By johninnc
Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
It’s time to stop pretending that Lordship Salvation (LS) is part of the Christian faith.
LS is the unsupportable belief that the PERFORMANCE of works, the PROMISE of works, or the EVIDENCE of works must accompany faith in Christ in order to establish, or provide evidence, that such faith has resulted in eternal life.
LS is, at its core, salvation by works – salvation by faith in Christ plus adherence to some arbitrary set of rules.
LS is a false gospel. No one has EVER received eternal life by believing a false gospel. Therefore, no one has ever received eternal life by believing in LS.
Following are some of the more common false LS beliefs that are masquerading as tenets of the Christian faith:
Lottery System – the Calvinist belief that whether one spends eternity in Heaven or in Hell is just based on the luck of the draw.
Let’s See, or Later Salvation – another part of the Calvinist family of heresies, also known as “perseverance of the Saints.” Under this errant belief, a “true believer” is someone who endures in faith and good works until the end of his life. If one fails to do this, it proves he was never saved to begin with.
Less Sin – this one centers on the direction of the believer’s life. If he sins less than he used to, then he is headed in the right direction and must be saved. If not, the converse is true.
Lesser Sins – the belief that some sins are worse than others – usually in the form of “somebody else’s sins are worse than mine.”
Lower Standards – at the heart of this error is belief that behavior, feelings, or good intentions have anything whatsoever to do with getting into Heaven. This replaces God’s perfect Law with an inferior man-made law that the adherent to this heresy believes is good enough.
Lampoon Saints – the practice of pointing people away from the salvation available EXCLUSIVELY by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone by ridiculing the concept. This includes use of pejorative terms like “easy believism”, “greasy grace”, and “sloppy agape.”
Does LS stand for anything that I would advocate? Yes! Let’s Stop!
Let’s stop pretending that we are “on the same page” with Lordship “salvationists”!
In his sermon entitled “Understanding the Two Natures, Pt 1, pastor Tom Cucuzza of Northland Bible Baptist Church made the following appeal:
Let’s stop making excuses for people who use these phrases. It is wrong and they need to stop it. Don’t say: “well they said that, but, you know, they say a lot of good things.” No, let me tell you something. If they say these things, they are giving a false plan of salvation. Here’s some of the things you’ll hear:
(Note: the following are selected excerpts)
“If you’re really saved, you will hate the things you once loved, and love the things that you once hated.”
“If you haven’t forsaken all of your sin, you were never really saved to begin with. You had a head belief, not a heart belief.”
“If you haven’t repented of all of your sin, you are not saved yet. You have to really quote/unquote mean business with God and repent of all your sins.”
“If you’re still desiring the things of the world, you are probably not saved.”
“You can’t go to heaven if you’re hanging onto the world.”
“If Christ is not Lord of all, He’s not Lord at all.
“If you are practicing sin, you are not saved.”
“If you’ve grown cold towards the Lord, you were probably never truly saved to begin with.”
“If you do not endure and persevere as a Christian to the end of your life, you were never a real Christian to begin with, because all true Christians endure to the end.”
The stark reality is that there is NO SUCH THING as Lordship Salvation. There are lots of Lordship “salvationists”. But, there is no such thing as having been saved by believing Lordship “salvation”.
If you are not sure of heaven, and would like to be, please click on the following link: Let’s Start
Notes From A Retired Preacher 
Ditto for the Independent Fundamental Baptists
Phil, excellent comment!
I think John in his Letters like 1 John is dealing with false teachers and their influence, like the Gnostics. John is not asking saved believers to test themselves to see if they are really saved. John assures the saved believer of their eternal salvation in 1 John 5:13. But I think John is giving the signs of false teachers and their false teachings by tests of love. These false teachers don’t even believe who Jesus is, or what he has truly done for them, much less have a love for him.
Have you ever noticed the some LS’er and Calvinists seem to have a greater love for their theology, doctrines, creeds, and confessions than for reaching out in love with the gospel that can save anyone?
I like the version of lottery salvation that goes like this: hope you die when salvation is on again, not off again. Medieval version or Hamlett salvation: hope you die in a state of grace.
RAS, that could be. I wasn’t able to ferret it out.
John
A lot of times in papers like those instead of being a straight out polemic against a certain position the author will present evidence for both sides and then end with their conclusion: Could be that. I would like to think it is.
RAS, yeah, I know what you are saying. I was also somewhat taken aback.
The section was primarily fellowship oriented.
But, then again, he says it may be tests of eternal salvatio OR tests of spiritual orientation.
This would seem to leave the door open to interpreting 1 John as tests of eternal life.
And, he seems to allow for love in evidencing eternal life.
Again, it’s only an outline, but these are confusing at best.
John
I don’t know the context but from what I know about Bing it would surprise me if he is talking about experiencing assurance of salvation and not assurance of experiencing true fellowship with the Father, Son and apostles 1 John 1:3-4 .
I saw some rather confusing discussion of 1 John in New Testament Introductions and Analytical Outlines by Charles C. Bing, Ph.D. GraceLife Edition © 2013. Following are excerpts. I have bolded the phrases that are particularly troublesome.
John then discusses four tests or assurances from which his readers can discern the truthfulness of the experience for themselves and others (1:8-2:29). These may be tests of eternal salvation or tests of one’s spiritual orientation…
John’s second assurance comes from the practice of obedience which he narrows to obedience to the premier command to love (3:10-24). He argues that love is necessary in distinguishing one’s affiliation to God or Satan and in evidencing eternal life (3:10-15).
My comment: I don’t understand how someone can have assurance of eternal life, based solely on faith in Christ, yet need to go through experiential “tests” to determine whether or not he is saved. This seems like Bing is allowing for interpretation of scripture as promoting fruit inspection and backdoor LS.
Genevieve, I miss you 🙂 Hope to see you soon.
Genevieve, I know Jack and John do have plenty of compassion, and you know that you and I have spent quite some time on this, and I was having difficulty grasping what this seemed to be so important to you. You bring up a child not really understanding sin when they believe. Well, no, we may not understand the depths of sin, but we do know we have done wrong. And that is why He came.
