In light of the recent awakening to the errors of Easy Believism, many Evangelical Christians are viewing Lordship Salvation as a more biblical alternative; but is this really an answer to the problem or just a knee jerk response? Does Lordship salvation come any closer to hitting the mark, or have we simply traded one error for
another?
Now more than in any time before, we are witnessing the results of an Easy Believism gospel. We see the grown-up children of the Awana generation who claim to have “said a prayer” or “asked
Jesus into their hearts” and been saved as a child and yet have had no change in their lives. They live as Practical Atheists, denying Christ in their daily lives and yet claim His name as Christians. They drink, smoke, take the name of the Lord in vain never darken the doors of a Church and yet say that they are saved and on their way to heaven.
Many sincere Christians are asking why? How can this be? The evidence of true salvation is shown by our surrender to Christ’s authority and in a changed life. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.“ 2 Corinthians 5:17
Easy Believism removes the message of “repentance toward God” and offers simply “faith in Christ” through a simple prayer,
without any recognition of our sinfulness or guilt before our holy God. Lordship salvation adds surrender and a commitment to make Jesus Lord, as a requirement for salvation.
While it is good that many have recognized that Easy Believism has oversimplified the gospel message to the point of making it
basically a magic prayer, they have also erred themselves in attempting instead, to de-simplify it by adding extra demands. This has resulted in the trend toward Lordship Salvation. The reasoning is this: “If we make sure these people really, really mean
the prayer that they say, or make a REAL commitment to Christ, surrendering to His authority, then surely they will be truly saved.
Paul preached “…repentance toward God, and faith
toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 20:21) When asked, “What must I do to be saved?”, his answer was not, “Make Jesus Lord of your life.”; it was simply, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,” (Acts 16:31)
We must not confuse Justification with sanctification. Making Jesus Lord is not a condition of salvation, but a result. When we recognize our sinful condition and condemnation before God and turn to Christ our Savior for rescue, we believe in him and are saved. The one who redeems our soul becomes our Lord. We are saved because we believe in what he has done already on our behalf, dying on the cross to pay for our sins and rising again to bring us newness of life. We are not saved because we decide to commit to him and make him Lord. Salvation is all in what He has done, not in
what we do. We cannot decide, or will or surrender ourselves to be saved. We can only believe in what he has done. “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:13
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed.“ Galatians 1:8 The answer is not to “add to or change the
gospel of Christ”, but to simply preach the true gospel of Christ in Biblical terms.
“And they went out, and preached that men should repent.” Mark 6:12
“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the
name of the only begotten Son of God.“ John 3:18
“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.” Ephesians 2:8&9
another?
Now more than in any time before, we are witnessing the results of an Easy Believism gospel. We see the grown-up children of the Awana generation who claim to have “said a prayer” or “asked
Jesus into their hearts” and been saved as a child and yet have had no change in their lives. They live as Practical Atheists, denying Christ in their daily lives and yet claim His name as Christians. They drink, smoke, take the name of the Lord in vain never darken the doors of a Church and yet say that they are saved and on their way to heaven.
Many sincere Christians are asking why? How can this be? The evidence of true salvation is shown by our surrender to Christ’s authority and in a changed life. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.“ 2 Corinthians 5:17
Easy Believism removes the message of “repentance toward God” and offers simply “faith in Christ” through a simple prayer,
without any recognition of our sinfulness or guilt before our holy God. Lordship salvation adds surrender and a commitment to make Jesus Lord, as a requirement for salvation.
While it is good that many have recognized that Easy Believism has oversimplified the gospel message to the point of making it
basically a magic prayer, they have also erred themselves in attempting instead, to de-simplify it by adding extra demands. This has resulted in the trend toward Lordship Salvation. The reasoning is this: “If we make sure these people really, really mean
the prayer that they say, or make a REAL commitment to Christ, surrendering to His authority, then surely they will be truly saved.
Paul preached “…repentance toward God, and faith
toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 20:21) When asked, “What must I do to be saved?”, his answer was not, “Make Jesus Lord of your life.”; it was simply, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,” (Acts 16:31)
We must not confuse Justification with sanctification. Making Jesus Lord is not a condition of salvation, but a result. When we recognize our sinful condition and condemnation before God and turn to Christ our Savior for rescue, we believe in him and are saved. The one who redeems our soul becomes our Lord. We are saved because we believe in what he has done already on our behalf, dying on the cross to pay for our sins and rising again to bring us newness of life. We are not saved because we decide to commit to him and make him Lord. Salvation is all in what He has done, not in
what we do. We cannot decide, or will or surrender ourselves to be saved. We can only believe in what he has done. “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:13
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed.“ Galatians 1:8 The answer is not to “add to or change the
gospel of Christ”, but to simply preach the true gospel of Christ in Biblical terms.
“And they went out, and preached that men should repent.” Mark 6:12
“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the
name of the only begotten Son of God.“ John 3:18
“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.” Ephesians 2:8&9
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