Category Archives: Christianity

Lordship Salvation: Greg Laurie’s Bitter Harvest

Posted on August 7, 2018 by | 70 comments

By johninnc

John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

I recently received from our regular commenter Holly a couple of YouTube videos from Greg Laurie, a prominent false teacher and Lordship “Salvationist.”

This information was very well-timed to warn people of Laurie’s false doctrine, as Laurie is just days away from hosting the 29th annual SoCal Harvest, an “evangelical” event being held from August 17-19 in Orange County California. This year’s event is expected to draw between 90,000 and 100,000 attendees. The ExPreacherman ministry has warned of Greg Laurie’s  false doctrine for years, but given the upcoming Harvest event,  it is an opportune time to chronicle  some of his teaching that contradicts the gospel.

Following are quotes from an article by Laurie entitled “How to Know You’re a Christian,” published by the BILLY GRAHAM Evangelistic Association on October 4, 2010:

Jesus essentially said the only way your sins are forgiven and to know you will spend eternity in Heaven is by putting your complete trust in Him. And there will be tangible results to show you have done that.

My comment: this is truth mixed with error. The Bible does not teach that “there will be tangible results to show you have done that.” Looking for those “tangible results” means looking away from Christ and to oneself for assurance of eternal life.

You see, the outward change is often without the inward. However, the inward change is never without the outward.

My comment: this means that if a person’s behavior doesn’t change, he does not have eternal life. This is a heretical teaching that means that no one could be sure he had eternal life unless he experienced some kind of behavioral change, which Laurie doesn’t quantify, nor specify.

By contrast, the Bible teaches that our assurance of eternal life comes from knowing we have believed in Jesus as Savior.

John 5:24: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word , and believeth in Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.

Fine. But what does “believing” actually mean? The Bible says that even the demons from hell believe, and tremble at what they know very well to be true (James 2:19). Here are the elements of the Good News that we must believe and receive to become a born-again child of God.

My comment: Jesus did not die for the sins of demons. This is a classic Lordship “salvation” line of reasoning, meant to convince the listener that faith in Christ is not sufficient for eternal life, generally followed by changing the definition of the word “believe” to inherently include works. In so doing, they are preaching a false gospel.

Here are the elements Laurie includes:

Realize You Are a Sinner

My comment: so far, so good.

Repent of Your Sins

To repent means to “change” or to “turn.”  It’s like driving down the highway, pulling a U-turn and heading the other direction. More than simply being sorry, it is a word of action. Many people feel remorse for their sin but never truly repent. Remorse is being sorry, repentance is being sorry enough to stop.

My comment: the Bible teaches that eternal life is a free gift, without cost or obligation to the recipient. Laurie’s definition means that works are required to receive eternal life. There is no good news here.

Believe and Receive Jesus Christ into Your Life  

…You need to believe that, and ask Him into your life. 

My comment: one does not need to “ask Him into your life” to receive eternal life.

Do it Now!

Good intentions are not enough. Agreeing with what I have said here is not enough. You must admit you are a sinner, repent of that sin, and put your faith in Christ.  

My comment: Laurie is correct only in that agreeing with what he has said is not enough. Believing Laurie’s false gospel will not bring eternal life. Laurie preaches that we must believe in Jesus as our helper, whereas the Bible teaches that we must believe in Jesus as Savior.

Following is a sample of some of the pastoral endorsements for the Harvest events:

Dr. Tony Evans

Rick Warren

JD Greear

Chuck Swindoll

Billy Graham

Max Lucado

Ribert Morris

Dr. Ronnie Floyd

Dr. Robert Jeffress

The SoCal 2018 event also features several prominent  “Christian” musicians (Passion, Mercy Me, among others).

All of these pastors and musicians  are throwing (or have thrown) their support behind the false gospel being taught by Greg Laurie and are therefore participating in his bitter harvest.

If you would like to know what the Bible teaches about how to have eternal life, as opposed to the false gospel Greg Laurie preaches, please click here:

http://www.cleargospel.org/wp-content/uploads/English-Display-Pkg-2014.pdf

70 Comments

Posted in Billy Graham, Christianity, Lordship Salvation

Lordship Salvation: True Believers in False Gospels

Posted on July 12, 2018 by | 62 comments

by Johninnc

Galatians 1:8: But though we, or angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 

It is extremely common in the world of professing Christendom (also known as “churchianity”) to qualify the words “Christian” and “believer” with words like “true” and “real.”

