1st Corinthians 3:13-15, “Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
“Lordship Salvation” is a false gospel which teaches
that a sinner cannot be saved by simply placing one's faith in Christ's
death, burial and resurrection. According to the proponents of Lordship
Salvation, a person must try really hard to stop sinning in order to be
saved. They must decide to stop living in sin. They must
surrender their will totally to God. They must commit their life to Christ.
They must have a desire to reform or else they cannot be saved. This not
only makes salvation hard, but impossible, because no one can be saved
through human effort plus partial faith in Christ.
In sharp contrast, the Word of God does not teach that salvation is difficult and hard to obtain. Lordship Salvation is nothing more than repackaged Calvinism and is a lie of the Devil. Read for yourself some of the unbiblical teachings from some of today's most popular false prophets in America's churches...
John MacArthur's False Plan of Salvation
Pastor John MacArthur of the Grace Community Church has authored a heretical book titled, “HARD TO BELIEVE” in which he errantly teaches...
"Salvation isn't the result of an intellectual exercise. It comes from a life lived in obedience and service to Christ as revealed in the Scripture; it's the fruit of actions, not intentions. There's no room for passive spectators: words without actions are empty and futile...The life we live, not the words we speak, determines our eternal destiny" (Hard to Believe, p. 93). [emphasis added]
Ladies and gentlemen, what you have just read is works salvation. Now in fairness to Dr. MacArthur, who is a gifted teacher (but bad Bible student), he has attributed the previous quote to a publishing error and has updated the quote. Here is the new updated quote...
Don’t believe anyone who says it’s easy to become a Christian. Salvation for sinners cost God His own Son; it cost God’s Son His life, and it’ll cost you the same thing. Salvation isn’t gained by reciting mere words. Saving faith transforms the heart, and that in turn transforms behavior. Faith’s fruit is seen in actions, not intentions. There’s no room for passive spectators: words without actions are empty and futile. Remember that what John saw in his vision of judgment was a Book of Life, not a book of Words or Book of Intellectual Musings. The life we live, not the words we speak, reveals whether our faith is authentic. [emphasis added]
SOURCE: Dr. John MacArthur, Grace To You, an updated quote from his book 'Hard To Believe', page 93.
At a glance, the preceding quote sounds impressive. It certainly seems proper to authenticate one's profession of faith with a life of good works. It appeals to our sinful human nature to attempt to please God by our own self-righteousness. The true nature of MacArthur's deadly teaching becomes more apparent when you only consider the first two lines of his quote...
“Don’t believe anyone who says it’s easy to become a Christian. Salvation for sinners cost God His own Son; it cost God’s Son His life, and it’ll cost you the same thing...”
Is that Biblical? No, it is not. MacArthur foolishly teaches that it is hard to become a Christian, because he says it will cost you your life of worldliness, sinful bad habits and selfish ambitions to make your faith valid. Clearly he does not believe that faith alone in Christ is enough to be saved. MacArthur deceitful says that mere words won't save, which is true if they are insincere words; however, the thief on the cross was saved immediately when he spoke the words, “Remember me” to Jesus (Luke 23:42). We are saved solely by faith in Christ, which may or may not be expressed by words. Words are not required to be saved. We are saved the moment we believe in our heart that Jesus is the Christ Who died FOR OUR SINS on the cross and rose (1st Corinthians 15:1-4).
The Devil is so subtle. False prophets know that adding works to salvation is blatant heresy, a lie. So what they do is instead say that you're saved by grace through faith, but your faith is not valid unless there are works to make that faith credible (or to authenticate it). This is a backdoor approach to a works-based salvation.
The following excellent information refuting Lordship Salvation is by Dr. Ray Stanford (1916-2012), from his classic book, “Handbook of Personal Evangelism”...
Just as you receive the Saviour by faith and He becomes YOUR Saviour, when you allow Christ to control your life, He becomes YOUR LORD. There is an increasing number of "evangelicals" today who are preaching that in order for a man to be saved he must not only receive Christ as his Saviour, but also must make Him absolute Lord and Master of his life.
This doctrine has been termed "Lordship salvation" and has absolutely no support from the Word of God. It is, in fact, another subtle way Satan has invented to get Bible-believing men to add works to salvation without, perhaps, their realizing it, and to do it in such a way that it sounds spiritual and good.
