Abiding
“Lordship Salvation” Examined [podcast]
What does “Lordship salvation” mean? Who uses this term?
Recently I read the piece below, calling out “lordship salvation”:
“In the sinner’s prayer … it says “I am willing to turn from sin…” The Bible NEVER asks us to give up anything to receive God’s FREE gift of salvation except our unbelief. I hate the damnable heresy that tells people that they can’t get saved unless they turn from sin. Show me that in the Bible! This does not give us a License to Sin, it simply means that discipleship does not affect our salvation. Jesus NEVER asked us to follow Him to be saved, ONLY to believe on Him.”
Much of this is correct and yet, what’s left out is that after receiving Jesus and thereby being saved by Him (John 1:12), the whole of Scripture reveals that one must “abide” in Christ which means to continue, to remain in Christ. Such can only occur where one that Christ saved is continuing in Him, following Him – otherwise those who don’t remain in Christ after being saved will be burned (John 15:1-6). Jesus warned us that in the last days, the days we now live in “the love of many” would “wax cold” and then says that only those who “endure to the end” are going to be “saved.” (Matthew 24:10-13)
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46
Keep in mind that those who condemningly ostracize those they say teach “Lordship salvation” are the exact same heretics who peddle Satan’s original life, which in our day is call things like “eternal security” or “once saved always saved.” (Genesis 2:17;3:4)
If one is not personally vested, engaged in, participating in an abiding worship-filled obedient relationship with Christ, he does not have saving faith nor a relationship with the Son of God. To speak to the issue of salvation as if it’s not a relationship where both parties must become engaged and remain an integral participant, is false. See Jesus’ parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25:1-13.
When we worshipfully obey Jesus, we’re not earning our salvation, we’re simply walking with, engaging in a relationship with the Savior who saved us by His grace.
Did Jesus or His holy apostles ever once teach that those saved by Christ, who engage in a real relationship with Him which include obeying the Savior, are trying to earn, attempting to merit their own salvation? I’m still looking for any such verse in God’s Word.
If you don’t choose to love Jesus enough to obey His stated terms, you have rejected the Son of God for the love of sinful self and will perish in your own corruption (Matthew 22:37-40; Luke 9:23-24; 14:33; 17:33; John 14:15; 1 John 2:3-6, etc.).
“We cannot pray in love and live in hate and still think we are worshipping God.” AW Tozer
Those whom Jesus at one point saved and yet they despise the Savior by ridiculing the necessity of being in an abiding relationship with Him, do so because they want nothing to do with Him. They simply vainly believe they are using Him to get them out of hell and into Heaven. As He will sentence them to eternal fire, they will soon hear Him declare “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” (Matthew 25:40)
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15
Our obedience to God is simply the expression of our love for Him.
“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” John 15:14
Now that is an irrefutable statement and yet the one and done, lukewarm, cross-less eternal securist will say that’s “adding to the gospel” or “works salvation.” Yet God’s Word states:
“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 John 2:4
When His covenant people were in rebellion, living in sin, the LORD told them:
“IFFF ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” Isaiah 1:19-20
Recently someone who is attacking what they call “Lordship salvation” said this:
“Lordship Salvation is the false gospel of works-based salvation (SELF reformation and perseverance) … (salvation is) God’s immeasurable undeserving unmerited grace.”
Yet God’s saving grace is not given to everyone, right? Right. Why? They refuse to meet His stated conditions. What are those conditions? Repent (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30, etc.). Believe (Acts 16:31). Abide – which means to remain in Christ to the end (John 15:1-6). God’s Blessings are Conditional, not Un-Conditional
What these grace-perverting heretics are actually teaching is that engaging in an abiding relationship with the Great Savior is somehow “works salvation.”
The man who wrote this obviously views loving and therefore obeying Jesus, the One he claims saved him, as works-salvation. Jesus commands:
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matthew 22:37
These are those who are preaching against what they call “Lordship salvation.” Here’s what they are saying…
The 7 “Problems” of So-called “Lordship Salvation” according the grace-perverters.
In the podcast version of this message, we address the “free grace,” “grace only” counterfeits who claim that what they call “Lordship salvation” … They claim that “Lordship salvation” …
- Changes the gospel.
- Places an impossible burden on the unsaved.
- Confuses justification (salvation) with discipleship (service).
- Confuses the result of requirement for salvation.
- Fails to understand salvation has always been by faith alone.
- Ignores the reality of a carnal Christian.
- Destroys the assurance of salvation.