When the Apostle Paul wrote “we, or an angel from heaven,” he meant anyone, including himself. He affirms this in the very next sentence:

Galatians 1:9: As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 

The “any man” could include: your mother, your father, your best friend, your pastor, the televangelist, the 19th century “prince of preachers,” the Pope, Billy Graham, the author of “Christian” books, your church, your denomination, your elder – anyone! It could even be someone who has previously presented the gospel to you faithfully.

Now, back to “true believers.”  Following are some things that “true believers” may believe:

  • I believe that you have to turn from your sins to receive eternal life
  • I believe that you have to be water baptized to receive eternal life
  • I believe there are mortal sins that, if unconfessed, would result in a Christian losing eternal life
  • I believe you have to manifest speaking in tongues to prove you have eternal life
  • I believe I must surrender my life to Jesus to receive eternal life
  • I believe I must publicly confess Christ to receive eternal life
  • I believe that faith is the gift of God
  • I believe Christians must persevere in good works and obedience to the Ten Commandments to prove they have eternal life
  • I believe God chooses who will believe in Jesus
  • I believe you have to have “heart faith,” not just “intellectual assent” to receive eternal life
  • I believe that you have to want to grow in Christ in order to have eternal life
  • I believe you have to be sorry for your sins to receive eternal life

While we can’t know whether someone holding these beliefs has eternal life, we do know that these beliefs are not compatible with the truth of the gospel.

When we encounter someone who has an honest question about the seemingly endless assaults on the gospel, we will try to teach them from God’s word why these assaults are not true.

But, we will not allow the “true believers” – those who desperately cling to these types of false beliefs despite having been shown the truth from God’s word – to use this site as a forum to promote their false doctrine

Pator Tom Cucuzza put it this way:

We cannot give false teachers a place – and you’ll notice what he said – not even for an hour. Now, that’s not being mean-spirited, that’s just standing our ground.

The question, then, is not whether or not someone is a “true believer.”  The question is, does the person believe the truth.

If you would like to know the truth about how to receive eternal life, click here: 

http://www.cleargospel.org/wp-content/uploads/English-Display-Pkg-2014.pdf

62 Comments

Posted in Billy Graham, Calvinism, Christian, Christianity, Lordship Salvation

Lordship Salvation: Pink Makes God See Red

Posted on May 25, 2018 by | 117 comments

by Johninnc

Galatians 1:9:  As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

A friend of mine with whom I often speak regarding matters of the Gospel recently left me a false gospel tract entitled “Saving Faith,” written by the late A.W. Pink and distributed by an outfit called “Chapel Library.” He was aware that the tract did not comport with the gospel, and let me know that there was a group distributing it outside at a local event called “Speed Week.”

The tract was one of the most virulent repudiations of the gospel of Jesus Christ that I have ever read, with an attempt to substitute Pink’s false gospel.

Following are some of the quotes from that tract (in italics), as well as my comments (in bold parenthetical form):

Perhaps the reader is already a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet that, in and of itself is not proof he has been born again and is journeying to Heaven.

(My comment: STOP. RIGHT. THERE.  Anyone who has trusted in Christ alone as Savior has eternal life that can never be lost or forfeited. So, why would Pink reject what the Bible says about how to have eternal life? We will never know his motives, but following are some of his false, unbiblical arguments)

“Among the chief rulers also many believed (not simply ‘about’, but) on Him.” Ah! but note what immediately follows: “but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:42-43) – what a proof that they were utter strangers to a saving work of God in their souls: yet they were “believers” in the Lord Jesus!

(My comment: there are varying degrees of boldness in public identification with Christ, at various times among believers.  This does not mean that the believers in Christ that Pink references do not have eternal life. In fact, the Bible says just the opposite: John 1:12: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:)

There is a faith in Christ which is saving, and there is a faith in  Christ which is not saving. Possibly, the reader says, “But I know that mine is the former: I have seen myself as a lost sinner, realize I can do nothing to gain acceptance with God, and have put my trust in the finished work of His Son.”…

Dear friends, others who were equally sure as you are  now in Hell! Suffer us to enquire, Have you tested your faith by Scripture? Have you taken the trouble to ascertain whether your faith is accompanied by those evidences which are inseparable from a saving faith?

(My  comment: Here again, Pink rejects the only basis for assurance of eternal life – dependence on Christ’s righteousnes – and tries to replace it with good old fashioned fruit inspection)

Have you been saved from pride, from covetousness, from murmuring? Christ died not to procure the pardon of our sins and the taking of us to Heaven, while our hearts still remain clinging to the things of this earth.