What could SOUND more spiritual or honoring to the Lord than statements like: "Either Christ is Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all. And if He is not Lord then He is not your Saviour. You are lost. You must turn over all the strings of your life to Him-then He will save you. Give your life to Him if you want to be truly saved." This is what is taught.
The truth of the matter is that salvation is not a "give" proposition at all; it is a "take" proposition. We don't give our hearts, lives, wills, or anything else to God in order to get Him to save us. This would be a form of bribery, a way of meriting or deserving to be saved-but God says salvation is "NOT OF OURSELVES"-and especially, it is not offering anything to God.
Salvation is receiving! We simply receive His Son. John 1:12 says, "But as many as RECEIVED Him, to them gave He power (the right) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name." God does the giving. We do the receiving.
SOURCE: “Handbook of Personal Evangelism,” by Dr. Ray Stanford, page 45.
Amen and amen!
Kindly, MacArthur is spiritually dangerous, because he hides heresies between doctrinal truths, which are the hardest to expose. My friend, it is very easy to be saved, so easy in fact that 3,000 people got saved in one day in Acts 2:41. You don't have to give your life (as Christ gave His life) to be saved! If it were true, then salvation would be the result of partial faith in Christ plus human effort. To lay such a heavy burden upon a sinner's shoulder, requiring them to validate their faith by the way in which they live, is to make salvation HARD, VERY, HARD; but Jesus said, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30). If you always keep in mind that eternal life is a free gift, paid for by Jesus' precious blood (1st Peter 1:18-19), then you won't be misled.
Ray Comfort's and Paul
Washer's False Plan of Salvation
On page 1233 of THE EVIDENCE BIBLE, under the section titled, “False Converts,” Evangelist Ray Comfort errantly teaches...
"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name have done many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity (Matthew 7:21-23). This is why we must forsake traditional quick-fix evangelism..."
Source: THE EVIDENCE BIBLE, by Ray Comfort, pg. 1233; 2003, Bridge-Logos Publishers, Orlando, Florida
Ray Comfort does “err, not knowing the scriptures” (Matthew 22:29) concerning Matthew 7:22-23. Mr. Comfort would errantly lead us to believe that the religious group in Matthew 7:22-23 were not saved because of “quick fix” evangelism, but that is not the truth at all. In fact, the “quick fix” of trusting Jesus Christ is exactly what they needed. If you know that you're a sinner and trust upon the name of Jesus, believing that He is the Christ (Who died, was buried and rose again), then you are saved my friend (Acts 10:43; John 20:31; Galatians 3:26).
Paul Washer errantly teaches...
“But if you profess to have gone through the narrow gate, and yet you live in the broad way ... just like all the other people who are carnal and wicked ... the Bible wants you to know that you should be terribly, terribly afraid — you know not God.” (time: 24:37 in video)
God hates the false teachings of Paul Washer (but He loves Paul Washer)! Biblical salvation is based upon the love, mercy and grace of God (1st John 3:16) and not upon one's willingness to depart from sin. What Paul Washer is teaching is evil to the core. Paul Washer is heard around the world by millions of people, many of whom live in constant fear because of Washer's teachings. You just read it for yourself...
“the Bible wants you to know that you should be terribly, terribly afraid — you know not God.”
Paul Washer's gospel is arbitrary, conditional, uncertain... but I ask, “How much sin means that a person who trusts Christ is not really saved?” Comfort, Washer and MacArthur are all Calvinists. Ray Comfort doesn't believe that God loves sinners. That's the same garbage theology that John Calvin, Fred Phelps and John MacArthur teach. Yes, Fred Phelps, the “God Hates Homos” hateful preacher from Kansas who's all over the news is a Calvinist!!! I tell you, Calvinism is of the Devil. And so is Arminianism. Jesus commanded for us to SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES (John 5:39); not read the writings of flawed men such as John Calvin and Jacob Arminius. Neither man was doctrinally correct in all their teachings. The Word of God is our ONLY authority!
John MacArthur, Kirk Cameron, Ray Comfort and Paul Washer all teach garbage theology concerning salvation!!! They all have a horrible misunderstanding concerning Biblical repentance, adhering to the Roman Catholic meaning instead of what the Bible teaches.
So what does the Bible teach concerning sinful Christians who disobey the Lord? The Bible tells us the answer in 2nd Corinthians 5:9-11...
