The Gift Of Eternal Life Is Not A Trade Or Exchange

Ephesians 2:8-10, “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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Many false teachers are saying that getting saved requires you to give up your sins, and to surrender everything to Christ as your “Lord,” which is another gospel. The Bible does not teach that nonsense. Here is a helpful quote from Pastor Jack Hyles, refuting the false doctrine of Lordship Salvation:

“Lordship salvation would make salvation a trade or a deal or maybe even a bribe.  It would take away the simple reception of Christ for eternal life and would become God giving us something if we give Him something.  God would say to us, 'You give Me something; I'll give you something.  We will trade, and you will be saved.'  Salvation is not my giving God something and God giving me something; salvation is God giving me something and my receiving it. Romans 6:23, 'For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.'” —Pastor Jack Hyles, “Lordship Salvation” (chapter 11 from his book: “Salvation Is More Than Being Saved”)

In his popular 1988 book titled, “The Gospel According to Jesus,” Pastor John MacArthur even heretically uses the word “exchange” concerning being saved:

“Thus in a sense we pay the ultimate price for salvation when our sinful self is nailed to a cross. . . . It is an exchange of all that we are for all that Christ is. And it denotes implicit obedience, full surrender to the lordship of Christ. Nothing less can qualify as saving faith.” [emphasis added] —Pastor John MacArthur; The Gospel According to Jesus, p. 140

Salvation is not an exchange! Receiving the free gift of eternal life is not a trade. John MacArthur is preaching another gospel of partial faith in Christ plus works! Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith. God will not save anyone who is trying to be saved, He will only save those who are trusting to be saved. Salvation is received, not achieved! Religion is man trying to reach God through human effort, but Christianity is God trying to reach man by the sacrifice of His only begotten Son on the cross.

Please beware of anyone who teaches that God requires something FROM YOU in return, or as a condition, of receiving His gift. I was disgusted the other day while listening to Pacific Garden Mission's popular radio program called 'UNSHACKLED.' Pacific Garden Mission is troubling Chicago with their perverted gospel of partial faith in Christ plus works. Don't take my word for it, read this sickening transcript from UNSHACKLED:

Program #3625 - Aired in 2020 (the story of Cydanni Ade; she takes a stroll on the beach and meets a stranger, to whom she starts discussing her struggle with truth.) Here is some of their interaction....

Cydanni Ade: “I know, you're going to tell me He [Jesus] loves me unconditionally, and wants to be my Savior.” 

Stranger On The Beach: “Yes and no!” 

Cydanni Ade: “What?” 

Stranger On The Beach: “He does love people, but Him becoming your Savior HAS CONDITIONS!” 

Cydanni Ade: “I've always heard He loves everyone unconditionally.” 

Stranger On The Beach: “Then, why does He call us to repent? If God loves everybody unconditionally, then you can do whatever you want, and believe whatever you think.” 

Cydanni Ade: “I know that's not true!” 

Stranger On The Beach: “Right! So, God placed an absolute condition, by which He requires, commands all people everywhere, to repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ, and live for Him!” 

Cydanni Ade: “Huh.” [emphasis added]

SOURCE: Program #3625 - Aired in 2020 (the story of Cydanni Ade)

Dear reader, there are NO CONDITIONS of salvation, except to freely RECEIVE God's free gift! You don't even have to “ask” God to forgive you! That's right, you don't need to ask God to forgive your sins, because Jesus has already paid for them with His blood. That is why God is offering eternal life to everyone as a free gift! The debt has been paid in full. Your sins have been completely paid for, and all you have to do is receive God's gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Just take it by faith! You don't have to ask God to save you, because He is already asking you! He simply wants you to receive His gift, by taking Him at His Word as recorded in the Scriptures.

