Lordship Salvation By D. Davenport Introduction Is a person truly Biblically Justified by simply placing volitional trust in Christs Atonement or must they intend to make a commitment of life in addition to their trust? And is Imputed Righteousness an absolutely free gift or must a person count some sort of cost (mentioned by Jesus in the book of Matthew) before making a Decision for Christ? These two questions are at the heart of an ongoing Biblical debate which involves the entire modern world of Evangelical Theology. At its heart the exact ingredients of true salvation are being debated by Bible scholars and aspiring Bible students (like this author) since the time of the Apostle Paul when he penned the book of Galatians. Stakes Since it is a heresy to either add or subtract any Bible conditions for eternal life, then it can be seen that this is probably the most important issue to understand for every Believer. It is an unfortunate reality that just about everything in the Bible is disputed or debated and that the end result of this is disunity. Like anything else this particular issue has the effect of dividing friends, family members, and Believers. It would be God’s will that we love people that we disagree with as best we can but that we stand for what the Bible says regardless of the outcome. The Apostle Paul demanded that his Doctrine be defended even though he knew that the outcome had the ability to cause tension within communities. In the end the solution he offered was to defend Pauls doctrine but to continue to love other people even in the midst of disputes 2 Timothy 2:23 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all [men], apt to teach, patient, 24In meekness INSTRUCTING those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 25And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. FALSE GOSPEL The intention of this article is that it be simply and clearly demonstrated that the failure to understand the issues related to the Lordship Salvation controversy lead to the teaching of a False Gospel which is ineffective to Justify the unsaved, and which promotes confusion in the Body of Christ. When it is understood that the three following verses are directed at Justified Saints it is all the more evident that both the Christian world and the satanic world are frequently victimized by a satanic deception regarding major Biblical issues of extreme importance. History Before Paul wrote Galatians a controversy had arisen regarding the requirements of saving faith and Paul had addressed it directly. At that time the previous (Jewish) necessity of Circumcision was the most hotlycontested issue of the day. Certain Judaizers had entered that modern-day evangelical squabble by asserting that unless an individual was circumcised (a Jewish rite identifying someone as a member of the Nation of Israel) they could not be saved. Paul had responded in the most emphatic terms then that circumcision would profit them nothing, thereby settling the debate in the most dramatic terms possible. He went on to say that there WAS a gospel (a public proclamation of good news) circulating during that time which IS NOT ANOTHER which was ineffective to save because it ADDED a work to the FREE GIFT that God was offering to humankind. Galatians 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. Later Throughout the centuries other theological debates have raged. Before the time of Martin Luther and John Calvin Romanism dominated the scene and the common man did not have a copy of the Word of God to study for himself (2Timothy 2:15). Thankfully, Luther took his stand upon Justification as a free gift that was available to anyone By Grace Through Faith Alone Without Works. (sola fide, sola scriptura). The bravery of Luther set off an entire Reformation. The issue of Water Baptism as a necessary ingredient of genuine saving faith is another topic that has been historically contested. First mentioned in the Old Testament as a cleansing rite for Israel, the Hebrews practiced the sprinkling with hyssop in ancient times. And as we know from scripture John the Baptist came (water) baptizing the Nation of Israel as an opportunity of national and personal repentance---something their Messiah also partook of to fulfill all righteousness (Jesus came to teach, keep, and fulfill Moses Law). Even today there are those who call themselves Christians (Christ-Ones) known as Campbellites who insist that water baptism is a necessary ingredient of saving faith for the Body of Christ today. Now Today, the sharpest theological debate involves the issue of Lordship Salvation. Most people agree that this coined-phrase is unfortunate since Christ IS Lord of all regardless of peoples intentions or commitments of life to be obedient to Him at the moment of personal salvation or to stop sinning in particular ways. Back in the Sixties the popular Radio Evangelist J. Vernon McGee coined the term Commitment Salvation to describe the dispute. Personally I prefer the terms of INTENTION SALVATION since BOTH sides of the debate acknowledge that adding works or human efforts to the free gift that Paul described in Ephesians is a heresy. In my opinion (based on decades of study) the real controversy pertains to an individuals intentions