He is perfect, we are not. I came to Christ at a VERY young age after my brother died. I had been brought up hearing the gospel, but I wanted to be sure I was saved. My mom re-explained, I really couldn’t think of any sins, I was sure my mom was just imagining them. I do still recall one event where I directly disobeyed her regarding the Christmas candy and put some in the mailbox in an envelope for the mailman. 🙂
I agree with Jack and John on the obvious nature of the reason Christ dying (for our sins) and the why of Him dying from our sins – (to save us from the wages of sin = death). So who committed the sin? A sinner.
Sometimes we allow the evil one to subtly come in and corrupt our minds from the simplicity that is in Christ which is why we look at His Word, see what it says and ask the obvious questions. I don’t want to disregard what Jack has said about subject being closed, just to be a third witness to the fact that in some way we have to recognize that we are the sinner Christ died for. And believe He died for our sins. Not sure like them where you’ve run across these thoughts, but they’re not His Word. We all have compassion and love for you Genevieve. And you know we’ve kept in our prayers too. Stick with the Word and just keep growing, and those types of questions, don’t obsess over, ask Him to show you in His Word. In His love to you.
First time i’ve heard of the “crossless gospel”… Thankyou for this atleast now I’m aware of another LS tactic.. So far I haven’t encountered this over here in our country. just the usual backdoor and frontdoor LS.
It’s hard being alone on what you believe. most of the time I find myself alone in the battle. no matter how hard I try to explain it to my friends. They won’t listen. I know it’s hard to accept it cause I found it so hard to believe myself too for the 1st couple of months. I have to constantly listen to yankee arnold and tom cucuzza preachings and read my bible daily to remind myself that I’m serving not out of compulsion and obligation. But because I’m saved and I love the Lord and I want to thank him for it. There are times when I go to our LS church and I get indoctrinated by what they teach, I instantly go and pray to myself to not absorb what they say. sometimes I think of other things while our pastor preaches. I can leave our church but maybe for now.. I’m still finding it hard to do especially if there are folks within our church who got to believe because of what I shared with them. even if there are only less than 10 of them, they mean much to me and I love them.. At the back of my mind I still do believe God will use me to get more people to see this. I fear the day the church would put me like in a counsel trial once they find out what I am sharing to the church members.. I’m getting myself ready for it.
I don’t believe in Lordship Salvation. I do believe though in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. When he asked peter “who do you say that I am”.. Peter said “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God”. I know who he is and I acknowledge Jesus Christ, who is God Almighty, died for me. He lives and he will be back in the rapture pre-trib. There are alot of things happening in our world (ISIS and Ebola Spreading rapidly) and this is what motivates me and pushes me to move on with urgency and compassion to share the Gospel. if no one will preach this, no one will hear and they must hear even if it offends them…
Genevieve, I have compassion for you and anyone else who is troubled by these kinds of thoughts.
Please don’t misconstrue my strong language for lack of compassion. I just wanted to be emphatic.
Well,I was deceived.Have some compassion.I’m not perfect.
Genevieve, I don’t think God is looking to throw people into hell based on some technicality like you are imagining.
Can you even imagine coming face-to-face with God and being cast into hell for thinking that you had to understand you were sinner in order to be saved?
It seems ludicrous, to me, that Jesus would choose to suffer the pain and humiliation of the cross to redeem us, only to throw us out on such a trifling technicality.
Genevieve,
Case closed…
I think you have carried this beyond the limits of your imagination.
You said,“I think its a work to say He wouldn’t save you if you didn’t believe you were a sinner.”
We see no contextual scripture that proves your conjecture. There seems to be just a hint of the GES Crossless “gospel” theories in your premise.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
But Jack,I think He would save you even if you didn’t believe you were a sinner.That’s what I am trying to say.A kid probably wouldn’t reallyrecognize that they are a sinner,but they would still believe that He has saved them.I barely recognized I was a sinner,but I knew that I would go to hell if I didn’t believe.I don’t think its a work to believe your a sinner,but I think its a work to say He wouldn’t save you if you didn’t believe you were a sinner.
Genevieve,
You said: “I believe it’s a work to say that believing your a sinner is a condition of salvation.”
Of course you will recall we have discussed this with you privately and in depth.
How could you think you have been reconciled to God by Jesus Christ, without thinking that you needed to be reconciled to God? (Our miserable imperfection as compared to God’s absolute righteousness and perfection).
If you want to know how to have eternal life (go to heaven), you must understand God’s provision for your salvation. (1 Corinthians 15:3b, “…Christ died for our [your] sins.”) If you believe Jesus died for your sins, you then (by definition) believe that you have sinned.
Understanding, believing or knowing you have sinned or are a sinner is not a “work” for salvation.
We would be interested in knowing where you found this false information. A web site? A video or book?
We will be praying for your true understanding of God’s Word. We all need to practice this verse regularly:
2 Timothy 2:15
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
Dino, one thing I recognize from every church in Revelation is that the church at large is addressed in certain areas. I believe we see literal churches, some believe churches also through history and also ‘types’ in each era. But the one thing we know is the end of an overcomer, and what an overcomer is, seen in 1 John 5:4-5. Thank the Lord for His righteousness in our place.
I agree, when the gospel states that Christ died for OUR sins, the obvious fact is we need to realize we are a sinner. Most do realize they sin. But I do remember talking when I was a young girl to a classmate who said she had never sinned. I asked her if she had ever lied. She said no. Cheated. No. Disobeyed her parents, she said no. So one would have to recognize a few things. What sin has cost us. Separation from God and eternal death and condemnation. Man sinned, Man had to die. Otherwise we wouldn’t even realize why He had to die. Salvation from what if we don’t know we are a sinner?
Dino, I think the passage in Revelation 3 is a fellowship passage – a call to intimate fellowship with Christ to people who are already believers. There is no such thing as cold and hot unbelievers. And, this does not in any way imply, or teach, that one can lose eternal salvation.
Amen John..
Actually, Sin is a part of humanity. I believe we are all sons of Adam and we are all under sin
Psalm 51:5
King James Version (KJV)
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
I believe that everyone has to go through the “sin question” to understand Salvation and how beautiful it is. I knew I was a sinner. The Holy Ghost showed me the answer in Romans 3. There is absolutely no way I can save myself no matter what I do. I remember the thief in the cross when he saw the state in where he was as condemned. This was the same state I was in also as one who is condemned. And then I got saved by grace.