None of these are true. What is needed is the whole testimony of what the full counsel of Scripture reveals about of salvation. The evangelical eternal security crowd is famous for syphoning out a few verses to the exclusion of the whole counsel of God’s Word and ignoring, negating any and all Bible verses that require their personal repentance.
Those who refuse to make Christ the LORD, the Master, the Ruler of their personal lives are the ones balking against any Scripture and minister that indicates that after being saved one must choose to engage in an abiding relationship with the Savior which will always produce good fruit (John 15). That’s the root of this matter. Did your personal responsibility end when Jesus died on the cross? No.
“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” Matthew 3:10
Easy believism upended …
Jesus taught that if one isn’t bearing good fruit it’s due to his not being rooted in Christ, saved.
“Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” Matthew 7:19
Is that what grace perverters call “lordship salvation” OR is that Bible? Who said those words? What else could they mean except what He stated?
Good fruit is only born out of true relationship and that’s what so many do not want. They want the crown but not the crown Christ commanded. Rebuke and run.
Satan has cross-less, Christ-denying compromising cowards at every level, at every turn. Beware.
They want to say “It is finished” and so nothing is ever required of God for His people (John 19:30). Christ’s redemption work was “finished,” that is the sin debt was “paid in full” to the Father, and yet that doesn’t alter the stated conditions He gave for appropriating His salvation and being in Heaven with Him. In short, His conditions are repentance, faith, and enduring to the end (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Luke 13:3; John 15:6; Acts 17:30; Romans 5:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-10; Hebrews 3:6, 12-15; 10:26-39; Revelation 2:26, etc.). Scripture speaks repeatedly of initial and final salvation. Self-serving counterfeits are famous for perpetrating half-truths and not wanting to know the whole of what God stated concerning their personal responsibility to Him, the Judge of their eternal souls before whom they shall stand in judgment.
Christ’s perfect sacrifice does not negate what He commanded and requires of us AFTER He saves us by His grace where “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10).
The words and works of our lives clearly reveal what’s in our hearts (Matthew 12:34). Those who lack good works do so because they haven’t chosen to have a good heart before the LORD (Luke 8:15). Good works are the fruit of being saved by grace through saving faith (Ephesians 2:8-10).
“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” Matthew 16:27
Of these words of Jesus, one brother notes:
“‘Works’ here in this verse ‘praxis’ means acts; the key point is that good or bad, Our acts will be addressed as we ALL shall stand before GOD. Faith without works is dead, meaning that one’s faith is hollow, TRUE FAITH produces GOOD WORKS which come from the cleansed heart.”
Does God have a plan for His people to be holy as He is holy? Yes, He always has, going back to His peculiar people Israel.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2
Those who preach against what they call “Lordship salvation” are 100% from the eternal security, once saved always saved, grace only, type evangelical camp.
“It is not in a doctrine, or a notion or idea, that we find genuine security, assurance. We do not find genuine security in a church, denomination, or religious leader. Security is found only in our relationship with God. In that relationship, we will discover benefits. However, people have historically worshipped the benefits more than the benefactor.” Cedric Fisher
It seems apparent that those who object to what they call “Lordship salvation” seek to justify living carnally, living like those in this fallen world, having little or no difference from the lost. They have no desire, prayer, or study of Holy Scripture concerning the cross – the crucified life – repentance, holiness, judgment, etc. They refuse to be bothered with the cross, the crucified life.
“Grace, Grace, Grace”?
For people who claim to be so strong on grace, this one is befuddling. They are the ones actually preaching another gospel, a gospel whose savior is not powerful enough to make holy those He’s saved, a false god whose grace is not sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Romans 6:14; Psalms 4:3. The cross is clearly missing from their gospel (Galatians 3:3).
While they claim to believe big on the grace of God, they intentionally ignore grace Scripture such as Titus 2:11-14 which states:
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.” Titus 2:11-12
According to the above passage, those truly saved by the grace of God are denying self (the cross, the crucified life), denying ungodliness and this world’s lusts and living “soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” as they eagerly await the return of Jesus.
The lawless grace-perverters are those who hate, despise, and attack anything and anyone who suggests, who declares the myriad of Scripture which call for all who “nameth the name of Christ (to) depart from iniquity.”
“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:19
Can the saved person begin to live in sin and still possess divine saving grace?
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:1-2
If the truth makes you doubt your salvation, perhaps you don’t have salvation. You only think you do.