during that moment when he or she is convicted before God as a helpless sinner in need of a Savior. As a side note there have been historical proponents of a practice known as Preparationism which both sides also agree is a heresy. Preparationism involves the pratice of preparing to get saved by changing ones attitude and lifestyle in order to count the cost before making a commitment to Christ. Intentions Billy Graham is clearly an Intentionist himself when he mentions repenting of all your sins and coming forward as a public statement at his crusades. The idea conveyed is that salvation is free but that there is an implied cost in the nature of saving faith. No doubt this has confused millions of people throughout the years since such a double-bind message would seem to contradict all logic. When Graham told people at his stadium crusades to come forward as a condition to receiving eternal life (once again quoting Christ in the book of Matthew regarding the issue of a public confession, and then turned to the television camera and told watchers that they could be saved right where they were it must have caused a great deal of ongoing confusion. The Modern Players Since approximately the mid-Seventies the issue of Lordship Salvation has taken center stage as THE evangelical controversy (I wont mentioned charismatism at this time because it is easily refuted from the New Testament) of our day. Certainly Preachers such as Charles Spurgeon, Jonathan Edwards, Billy Sunday, John Wesley, Dwight Moody, Dwight Pentecost, Schofield, LS Chafer, Ironside and others have addressed the issue of Intentionism during their Sermons as they took one side or the other of the issue regardless of whether they understood the debate itself or the confusion that resulted because of it. 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. But the issue itself has acquired a certain urgency in the past quarter-century as two historical Theological influences have essentially gone to battle in the arenas of their respective positions in churches, sermons, books, and mass-media broadcasts: 1. The first major influence in the debate is frequently called the Free Grace side which may have been first made known to millions through the associates of The Dallas Theological Seminary. Tracing the roots back to Schofield and Chafer, the book by Zane Hodges called Absolutely Free made the case that salvation is an utterly free gift conditioned only upon Understanding (the mind) and Receiving (the volitional will). Free Grace Proponents are more frequently aligned with a literal Administrational/ Dispensational approach to Biblical interpretation which desires to rightly divide scriptures . 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Free Grace proponents have various theological convictions but they would desire to make the major point that a free gift has no COST. They maintain that this would involve an obvious double-bind message that is intellectually dishonest. 2. The opposing side is called Lordship Proponents and it seems fairly clear that this position emerged from English Puritanism which in the United States later became popularized in the Westminster Confession. Lordship proponents are frequently aligned with a Reformed or Covenental interpretation of Scripture which believes in a more so-called spiritual interpretation of Scripture: specifically that The Body of Christ has become Spiritual Israel and is therefore under the covenants and laws of Israel. Ephesians 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: (Note that this verse does not say that the Body of Christ JOINED Israel as SPIRITUAL ISRAEL but that gentiles and jews by physical birth are IN the same body together today with no National ethnic identity Galatians 3:28 There (TODAY) is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Today, the most famous proponent of Intentionism is no doubt John MacArthur (who describes himself as a leaky Dispensationalist), admittedly an extremely intelligent man and a powerful preacher at the head of the Masters Seminary in California. MacArthur has described the Lordship side in his books called The Gospel According to Jesus among others. This author has listened to perhaps hundreds of his radio messages and several of his books. MacArthurs book Charismatic Chaos was without a doubt a landmark accomplishment against the Charismatic Movement which I personally read at least five times. The link to John MacArthurs various theological positions is here: http://www.gty.org/resources/positions/ Perhaps his message is even better known because he is a popular nationwide Radio Preacher on the Grace To You broadcasts throughout the world. During these broadcasts he has made it clear that he opposes the Free Grace side because it fails to count the cost of the requirements that Jesus himself made in the book of Matthew to the Nation of Israel—in in particular in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew Chapter Seven. A quick reading of the book of Matthew is encouraged because these requirements are CLEARLY conditional (counting the cost, enduring to the end, entering by the narrow gate, being willing to sell possessions, being willing to forgive others in order to be forgiven). It would be logical to say