Luke 23:40-41
King James Version (KJV)
But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
And therefore the grace of God came to me. I didn’t deserve it but he gave it anyway.. I was asked the one question, Will you believe (trust) in my Son who died for your sins, I said yes… That’s it… it’s a done deal..
I just got off this morning with one of my friends who believes that one can lose their salvation by this verse
Revelation 3:16
King James Version (KJV)
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Hi Admins, Please correct me if I am wrong but I believe this does not talk about “soul salvation” rather “physical salvation” since the churches before represented the Light of the world, this was a message that if they do not repent (Change one’s mind toward sins to turn away from it BECAUSE THEY WERE SAVED), they would lose the “physical” church established in Laodicea.
Revelation 3:19
King James Version (KJV)
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Genevieve, I don’t agree with your conclusion.
You said: I believe it’s a work to say that believing your a sinner is a condition of salvation.
My comment: That’s carrying things a little too far.
Luke 5:31-32:
[31] And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
[32] I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
I was wondering about whether I had to believe I was a sinner to be saved or not,like we have to believe that Jesus died on the Cross,was buried & rose two life after three days.I don’t believe it is actually a condition of salvation,like some people have been trying to tell me that it is.I thought I was believing in the crossless gospel by believing this.I wrote to someone for help with this & this is what he said.
I don’t think believing you are a sinner is REQUIRED… John 3:16
tells us all we need to do is Believe in Jesus Christ and we will be
saved!!! My problem with that question is if a person does not think
they are a sinner why would they need or want a Savior??? I have never
had anyone tell me they had not told a lie during their whole life! A
lie, even one little white lie during your whole life is enough to
send a person to hell… they don’t need to be a murderer or big time
thief!!! Everyone on planet earth NEEDS a Savior to make it to Heaven
and if we don’t show them that they are a sick and dying sinner I
don’t think they will be very interested in the cure!!!
Believing in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is
CRITICAL to the true gospel message! Believing you are a sinner is not
critical, but without a person believing he is a sinner why would he
think he needs a Savior???
Like I said in my last email to you a few minutes ago, we are ALL
sinners… the bible tells us in Romans that we have ALL sinned and
come short of the glory of God!!! Notice God said we have “ALL
SINNED”, every man, woman and child on planet earth needs a Savior to
get to Heaven!!! (Most people don’t want to call God a liar!!!) If
“HE” say’s your a sinner… you are a sinner!!! Period… end of story!
Thank God, Jesus paid for every one of my sins (past, present and even
all my future sins) so that I could go to a perfect Heaven when I die.
The reason I am going to Heaven is because there is now no sin that
can be used against me… even my future sins are forgiven before I
can even commit them!!! That is the ONLY way God can give us eternal
life… we must be forgiven all sin past, present and all future sins
in one moment of time (at the moment of our belief in Jesus) and it
occurs instantly and is irreversible!!!
Thank God for that!!!
It helped a lot.But I’m not trusting in man.I trust in God,I’ve asked Him to open my eyes to the truth.I believe it’s a work to say that believing your a sinner is a condition of salvation.
Thanks John John, my mother has been doing a majority of the recent event, we came down sick and I hurt my shoulder, she felt it best we stay away a bit. Last I heard the restriction is getting lifted in a few days 🙂 Anyways, thank you, we were all poisoned with that venom weren’t we?… The Lord knows what stubborn and foolish sheep we are, He gives us one way to be saved, I could not imagine men would not look upon the Way, but today, men are busy making up their own way. So terribly sad. May we all have just the blessing of sharing Christ somehow with others.
God bless your day in Him.
Holly, bless you for looking after your dad!
I like the idea of this “and you are too” tract! I’m imagining weaving in the idea of having been fatally poisoned by a serpent/sin a la John 3:14!
John John – you gave me an idea 🙂 Made me laugh too, since my dad has been in and out of hospitals lately, I think a tract with “Since I am dying” and then they can open it, and it will say, “and you are too”…. lol… (I will give them the remedy for life) 🙂
Genevieve, I have long since wanted to pre-write notes, things I would say if I found out I had a short time to live, and they might hear because I was gone.
I started to write one, it is called “Since I am dying”. And I am aiming it at my kids first, then will be to certain friends, etc. Who knows? I could get hit by a plane in my home as I type this. We are not promised tomorrow. But a letter could even be addressed for “open this when I’m gone” (haha, kids will be steaming it to find out what it says).
We all know their are Bible verses that contain much of the gospel. So maybe a Bible verse picture on the refrigerator that changes every few days? You know your own kids, pray, ask the Lord for creative ways to share the Word, give wisdom by His Word, love on them with His Word, etc. Do not let them mistreat you though, Stand your ground, it’s not ‘their room’ unless they’re paying rent and have a legal paper, I’d remind them it’s your room kindly and if they’d like to keep living in it, vs. you turning it into an arts and crafts room, they might show you a little more respect. 🙂
I told my boys, if their room didn’t get cleaned up, they’d be sleeping on the floor in the living room with a blanket, eating bologna sandwiches three times a day. My one son was really concerned that would be his meal lol! I explained that children that don’t learn discipline and obedience to authority sometimes do things in public later in life that can land them in jail, so there they get about the same meal, so I don’t think I’ll get in trouble for feeding them and giving them a hard bed and blanket to lie on 🙂 I also reminded them of some of the children in other countries (I know, I know, our parents did this with food), who would love to have a mattress to sleep on and only 2 people in one room.
❤
I probably sounded like I was letting my left hand know what my right hand was doing.I didn’t know we weren’t suppose to talk about what we are doing.
Matthew 6:3-4
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
Preston, I like your Spirit-directed idea of the envelope. Most of us have no problem giving where directed by the Lord because in Him there is freedom! “God loves a cheerful giver” is something worth considering.. Sounds like you are operating in that sweet spot, not reluctantly or under compulsion. Bless you!
johninnc, I did not know that “ExPreacherMan does not need, nor accept, financial contributions”. Thank you and bless you who run this site and minister grace to all of us freely! That is rare. Reminds me of…Paul!
