By David J. Stewart
March 2013
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Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
One of the biggest heretics on
salvation is Pastor Aiden W. Tozer, who is sadly recognized by many
fundamental Baptist preachers as a man of God. Here is a direct quote from
Mr. Tozer which clearly evidences that he has been deceived by the Lordship
Salvation lie of the Devil...
“The idea that God will pardon a rebel who has not given up his rebellion is contrary both to the Scriptures and to common sense. How horrible to contemplate a church full of persons who have been pardoned but who still love sin and hate the ways of righteousness. And how much more horrible to think of heaven as filled with sinners who had not repented nor changed their way of living.” ~A.W. Tozer, "The Root of the Righteous," p. 23
Tozer appeals to common sense, which is a dangerous thing to do concerning Bible doctrine. Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Tozer's secular reasoning likens the coming eternal judgment to an earthly courtroom. It would seem logical that no decent judge would pardon a person who has no intention of reforming, and that would be a reasonable deduction in a heathen court of man's law. But that's not how salvation works.
Christ paid our sin debt! The Lord came into Heaven's courtroom with His blood and placed it on the mercy seat on our behalf. Hebrews 9:12, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Hebrews 9:24, “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.” Glory to God, Jesus paid it all! JESUS PAID OUR DEBT OF SIN 100%! 2nd Corinthians 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Jesus is so precious!!!
Mr. Tozer's thinking is corrupt. He has a wrong mindset toward salvation. The Lord appeased the Father's wrath against humanity with His literal blood, paying our sin debt in full, once and forever, so that we do not have to give up anything to be saved. God's wrath only abides upon those who willfully reject Christ (John 3:36). Thank God for the blood of Jesus! God gave up His only begotten Son to pay for our sins. God gave the greatest sacrifice a Father could give. If (as Aiden Tozer) teaches, a person must give up their rebellion to be saved, then man has a part in his own salvation (which the Bible says he does not - Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-9).
The correct Biblical mindset concerning salvation is that Jesus fully paid for our sins, and thus we are saved solely by Christ's righteousness, and not partially by our own intent to reform, surrender to Christ, forsake sinful bad habits or leave the world behind. These are matters of discipleship, consecration, edification and sanctification; but not regeneration, forgiveness or salvation.
As with all Lordship Salvationists, Tozer puts the cart before the horse, attempting to do the work of the Holy Spirit in making men holy. The Biblical truth is that God saves ungodly sinners in their wickedness, and then God (not the arm of man's flesh) changes those men over time as they grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The change comes AFTER a person has been saved, who now possesses the Holy Spirit. But to mandate any change (or intent to change) as a prerequisite for salvation is a damnable false gospel of self-righteousness, dead works and hypocrisy.
I KNOW that I am saved, because my salvation is rooted in the righteousness of Christ (2nd Corinthians 5:21) and the promise of God (Titus 1:2; Romans 10:13). It's what Christ did to pay for my sins that gets me into Heaven; and not anything I have done, am doing or could ever do. Romans 4:5 says that Jesus justifieth “THE UNGODLY” (not those who are willing to reform or clean up their act first). The Bible plainly teaches that a person's “FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS,” which means that faith is ALL that is required to be saved. How much faith? Just enough to obey Romans 10:13 to “CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD.” The word “call” means “to appeal unto”; that is, if you rely upon the Lord to be saved, then He will save you. All you have to do is believe the gospel and you are saved and secure in the Father's hand forever. John 10:29, “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.”
Our Lord paid our sin debt IN FULL. The Word of God teaches that Christ paid a debt that He did not owe, because we owed a woeful debt of sin that we could not pay. Romans 4:5, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.” As you just read, salvation is “without works” of man's effort, intent or reform.
If it were possible, the only way to correctly compare salvation to an earthly courtroom would be for a complete stranger to literally walk up to the judge and take your place, receiving capital punishment (the death penalty) in your stead. You would be set free and the stranger would be executed on your behalf. That's what Jesus did for mankind (for you and for me). Jesus said, “Father, I will suffer their punishment. I will pay the price in full for their crimes! I love them and I want to die in their place!” Oh, my friend, do you have even the slightest grasp of what God has done for us? Literally, Jesus took our punishment upon Him. That's why eternal life is a free gift to man. And that is why Aiden Tozer is a liar and false prophet, who has corrupted the gospel message.
The Bible teaches that Jesus took our place, vicariously dying a substitutionary death in our place on the cross that, had He not finished what He started, would have sent us to Hell to be tormented in the flames of God's vengeance for ever and ever. You see my friend, there's only two possibilities in eternity. Either you go to Hell and pay for your own sins for ever and ever; or you receive God's free gift of eternal life by faith in Jesus the Christ Who died for our sins, was buried and miraculously raised-up three days later. I have accepted God's offer of salvation by faith in the Son of God, Christ Jesus.
Only the sinless, perfect and spotless Lamb of God was worthy as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity. The Lamb of God is worthy...
Revelation 5:4 and 9, “And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. ... And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.”
Oh my friend, Jesus paid for your sins and mine. You don't have to reform to be saved; but rather, we reform because WE ARE SAVED. God makes the changes over time as we grow in the milk of the word (1st Peter 2:2). If you are saved, then God is working in your heart, because His Holy Spirit lives in you (1st Corinthians 3:16-17; Romans 8:9,16). God chastises and scourges His children who rebel (Hebrews 12:6-8). It is false religion and wickedness to require that any person cease from living in rebellion to be saved. God will save any rebel, drunkard, murderer or prostitute who comes by way of faith in the gospel to be saved. Once you're saved, then God no longer sees you as a sinner, because now He only sees Christ's imputed righteousness (Romans 4:6). Literally, God takes our sins and places them upon Christ, and then places Christ's righteousness upon us. This is the Biblical doctrine of IMPUTATION, and it is beautiful.
Just because someone is not willing to change their sinful ways or surrender to Christ's will does not make them a rebel and doesn't exclude them from being saved. God sees the heart. We're all rebels concerning sin! All we like sheep have gone astray! Isaiah 53:6, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” The Lord God hath laid upon His only begotten Son the INIQUITY OF US ALL.