that IF the Body of Christ founded by Paul (1Timothy 1:16) is UNDER these requirements then Intentionism constitutes rightly divided biblical Christianity and that MacArthur is right. In popular terms, the Lordship side headed by MacArthur frequently describe FREE GRACE proponents as cheap grace easy believism advocates (again a very unfortunate choice of terms since Christs Death was not any of these things). They often proclaim that the Free Grace side makes Biblical Justification out to be too easy and that it promotes carnal Christianity in the Church. Other Lordship proponents include John Piper, (ironically) modern Lutheranism and frequently Presbyterianism, Joel Osteen (only mentioned here since he Pastors the largest church in North America and clearly states during each broadcast that a sinner has to repent of all his sins to be saved), etc. Theological entities such as Pentecostal Holiness, various charismatic churches (although Charismatism is actually defined by the absence of theology) also join this side. Free Grace proponents today include Charles Stanley, Dallas Seminary (and hundreds of other seminaries and Bible schools), David Jeremiah, Miles Stanford, Richard Jordan, and many other Baptists, NonDenominational bodies, and various Dispensationalists ranging from Acts Two to Acts Twenty Eight (a description of when they think the Body of Christ started…..or in other words, the advent of the modern church). Solution It may seem foolhardy to even attempt to finally resolve the issue. If the debate has been raging for centuries, it may be said, who is arrogant enough to think that they can be certain they have correctly solved the controversy once and for all? Further, why read anyones opinion who has not at the very least attained the designation Doctor of Theology in front of their name from a major seminary known for intellectually-demanding standards? Fortunately, however, God does NOT require a seminary degree, a genius Intelligence , or a perfect life in order to come up with satisfying Bible answers which are both scripturally and divisionally correct. God has said through Paul to Timothy (and us): 2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in ALL THINGS. Without a doubt, complex Bible solutions involve the components of good teaching, logical thinking, contemplation, time, comparisons, the comprehension of issues from every imaginable side, experience, intelligence, and other factors. The historical church fathers can sometimes help since the amount of light that is shed on an issue can be magnified but even so we know from history that the Church Fathers were frequently wrong. From a logical perspective, our generation should be at the height of Bible understanding today for the simple reason that we have uncountable resources of knowledge to examine issues from every perspective. Attempts Many attempts have been made to solve the seeming- conundrum of Intentionism or Lordship Salvation. On the one hand, Jesus taught CONDITIONS in the book of Matthew that involved behavior. On the other, we know from the Apostle Paul that salvation is a FREE GIFT and that by definition a GIFT HAS NO COST. Historically, Bible students have used various methods to come up with a conclusion. Some point to the red letters of Jesus as confirmation of their opinion (as if the rest of the Bible was not equally inspired by God). Others have counted the number of references to cost versus free. Some have used human logic and say that it is obvious that God demands a commitment of life before he will accept a doomed sinner since the bible consistently teaches against SIN. Or that Anarchy or Antinomianism (lawlessness) will result when Lordship Salvation is NOT taught. In other words, they make the issue itself a concern of practicality---nobody wants a church that is lawless…. they reason. And others seem to credit God Himself with giving them a sort of personal resolution. The author knows a well-known and experienced Pastor who asserts that he resolved the issue of Lordship Salvation through God SHOWING HIM that there is no difference between the Kingdom offered by Christ to Israel and the Body of Christ today. Bible Fortunately, the Bible supplies its own answers. God acknowledges that: Proverbs 25:2 [It is] the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings [is] to search out a matter. The blood of thousands of martyrs have ensured that common men and women with a normal intelligence and Bible training can find satisfying answers to complex questions because the martyrs sometimes died in Gods sovereign design to preserve the very Word of God. Without a doubt EVERYTHING in the Bible is disputed theologically. But we also know again that: 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. . Division In Second Timothy Paul demands that every person study the Bible for themselves and RIGHTLY DIVIDE it. This involves putting it into proper context which involves asking: 1. What does a passages say and mean? 2. Who was it addressed to? 3. When will it be fulfilled? This is the primary tool that God has given to make sense of apparent contradictions in the Bible and everything spiritual must be compared with everything else spiritual. History has proven that mankind usually (because of