Holly, “I am dying”…ha! THAT would be an attention-getting Post-It! I have never been married, have no children, yet I get a kick out of that idea. My sister is a single mom of two teenage boys so I get to witness that adventure and can only imagine what LIVING it would be like.
Everyone, thanks for sharing yourselves through your stories and struggles.
Grace be with you!
Alice,
We here at ExP certainly appreciate your kind offer to support this ministry.
As Johninnc has explained we have no needs that are unmet by the Lord. We neither solicit nor accept donations.
Your desire to support the ministry financially is a great encouragement to us. Thanks so very much!!!
We highly recommend supporting Dr. Tom Cucuzza’s ministry:
Phone: 1-320 252-5677 Ext. 0
Tom’s Church: http://www.northlandchurch.com
See Dr. Cucuzza’s Stack at the top of our page header.
We thank you for your love and appreciation for our ministry.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
2believe, beautiful comment. Religion is worthless. Salvation is priceless.
ALICE – i agree 100%.
One place I donate is to “bibleline ministries” – yankee arnold He is clear on the gospel.
MOST of my Jesus $’s goes in an envelope and is there when needed. Along with giving $’s to where it is needed—- goes a gospel message or tract.
So pray about it. The Lord might want your contribution to go to neighbor a few houses down that needs help and needs to hear the gospel with that gift.
Just some thoughts.
Hope God doesn’t see this as looking for praise from men—–oh well. 🙂
Alice, I agree that we should have no part in financially supporting ministries that distort the gospel. ExPreacherMan does not need, nor accept, financial contributions, but we would like for you to pray for this ministry.
I am re-assessing my financial support to some of the ministries that I used to give financially in the past as I recently heard a sermon which said that the LORD will hold us accountable for supporting ministries that teach a false or a twisted/perverted gospel such as ‘word-faith’ movement or ‘health, wealth and prosperity’ gospel etc. Now that I realized that many ministries and churches I have given previously preach Lordship Salvation-gospel, I no longer want to give money to them. If we check out their statement of faith on what they believe, they all say ‘salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone by Grace alone’ but then in practice they teach ‘works + faith salvation’ by either front-loading or back-loading the Gospel. It is getting increasingly difficult know for sure who to support financially. Can we give to Expreacherman since the LORD has used them to open my eyes to the Grace-gospel?
Unfortunately I believed one had to have works to get to heaven and works to keep you going there. Looking at the things I believed at one time makes me sooooo sad and ashamed. I believe I was saved as a child but I can’t be entirely sure but it doesn’t matter to me. I KNOW I’m saved now. What an incredible feeling! I’m so overwhelmed with emotions. Just today I found myself looking up at the sky on my way home. Def not the safest but hey…..anyway, I had a huge grin on my face. I saw the sky, a bird fly by and the beauty and I started to actually tear up. The love I feel about God now is indescribable! How I ever survived in ls! I felt I had to do all those things! Now I WANT to! I find myself studying and taking notes constantly. I love the Lord and He loves me. The bible is the best love story ever written! No one loves me more than Christ. I’m still kind of in awe. Please forgive me. I think about Him and all He’s done and before I know it I rambled off tract of what I meant to say. Anyway, lordship “salvation” not only doesn’t save but it makes God look unloving. That’s not MY God. He saved me cause He loves me. Nothing I do.
John 3:16
Ephesians 2:8-9
I don’t have many verses memorized but I’m getting there slowly. I’m so thankful for you all. Thank you and love to all of you
I believed you could tell that someone was a Christian by their fruit,even thou I didn’t measure up.
Dino I used to say Jesus loves you to people too,I thought I was a Christian,but I wasn’t I believed in works,I was checking myself out for fruit & I couldn’t tick all the boxes that lordshippers tell you to check of,I knew I didn’t love other people.I found the Gospel online & that’s how I got saved.
Dino, my understanding of the gospel was flawed until about 4 years ago. I always considered myself a Christian, but didn’t believe in Jesus until I understood that eternal life was a gift, with no cost or obligation to me.
Your testimony might focus on what you believed prior to trusting in Christ as Savior, and how you came to understand that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
Np Genevieve. I read what you mentioned the chinese lady that said Jesus loved you and you gave her a tract assuming that she might not know the Gospel.. I just had some thoughts about it. If the person knew the Gospel of Grace he would have no harsh reactions to it and would gladly accept the tract upon reading it cause she knows it’s true.
Going back to the topic of this thread, Yeah. There is no such thing as Lordship salvation. I’m 33 and I’m still learning alot. I became a Christan in 2011 but I believe I got saved just this March 2014. I know I still have alot of studying to do. I’m feel I’m not yet ready to answer everyman who asks me to account for the hope that is in me. This causes me to hold back and think about whether should I risk getting into a debate with other people cause I know I can’t answer everything yet…
Actually,do you think the fridge might be a bit pushy?
Do you think if I stick the gospel on the fridge,that,that would work Holly? I stuck one up at the shops on the billboard & it’s been there for ages,no ones taken it down.I hope someone’s reading it.You never know.
Courage would be great too John,don’t have a lot of that.
And I don’t know what language that lady speaks.But she can speak English as well.Also thanks for praying for wisdom Holly & John.
What do you mean that you are dying Holly? And thanks for the tips.I have been filling up a box for them,for in case something happens to me.I’ve got Tom Cuccuzzas stack in there for starters & clear gospel campaigns booklet.I’d love someone to hand out gospel tracts at my funeral,that’d be good.Love you Holly.
Praying with John, first for your daughter’s heart to be softened and convicted. I pray the Lord also will give you wisdom, lots from His Word to speak. I pray that your hurting heart will be bound up and that He will wash you in the water by the Word. Sorry for the hurts our loved ones sometimes readily help the enemy with.
Genevieve. Kids are notorious for snooping in our rooms. Write out little verses and have them tacked up in different places. Hide them. Leave a note for them (since I am dying) is one I have started. (we are all dying) I figure that will pique their interest lol! I plan to do one for my friends and loved ones too. I started one for the kids. It’s a win win, if I did die, it’s there on my desktop. And otherwise, I can put it there and maybe some will read.
