In a place I used to frequent I was accused of presenting a false Gospel this week. I preach full-heartedly the Gospel you can find linked on the left here. That we are sinners, worthy of Hell. That Christ died a substitutionary death for us, for our sins, and rose again three days later. He was seen by over 500 people. This made full payment for our sins, and this is what we must believe to be saved.
The person accusing me preaches Lordship Salvation, that to be saved one must accept Jesus as Lord of your life.
And the 'party line' goes like this. "How can you preach that a person can accept Jesus as Savior and at the same moment reject Him as Lord?"
This is one of those questions that insert an assumption so as to make them impossible to honestly answer. It's the same thing as asking "When are you going to stop beating your wife?" if asked of someone who's not beating their wife.
The person who asks is assuming, and/or projecting that you are preaching that a person can reject Christ as Lord and at the same moment accept Him as Savior.
So here's a question for the Lordship Salvation camp.
Can you accept Jesus as Lord while at the same moment reject that He is ALL of these at once?
Advocate ( 1 John 2:1 )
Almighty ( Rev 1:8 Mt 28:18 )
Alpha and Omega ( Rev 1:8 Rev 22:13 )
Amen ( Rev 3:14 )
Apostle of our Profession ( Heb 3:1 )
Atoning Sacrifice for our Sins ( 1 John 2:2 )
Author of Life ( Acts 3:15 )
Author and Perfecter of our Faith ( Heb 12:2 )
Author of Salvation ( Heb 2:10 )
Beginning and End ( Rev 22:13 )
Blessed and only Ruler ( 1 Tim 6:15 )
Bread of God ( John 6:33 )
Bread of Life ( John 6:35 John 6:48 )
Bridegroom ( Mt 9:15 )
Capstone ( Acts 4:11 1 Pet 2:7 )
Chief Cornerstone ( Eph 2:20 )
Chief Shepherd ( 1 Pet 5:4 )
Christ ( 1 John 2:22 )
Creator ( John 1:3 )
Deliverer ( Rom 11:26 )
Eternal Life ( 1 John 1:2 1 John 5:20)
Gate ( John 10:9 )
Faithful and True ( Rev 19:11 )
Faithful Witness ( Rev 1:5 )
Faithful and True Witness ( Rev 3:14 )
First and Last ( Rev 1:17 Rev 2:8 Rev 22:13 )
Firstborn From the Dead ( Rev 1:5 )
Firstborn over all creation ( Col 1:15 )
Gate ( John 10:9 )
God ( John 1:1 John 20:28 Heb 1:8 Rom 9:5 2 Pet 1:1 1 John 5:20 etc.)
Good Shepherd ( John 10:11 John 10:14 )
Great Shepherd ( Heb 13:20 )
Great High Priest ( Heb 4:14 )
Head of the Church ( Eph 1:22 Eph 4:15 Eph 5:23)
Heir of all things ( Heb 1:2 )
High Priest ( Heb 2:17 )
Holy and True ( Rev 3:7 )
Holy One ( Acts 3:14 )
Hope ( 1 Tim 1:1 )
Hope of Glory ( Col 1:27 )
Horn of Salvation ( Luke 1:69 )
I Am ( John 8:58 )
Image of God ( 2 Cor 4:4 )
Immanuel ( Mt 1:23 )
Judge of the living and the dead ( Acts 10:42 )
King Eternal ( 1 Tim 1:17 )
King of Israel ( John 1:49 )
King of the Jews ( Mt 27:11 )
King of kings ( 1 Tim 6:15 Rev 19:16 )
King of the Ages ( Rev 15:3 )
Lamb (Rev. 13:8)
Lamb of God (John 1:29)
Lamb Without Blemish (1 Pet. 1:19)
Last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45)
Life (John 14:6; Col. 3:4)
Light of the World (John 8:12)
Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5)
Living One (Rev. 1:18)
Living Stone (1 Pet. 2:4)
Lord (2 Pet. 2:20)
Lord of All (Acts 10:36)
Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8)
Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16)
Man from Heaven (1 Cor. 15:48)
Mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 9:15)
Mighty God (Isa. 9:6)
Morning Star (Rev. 22:16)
Offspring of David (Rev. 22:16)
Only Begotten Son of God (John 1:18; 1 John 4:9)
Our Great God and Savior (Titus 2:13)
Our Holiness (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Husband (2 Cor. 11:2)
Our Protection (2 Thess. 3:3)
Our Redemption (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Sacrificed Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7)
Power of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
Precious Cornerstone (1 Pet. 2:6)
Prophet (Acts 3:22)
Rabbi (Mt. 26:25)
Resurrection and Life (John 11:25)
Righteous Branch (Jer. 23:5)
Righteous One (Acts 7:52; 1 John 2:1)
Rock (1 Cor. 10:4)
Root of David (Rev. 5:5; 22:16)
Ruler of God’s Creation (Rev. 3:14)
Ruler of the Kings of the Earth (Rev. 1:5)
Savior (Eph. 5:23; Titus 1:4; 3:6; 2 Pet. 2:20)
Son of David (Lk. 18:39)
Son of God (John 1:49; Heb. 4:14)
Son of Man (Mt. 8:20)
Son of the Most High God (Lk. 1:32)
Source of Eternal Salvation for all who obey him (Heb. 5:9)
The One Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5)
The Stone the builders rejected (Acts 4:11)
True Bread (John 6:32)
True Light (John 1:9)
True Vine (John 15:1)
Truth (John 1:14; 14:6)
Way (John 14:6)
Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
Word (John 1:1)
Word of God (Rev. 19:13)
Those who, as I do, preach that the Gospel is a free gift to those who will believe do not preach that a person may reject Christ as any of these things. We simply do not hold that the person needs to know and submit to everything about Christ to be saved by Him.