his nature and habits) comes up with WRONG answers ( any research on the historical Catholic Church, Islam, cults, or other religions quickly proves this) to Bible questions and that most people will either: 1. NOT divide the Bible 2. or WRONGLY divide the Bible Instead of RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE BIBLE. Everyone knows that it is popular for people to frequently say THE BIBLE SAYS and then misquote or mangle a fragment of a verse that has no serious application to the point they want to make. This might have been described by both Paul and Peter as the difference between people who never get weaned from milk, to strong milk, to meat, and finally to STRONG MEAT. Conclusion When the Messiah addressed the Nation of Israel ONLY (see Matthew 5, 10, and 15-the gentiles were stilled known as dogs) in the Sermon on the Mount He was outlining the requirements for entering the Davidic Kingdom. Many of these were CONDITIONAL according to the type of salvation (which is a distinctly different word than Justification). The Nation of Israel was idolatrous and John the Baptist was Jesus fore-runner in calling them to national repentance. Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, GO NOT into the way of the Gentiles, and into [any] city of the Samaritans enter ye not: This Davidic Kingdom was first referred to AT HAND (a gospel proclamation of Good News) and then actually OFFERED and rejected by National Israel. After the Resurrection the Davidic Kingdom was RE-OFFERED to Israel. Jesus would have returned if the offer had been accepted. According to Gods Omniscience and Foreknowledge, of course, God knew that Israel would NOT REPENT and so God introduced a brand new Apostle (instead of the twelve) to usher in a brand-new Administration called The Mystery whereby Gentiles could be saved APART from Israel. It had been Gods plan that Israel be the HEAD of the Nations but they failed in this commission and so Gods Mystery made a provision for the Gentiles. Romans 11:32 For God hath concluded them all (Israel) in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all (Gentiles and Jews in the One New Man). Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself OF TWAIN one new man, [so] making peace; This involved setting Israel ASIDE along with the offer of the Davidic Kingdom, which in-turn also set the fulfillment of Daniels seventieth week of prophecy in temporary abeyance. The result is that the Body of Christ called the Mystery has continued for more than two thousand years as Peters Pentecostal reference to Joel was only partially fulfilled (this fact is acknowledged by MacArthur). In this Body members live by FAITH (not sight as did Israelites by signs), and have no ethnic identity (neither Jew nor Gentile). There are no conditions to receiving Eternal life Today other than to UNDERSTAND with the mind and to TRUST with the heart. It is also true that mere intellectual assent (agreeing to a set of facts) does not save anyone. Lots of people would acknowledge that CHRIST DIED FOR MY SINS but acknowledgement is not the same as volitional trust. But the Bible also makes it clear that it is not possible for one person to discern another persons Justification by observing their actions. Rather, discernment is based on their WORDS- their testimony- of whether they have truly received the free gift or not. The Scriptural requirements of salvation and God alone are the final Judge. The Apostle Paul NEVER called upon a person to make a Lordship/Intention Commitment prior to Justification. He did call upon every unbeliever to REPENT (which means to immediately change your mind). Romans 4:5, 3:23, 6:23, 11:6, and Ephesians 2:8,9 and Titus 3:5 make this abundantly clear. Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life. Today, under the Pauline Economy (He is referred to as THE Apostle to the Gentiles) we are offered the free gift of salvation based upon our understanding of the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians chapter fifteen)and that we TRUST it as a free gift without adding WORKS or human efforts of any kind. We dont have to endure to the end to be saved- we have Eternal Life as a present possession and The Body of Christ is SEATED IN THE HEAVENLIES---as opposed to the EARTHLY Kingdom that was offered National Israel. Free Grace proponents are not trying to promote Antinomianism nor are they opposed to the Omniscient Sovereign wisdom of God. They are merely trying to rightly divide the Bible and to keep the FREE GIFT offer FREE. Today, the Narrow Gate is not a condition of BEHAVIOR but of BELIEF. The key word in the Pauline writings is always FAITH (volitional belief). Thus, a persons salvation (see the book of First John for a comparison of when the believing Little Flock of Israel is operating under the supernatural New Covenant) today is known as Justification by Grace Alone by Faith Alone. The simple conclusion is that much of the Bible does not directly APPLY to the Body of Christ although it is all written for our UNDERSTANDING. To quote LS Chafer There is a very dangerous and entirely baseless sentiment abroad which assumes that every teaching of Jesus must be binding DURING THIS AGE simply because He said it. The fact is forgotten that the Lord