Does you friend speak Mandarin or Cantonese, or do you know?
Genevieve, I am praying for you to have courage and wisdom in your ministry. And, if there are those in your family who don’t know Jesus as Savior that God will draw them to Him and they will hear and understand the gospel that they might believe.
Thanks for praying for laborers Holly & Dino will pray for laborers in Manila too. I’m glad the Lord gave you someone to do bible studies with Dino.There is this Chinese lady that works at my local shop.She kept saying Jesus loves you to me,so I gave her a tract,because I thought she might not actually know the gospel.Then the next time I went in I asked her do you know how to get to heaven.But I couldn’t really understand her.So I finally asked her do you understand that you can’t pay for yourself to go to heaven,that Jesus made the complete payment for you & she said yes.So there’s one,I don’t know if she got saved through me or someone else though.i’m looking forward to laborers talking to my family,because for starters my middle daughter doesn’t want to hear the gospel from me,I’ve tried to tell her bits,but that’s about all I get to say.I tried to tell her that you don’t want to take hell litely,but I didn’t even get to finish the sentence,before she told me to get out of her room.I know I can’t force them & I’ve got to try to be gentle & I’ve got a big God that knows what to do.
Dino, praying the Lord keeps opening up the Word for you as you just study with His approval in mind, and as we pray for other laborers, sometimes they are the sheep we are feeding, so keep feeding others His Word, and I pray the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth.
Hi Holly,
Wow… You’re right. That is about being saved physically. I have made some progress on understanding most of the NT verses to defend what I believe. But there are some people who being OT verses and tell me “Hey God does not change so why do you think he’d change in the NT?” When I was saved in March God opened my eyes to the dispensational method of reading the bible. most people here does not believe in dispensation cause they believe God does not change. They are right by saying that but from what I have learned by self-study, Being a dispensationalist makes me believe God deals differently with mankind according to dispensations.
Hi Genevieve,
I’m praying that God can do the same here in Manila. There are alot of revivals going on here. there are alot of christians here. But I am not sure if they are free-grace Christians. Fortunately the Lord gave me a few friends whom I’ve shared with and now we do some bible studies about the Gospel of Grace. I plan to share some more so that God can by grace expand the network He gave me.
Dear pojs,
if you have believed in Calvinism for the gospel, then you do not know God. Dear friend, HEAR, the gospel.
1. God SO loved the WORLD (God’s love for all)
2. That HE GAVE His only begotten Son (Lifted up on cross for our sins) (God’s GIFT for all)
3. That WHOSEVER believeth on Him(all)
4. Should not Perish (by God’s Power)
5. But have everlasting life. (by God’s Power)
6. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (He did it for us)
7. Christ was buried (He did it for us)
8. Christ rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. (He did it for us)
You had better re-examine His Word, don’t count on man to teach you what the gospel is, Paul declared what the gospel was in 1 Cor 15, that they all BELIEVED, that they all RECEIVED, that they all were SAVED BY, that they ALL stood in, and that ALL the apostles preached.
Calvin preaches a different gospel, and therefore is a false teacher, and was accursed (unless of course he happened to believe the truth somewhere along the line).
If you do not, you are causing anyone you love, a wife, a sister or brother, a mother or father, a friend, to believe a false gospel and they will lose their life eternally. Please, read the book of John and pray, and ask questions and ask Him to show you the truth.
Dino you might want to go a little further in Jonah 3:9-10 and ask yourself, if the deliverance there was eternal life, then we’d all be in trouble, because turning from sin is a work and cannot be added to justification. God repented, they turned from sin. They were saved from being physically destroyed.
Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
And God saw their works, THAT they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Genevieve, I have asked for laborers for the harvest with you and Johninnc, and I believe they are coming to Brisbane to and where your friends and husband, and children are. Praying with you sister.
John John, the Gospel going out, calling others bearing fruit, that is what I pray for, the harvest.
Genevieve, we got your e-mail, but we are havin trouble with outbound messages.
I think the answer to your latest question is “yes”.
pojs, you said: “Calvinism is in fact the Gospel.”
My response: Wrong. The gospel is the gospel. The gospel is of God. Calvinism is a fabrication of man (primarily Calvin) that creates a false god who hand picks people for salvation, which salvation those people then prove by their works.
Dino, I personally don’t think the Bible says that the consequence of repentance for the people of Nineveh was eternal life. Nowhere does the Bible say they were told of a coming redeemer, or any other information that would have led to eternal life. The Bible says they were delivered from physical destruction.
I’m beginning to love the way Dr. Yankee Arnold Preaches aswell as Dr. Tom Cucuzza. These guys are CLEAR and they really cut though. it’s like they put a red line between works and grace and I am enjoying it!
Now whenever I go home by bus, I leave some gospel tracts on the seat and go out. I saw myself bus preaching and I said to myself “I’m not here to ask money or invite anyone to church cause this doesn’t save anyone… blah blah blah..” I’ve been applying that wallet illustration and I have in writing in the tracts I made. I also made a gmail account and a facebook account just so if they want to email me back cause I have placed on the track that if they trusted the Lord, they should send me an email and I could know that someone got saved by the tracks I give away.
I was looking for answers on Jonah 3:10 on this blog but I only found one statement. I checked David Stewart’s website and according to him, those people “repented” of their evil ways like they grieved over their sin and God changed his mind about them. And he also said that those people in ninevah who repented of their sin WERE NOT SAVED. I had to research on that because we had this woman preacher on Jonah 3:10 using the NIV and when I compared to the KJV… it really looked like they Repented or turned away from sin to be saved.. I don’t know I might be wrong. All I know is they are saved according to verse 5
Jonah 3:5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
My question to myself was how did they get to the point of believing God. I thought this had to do something with the proclamation of the king that they needed to Believe in God to be saved. I firmly believe that scripture (KJV) cannot contradict itself.
The Arminian/Conditionalist are actually all not saved. The Lordshiper is also wrong. Calvinism is in fact the Gospel.
The Arminian and all who conditionalize the gospel are all wrong. Lordship Salvation is wrong as well. I am also Reformed/Calvinist
Curtis, good point. Satan is still trying to keep Jews, as well as everyone else, from understanding the gospel message.