I Cor 15:1-8 records that we must know He is Christ, meaning God's Anointed - anointed to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
So Lordships? I guess the "full" Gospel just got a little longer eh? I mean really! Can a person submit to Christ as Lord while at the exact same moment REJECTING that He is the Stone that the builders rejected??
The person accusing me preaches Lordship Salvation, that to be saved one must accept Jesus as Lord of your life.
And the 'party line' goes like this. "How can you preach that a person can accept Jesus as Savior and at the same moment reject Him as Lord?"
This is one of those questions that insert an assumption so as to make them impossible to honestly answer. It's the same thing as asking "When are you going to stop beating your wife?" if asked of someone who's not beating their wife.
The person who asks is assuming, and/or projecting that you are preaching that a person can reject Christ as Lord and at the same moment accept Him as Savior.
So here's a question for the Lordship Salvation camp.
Can you accept Jesus as Lord while at the same moment reject that He is ALL of these at once?
Advocate ( 1 John 2:1 )
Almighty ( Rev 1:8 Mt 28:18 )
Alpha and Omega ( Rev 1:8 Rev 22:13 )
Amen ( Rev 3:14 )
Apostle of our Profession ( Heb 3:1 )
Atoning Sacrifice for our Sins ( 1 John 2:2 )
Author of Life ( Acts 3:15 )
Author and Perfecter of our Faith ( Heb 12:2 )
Author of Salvation ( Heb 2:10 )
Beginning and End ( Rev 22:13 )
Blessed and only Ruler ( 1 Tim 6:15 )
Bread of God ( John 6:33 )
Bread of Life ( John 6:35 John 6:48 )
Bridegroom ( Mt 9:15 )
Capstone ( Acts 4:11 1 Pet 2:7 )
Chief Cornerstone ( Eph 2:20 )
Chief Shepherd ( 1 Pet 5:4 )
Christ ( 1 John 2:22 )
Creator ( John 1:3 )
Deliverer ( Rom 11:26 )
Eternal Life ( 1 John 1:2 1 John 5:20)
Gate ( John 10:9 )
Faithful and True ( Rev 19:11 )
Faithful Witness ( Rev 1:5 )
Faithful and True Witness ( Rev 3:14 )
First and Last ( Rev 1:17 Rev 2:8 Rev 22:13 )
Firstborn From the Dead ( Rev 1:5 )
Firstborn over all creation ( Col 1:15 )
Gate ( John 10:9 )
God ( John 1:1 John 20:28 Heb 1:8 Rom 9:5 2 Pet 1:1 1 John 5:20 etc.)