Jesus, while living under, keeping, and applying the Law of Moses, also taught the principles of His future Kingdom, and, at the end of His ministry and in relation to His Cross, He also anticipated the teachings of grace. If this threefold division of the teachings of Jesus is not recognized, there can be nothing but confusion of mind and consequent contradiction of truth" (cited by Miles Stanford in his article, "The Teachings of the Kingdom). Today, we are not under the law. We are not being offered the Davidic Kingdom. We are not a Nation of Priests (see First Peter). We are not seeking to be circumcised residents of Jerusalem. We are not under a conditional religious system. We are a BODY- not a BRIDE. Final Considerations Contrary to the teaching by John MacArthur and others God is not making salvation as hard to obtain as possible---reserved only for those who can endure to the end or who have counted some kind of cost before making an imperfect commitment of some kind. He has made it clear that He desires ALL MEN to be saved but acknowledges that many will not because they will not TRUST CHRISTS PROVISION. God is offering everyone grace today and is NOT COUNTING peoples trespasses and sins against them. He wants salvation to be easy to understand and receive which is why he is offering it FREE……..or not at all. God will not accept anyones works, efforts, intentions, or commitments since: 1. Christ made the complete and final payment already 2. No commitment is perfect enough to be acceptable. 3. Christs death was sufficient for vile sinners To be sure, God will sanctify those He justifies, and that He will glorify every justified saint. But it is based upon his perfect plan of Grace involving the free gift that is offered. In this way, He ensures our humility— no one will bring a human effort before God for Justification. We come empty handed, just as we are without one plea, utterly helpless and receive the free gift. To be sure some people make commitments of life of various sorts immediately following Justification—but if they are trusting in those commitments rather than the Cross then they will not become Justified. Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then [is it] NO MORE of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if [it be] of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. Assurance If it is true that intending to make a commitment of life of some sort (that nobody can make a perfect commitment is never mentioned…..nor is the fact that no one ever seems to teach exactly how committed someone would have to be before God would accept them) then ASSURANCE OF SALVATION is an impossibility. From the Pauline writings we know this is absurd since Justification is always shown to be a present possession. MacArthur himself has acknowledged that Assurance can never be an ABSOLUTE certainty. The reason for this should be obvious: if anything OTHER than complete reliance upon Christs Atonement is trusted such as human behavior then it could necessitate that the individual was never saved to begin with— this is the outcome of the doctrine of PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS. Thus the doctrinal statements of many church assemblies which adhere to the Lordship Position frequently proclaim that salvation is a FREE GIFT, but in reality the person is placed back under a conditional behavioral contract which is typical of all Religious Systems since it is implied from the practical everyday teaching that there is an implied COST for assurance. Martin Luther himself knew something about this. He desperately sought the peace of Assurance but he also knew that his own behavior could never be trusted. He concluded that he was NOT SAVED based upon his performance and sought to make drastic changes in his life. Any thinking person can see that the Lordship Position if consistently applied LEADS a person to try to WORK since works are taught to be necessary EVIDENCES of Eternal Life. Most modern Luthern churches, ironically, are actually quite similar to the very Catholic System that Luther finally broke free from personally and helped millions of others to eventually break free of. Lordship Proponents, no matter how sincere or well-intentioned unwittingly place people back under a performance system which they cannot perfectly keep. Paul mentioned something of this in Romans Chapter Seven. The end result is that a congregant is placed back under various aspects of Moses Law: Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. carolinablueridge@yahoo.com (864) 363-9564
Introduction
Is a person truly Biblically Justified by simply placing volitional trust in Christs Atonement or must they intend to make a commitment of life in addition to their trust?
And is Imputed Righteousness an absolutely free gift or must a person count some sort of cost (mentioned by Jesus in the book of Matthew) before making a Decision for Christ?
These two questions are at the heart of an ongoing Biblical debate which involves the entire modern world of Evangelical Theology. At its heart the exact ingredients of true salvation are being debated by Bible scholars and aspiring Bible students (like this author) since the time of the Apostle Paul when he penned the book of Galatians.