Recently I just discovered Ray Comfort is Jewish born in New Zealand to a Jewish mother and a father .
I cant help but ponder the LS message Ray Comfort teaches is the same message Paul fought so hard against
Genevieve, I have prayed that God would send more laborers into Brisbane.
“Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth…”—Colossians 1
The Gospel, bearing fruit and increasing. That’s a beautiful thought!
He’s a powerful God John. He opened my eyes.When I look back & see how much I was decievdeceived,it’s scary & I had some close calls with death too,which I think He saved me from,I’d be in hell now.So I keep praying for my kids & husband & friends & others too, I’ve asked God for laborers here in Brisbane & I believe they are coming.
Genevieve and Jack, yes, the false gospels are all over the place. But, somehow the good news is still reaching people, as each one of us who knows Jesus as Savior can attest.
Matthew 16:18: And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Holly, you said: I saw Ray doing his thing with a man who he got off camera real fast when he said he knew he was saved the moment he believed.
Why is the clear gospel such an affront to some of these “men of God”?
I saw Kirk Cameron saying he believed, but it was Ray Comfort who he got involved with where they start making all these people stumble, and if they are not saved (the people listening), they are keeping people lost.
I saw Ray doing his thing with a man who he got off camera real fast when he said he knew he was saved the moment he believed. He speaks a perverse gospel. Some people I grew up with in church, go around in (pride, haughtiness and arrogance) accusing their family and friends of being false converts with a false gospel (lying tongues), even the shedding of innocent blood with using partial counsel of God, a false gospel that add works, they are out there on the street (swift in running to evil), and out there preaching another gospel (false witness that speaks lies) out there calling believers false converts (one who sows discord among brethren).
These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren. Prov 6:16-19
Maree, how terribly sad. How can these people ever know?
Hi watched a testimony of Kurt Cameron’s sisters. She said she beleived on jesus at age of 12. She said then her brother challenged her that unless she was totally on fire for god etc etc she would,nt go in the rapture. So she said she got so afraid as she did,nt think she was living good enough and so got serious with god etc etc and thinks she may make it. Her brother I realised works with ray comfort who is out to lunch with his false teaching. Another poor person serving god through fear with no assurance of heaven. Felt sorry for her being related to Kurt having him judge her like that. Lost her assurance of salvation sad to hear . How many more souls are listening to him and ray comfort and getting mucked up.
Lisa, just so you know, I just wanted to warn you, and happy anytime to help (as many here are) with difficulty understanding His Word.
Yes Jack,
it was a multicutural church,has services in Asian languages.There is lots of Asians on my side of Brisbane.So its reaching the Asians too.
Genevieve
Thanks,
That sign in Australia simply proves that Satan’s message is world wide and growing. You could probably fins a similar one in every country worldwide.
In Jesus Cnrist eternally, Jack
Saw a church sign yesterday,that said Repentance is to hate sin enough to turn from it.
It was revolting.On a busy road too.
John, so true about varying scores over time! I don’t see how any honest man can read 1 John as a test and come out intact, especially re: brotherly love. Like many other letters of apostles various bits are learned in distorted forms before the whole is absorbed, pondered and cherished as from the Lord.
John John, good choice of words: “dissonance”. It seems odd to me anyone would undertake a “1 John test” to determine whether they have eternal life.
The test results would vary widely. Self-deception would help with a better score. Scores might also vary over time.
Lisa, I think about LS the same way – trying to replace the precious, atoning blood of Jesus with works.
Thanks everyone for the info about the message I had seen some miss interpretation myself and I am aware that in many versions of the bible the gospel is tweeked to fit an persons theology. Here’s what happens to me. I am a very week reader and I myself have trouble at times rightly dividing the word in the King James language so then I look at other translations. You see I am being lead to believe that I am unsaved in part because for a long time I took Gods great gift of salvation and did nothing with it but receive it. .No bible reading no church no fellowship etc. I feel a great burden at times because of this and I can’t help but believe I am being sifted like wheat. Anyhow back to yesterday so I looked at the Message after googling and Satan has asked to sift you like wheat and I decided to read the message version.
Luke 22 1-2 The Feast of Unleavened Bread, also called Passover, drew near. The high priests and religion scholars were looking for a way to do away with Jesus but, fearful of the people, they were also looking for a way to cover their tracks.
I struck me because of the replacement of the words “high priests” and “religion scholars” are trying to do away with Jesus this is exactly what LS tries to do as well as many other Christians. It is finished is not enough, what Jesus did is not enough they are trying to do away with Jesus and make it about Jesus + work not, Jesus. They cover their tracks by Expounding Grace but then add to it.
A couple of truths from Galatians jump out:
“Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?”
and
“For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law…”
“Law” folks don’t really take the demands of the law seriously and, in spite of appearances, DO NOT KEEP IT!!! This is the case of all super-spiritual groups. Self-deception is needed for it to work. Here, I believe, is where certain personality types flourish. They make a good show. They look “good”. They continually rise in such groups. They can read 1 John and feel nary a twitch of dissonance within themselves (in spite of the glaring lack of love they often exhibit). Appearances fool people.
None of it ever has worked for me as I am just too fleshy! I was bent sexually (and in every other way) from a young age and had more in common with the prostitutes of Jesus’ day than any Pharisee. I knew I needed Him and believed on Him in abject simplicity. I “knew” little except to turn my head skyward “just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert” to Jesus and believe.
Then came THE LAW! Law DID cause in me a reaction of phariseeism, but “trusty” flesh beat me every time, making me fall over and over. I finally-finally-finally gave up on re-re-dedicating my re-dedication and threw myself at the mercy of Jesus, accepted He did it all and gave up on the continual worrying about salvation! It seems that people in my shoes are prone to think “I was never saved” or “Now I’m REALLY saved!” and get snookered by the lordship crowd in our weak moments. We KNOW something changed within us regarding Jesus and our sin, but WHY all the failure?
Growth in this life in Christ is possible. We don’t get saved over and over just because we see even more horror of Self as more light is given. In grace, righteousness within and without flourishes. Law stirs up sin. Where sin abounded did grace much more abound. I’m stabilized now (though watchful) thanks to the God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ (and Scripture, and brothers and sisters like you guys!).