2nd Corinthians 5:9-11, “Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”
The Bible says in Revelation 14:13, “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” The Bible speaks of resting from our LABORS. Are you laboring for Christ? The Apostle Paul said in 2nd Corinthians 5:9 that he labored for the Lord that he might be ACCEPTED OF HIM on judgment Day. 2nd Corinthians 5:11 mentions the “TERROR OF THE LORD” for those believers who are disobedient and waste their life, talents, gifts, and resources, never doing anything to serve Christ here on earth.
One of the great dangers of our time is the New York Times Bestseller List, which promotes the apostate theological garbage of Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Rick Warren and Max Lucado. Tragically, Satan has used this deception to inoculate America's churches from the truth. Instead of searching the Scriptures as the Lord commanded, people are looking to these apostate authors to lead them. You'll be hard pressed to attend a church service these days where the pastor doesn't quote, promote and compliment these yardbirds. These men are apostates, leading America's churches into World Religion via the ecumenical movement (the uniting of religious denominations by sinful compromise). We ought to divide over truth rather than unite by error. The ecumenical movement is of the Devil. Certainly, beware of the books by John MacArthur, Ray Comfort and Paul Washer.
Max
Lucado publicly promotes open borders, illegal immigration and receiving
them into America as welcomed guests. No wonder the criminal globalists put
him on the New York Times Bestseller List. You don't get on such a
list unless you kiss-up to the New World Order. They've sold their souls!
The enemy has come into America like a flood!
It is Easy to Be Saved
The Bible teaches that salvation is simple. Salvation is as simple as taking a drink of water (John 4:14). Salvation is as simple as receiving a gift (Romans 6:23). Salvation is as simple as going through a door (John 10:9). Salvation is simple!
Who are you going to believe... John MacArthur who says it's hard to believe, or the Bible that speaks of the simplicity which is in Christ in 2nd Corinthians 11:3-4?
Who are you going to believe... Ray Comfort who says that “quick fix evangelism” cannot save anybody, or the Bible that teaches in Romans 10:13 that God will save whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord?
Who are you going to believe... Paul Washer who says that you should live in fear of going to Hell if there are sins in your life as a Christian, or are you going to believe the Lord who promised in John 6:37 that He would never turn away those who come unto Him?
Salvation is not conditional upon the way we live. False prophets MacArthur, Washer and Comfort all teach that salvation is conditional upon one's departure from a lifestyle of sin, or else they teach that your faith is not valid unless there are works attached to it. Either way, they teach that salvation is not easy to obtain, because you cannot have it and continue living in deliberate sin. It is so hypocritical what they teach, based in self-righteous arrogance, because no one can turn away from deliberate sinning. Even the best Christians still deliberately sin on a daily basis, whether in deed, word or thought. Eternal life is a free gift, period!
Salvation is simple, easy, not hard, and freely offered by God to anyone who wants it. You just receive it. If you admit that you are a guilty sinner in the eyes of a holy God for breaking His commandments (Romans 3:19), and have received Christ's death on the cross, His burial and resurrection as full payment for your sins (1st Corinthians 15:1-4), then you are eternally saved my friend (Romans 10:13). The only thing you have to repent of to be saved, is whatever is hindering you from believing on the Lord to be saved. John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”
Salvation by works is not only hard, but impossible. Satan is a professional liar and deceiver. Satan knows that the best place to hide a lie is between two truths. This is why we hear false prophets starting off their false plan of salvation by saying that eternal life is a free gift, which is true. Then they teach the truth of the Gospel that Christ died for our sins on the cross, was buried and raised up three days later. So far it's all true, and this is how they deceive people, because the half-truth in part can be defended with incontestable logic. But then they corrupt the plan of salvation, by inserting the lie that to be saved a person must surrender all to Christ as Lord, commit their life to live for Him, turn away from a lifestyle of sin, forsake the world and follow Jesus. Do you see how Satan cleverly wraps a lie with truth to hide it?
This is also how Satan is deceiving the churches with corrupt Bible versions. By using God's Word, we must separate the lies from the truth and address them as such. Satan mixes his lies with the truth to create confusion and deceive the masses. This is why most religious people are going to sadly spend eternity burning in the fires of Hell (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 13:23-24; Matthew 7:13-14). Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born-again. It is easy to be saved, simply believe and the work is done (John 6:28-29).
Revelation 22:17, "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
Read what Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980) has to say Scripturally about worldly believers
