The Accursed False Gospel of Lordship Salvation!
By David J. Stewart
January 2009 | Updated June 2017
"But he
denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and
the cock crew ... But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this
man of whom ye speak."
—Mark 14:68,71
The above passage of Scripture is speaking about the Apostle Peter. Peter sinned by denying Jesus. Yet, Peter was a born-again believer. King David was a Christian, yet he had Uriah murdered to cover up an unwanted pregnancy from an adulterous affair with that man's wife. Moses was a murderer. Jacob was a thief. Noah went from being the captain of his ship to being a drunk. From looking at the Old Testament alone, we would have no reason to think that sinful Lot was a believer, yet 2nd Peter 2:7 calls Lot a “just” man. The Lordship Salvation crowd would have considered all of these men unsaved. Yet, we see that they were truly saved. A person doesn't get saved by forsaking their sins, but by submitting to God's righteousness through faith alone in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 10:3-4).
This subject needs to preached about on a regular basis, because the damnable heresy of LORDSHIP SALVATION has infiltrated our churches, and is leading multitudes into Hell. What exactly is “Lordship Salvation?” Lordship Salvation is the unbiblical teaching that a person MUST forsake love for their sins to be saved. Lordship Salvation says that if you don't leave your sins in the pew, you cannot come forward to receive Christ as your Savior. Lordship Salvation perverts the Gospel of free grace, and corrupts true meaning of the word “repent” in the Word of God. Biblical repentance is “a change of mind,” not a change of behavior. It is a change of mind from thinking wrong thoughts to believing the Gospel. Repentance is unto the Gospel itself. We are not saved by repenting, we are saved by placing our trust in Jesus; but no one has ever trusted Jesus who didn't also repent, that is, change their mind.
What Did Pastor Charles Spurgeon Believe About Repentance?
In 2nd Peter 3:9 we read, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” The Greek word for “repentance” here is “metanoia” and literally means “a change of mind.” Not a change of lifestyle, but a change of mind. Salvation is received, not achieved. It is the indwelling Holy Spirit that changes a person's life, and not self-reformation as a requirement to be saved. Lordship Salvation in essence is nothing more than manmade repentance (i.e., self-reformation). Literally, preachers who teach the heresy of Lordship Salvation are telling people to commit to clean up their own lives to be saved. That is pure works salvation!!! I believe most of the pastors and evangelists who espouse Lordship Salvation are sincere, but they fail to understand the Scriptures, “which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction,” being “led away with the error of the wicked” (2nd Peter 3:16-17).
“The worst pervert in America is the Gospel pervert!”
SOURCE: Brother Lester Roloff, from the sermon, “The
Gospel Perverts Or Jesus?”
Lordship Salvation is rooted in self-righteousness, because all Christians are sinners. If living in sin can cause a born-again believer to lose salvation, then we all lost it a long time ago, because we all have sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 7:14-25). It is solely by God's merciful righteousness that we are saved through faith in Christ (2nd Corinthians 5:21). Lordship Salvation and the Pentecostal Charismatic heresy of losing one's salvation are related monsters. Lordship Salvationists ADD works to faith to get saved, and the Charismatics ADD works to faith to STAY saved. Regardless, these two damnable heresies are both rooted in works salvation! Good works or dead works, they are both DEAD WORKS!!!
Please read What is Biblical Repentance?
The following excellent information by Dr. Hank Lindstrom is from the helpful Christian website, Get God's Gift...
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Turning from Unbelief verses Turning from One's Sins
"And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." —Mark 1:15
Carefully notice in Mark 1:15 above that Jesus didn't say "repent ye, and turn from your sins." No, Jesus clearly stated, "repent ye, and BELIEVE THE GOSPEL." It is plain to see that Biblical repentance is a change of one's mind concerning sin and unbelief, which causes that soul to turn in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness and salvation. Jesus never once said to a person, "Give up your sin and I'll save you." No, rather, Jesus said "Go, and sin no more" after making them whole (John 8:11).
We must be extremely careful when we tell lost sinners that they need to be willing to turn from their sins to be saved. I have read many Gospel tracts that give the impression that a person MUST forsake their sins to be saved--which is NOT true at all. A person DOES need to repent of their sins to be saved, but that change begins in the mind and may take some time to show in that person's personal life (1st Peter 2:2). The ONLY repentance which God requires of a man to be saved is for that man to acknowledge his sinful condition and; thus, recognize his desperate need for a Savior. I certainly think it would be reasonable for a repenting sinner to desire to turn from his sins; BUT, as we learn from countless believers in the Bible, that's not always the case. Judges 16:1 states, "Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her." I am NOT condoning sin, I am simply saying that Christians at best are still sinners.
Lordship Salvation and the Pentecostal Charismatic heresy of losing one's salvation are related monsters. Lordship Salvationists ADD works to faith to get saved, and the Charismatics ADD works to faith to STAY saved. Regardless, these two damnable heresies are both rooted in works salvation!
Please read What is Biblical Repentance?
The Change Comes AFTER a Person is Saved, NOT before
The internet is plagued with heretics who are teaching that a person must forsake their sinful life to be saved. 2nd Corinthians 5:17 reads, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Please notice that a man does NOT become a "new creature" until AFTER he is in Christ (saved). The change comes after a person is saved, NOT before. If a person claims to be a Christian but is living a wicked life, then I would sincerely doubt that person's salvation as well. However, I am not going to start teaching damnable heresy by saying that sinners must forsake their sins to be saved. Salvation comes through childlike faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, nothing may be added. Once a man becomes a new creature in Christ, then he begins to change. Lordship Salvationists are sanctimonious (i.e., hypocritical in their beliefs) in that they are sinners themselves. The entire notion that a lost sinner must give up sin to be saved presents a serious indictment against Lordship Salvationists--"For all have sinned..." (Romans 3:23). Let he who is without sin among you teach Lordship Salvation.
“For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
—John 3:16
—John 14:1-3In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
Amen, amen; amen and amen! What a glorious day that will be!
“In flaming fire
taking vengeance on them that know not God,
and that obey not
THE
GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus Christ.” —2nd Thessalonians 1:8