by johninnc
Romans 5:15-18:
[15] But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
[16] And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
[17] For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
[18] Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
During my short time serving at ExPreacherMan in an administrative capacity, one thing has become abundantly clear: It is very difficult for many people to believe that eternal life is a free gift, without cost or obligation to the recipient.
We receive countless comments and e-mails that attempt to contradict the gospel by adding conditions to God’s way of salvation, which is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. The conditions may be front-loaded, back-loaded, or both. But, they are all designed to try to prove that belief in Jesus as Savior will not ALWAYS result in eternal life.
Usually, the assaults on the gospel are predictable and trite (“What about James 2:14-26?”; “It’s not faith and works, it’s faith that works.”; “repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change in behavior.”) Other times, they are innovative and subtle. Either way, they reflect a misunderstanding of grace, and a disbelief in the finished work of Jesus on our behalf.
And, leaders of professing Christendom – past and present – have promulgated these errant views. And, they continue to do it, with very little challenge from the duped masses.
Consider the following false doctrine, quoted by some of the so-called “great men of God”:
Billy Graham: Just to say “believe in Christ” can produce a false assurance of the hope of Heaven. Jesus spoke often about the gift of eternal life. To make it clear, He said, “Count the cost.”
Charles Spurgeon: The faith which does not produce good works is not saving faith: it is not the faith of God’s elect: it is not faith at all in the Scriptural sense.
Charles Ryrie: Unproductive faith cannot save, because it is not genuine faith. Faith and works are like a two-coupon ticket to heaven. The coupon of works is not good for passage, and the coupon of faith is not valid if detached from works.
Why is it so important for these people to attempt to persuade others that simple faith in Christ will not result in salvation? God has given us the Bible to convince us that eternal life is available as a free gift, without cost or obligation, to anyone who will believe in Jesus as Savior. Why all of the energy in professing Christendom trying to convince people otherwise?
Isn’t that Satan’s job?
Most people think that Satan’s main goal is to get unsaved people to sin more. In reality, he uses LSers to do his job – to keep people out of heaven by confusing them about the truth of the gospel message.
Matthew 13:19: When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
Satan also uses LSers to help him accuse believers (“you might not really be saved if…”).
Revelation 12:10: And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Note to the Devil and his advocates: You are right that I am a sinner. You are right that I don’t always live like I should. But, Jesus Christ is my advocate. God has imputed righteousness to me WITHOUT WORKS. My sins are forgiven, based on Christ’s finished work on my behalf.
I HAVE A SAVIOR!
Romans 4:5-7:
[5] But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
[6] Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
[7] Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Hebrews 7:25: Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
1 John 2:1: My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
If you would like to have Jesus as your advocate, click here: Advocate
Notes From A Retired Preacher 
In looking up Ryrie, just shaking my head at his two coupons… I pray he is just in bondage, and someone rebukes him so while he’s alive he can refute his own errors.
Kevin, I hope you checked the box to be notified of follow up comments. I forget to do that. What you said reminded me of a passage from Psalm 51.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;
and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;
and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Ps 51:12-13
Happy to see you here Kevin
Kevin, it’s great to hear from you. Please stick around and comment as you feel led.
Very very grateful for this website. You have helped me get the joy back into my life.
I am thankful for the different things God uses to draw us to Him. The gospel. The cross. The conviction of sin, judgment and unrighteousness by the Holy Spirit. Preaching. Examples of other believers. Those who contend earnestly for the faith. Those who pray for all men. Those who plant and water. Those who pray for more laborers for the harvest. Those who speak and teach the Word.
There are so many deceivers out there, and we know we are in the end times, the reformed and lordship teachers are growing by leaps and bounds. The Paul Washers, and Ray Comforts, and Kirk Camerons, John MacArthurs, R. C. Sprouls, John Pipers, Billy Grahams, etc. of the so-called ‘Christian church’ are popular, well-loved, have major empires, best selling books, movies, conferences — public fame, and yet people think this somehow commends them.
I thank the Lord, that His truth speaks louder than their added lies. That His order is apparent in their confusion. That His clear gospel has power, when their gospel is accursed. Praise God for the differences, and may more be able to see the difference between good and evil.
Alice, I have prayed that the gentleman to whom you e-mailed the link to our site would turn from the false LS/Calvinist doctrine.
We truly appreciate the wonderful articles written by Johnnic and Jack (praying for Jack’s recovery from his recent surgery) which are just the ‘antidote’ we need every time we hear a message or read some newsletter which promotes LS unsettling us by the Devil. Coming back to Expreacherman website regularly keeps us firmly grounded in the Grace of God confirming us that salvation is a FREE GIFT and re-directs us back to the Bible. This website is an OASIS of Grace every time we are bombarded by Satan’s attempts to get us to look at our ‘works’ for assurance of salvation.
I received this newsletter in Dec from a large well-known Ministry in Queensland, Australia stating:
“The real proof of whether a person is saved is in the effects of the born again experience. It is the fruit of salvation that is proof of salvation.
The saved person strives to be separate from the world and separated to
God (1Jn.5:4). The saved person has a distinctive love for the brethren.
The born again are known by their ‘fruit’, fruit of repentance, fruit of good works, ‘fruit of the Spirit’”.
So I emailed him the link to Expreacherman website and praying that the LORD will open his eyes and rescue him from his LS and Calvinism.