Kindly said, another big time heretic today is Dr. Steve Pettit (president of Bob Jones University since 2014). Dr. Pettit is subtle in his words, deceptively changing the Word of God into a lie. Read what he says:

“...faith in Jesus is not just an intellectual conviction, it is a personal commitment. Paul says, we have believed in Jesus, and the word 'in' literally means 'into' ...I am taking my life, my eternity, my destiny, everything, and I am placing it into Christ.” [emphasis added] —Dr. Steve Pettit, an excerpt from “What Does It Mean To Be Justified?” (The Daily Platform #741)

This is not true! So if you intellectually believe the Gospel you are not saved? That is what he says, that you must MAKE A PERSONAL COMMITMENT to Christ to receive God's gift. How do you have faith intellectually, but not be saved? That makes no sense. What saith the Scripture? 2nd Timothy 1:12, “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” Notice carefully that the Bible does not say Paul made a commitment to Christ; but rather, he committed the keeping of his soul into Christ's hands. The word “commitment” means “a deposit” (trust), which Dr. Pettit gets correct. We are depositing our trust in Christ for salvation. However, Dr. Pettit is perverting the Gospel when he says that we must deposit “everything” into Christ to be saved:

“I am taking my life, my eternity, my destiny, everything, and I am placing it into Christ.” [emphasis added] —Dr. Steve Pettit, an excerpt from “What Does It Mean To Be Justified?” (The Daily Platform #741)

That is not the Gospel of free grace! If I am required to place EVERYTHING in my life into Christ to receive His gift, then that is really a trade, because I am obligated to give Him something too! I am so sick of this Lordship Salvation garbage!!! I love Dr. Pettit and his family, and all the family at Bob Jones University, and my former beloved church family at Harvest Baptist Church on Guam (before they excommunicated me in 2014 for telling the truth, as I am still doing now in this article). Eternal life is the free gift of God. Dr. Bob Jones Sr. (1883-1968) got the Gospel right! Dr. Bob said, “The gift of eternal life is wrapped in the wonderful package of Jesus.” Boy, I love that! If you want God's gift of eternal life, then you must accept it in the package of Jesus Christ! Dr. Bob Jones Sr. said in 1944 that he would blow Bob Jones College to smithereens (MP4), if he could in 50 years, if they ever let an infidel like Dr. Steve Pettit come in and rob the saints of their faith!

The Gospel means GOOD NEWS! It is the Good News that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins. He was buried, and three days later He bodily resurrected by the miraculous power of God. Jesus is the sinless only begotten Son of God, the Christ (John 20:31), who paid your debt of sin, and mine (2nd Corinthians 5:21), so we could freely have eternal life as a gift (Romans 6:23). How awesome is that? You and I are guilty sinners (Romans 3:19-20). As such, we are also needy sinners! We need redemption. We need a Savior! It is absolutely impossible for anyone to save them self. No human being has ever done so, because all have sinned against God (Romans 3:23). 

We have a wonderful Savior, who has already laid down His life for every ungodly sinner (Romans 5:6-9). If you will receive Him this moment Oh sinner, receiving His sacrifice upon the cross as payment for your sins, believing that He is bodily risen from the dead, and that is your only hope for Heaven and eternal life, then you are saved! SIMPLE BELIEVE ON THE PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS!!! John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” 1st Corinthians 1:21, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” Do you believe friend?

Here is an awesome quote from Dr. Jack Hyles, refuting the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation:

“In conclusion, notice the vanity and pride involved in one testifying to his salvation who believes in Lordship salvation.  He is saying, "I have made Jesus my Lord."  That means that Jesus controls his life and he is totally yielded.  My, what a statement for a person to make about himself!  On the other hand, notice the humility in the person's testimony who says, "I am saved because I received Christ as my Saviour."  He is talking about a salvation that he did not merit.  He did nothing to receive it except receive it.  It was a gift.  Whereas, if we had to give something to God to get something in return, he and God made a trade and his salvation is earned.” —Pastor Jack Hyles, “Lordship Salvation” (chapter 11 from his book: “Salvation Is More Than Being Saved”)

Forgiveness of sins and eternal life are a gift from God. It is no different than a Christmas present resting under the Christmas tree on December 25th, with your name on it, just waiting for some lucky dog to open it. You lucky dog you!