Bless you all today.
John John
You know, so many misunderstand what lordship stand for, they have believed the lies such as major players like MacArthur . I’d love to compile a list of some of the outright lies they make continually, in order to distract people from what their other hand is doing. Or to malign you enough in advance that people will be convinced you believe these things such as not wanting Jesus to be your Lord. Only wanting to believe on Him as Saviour and not as Lord (as if that were possible). Want to live like the devil. Smoke and mirrors, a traveling magic act.
Maybe we just start saying that they are no-Saviour, co-redeemers. That they believe Jesus is Lord, but want their ‘wonderful works’ to contribute to their salvation, therefore they have denied Jesus is their Saviour (and they really have whether they recognize it or not.).
Sorry, I like that one too Lisa “LSers trying to cover their tracks” (even a broken clock is right twice a day :).
Lisa,
Thanks — I still like your point that the LSers are trying “to cover their tracks.”
So true!!!
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
Alice I used to listen to brandon howse until I wised up.The whole group that is involved on his website are all lordship salvation teachers.I feel bad so many get sucked in by these guys as I was for a short time.Glad you had discernment.
Holly,
Thanks for the excellent review of the error laden Mess-age. We all needed that.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
Lisa – just a few suggestions about the Mess-Age (new age), it is not just a paraphrase, but sets itself up as ‘the Bible in contemporary language’. A missionary friend of mind explained to me that actually it was originally intended to be in ‘tribal language’. But ‘as above, so below’ is a very interesting translation in ‘contemporary language’. Do people of today not understand heaven and earth, or is there something more sinister? I believe the latter. I think if Jack and John will permit it, and Lord willing, I’ll do a post soon.
In Romans 15:13, there is a ‘God of GREEN hope’, Gospel is removed all but one time in ‘the Mess-Age’, so evidently they can still understand the word Gospel, but use it with ‘Gospel worker’. The other (almost 100 times-dependent upon literal translation) Gospel is removed and replaced with (drum roll)…. the Message….
Worse? ISRAEL….
In the KJV, 2319 times.
In the Message? 1781 times.
Why so many times….?
The Mess-age has a lot of hyphenated words. The first time I ran across light-seed I wondered why on earth that was used. And so I googled light seed, and found it is a new age term AND a very popular new age book. There is far more, but here is a couple examples.
Ps 97:11
Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. (AKJV)
Light-seeds are planted in the souls of God’s people, Joy-seeds are planted in good heart-soil. (MSG)
Ps 37:35-36
I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. (AKJV)
I saw Wicked bloated like a toad, croaking pretentious nonsense.
The next time I looked there was nothing— a punctured bladder, vapid and limp. (MSG)
The Mess-Age is not just a paraphrase, my children could do better, I truly think very young children paraphrase verses, so my caution to everyone, not just you, is there is a wicked agenda here. Not just croaking pretentious nonsense, but adding to and taking away from, and twisting God’s Word, in a very demonic way.
God bless, hope that helps a little.
BeholdaSon, I have always seen them as the Pharisees, who would not come to HIM that they might have life. I have always thought of them in the square, pointing their fingers at others and unsettling their souls.
One thing you will notice, their remedy is never to give the gospel (at least the true one), for those they believe are not saved. (And by the way, they are not to judge the world, so if they truly believe they are ‘false converts’ why aren’t they giving them the gospel? )
My thoughts? They don’t know it, and/or never believed in the POWER of it and feel they must add their own summations.
If a believer is not getting sanctified, isn’t the remedy the Word? Seems not in their congregations, seems like each week, there is a new “accuse the brethren” sermon or a pop-quiz to determine if you are really saved.
I say if people really loved Him, they would feed His sheep. Wolves aren’t going to feed sheep, they are going to feed on them.
Nathan Paul, that was so much a pivotal 3 chapters for me in Ephesians, and especially the concluding prayer, all those things He has done for us (the love of Christ) constraineth us 🙂 to ‘walk worthy’ (2 Cor 5:14 & Eph 4:1 pp)
Thank you for sharing, was a blessing.
Alice, good point about LS folks having one gospel for themselves and another for others.
beholdason, you said: It dawned on me recently that the LS’ers have one gospel for themselves (saved by grace through faith – not by works) and another for everyone else:
My comment: I think that is accurate for some of them. Others hold themselves to these same vague standards to which they want to hold everyone else, and therefore never have any real, lasting assurance of salvation.
Alice, we have had some discussion about Brannon Howse. He is LS. His endorsement of John MacArthur alone is enough to cause me to avoid him.
See comment below from Jim Floyd:
https://expreacherman.com/2013/08/10/kyle-idleman-exposed-review-by-jim-f/#comment-19621
Johninnc, thank you for the article on Lordship salvation including some of the excerpts that people say to evaluate our salvation ‘status’. You reminded me of a Bible ‘study’ that Brannon Howse of worldview weekend.com did on 1 John ( he borrows heavily from John MacArthur whom he endorses). They gave a ‘check list’ of all the things in John’s letter that a person had to tick off in order to prove whether that person is a ‘true or a false convert’. Some of the check-list included:
1. Do you love the Lord and reject things of the world?
2. Are you sensitive to sin in your life?
3. Do you have a zeal for the Scriptures and desire holiness?
4. Do you love the unsaved, lost people and share the Gospel with them?
5.Are you willing to suffer persecution for Christ and the Gospel?
6.Is your life marked more by obedience than disobedience?
7.Do you long for the Lord’s return?
8.Do you disdain false teaching and expose it?
I did a lot of ‘introspection’ a few years ago to examine if I was really a ‘true convert’ or not. Brannon also did a study on ‘twisted Scriptures, twisted theology’ in which he says same thing. But now after listening to Grace preachers I realised that this passage has nothing to do with whether or not people were ‘saved’ but more to do with fellowship with the Lord and fellow believers.
John was writing to people who were already saved and he was exhorting them to have a deeper fellowship with Jesus. How the Devil subtly deceives us to take our eyes off the finished work of Christ trusting only in Him for our salvation and instead look at our own efforts and merit…!!