(My comment: Pink suggests here that those believers who cling to the things of this earth lack eternal life. The Bible says otherwise. Romans 12:2: And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. This was written to believers, and it means that it is God’s will that we not be worldly. But, it is not presented as a requirement for, or necessary consequence of eternal life.)

Saving faith necessarily involved the renouncing of our own sinful “lordship,” the throwing down of our weapons of warfare against Him, and the submitting to His yoke and rule. And before any sinful rebel is brought to that place, a miracle of grace has to be wrought within him. Saving faith consists of the complete surrender of my whole being and life to the lordship of Christ: “they first gave their own selves to the Lord” (2 Cor 8:5). Have you? Have you?

(My comment: the Bible repeatedly refers to eternal life as the gift of God. Saving faith does not require surrendering any, or all, of one’s being and life to the Lordship of Christ. Faith entails trusting in Christ alone as Savior. The verse that Pink cites, out of context here, has to do with liberality in financial sacrifice for the Apostle Paul’s ministry, not for the receipt of eternal life.)

I don’t know if A.W. Pink ever believed in Jesus as his Savior. His false gospel, presented in the referenced tract, would lead people away from Christ.

But, in this I am confident: whether or not Pink is with the Lord, he would now beg you to disregard the false gospel that is presented in his “Saving Faith” tract and believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior.

If you would like to know how to have eternal life, click here: THE GOSPEL

117 Comments

Posted in Christianity, Lordship Salvation

Lordship Salvation’s Easter Parade

Posted on March 30, 2018 by | 67 comments

By johninnc

2 Corinthians 4:3-4: But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

In reading comments to a handful of articles today on religion, including a couple of articles that highlighted the significance to Christians of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, I was once again struck by the assaults on the gospel that are made by people who think they are “defending the faith” against mockers and trolls.

Following are some striking examples. I have interspersed my comments in bold parentheses:

The first four comments are all from the same commenter. There were quite a few others – she was very busy protecting “the faith”.

  • Consider the thousands of years over which the Bible was written and the numbers of people who witnessed His works and documented His prophecies and their fulfillment.

(This sounds promising. The commenter is asserting the truth of the Bible, based on the evidence of contemporary witnesses and fulfillment of prophecy)

  • Jesus was a Jew. Those who believe in him know that he was the Son of God, or God in the flesh. Those people are Christians.

(Again, nothing objectionable here. So far, so good!)

  • No, it’s the complete forgiveness of sin and the promise of everlasting life in His Kingdom of Heaven for everyone who believes and repents of his sins.

(“Repenting of sins” is not a requirement for receiving eternal life. This person claims to believe that the Bible is the word of God, but has added a man-made condition to how one receives eternal life, which creates a false gospel)

  • Try reading the New Testament. You’ll find that the message is that we all have human weaknesses and we sin but if we are willing to give up our sin and ask His forgiveness, we can realize the promise of everlasting life in Heaven. True Unconditional love is something that mortal man has trouble understanding. Just be willing to accept it.

(This has so many twists and turns that it is hard to believe someone could actually think all of these things at the same time. The Bible teaches that eternal life is a gift, received by grace through faith in Christ. Neither giving up sin, nor asking for forgiveness are required to receive the free gift of eternal life. True unconditional love is God providing for our salvation in Christ Jesus, given to us by grace through faith. If we were required to give up anything to receive eternal life, it would no longer be grace. What the commenter is selling I am not willing to “just accept.” Neither should you!)

The next three comments are also from one commenter.

  • Having faith entails the responsibility of performing acts of charity and living in a humble way. Some people do not want to accept that.

(The commenter is not clear to point out that those things that are God’s will for a Christian are in no way requirements to receive eternal life)

  • Many people are responsible and are atheists. No question. For some however, belief in God creates responsibility that they do not want.

(Here, our commenter is acknowledging that some atheists act responsibly, perhaps in an effort to get them to warm up to his arguments for “the faith”).

  • Some people do not want to acknowledge God because it creates responsibility. I have no proof, but there is evidence if you are willing to open your mind. Just search ______ and you can read about what many people consider evidence.

(I removed the content of what this commenter pointed to as “evidence,” because it was sensational, non-biblical tripe that would be a distraction to the overall point of this article.)

The last three comments are from three different people.

  • All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God, Repent and ask God to forgive you and to turn away from the things of this world

(Asking God to forgive you and turning away from the things of this world are not requirements for receiving eternal life)

  • Read the scripture, pray, follow your heart. almost all of the well established Denominations and a good many non-denoms agree on the basics or Essentials of Christian faith. We squabble over the non-essentials to our own disgrace.