Cedric Fisher masterfully writes:
“Salvation is a gift. A gift is not earned. One must have faith to receive the gift. If I give someone a diamond, considered eternal, they did not earn that gift. They do not have eternal possession of the diamond simply because it is eternal. If they are careless, and it is lost or stolen, it remains eternal even though their possession of it was lost due to carelessness.
Thus, the fact that salvation/redemption is eternal does not mean we have eternal possession of it in the temporal realm. Peter stated clearly that salvation is received at the end of our faith—when Christ appears. (1 Peter 1:9)
Furthermore, faith without works is dead. One cannot have workless faith and retain God’s gift. Also, we are ordained for good works (Ephesians 2:10). If you study all the other writings of Paul when he uses the word ‘works,’ you will realize that he is referring to the works of the Mosaic Law. Read the 10th verse to the end of the chapter in Ephesians 2. Consider that the ‘good works’ he refers to in the 10th verse are not of the Mosaic Law.
Accepting God’s gift and then turning back to one’s former lifestyle is piggery. God does not cause piggery nor does he force one against his or her will to remain a lamb. Obedience would be nonexistent if God were a puppeteer. Christ does not say ‘Well done’ to people with good works phobia.
Additionally, apostasy is departing from the faith. One cannot depart from where he or she has not been.
The bottom line (to avoid a small book of many scriptures and clear conclusions) is that individuals have believed the worst lie unleashed by Satan on humanity when they believe redemption cannot be lost in the temporal realm. It is as the lie the serpent told Eve.
The fact is, that the eternal security lie has been largely perpetrated by Calvinism. There are no verses that support it. It is the major reason for the apostasy, and currently the great and final apostasy.
Believing it accuses the one omnipotent God of being incapable of having a godly and obedient people—that in spite of making them new creations, partakers of the Divine Nature, sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in them, giving them His Word, and allowing them access into His presence by prayer, they continue to be corrupt, vile, and willful sinners merely hidden from His view.
Cut-n-paste hermeneutics with verses and snippets of verses snatched away from their actual context can produce any type of heresy.
My testimony is that I was delivered from deep darkness of alcohol, drugs, and other bondage. He did not redeem and deliver me from darkness to spend the rest of my life longing for the light. I was translated into His kingdom—into the light of Christ. There is light in me. The Son set me free indeed. I am not a sinner saved by grace—I was a sinner, now I’m saved by grace.
Grace is not a license to sin. I am not forced to sin daily to keep up with a mythical sin quota. I am to walk in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7). Where in God’s Word does it declare that Christ lived in bondage and sinned daily? That is the same goal as the unredeemed ones.
If one’s redemption does not produce Christ-likeness in him or her, it is not redemption (1 John 2:4; 3:10, etc.). It is an attempt to climb into the sheepfold by another route (John 10).
The fact is, God did not promise to keep anyone or anything that is not given fully over to Him. If everyone that claims they have eternal security were committed fully to Him, they would not need, or even reference eternal security, as a benefit. Security is a comfortable emotional feeling—very difficult to maintain. We should follow God’s will even when we do not feel secure.
It is not helpful to cling to or defend a doctrine as if it were an talisman (lucky charm).
It is not in a doctrine, or a notion or idea, that we find genuine security, assurance. We do not find genuine security in a church, denomination, or religious leader. Security is found only in our relationship with God. In that relationship, we will discover benefits. However, people have historically worshipped the benefits more than the benefactor.
I am secure in God because I fully surrender to Him. The OSAS apologists would call that works-based salvation, belief in sinless perfection, establishing self righteousness, and trying to earn my salvation. Thus, they worship their false doctrine and attack the genuine Christ-following disciples.
God requires us to surrender fully to Him—not a doctrine. Our free moral choice will remain until we enter eternity. Any doctrine that denies full surrender, or teaches people that it is not necessary, is not of God.
I oppose and expose such doctrines because I do not wish people to enter eternal hell. On that point, consider that hell is eternal. I was set on the path to eternal hell. It did not mean that I had no choice to continue in sin, yet if I did I’d be cast into hell. I left the path to eternal hell just as people leave the path to eternal heaven. I was not secured to that path, and no one is secured to the path to eternal heaven. We are not riding safely along in a ‘keeping’ zone. We fight the fight and finish the race. We are opposed by the powers of darkness. It’s a war, not a game of checkers. It requires diligence, discernment, praying, godliness, effort, perseverance to the end, et cetera. Denying that is denying God’s Word.”
The eternal security myth debunked as a doctrine of devils.
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