‘Lordship salvation’ does exactly that…!!
Great post.
It dawned on me recently that the LS’ers have one gospel for themselves (saved by grace through faith – not by works) and another for everyone else:
“If they are practicing sin, they were probably never saved to begin with” – etc
Reeks of the Pharisee:
“Oh Lord I thank you I am not like that publican”.
Because all our sins are as bad as the next guys…
and Jesus dealt with them 2000+ yrs ago…
Oh Lord.
Please come quickly.
Lisa,
Hmmmmm is right.. We here at ExP would NEVER recommend the Mess-age as a source to reinterpret the KJV.. But I get your point — LSers to “cover their tracks.”
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
Lisa, interesting observation. Most of the Pharisees rejected Christ outright. A more nuanced approach is to try to mix faith in Christ with faith in works.
I read this article this morning and went on my way doing stuff around my apt. Then I came back to the computer and Googled Satan has asked permission to sift you all like wheat. I know everybody hear including myself believes the KJV is the most accurate translation but, sometimes I like to look at another versions, so I looked at The Message, now I have found errors in The Message but sometimes I feel like I get something out of it
Luke 22 The Message (MSG)
The Passover Meal
22 1-2 The Feast of Unleavened Bread, also called Passover, drew near. The high priests and religion scholars were looking for a way to do away with Jesus but, fearful of the people, they were also looking for a way to cover their tracks.
This passage struck me in relation to this article and LS. Hmmm
Blessings to All, Lisa
John, you hit the nail on the head! very good article brother. I pray that God uses it to open the eyes of those who are caught up in all the works based systems, masquerading as biblical Christianity. God bless.
Jan Kotlarski
Yes, Tim Keller, Driscoll, et al are to be avoided by folks in their right mind. SOMA seems well on its way in the direction of ecumenical, communal Churchianity, without any Biblical guidelines.
LadyJane1 we would recommend that you question your pastor carefully about his reasons for leaning toward SOMA. Does he really know what they stand for??
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
Nathan,
Thanks for your testimony.
We are happy the Lord used ExPreacherMan in some way to help you come to the Truth of God’s Grace. We pray others will be helped to see the truth through your story, salvation by grace alone through one’s personal faith decision in Jesus Christ alone.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
Thank you for this article. For many many years I believe I was stuck in the mentality that I had to give back or repay to the Lord for His gift of salvation. I could not figure out why I was spinning my wheels in ministry service, getting burned out, falling into sin and then starting the cycle over again. It seemed like I could never pay the bill in full. My problem was that I hung on the words of people that ministry service was the most important thing as a Christian. I equated with the thinking that if I could just do more then it would offset any failures and manage my Christian walk somehow or just try harder and I will become a better Christian. I would please God and offset all the bad things about myself and make up for them somehow. This treadmill was broken when I learned about the Grace of God. In seeing and experiencing His Grace I was led to the truth of what it really means to be a believer. Believing in what He has done to redeem me, FREE of charge. It creates a whole different attitude. I don’t serve Him because I have to, but because I want to. His Grace takes you out from underneath of a task master mentality and places you into a love relationship. You love Him because you see and experience His awesome love for you. God does not force anyone to love Him, but He gives you all the most wonderful reasons to love Him. When you see and realize His most incredible love for you, it’s just the beginning of what Paul describes in Ephesians 3……. “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.”
Thank you so much for pointing me in the right direction toward the beautiful Grace of God and His eternal security for me. May He continue to pull others out of the faith + works mentality and into a loving relationship with Him.
The resurgence movement is involved with the founder too it seems. Ecumenical and ‘cultural’ to others, it’s got to be very appealing, others ‘showing love’ and ‘doing’ for others, but they are not accepted by the older more staid Calvinists like John MacArthur. Good, hopefully they’ll start looking into the Word and not the doctrine. There is a lot of ‘feeling’, but I didn’t hear or see a lot of His Word. I think this is the first mention, Romans 1, exchange the truth of God for a lie. Waiting for the gospel. Says they will go to hell because they don’t receive the Father’s love. There is a party going on in the house of God and their is a sacrifice, and they get to go in and eat and party.
And I was waiting for more. And that was it….
Lack of Word, Lack of available Gospel, buzz words, always red flags…
Welcome by the way Jane 🙂
Jack, I can confirm that there are some connections and ties between Soma and Acts 29, as one of the current staff of Soma endorses Acts 29 and Mark Driscoll on his facebook page.
There he also endorses Timothy Keller, that New Calvinist and I think Timothy Keller is also featured in a photo on the about page on the Soma website, where he stands to the left in a group of 5 people: http://wearesoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/photo-6.jpg [Direct link to photo, no need for me to link to their website.]
There is more, but it only confirms to me that Soma is to be avoided.
John clever usage of LS. Good article. LS for me (initials) always means Load Ship. They make loads too heavy to bear. Reminds me of Matt 23:4-7
For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
LadyJane1, yes Jack has it right, they’re most often reformed, and more associated with what is called, the ‘young, reformed and restless’. They are Calvinists and some charismatic Calvinists. Five point missional, and some liberal Calvinists i.e. Tim Keller, etc. Seems a little ‘communal’.
LadyJane,
Two things to look out for..
(1) Soma advertising shows it is an arm of the Acts 29 movement started by questionable, salacious preaching Pastor, Mark Driscoll, Emergent and New Age teacher.
(2) Soma uses the word “missional” which is usually understood in conservative Grace circles to be an erroneous ecumenical concept.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
ladyjane1, welcome and thanks for your comment.
I have never heard of Soma communities. My wife looked into it briefly tonight and could not find any statement of beliefs. If you are sensing red flags, I would be extremely wary.
Perhaps some of our other readers may know something about it.
John
Excellent and very cleverly to the point. We pray this article will open some eyes to the Truth of the Gospel of God’s salvation by Grace.through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
Thank you for your e-mail on Lordship Salvation. I agree 100%. I do have a question, have you heard of or do you know anything about SOMA Communities and if they are scriptural or not? I believe our pastor is trying to bring this concept into my church and I’m not comfortable with it and see some red flags. Your input would be appreciated. Thanks! Jane