| 2. Fundamentals vs. New Age -> Believing vs New Age Believing -> Lordship Salvation as a LIE |
Lordship Salvation is Not a Lie
Today there is the false understanding that whenever one speaks of "Lordship of Christ as a condition of salvation", this means that one is trying to save themselves by works. People that believe this derisively call this "Lordship Salvation." The answer as to how anyone gets this idea is a mind opening revelation.
This curse against "Lordship Salvation" cannot come from scriptures, and it cannot be derived from saying, as Paul and the apostles did so many times, "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.." So how can one get this idea that one is trying to save themselves by works, if they "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ"? Of course, this is a lie. This was not meant by Christ or His Apostles that "one saves themselves by their own works." This is an asserted definition, a lie.
This means that the people who curse against "Lordship Salvation" are deductive thinkers who have memorized (not learned from scriptures) their theology from people who fed them "New Age Believing" that is forcefully taught in all Bible Schools and Cemeteries today. Think about this. This is clear.
Those who have gullibly memorized this manifest lying definition by satan, to prevent salvation through Christ's exalted resurrection Lordship, are deductive thinkers (satan's thinking). See this footnote.1 This curse against the "Lordship of Christ in salvation" has no foundation at all in scripture. It is a lie of satan to prevent people from salvation, thinking they need only "trust" Him to be their "Savior" only.
"Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them" (John 13:13-17)
Lord Jesus Christ is not an empty title2, as the apostate Dispensatiional "grace" regardless today teach.
Actually, teaching the Lordship of Christ as a condition of salvation, as Paul and the Apostles did as in all the scriptures, simply means that when anyone comes to Christ for salvation in repentance that they can only approach Christ in His exalted post-resurrection present position as LORD, a Master to give us directions.
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil 2:5-11).
The profound simple Gospel response of our Lord Jesus Christ is "be repenting and be believing (commiting) in (eis, for purpose or result of) Lord Jesus Christ." This Gospel response was taught by Jesus, his Apostles, Paul, and all the scriptures.
To deny and curse "Lordship Salvation" by redefining it as "salvation by a man's own works" is demonic. There is no scripture that in any way even hints at this terrible lie.
"Lordship Salvation" simple means obeying your Lord who saves you. Even Martin Luther said that we are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone, it is always accompanied by works of some sort.
Look at what these small samples of many scriptures say. Remember, 4100, pisteuo -to believe, is the Greek word for "to believe" (commit), most often found in scriptures. In the scriptures below we find the word 544, apeitheo --to disobey, which is often translated as "believe not", causing great misunderstanding. See underlined word where apeitheo -to disobey occurs.
[[[ John 3:36 He that believeth (present -is believing continuously, active participle) on the Son hath (present -is having continuously, active participle) everlasting Life: and he that believeth not (544, apieitheo -to disobey, present -is continuously disobeying, active participle) the Son shall not see Life; but the wrath of God is abiding on him. ]]]
Bracketed for emphasis. Please read again carefully and critically. Notice the "believing" and "obeying" go together. Believing means "committing" to Lordship, following orders in action.
Nowhere in scripture does believing (pisteuo) mean just mental affirmation or trust, as the NEW AGE apostate "grace" regardless preachers invite people to do today. And certainly not in a Savior "only", as they say. This "grace" regardless teaching is a most deceiving and heretical and soul destroying teaching. It actually redefines who Christ is, which makes it a non-Christian cult teaching.
Rom 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey (present active participle -are not continuously obeying) the Truth, but (de -but now) obey (3982, peitho -to be persuaded, present passive participle, are being persuaded by another) to the unrighteousness (the is in the Greek, and the unrighteousness is in dative case, indirect object, giving "to"), indignation and wrath.
Heb 3:18 And to whom sware He that they should not enter into His rest, but to them that believed not apeitheo, disobeyed.?
Heb 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not apeitheo, disobeyed, when she had received the spies with peace.
1 Peter 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient (aorist active participle, disobeyed) when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not (present active pariticiple, not continuously obeying) the gospel of God?
To believe means "to commit" to obedience to your Lord Jesus Christ. Lord is not an empty title.
Remember: The gospel is given as a command for obedience: It is not an appeal toward trust only.
"Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye (present -be continuously repenting active imperative -as a command) ye, and believe (present -be continuously believing, active imperative -as a command) the gospel" (Mark 1:14-15).
"Believe (imperative voice -as a command) on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house " (Acts 16:31).
"As (in the same manner) ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him." (Col 2:6). Repenting (turning from self) and committing (to Lord Jesus Christ).
This is called walking in the Spirit, or according to the Spirit, committed to "Lord" in (ev -inside of) you:
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after (kata -according to) the flesh , but after (kata -according to) the Spirit." (Rom 8:1).
"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after (kata -according to) the flesh , but after (kata -according to) the Spirit. For they that are after (kata -according to) the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after (kata -according to) the Spirit the things of the Spirit." (Rom 8:4-5).
"Who gave Himself for (5228, huper -in our behalf of) us, that He might redeem (3084, lutroo - to provide release, aorist middle -by His actions, subjunctive) us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of God Good Works by God, (Titus 2:14). These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority (2003, epitage -commandment, as direct from God). Let no man despise thee" (Titus 2:14-15).
Best explanation for this false teaching against Lordship of Christ in salvation. To deny Christ's Lordship in salvation, either one must be exceedingly Blinded by satan or be an unregenerate man. There is no other reasonable explanation.
Some suspect that the reason many have such an aversion to Lordship of Jesus Christ as a condition of salvation is because many of these so-called Christian leaders who decry it are not born-from-above. They give no evidence in their ministries that they have the slightest idea of "being led by the Holy Spirit" or experiencing of any "Spiritual experience, understanding, or sensing" at all. They demonstrate no sense of any indwelling of Christ within them.
"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" (2 Cor 13:5)
They can only experience reading the dead letter of the Bible as unregenerated men, dead men walking.
Unfortunately, these are the same ones who say that "believe" simply means trust or mentally affirm something. They violently deny that "believe" means to commit to anything. On this basis, no one can possibly be born-from-above. Demons actually commit to more than this. They say that it is heresy to say that believe means commit to Lord Jesus Christ. Make your choice. What do the scriptures say? Lord or no Lord. This decision means Heaven or hell to you.
They think that doing what they think would please God is all that one can do. They cannot possibly grasp being led or living according to an indwelling Christ within their spirit by which to receive directions of a Lord or being taught what the scriptures mean by an internal spiritual experience. Therefore, they have no concept of any work apart from their own self generated efforts or thoughts. Any mention of works in relation to Christ being Lord (Master), can only mean to them: they must think up some work to save themselves. They can have no other reference than themselves in relation to the concept of doing anything.
Unfortunately, the world is full of his very active ones, "transformed as the ministers of righteousness" (2 Cor 11:15).
Summary Analogy
(footnote1)
"To believe-or-not to believe" is the same as "to obey-or-not to obey".
Believers are righteous versus Unbelievers are unrighteous
Righteousness Unrighteousness
Obedience Disobedience
Lordship Self
Salvation Lost
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