Ephesians 2:13, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” 1st John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Revelation 1:5, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”
These precious passages of Scripture teach that every believer has been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus. Whether one Christian has more or less sin than another doesn't matter, because the only thing that separates the best Christian from the vilest unsaved sinner, is the precious blood of Jesus Christ that washes our sins away. That is why Lordship Salvation is so stupid. False preachers like Ray Comfort, John MacArthur, James White, Marty Herron, Paul Washer, R.C. Sproul, Franklin Graham, Joel Osteen, Rick Warren and Steve Pettit all claim that they are proving the genuineness of their faith by their manner of life, which is works for salvation, not God's saving grace. They are trying to live above sin to prove they are saved, which is not faith at all. Evangelist Steve Pettit heretically says:
“For the real reality of the genuineness of your faith is that you are faithful to run the race!” —Dr. Steve Pettit (“What Does It Mean To Run 'The Race'?” - 22:44)
That is a false plan of salvation! If we have to live in such a way as to prove that we are saved, then how can we ever have the sweet assurance of salvation? The people in Matthew 7:21-23 did “many wonderful works” in Jesus' name. They “prophesied” (preached) in Jesus' name. They “cast out devils” in Jesus' name. They called Him “Lord, Lord.” Yet they were not saved at all. They were faithful to run the race as Dr. Steve Pettit teaches, but Jesus said He never knew them! Dear reader, you don't get born-again by a false faith that requires for you to prove it is real by living the Christian life. Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born-again.
Lordship Salvation is the unbiblical teaching that you cannot just say you accepted Christ, and you've been born-again by faith alone in the Gospel, and that's it. According to the proponents of Lordship Salvation, in addition to faith you must also surrender all to Jesus as “Lord,” turn away from all your deliberate sinning, faithfully “run the race” (live the Christian life) until the end, commit your life to serve God, prove the reality of your faith by living a lifestyle of turning away from sin, and follow Jesus no matter what the cost to receive eternal life. Dear reader, none of that comprises the Gospel of free grace. We are saved only by faith.
Lordship Salvation is stupid, because it is based on the idea that a saved person WILL make an effort to turn away from a lifestyle of sin. But every believer still lives a lifestyle of sin. You may sin less than the next guy, but James 2:10 says, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” In other words, it doesn't matter how big or little of a sinner you are, because the ONLY way to get to Heaven is on the merit of GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS, which is by faith in Jesus. Philippians 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” I love that Bible verse so much!!!
Do you see my friend, you and I have no righteousness to offer God. Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Those religious people who believe in Lordship Salvation are Calvinists. That is, they adhere to the teachings of a man named John Calvin (1509-1564). Calvinism says if you are saved you WILL do good works. Roman Catholicism says you MUST do good works. The Bible says you SHOULD do good works. By teaching that the saints WILL persevere in holiness and service to Christ, Calvinists corrupt the Gospel and cast stumbling blocks before the people. John Bunyan (1628-1688) beautifully said that:
“If you do not put a difference between justification wrought by the man Christ without and sanctification wrought by the Spirit of Christ within, you are not able to divide the Word aright; but contrariwise, you corrupt the Word of God, and cast stumbling blocks before the people.” [emphasis added] —Evangelist John Bunyan
Lordship Salvation is stupid, because no one can stop sinning. If you have to look at your life to prove that you're saved, it proves that you're not! We are not saved because WE are faithful, but because GOD is faithful. 2nd Timothy 2:13, “If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” The people in Matthew 7:21-23 spent their lives living the Christian life. They called Jesus “Lord, Lord.” They “prophesied” (preached) in Jesus' name. They did “many wonderful works” in Jesus' name. They “cast out devils” in Jesus' name. Yet, Jesus said He never knew them!!! They failed to rest wholly in Christ alone. Like the proponents of Lordship Salvation (Calvinism) today, they foolishly thought that they could get to Heaven by partial faith plus turning away from their sins, persevering in good works, and following Jesus as their “Lord, Lord.” And may I say, partial faith is no faith at all.
How Calvinism Infects The Gospel (Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold)
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