The Nature of the Debate
The lordship salvation debate is a debate that has been raging on for many years now. It is a debate between those who believe in salvation by grace alone, and those who believe that you must repent of your sins and turn to Christ in order to be saved. Both sides of the debate have good arguments, and there is a lot of evidence to support both sides. However, the debate seems to be at a standstill, and it doesn’t seem like either side is willing to budge.
What is Lordship Salvation?
Lordship salvation is the believing that faith in Christ not only forgive sin but also results in new life marked by Christ like obedience. The debate on lordship salvation really begins with the question of what is required for salvation. There are two dominant views within christianity. The first is that salvation is by grace through faith alone ( sola fide). The second is that salvation requires obedience to Christ (lordship salvation).
The roots of the debate go back to the Protestant Reformation. One of the main points of contention was whether or not good works were necessary for salvation. Those who held to sola fide, like Martin Luther, believed that good works could not contribute to salvation; it was something that God did purely out of his love and grace. On the other hand, those who held to lordship salvation, like John Calvin, believed that good works were a necessary evidence of saving faith.
In recent years, the debate has shifted from its historical context and has become more about what it means to have saving faith. Those who hold to sola fide generally believe that saving faith is simply trusting in Christ for forgiveness of sins. In contrast, those who hold to lordship salvation believe that saving faith includes a commitment to live obediently to Christ.
The debate over lordship salvation is important because it has implications for how we understand the gospel and how we evangelize those who do not yet know Christ.
What is Free Grace?
Free Grace theology is a system of theology that emphasizes God’s grace in salvation. Free Grace believers maintain that God’s grace is the sole motive for salvation, and that good works are not required for salvation. Free Grace theology also teaches that once a person is saved, they cannot lose their salvation.
The History of the Debate
The lordship salvation debate has been around for centuries, with theologians and pastors on both sides of the issue. The debate centers around the question of whether or not a person must surrender to Christ as Lord and Savior in order to be saved. The debate has been heated at times, with both sides accusing the other of being wrong and causing division in the church.
The Free Grace Movement
The Free Grace Movement is a theological movement that holds to the doctrines of unconditional election, sola fide (justification by faith alone), andonce saved, always saved. The movement’s moniker is due to its insistence that salvation is a free gift from God and not contingent upon good works on the part of the believer.
The movement emerged during the Reformation period as a reaction to the prevailing belief among many Protestants that good works were necessary for salvation. Free Grace proponents argue that requiring good works for salvation runs contrary to the biblical doctrine of grace and turns salvation into a contract between God and man rather than a free gift. They also argue that the doctrine of eternal security (once saved, always saved) is biblical and supported by numerous passages of Scripture.
The Lordship Salvation Movement
The lordship salvation movement is a relatively new development in the history of the debate over salvation. It began in the 1970s and 1980s, as some theologians and pastors began to teaching that faith in Jesus Christ requires not only mental assent but also a willingness to submit to Christ as Lord and obey his commands. This view soon came to be known as lordship salvation, and it quickly generated a great deal of controversy.
Lordship salvation is now considered by many to be the prevailing view among evangelicals, although there is still significant disagreement on the issue. Those who hold to lordship salvation typically argue that it is impossible to have true saving faith without also surrendering one’s life to Christ as Lord. They point to biblical passages such as Matthew 7:21-23, which says that only those who do the will of God will enter heaven, as evidence for their position.
Opponents of lordship salvation, on the other hand, argue that requiring obedience from believers places an unbearable burden on them and makes salvation dependent on their works rather than on God’s grace. They cite passages such as Ephesians 2:8-9, which says that we are saved by grace through faith and not by our works, as support for their position.
The debate over lordship salvation is likely to continue for many years to come. However, those on both sides of the issue agree that faith in Jesus Christ is essential for salvation.
The Key Figures in the Debate
The lordship salvation debate is a theological controversy that has spanned several centuries. The debate centers on the question of whether salvation is by grace alone or whether works are required in addition to grace. The key figures in the debate are Augustine, Pelagius, Luther, and Calvin.
Charles Spurgeon
Spurgeon was a controversial figure in his day. He strongly believed in Lordship Salvation and held to the doctrine of Once Saved, Always Saved. This put him at odds with other leaders in the Reformed tradition, who believed that a person could lose their salvation if they stopped believing or living a moral life.
Spurgeon was a controversial figure in his day. He strongly believed in Lordship Salvation and held to the doctrine of Once Saved, Always Saved. This put him at odds with other leaders in the Reformed tradition, who believed that a person could lose their salvation if they stopped believing or living a moral life.
Zane Hodges
Zane C. Hodges (September 24, 1932 – December 3, 2008) was an American Bible teacher and author who was a central figure in the debate over Lordship salvation. He wrote many books and articles, as well as serving as a teaching pastor at Grace Evangelical Church in Dallas, Texas.
Hodges was born in Austin, Texas, and raised in a Christian home. He graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree. He later studied at Oxford University, where he received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in New Testament studies.
