It seems that everywhere I go these days, I encounter Christians arguing (discussing) the doctrine of salvation and pitting the positions of “Lordship Salvation” against “Salvation by Grace Alone”. It’s too bad that such an important discussion is framed by titles such as these that frame the “debate” essentially as “either/or”. In reality, I believe that both positions are true.
There is no doubt that we are saved by faith, saved by belief, saved by God’s grace.
"No one," Romans 3:20 says, "will be declared righteous in God’s sight by observing the Law." Romans 3:26, "God justifies those who have faith in Jesus." Faith alone, Christ alone. Romans 3:28, "We maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the Law." Romans 4, Abraham was justified not by works, if he was justified by works, he had something to boast about. But what does Scripture say? He believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the man who doesn’t work, but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. Romans 4:13-14 – “It was not through the Law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise, it was through faith.” Romans 9:30-32, "The Gentiles who didn’t pursue righteousness have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith." Romans 10:4, "Christ is the end of the Law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes." Romans 11:5 and 6, "There’s a remnant chosen by grace and if by grace it is no longer by works. If it were, grace would no longer be grace." Galatians 2:16, "A man is not justified by observing the Law but by faith in Jesus Christ. So too we have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith, not by observing the Law because by observing the Law no one will be justified." Galatians 3:10, "And all who rely on observing the Law are under a curse because cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue to do everything written in the book of the Law." The righteous will live by faith. Ephesians 2:8 and 9, "For by grace are you saved through faith, that not of yourselves, the gift of God not of works so that no one can boast." Paul in Philippians 3 gives his testimony, he says, "Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the Law, but a righteousness that is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God and is by faith." Titus 3, "God saved us not because of righteous things which we have done, but because of His mercy. Having been justified by His grace we have become heirs in the hope of eternal life."
Salvation is by faith alone through Christ alone through God’s grace alone. When you put your trust in Jesus Christ, God declares you righteous. Not because you are, but because He imputes the righteousness of Christ to you, because He imputes your sin to Him. Christ bears your sin, you receive His righteousness. This is justification.
But what about a faith that does not save? The Bible is full of such examples. People who believed, but were not saved. Look at the beginning of the gospel of John – perhaps the clearest book in the Bible about the gospel message and salvation. John 2:23-25: “When Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover during the feast, many believed in His name, beholding His signs which He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them for He knew all men and because He did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man for He Himself knew what was in man.” He knew their faith was not genuine – even if they believed. And there are other examples. Point is: There is belief (even in the right things) and there is faith that does not save.
So what kind of belief, what kind of faith does save? John 3:16 – you know the verse. “…whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life…” All you have to do is believe, right? What does that mean? The word translated “believe” in this verse is the same word in John 2:24 – which is normally translated commit. This idea of belief implies commitment. Committing life, turning from sin, submitting to Christ.
And when we say that belief and faith save, we must reconcile this with all the verses about what this seems to entail. Luke 14:25-27: “Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish. Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.”
Coming to Jesus requires hating family. Hating your own life. Carrying a cross. Counting the Cost. Giving up all possessions. The idea clearly is that to follow Christ, you must forsake all else. He must be King; He must be Number One; He must be Lord.
James 2: Faith without works is dead. In the gospel of Matthew, the Rich Young Ruler asks Jesus what must he do to be saved. Pretty clear question. Jesus’ answer ultimately is: Sell everything you have and follow me. Belief saves. But true belief will result in a desire to fully follow Christ.
So, how do you know when you are committed enough? How do you know when you have surrendered to Him enough? Where is the line drawn? It’s really not that complicated. Jesus wants everything. We leave all else behind and follow Him – we put our entire faith and trust in Him – and in the instant we make that decision we are permanently saved and the Holy Spirit indwells us. We should have full assurance of our own salvation if we know we have made that decision. But also, at that moment, war rages in our being. Our flesh is at War with the Spirit. In Romans 7, Paul gives us a great look at what this looks like in a believer:
“For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For he good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.”
Paul describes this war – this battle – in Him. But he says, “the willing is present”. “willing” can be translated as “wishing” or “longing”. This wishing, longing, wanting is present in those who are saved – even when their flesh temporarily wins the battle. Those who are saved will long to be obedient. We can have assurance in our longing – even when we sin. And we can rejoice that we have the God of the universe in us – and that He will be faithful to complete His work in us – His promises of sanctification are true – and the works that are evidence of Him in us will be through Him – because He gave us the longing, He gave us the faith.
So, we can be sure. But we must be sure based on a faith of commitment, repentance, and full trusting – which will result in war in our bodies – but will be marked by a longing to obey – and will ultimately produce fruit. Because, as Peter says in 1 Peter 2:7: ‘To those who believe, He is precious.” If you believe to salvation, Jesus will be precious to you. If he is precious, you will commit to Him at any cost and long to obey. If you long to obey, ultimately, His works will come out.
The discussion of Lordship Salvation should not, therefore, be about assurance – but about the practical application of two important concepts:
1) How do we present the gospel? As AW Pink wrote:
"Salvation is by grace, by grace alone. Nevertheless, divine grace is not exercised at the expense of holiness for it never compromises with sin. It is also true that salvation is a free gift. But an empty hand must receive it and not a hand which still tightly grasps the world. Something more than believing is necessary to salvation. A heart that is steeled in rebellion against God cannot savingly believe. It must first be broken. And only those who are spiritually blind would declare that Christ will save any who despise His authority and refuse His yoke. Those preachers who tell sinners they may be saved without forsaking their idols, without repenting, without surrendering to the lordship of Christ are as erroneous and dangerous as others who insist that salvation is by works and that heaven must be earned by their own efforts,"
We must not water down the gospel. We must call for repentance in presenting the gospel. We must call for forsaking idols, hating family (in comparison to loving Jesus), and following Christ wholly. Otherwise, we are preaching another gospel.
2) How do we treat those who think they are saved because of intellectual belief – but show no evidence of the Holy Spirit in them? They very well could be truly saved – who are we to know man’s heart? Maybe there will be signs in the future. But, if there is no sign of the Holy Spirit in them, we are foolish and unloving if we allow them to continue in their possible delusion of salvation and we do not lovingly confront them about what true salvation is about. I’d rather risk the offense of a true Christian in this case and spend eternity with them at the feet of Jesus, then to make a wrong assumption and regret for eternity that someone who thought they were saved heard those awful words from Jesus, “Depart from me for I never knew you…”