Good Shepherd ( John 10:11 John 10:14 )
Great Shepherd ( Heb 13:20 )
Great High Priest ( Heb 4:14 )
Head of the Church ( Eph 1:22 Eph 4:15 Eph 5:23)
Heir of all things ( Heb 1:2 )
High Priest ( Heb 2:17 )
Holy and True ( Rev 3:7 )
Holy One ( Acts 3:14 )
Hope ( 1 Tim 1:1 )
Hope of Glory ( Col 1:27 )
Horn of Salvation ( Luke 1:69 )
I Am ( John 8:58 )
Image of God ( 2 Cor 4:4 )
Immanuel ( Mt 1:23 )
Judge of the living and the dead ( Acts 10:42 )
King Eternal ( 1 Tim 1:17 )
King of Israel ( John 1:49 )
King of the Jews ( Mt 27:11 )
King of kings ( 1 Tim 6:15 Rev 19:16 )
King of the Ages ( Rev 15:3 )
Lamb (Rev. 13:8)
Lamb of God (John 1:29)
Lamb Without Blemish (1 Pet. 1:19)
Last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45)
Life (John 14:6; Col. 3:4)
Light of the World (John 8:12)
Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5)
Living One (Rev. 1:18)
Living Stone (1 Pet. 2:4)
Lord (2 Pet. 2:20)
Lord of All (Acts 10:36)
Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8)
Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16)
Man from Heaven (1 Cor. 15:48)
Mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 9:15)
Mighty God (Isa. 9:6)
Morning Star (Rev. 22:16)
Offspring of David (Rev. 22:16)
Only Begotten Son of God (John 1:18; 1 John 4:9)
Our Great God and Savior (Titus 2:13)
Our Holiness (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Husband (2 Cor. 11:2)
Our Protection (2 Thess. 3:3)
Our Redemption (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Sacrificed Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7)
Power of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
Precious Cornerstone (1 Pet. 2:6)
Prophet (Acts 3:22)
Rabbi (Mt. 26:25)
Resurrection and Life (John 11:25)
Righteous Branch (Jer. 23:5)
Righteous One (Acts 7:52; 1 John 2:1)
Rock (1 Cor. 10:4)
Root of David (Rev. 5:5; 22:16)
Ruler of God’s Creation (Rev. 3:14)
Ruler of the Kings of the Earth (Rev. 1:5)
Savior (Eph. 5:23; Titus 1:4; 3:6; 2 Pet. 2:20)
Son of David (Lk. 18:39)
Son of God (John 1:49; Heb. 4:14)
Son of Man (Mt. 8:20)
Son of the Most High God (Lk. 1:32)
Source of Eternal Salvation for all who obey him (Heb. 5:9)
The One Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5)
The Stone the builders rejected (Acts 4:11)
True Bread (John 6:32)
True Light (John 1:9)
True Vine (John 15:1)
Truth (John 1:14; 14:6)
Way (John 14:6)
Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
Word (John 1:1)
Word of God (Rev. 19:13)
Those who, as I do, preach that the Gospel is a free gift to those who will believe do not preach that a person may reject Christ as any of these things. We simply do not hold that the person needs to know and submit to everything about Christ to be saved by Him.
I Cor 15:1-8 records that we must know He is Christ, meaning God's Anointed - anointed to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
So Lordships? I guess the "full" Gospel just got a little longer eh? I mean really! Can a person submit to Christ as Lord while at the exact same moment REJECTING that He is the Stone that the builders rejected??
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7 comments:
Incidentally, why is it that those who teach that you cannot receive Jesus without receiving His personal mastery over the years of one's life do not also insist that we must receive Him as Messiah (the meaning of Christ) with all that the concept of Messiah entails? That would mean, for starters, that in order to be saved one must believe that Jesus is Israel's promised deliverer, the one who fulfills many Old Testament prophecies, and the one who is the coming King over this earth. Is the acknowledgment of all that Messiah means part of the necessary content of faith for a genuine salvation experience? —So Great Salvation
Kev, check out the replies I made in your thread regarding this post at FoJ:
http://www.followers-of-jesus.com/viewtopic.php?p=146
Ahh...it did not want to post the link.
Click here.
Kev/Robb:
In my book I also cite the Ryrie passage and develop that thought.
I liked the laundry list you posted.
LS is asking a lost man to make a decision for levels of discipleship he can't possibly understand.
LM
Hey Lou, Thanks for stopping by!
I'm hoping you get that new edition out soon! :)
Lately I've been pondering the thought of the implications to preaching Lordship to the unsaved. It's enough of a stumbling block to someone who's young in the Faith.. but can you imagine being told that in order to be saved you've got to give up everything you've been living for up until that moment and submitting to Jesus as Lord of your life - without really understanding what that means?
Paul tells us we need to die daily, it's tough for Christians who already have the Spirit living in us... imagine what it would be like to be told such a thing while there's nothing there but the Adamic nature?
I really think it's unfair to preach that to someone who's not saved... come tell me to live Holy (Please!) I've got the Spirit, and the new nature that I can live in.. but some poor sap who's just found out he's a sinner.. gonna tell him he has to fix himself? Not out of these lips! I'll leave the fixing to the Physician.
Kev
Great post, Kev. and a Great list!
Antonio
Thanks Antonio - I appreciate it greatly coming from you.
I grabbed the list from an another site.. shoulda likely linked them.. but I forget which it is now.
Kev
Hi Kevl:
Send me an e-mail so I have your address. I want to run something by you in an e-mail.
Thanks,
Lou
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