Amen nathanpaulL Amen!
If I may add something to my previous post………(that is, there is absolutely nothing good in my flesh.)
I am thankful that God’s gift of eternal life is free. If were up to my obedience I would never make it and that is the honest truth. I cannot count anymore how many times I have failed to do anything right in my life. But I have to always keep in mind that Christ’s perfect sacrifice of His death, burial and resurrection is what keeps me.
Thousands of times I could give reasons why I could never merit salvation through my own doing. But the only for sure thing is Christ’s work on my behalf. Until I reached a point that I realized that there is absolutely nothing good in me I couldn’t really see what my Savior has done. This is not false humility. This is a smashed vessel admitting defeat and casting all my cares upon Him alone for the FREE GIFT of eternal life.
Adam, welcome and thanks for your comment.
You made a great point about separating salvation from discipleship.
Man has a natural tendency to believe he has to offer something to God in return for aalvation. LS feeds this natural inclination, which is why it is so prevalent.
I didn’t realize that eternal life was a free gift until about four years ago. Upon that realization, it dawned on me that virtually all denominations, ministries, and evangelists taught some form of works salvation – either directly, or by implication.
I tried for a while to harmonize what they were teaching with grace, but they are totally irreconcilable.
Amen I say to you John. This website is truly a blessing and a refuge for those who believe the truth about God’s Word, and the ONLY way God has provided His Salvation to mankind. That is, by Grace alone, through Faith alone, in Christ alone. Period.
Seems to me that the sin that found lucifer being cast out of Heaven – pride – applies to those who propagate this demonic heresy of lordship salvation. Blatantly, they are still trying to establish their own righteous before God, and they desperately want to believe that their actions are the reason why God would let them into Heaven. They attempt to be their own gods in a sense, instead of submitting to the Righteousness God has provided for them through His Precious Son and His Blood.
A curious thought that has been with me for some time. These poor people who have been infected by this l.s disease seem to be unable to separate Salvation from Discipleship. To them it seems that the two concepts are synonymous with one another and therefore inseparable. However, a careful reading of the Gospel of Mark I feel challenges this idea head on.
We read in Mark 5:18-20
” 18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. 19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. 20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel. ” (AKJV)
No doubt this particular man gave Glory to God for what had been done. But if discipleship is required for salvation, that is, “following Jesus”, “counting the cost”, “carrying your cross”, et al at nauseam (by calvinists, and l/s alike) then why would Christ DELIBERATELY tell this man not to follow Him? Outright, this healed man wanted to become Christ’s disciple, however, Christ told him he was not to follow Him. God does not cast anyone out who comes to Him, so why do we read this then if the man was NOT saved and discipleship IS required? Nor is God the author of confusion, so simply drawing a logical inference from what the Scripture says, we can conclude that discipleship is not required to be saved. I know there are a lot of other supporting Scriptures throughout the Bible that overtly point to faith alone being the requirement, but I use this example especially since these wolves in sheep’s clothing seem to utilize the synoptic Gospels for their ammunition most times.
As far as carrying the cross is concerned, we read in Luke 23:26:
26 And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
I have to ask reverently, where were His disciples??? Evidently not carrying their crosses with Christ, or our Precious Saviour’s for that matter…..were they not saved??? I believe they were…
Reading the New Testament Synoptic Gospels, and Christ’s teachings therein, I often feel as though our Lord is holding a mirror up to us through them to reveal our hopelessness apart from His Righteousness. The standard of perfection is often delineated it seems in His teachings. Therefore, the honest individual will admit that they cannot attain the standard Christ demands, and so therefore like the Publican in Luke 18:13 the reader will say ” God be merciful, a sinner”. And trust on Him alone to save them.
*******
I had to laugh recently when I learned of a Bible study that I used to go to and how diluted and perverted their topics of discussion and understanding of Scripture had become. Neo-Calvinistic thoughts had often come up in the past, such as “God created evil for his own purposes”, which found my own departure from the group, and just recently, I heard that this particular group considers themselves to be real “New Testament” disciples. The funny thing is is that this particular group are not living like the disciples they read about. They haven’t sold all their possessions, they don’t hate their family by comparison, and they are not walking the streets spreading the Good News (the truth is they don’t even know what it is, or even what repent actually means). All it seems they do is get around in a circle and talk about how radical they are, how they are the only saved ones, and listen to heretics like paul washer. How ironic.
May the Lord continue to bless this ministry and the spreading of the Good News of Salvation by faith in Christ alone to all the world. Amen.
Adam
I thank God for this website.
Very few Christians I know believe that a person can trust in Jesus as their Savior, exhibit little fruit and still be saved because at a point in time they came to believe that what God did at Calvary through Jesus Christ was enough to make them whole. How sad.
Since finding this website I have started reading the Bible with different eyes. I find myself often stopping at parts to wipe tears from my eyes because I am overwhelmed by God’s goodness.
and I know there is nothing overly special about me that could warrant God letting me in.
Christ is my righteousness. He is so good.
All I can say is AMEN and AMEN!!! As my Mama used to say, “It’s the Blood of Jesus, plus NOTHING” that saves. Thank you for your informative articles. I enjoy reading them and they are very helpful in discussions I have with those who believe in L/S and Reformed Calvinism…which is slowly creeping into my church. 😛
(I am already on your e-mail list)