Why Lordship Salvation Is Wrong

Matthew 7:22-23, “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? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

'Lordship Salvation' is simply where people believe that you have to do works to be saved, to commit your life to Christ, so where salvation is not only trusting Christ, but also includes serving Christ, and you don't get one without the other. This is what Dr. Steve Pettit, president of Bob Jones University, errantly teaches. Calvinism teaches that you must make Jesus the “Lord and Master” of your life to be saved. Consequently, they claim you have to look at your life to know if you are saved. This is another gospel (Galatians 1:6-9).

The Christian life is a warfare. We are battling the flesh, the Devil and the world. We are battling against heresy constantly creeping into the church. Jude 1:3b, “that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Even little children should be able to understand the Gospel, if it is presented in its intended simplicity (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4). We are at war ladies and gentleman over the Gospel today. Satan is more clever than you or me, and he has been trying to infiltrate, corrupt and destroy churches since the beginning of Christianity. Sadly, the Devil is winning many battles today! Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born-again.

1st Timothy 1:18-19, “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:” This speaks of how you live your life, not salvation. Salvation is by grace alone! You cannot discern the doctrine of devils, if you don't know the doctrines of God. You have to be able to know truth in order to discern error! The best way to expose the darkness is to shine the light of God's Word! 

Lordship Salvation is a doctrine of devils. If you have to look at your life to prove that you're saved, it proves that you're not. No one lives above sin. You may manage to live above reproach, but NO ONE can live above sinning! We have all done wickedly. That is why Christ died on the cross, to pay our debt of sin that He did not owe, so we could be made the righteousness of God through faith alone in Christ (2nd Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9). 

Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, Paul Washer, John Piper, Steve Pettit, Sam Horn, Marty Herron, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finney, and all other heretics, errantly teach that you must “turn from sin” to be saved. You've heard of 'Black Lives Matter'? Well, to the Calvinist only 'Some Lives Matter.' They teach that Jesus only died for SOME, and God only chooses SOME for salvation, and only SOME can be saved. In sharp contrast, the Holy Bible teaches that Christ DIED FOR ALL, and that ALL may be saved by faith alone in Jesus Christ! Jesus is precious!!!

Justification is where God declares you righteous by faith, instantaneously. Sanctification is the process of becoming Christlike, which takes a lifetime. John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” If you add one work, you've mutilated the Gospel of grace! All these false prophets who teach that you must “repent of your sin” to be saved, are adding to the Gospel of free grace. You cannot show me one place in the Bible that teaches to “repent of sin” or “turn from your sins” to be saved. Jesus said in John 6:47 to simply “BELIEVE ON ME”! There is no mention of forsaking sinful ways to receive the free gift of eternal. Salvation does not include a personal commitment or promise to serve the person of Christ. It sounds logical and good, but it is an accursed message. God does not and will not save anyone who adds works to the Gospel. You may not live like a saint, but because of your position in Christ in God's eye, you are a saint!

Your lifestyle has nothing to do with how much God loves you, and whether He saved you or not. God saved you because you trusted His only begotten Son! John 3:16a says, “For God so LOVED THE WORLD.” God loves you dear friend! God wants to save you by faith alone in His son's sacrifice on the cross for your sins. You works and performance is what YOU DID, not what HE DID! True salvation is the decision to TRUST, not a commitment to SERVE! Are you truly trusting Christ and Him alone, and not your performance and what you do? Saving faith is simply being convinced that what God said in His Word is true! The Gospel is 'Good News' to be BELIEVED, not a lifestyle to be LIVED. 

My condition in Christ may change depending on my circumstances and personal choices, but my position in Christ as His redeemed child never changes. Calvinism teaches that real faith inevitably produces a changed life, but that is a false gospel. Are you looking at what Jesus did for you on the cross, or what you are doing for Him in your personal life? My confidence is solely in what Christ did for me on the cross, and not in what I do for Him. As believers we SHOULD walk in newness of life, but if we don't, we are still saved. Does your child have to obey you to be your child? No, they don't. We are the children of God by faith. Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

“All you have to do is accept His gift of eternal life and you'll go to Heaven when you die!” —Pastor Jack Hyles, sermon: “I Find No Fault In This Man!”