Hodges was ordained to the ministry in 1955 and pastored churches in Texas and Oklahoma before joining the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) in 1966. He remained on the faculty until 1978, when he resigned to become pastor of Grace Evangelical Church.
In the 1980s, Hodges became embroiled in a controversy over the doctrine of salvation which led to a split at DTS and the formation of two new schools: Grace Evangelical Seminary (formerly known as Richard Land Theological Seminary) and Hodges’ own Fellowship International Biblical Studies.
Hodges continued to teach and write until his death in 2008. His books include The Gospel Under Siege (1981), Absolutely Free! A Biblical Reply to Lordship Salvation (1989), illustrations from Scripture: Gems from the Greek New Testament (2000), True Discipleship (2002), The Hungry Christians (2004), Living Water: Answering Jehovah’s Witnesses on Their Own terms about Jesus Christ (2007).
The Main Points of the Debate
Lordship salvation is a hotly contested doctrine within Christianity. The debate centers around the issue of what is required for a person to be saved. The lordship salvation camp believes that a person must not only acknowledge Jesus Christ as their personal savior but also surrender their life to him. The other camp, commonly referred to as easy-believism, believes that a person needs only to believe in Jesus Christ to be saved.
The Definition of Saving Faith
The main point of debate is the definition of saving faith. The traditional view, held by many in the Reformed tradition, is that saving faith is not simply intellectual assent to certain propositions about Jesus. Rather, it includes a surrender of the whole self to Christ – it is a gift of God that enables a person to repent and believe. Lordship Salvation proponents argue that this view best fits with the biblical evidence.
The opposing view, held by many evangelicals, is that saving faith is simply intellectual assent to certain propositions about Jesus. This view has been most popularized by Uses water baptism as an outward sign of an inward reality which is salvation.
So which view is right? That’s what we’re here to discuss!
The Relationship Between Faith and Works
The relationship between faith and works is a common controversy in Christianity. The debate centers around the question of whether faith alone is enough to secure salvation or whether good works are also required.
On one side of the debate, those who believe in “lordship salvation” argue that faith alone is not enough. In order to be saved, they say, a person must not only have faith but also turn from sin and commit to following Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. On the other side, those who believe in “free grace” argue that faith alone is sufficient for salvation. According to this view, a person does not need to turn from sin or make any commitment to Christ in order to be saved; rather, they simply need to have faith in him.
There are a number of different Bible verses that are often quoted in this debate. Those who believe in lordship salvation often point to verses like James 2:14-26, which says that faith without works is dead, and Ephesians 2:8-10, which says that we are saved by grace through faith and not by our own good works. On the other hand, those who believe in free grace often point to verses like John 3:16-18 and Romans 4:5-8, which seem to indicate that salvation is possible simply by believing in Jesus Christ.
The truth is that both sides of this debate have some merit. It is true that we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-10) and it is also true that good works are important (James 2:14-26). The best way to understand the relationship between faith and works is to see them both as necessary components of a healthy Christian life. Faith alone cannot save us, but it is the starting point of our journey with God. Good works cannot save us either, but they are evidence of our saving faith (Matthew 7:21-23).
The Security of the Believer
The security of the believer is a hugely important doctrine in the Christian faith. It teaches that once a person has truly been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, they can never lose their salvation. This doctrine provides great comfort to Christians, as it means that they can be assured of their salvation and their place in heaven no matter what happens in this life.
There are some who disagree with this doctrine, however, and teach that it is possible for a believer to lose their salvation. They point to Scripture passages such as Hebrews 6:4-6 which seem to indicate that it is possible for a believer to fall away from the faith and be lost forever.
The security of the believer is an important doctrine because it provides assurance to Christians that they are truly saved and guarantees their place in heaven. Those who teach against it often do so out of a fear that if it is true, then people will take their salvation for granted and live immoral lives. However, the Bible teaches us that we are saved by grace through faith and not by our own good works (Ephesians 2:8-9). We should therefore live our lives in thankfulness to God for His great gift of Salvation, regardless of whether or not we think we could ever lose it.
The Conclusion of the Debate
After comparing and contrasting the doctrine of lordship salvation with other doctrines, it is evident that the lordship salvation doctrine is the most accurate. This doctrine teaches that in order for a person to be saved, they must repent of their sin and turn to God, placing Him as Lord of their life. The other doctrines either teach that repentance is not necessary for salvation or that a person can turn to God after they are saved. The lordship salvation doctrine is the most biblical and accurate of all the doctrines.
Where Do We Go From Here?
The biggest problem in this debate is not the question of Lordship salvation, but the question of understanding eternal security. If we can establish what the Bible teaches about eternal security, then the Lordship salvation debate will take care of itself. Unfortunately, there are too many people on both sides of this debate who are more interested in winning the argument than they are in finding out what the Bible actually teaches.
It is my hope that this series has helped to clarify some of the issues involved in this debate. I have tried to be as fair as possible to both sides, and I believe that I have represented each side accurately. I would encourage everyone who is interested in this debate to study the scriptures for themselves, and to come to their own conclusions about what the Bible teaches.