C
Why Lordship Salvation Is Not Biblical
RON SHEA
“In this view, eternal salvation is not dependent on the performance of a work, but only the promise of future works. In the minds of those determined to adhere to salvation by works, this distinction supposedly allows the works of the law to be somehow added to the equation of salvation without annulling the doctrine of grace. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans would disagree. ‘For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is of none effect.’ The …expression ‘saving repentance’ is nothing more than a specific form or expression of Bilateral Contract Salvation… ‘a promise for a promise.’ The lost sinner ‘promises’ future obedience in exchange for God’s ‘promise’ of eternal life. This errant understanding of the term ‘repentance’ is the most common and pervasive form of ‘Lordship Salvation’ taught within Christendom throughout the world.” (Ron Shea, Repentance and Salvation in Scripture, Confusion Over Repentance, p.3)
J. VERNON MAGEE
(Jesus) is not putting down a condition of salvation but stating the position of those who are saved. Lordship advocates, however, consider Luke 9:23-24 an evangelistic passage meant for the unsaved. Lordship advocates believe “take up his cross daily” is a condition that must be committed to for the reception of salvation. If this is a salvation invitation, the sinner is being asked to be willing to die for Jesus in order to be saved. “If this characterizes saving faith and is made a condition for salvation, as Lordship proponents insist, one must decide to place faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord through surrender everyday without fail. Such an expectation is not found elsewhere in the Bible and makes both salvation and assurance impossible. (In Defense of the Gospel, page 87)
LOU MARTUNEAC
Conditioning salvation upon man’s “unconditional surrender,” his commitment to or promises of obedience, is not the gospel. This is the point upon which some who reject Lordship Salvation consider it the first cousin of Roman Catholicism’s sacramental works salvation. When repentance is defined as “turning from sin” its basic nature is changed from what occurs in the heart and mind to an action. A commitment to certain behavior expected of a Christian turns the gospel of grace on its head. Salvation then is no longer “the gift of God” but instead a works based message that frustrates grace (Eph. 2:8-9, Gal 2:21) (page 145, In Defense of the Gospel)
To them (Lordship advocates), the kind of faith that “does not save” is any faith that does not meet their Lordship definition of saving faith. (page 152, In Defense of the Gospel)
Lordship Salvation, according to John MacArthur’s definition of saving faith, is a barter system (page 155, In Defense of the Gospel)
Those who teach Lordship Salvation frontload faith with commitments to do the good works (Eph. 2:10)… (Page 167, In Defense of the Gospel)
Does the Lord call on the lost for a wholehearted commitment to obedient Christian living before He grants the gift of eternal life? (page 257, In Defense of the Gospel)
As Lou accurately says, Lordship salvation frontloads faith with a commitment to do good works. It becomes a barter system in which the non-believer commits to forsake all their sins, commits to carry their cross and die daily, and commits to fully surrender and to have complete obedience in order to be saved. The gospel of Jesus Christ is no longer the free gift that God offers but is a costly gift that the unconverted sinner is unable to purchase. What sinner can commit to do things that are possible only by having the Spirit of God dwell in them? When people preach a Lordship Salvation gospel, they are not preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ; they are preaching a different gospel that frustrates the grace of God.
http://www.preachingjesuschrist.com/why-lordship-salvation-is-not-biblical.html
RON SHEA
“In this view, eternal salvation is not dependent on the performance of a work, but only the promise of future works. In the minds of those determined to adhere to salvation by works, this distinction supposedly allows the works of the law to be somehow added to the equation of salvation without annulling the doctrine of grace. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans would disagree. ‘For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is of none effect.’ The …expression ‘saving repentance’ is nothing more than a specific form or expression of Bilateral Contract Salvation… ‘a promise for a promise.’ The lost sinner ‘promises’ future obedience in exchange for God’s ‘promise’ of eternal life. This errant understanding of the term ‘repentance’ is the most common and pervasive form of ‘Lordship Salvation’ taught within Christendom throughout the world.” (Ron Shea, Repentance and Salvation in Scripture, Confusion Over Repentance, p.3)
J. VERNON MAGEE
(Jesus) is not putting down a condition of salvation but stating the position of those who are saved. Lordship advocates, however, consider Luke 9:23-24 an evangelistic passage meant for the unsaved. Lordship advocates believe “take up his cross daily” is a condition that must be committed to for the reception of salvation. If this is a salvation invitation, the sinner is being asked to be willing to die for Jesus in order to be saved. “If this characterizes saving faith and is made a condition for salvation, as Lordship proponents insist, one must decide to place faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord through surrender everyday without fail. Such an expectation is not found elsewhere in the Bible and makes both salvation and assurance impossible. (In Defense of the Gospel, page 87)
LOU MARTUNEAC
Conditioning salvation upon man’s “unconditional surrender,” his commitment to or promises of obedience, is not the gospel. This is the point upon which some who reject Lordship Salvation consider it the first cousin of Roman Catholicism’s sacramental works salvation. When repentance is defined as “turning from sin” its basic nature is changed from what occurs in the heart and mind to an action. A commitment to certain behavior expected of a Christian turns the gospel of grace on its head. Salvation then is no longer “the gift of God” but instead a works based message that frustrates grace (Eph. 2:8-9, Gal 2:21) (page 145, In Defense of the Gospel)
To them (Lordship advocates), the kind of faith that “does not save” is any faith that does not meet their Lordship definition of saving faith. (page 152, In Defense of the Gospel)
Lordship Salvation, according to John MacArthur’s definition of saving faith, is a barter system (page 155, In Defense of the Gospel)
Those who teach Lordship Salvation frontload faith with commitments to do the good works (Eph. 2:10)… (Page 167, In Defense of the Gospel)
Does the Lord call on the lost for a wholehearted commitment to obedient Christian living before He grants the gift of eternal life? (page 257, In Defense of the Gospel)
As Lou accurately says, Lordship salvation frontloads faith with a commitment to do good works. It becomes a barter system in which the non-believer commits to forsake all their sins, commits to carry their cross and die daily, and commits to fully surrender and to have complete obedience in order to be saved. The gospel of Jesus Christ is no longer the free gift that God offers but is a costly gift that the unconverted sinner is unable to purchase. What sinner can commit to do things that are possible only by having the Spirit of God dwell in them? When people preach a Lordship Salvation gospel, they are not preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ; they are preaching a different gospel that frustrates the grace of God.
http://www.preachingjesuschrist.com/why-lordship-salvation-is-not-biblical.html
Last edited: