeric copied God.

Furthermore, God no where and at no time ever stated that taking the U.S. oath of allegiance was in any way similar to professing Christ as one’s saviour. Again, any similarities are coincidental.

God’s kingdom, and entrance into, came way before the American nation and its oath.

regards

Brother Patton:

On your definition of the Free Grace (FG) movement I’d like to offer a few observations. In regard to your notes on repentance, the GES faction of the FG community takes a view that is out of step with virtually any other biblically balanced movement. For example:

Zane Hodges totally eliminated the necessity of repentance from the conversion experience. In his book, Harmony With God Hodges took the position that the process of repentance may be a preparatory step in coming to salvation, and should be evident in the life of a believer, but a lost man can be born again apart from repentance by any definition. Hodges also said he no longer held to the “change of mind” view of repentance. Hodges said there is only one answer to the question, “What must I do to be saved?” Hodges emphatically stated that repentance is not part of the answer.

Ironically, Bob Wilkin’s 1985 doctrinal dissertation is titled Repentance as a Condition for Salvation in the New Testament. At that time Wilkin held the “change of mind” view and believed repentance was a condition for salvation.

The influence of Hodges eventually led Wilkin to abandon the position he defended in his dissertation. At the 1998 Grace Evangelical Society’s National Conference Bob Wilkin revealed he had a “change of mind” about repentance. Hodges and Wilkin defined repentance as “turning from sin,” which is consistent with the Lordship Salvation view of repentance.

Kind regards,

LM