(The commenter is correct that nearly all well-established denominations and many non-denominational churches are in basic agreement as to doctrine. Unfortunately, much of the doctrine that they have in common is false, often trying to mix grace with works as the basis for the hope of eternal life)

  • If he doesn’t repent of his sins, and make Jesus Christ Lord of his life, he will most definitely go to hell, where he will spend his eternity. Hell is a REAL PLACE in which God made for the devil and his demons. Religion will NOT get this guy to heaven. Only TRUE acknowledgment, remorse, and repentance from his sin, will.

(The commenter is correct that religion will not give anyone eternal life. Unfortunately, the commenter appears to be an adherent of a false gospel, that conditions receipt of eternal life on repenting of sins, making Jesus Christ Lord of one’s life, and remorse for one’s sins. These conditions are all non-biblical man-made additions to the gospel)

____________________________________________________

If you have been marching in the Lordship “salvation” Easter parade – or have been quietly cheering on those who do – you are on a treadmill. You are wasting your time. You are not helping anyone, and you are hurting the cause of Christianity.

If you would like to get off of the treadmill and learn what the Bible says about how to have eternal life CLICK HERE:  The Gospel

67 Comments

Posted in Christian, Christianity, Easter, Lordship Salvation

Churchianity: Embrace, Extend, and Extinguish

Posted on February 20, 2018 by | 58 comments

By johninnc

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. 

From Wikipedia

“Embrace, extend, and extinguish”, also known as “Embrace, extend, and exterminate”, is a phrase that the U.S. Department of Justice found was used internally by Microsoft to describe its strategy for entering product categories involving widely used standards, extending those standards with proprietary capabilities, and then using those differences to disadvantage its competitors…

The stategies’s three phases are:

1. Embrace: Development of software substantially compatible with a competing product, or implementing a public standard.

2. Extend: Addition and promotion of features not supported by the competing product or part of the standard, creating interoperability problems for customers who try to use the ‘simple’ standard.

3. Extinguish: When extensions become a de facto standard because of their dominant market share, they marginalize competitors that do not or cannot support the new extensions.

Although this strategy is attributed to Microsoft, it is similar to the strategy that Satan has used, and is using, to try to impede the growth and function of the church, which is the body of Christ.

Various denominations of churchianity embrace the concept of God, embrace the Bible as authoritative, and embrace the death and resurrection of Christ,

Then comes the extension – changing the message of the Bible as to how one receives eternal life. According to the Bible, eternal life is received by grace alone through faith alone in Christ  alone.

Churchianity extends the simple gospel message with non-Biblical, man-made add-ons, or extensions, that change the gospel message into something that is no longer the gospel.

False conditions to how to receive eternal life are added. Things like:

  • Make Jesus Lord of your life
  • Commit your life to Christ
  • Promise to serve Christ
  • Turn from sin

In order to camoflauge these extensions, or add-ons, Biblical terms such as “grace” and “faith” are redefined to implicitly include false conditions added to how one receives eternal life.

Once these false extensions to the gospel become ensconced in “church history” or dogma, they become the de facto standard of churchianity. They become dominant in churchianity, and seek to marginalize those who oppose their false add-ons.

Some people naturally trust institutional authority, others desire to fit in, and still others feel bolstered by strength in numbers.

For those who are clear on the gospel, yet knowingly participate in organizations that have been subsumed by the “embrace, extend, and extinguish” strategy, I offer the following:

2 Corinthians 11:3: But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

For those who are not clear on the gospel, and are just going along with the dominant message being taught in churchianity today, I offer the following:

Matthe 7:13-14: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and  broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Despite the efforts to stamp out the universal church by the “embrace, extend, and extinguish” strategy, the gospel message is still getting out, and we should encourage one another to boldly proclaim it.

If you would like to know how to have eternal life, click here: The Gospel

 

58 Comments

Posted in Christianity

Lordship Salvation: Why Am I Here?

Posted on December 30, 2017 by | 89 comments

By johninnc

1 Timothy 2:4-6: [4] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. [5] For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; [6] Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

I did an internet search on the word “Christian” today, just out of curiosity, to see how many references it would garner. The number was 1.43 billion.

I have spent a good bit of time reading content at internet sites that claim to be teaching Christian doctrine, and have found very few that do not contain some form of corruption of the gospel message.

Among the more common forms of corruption are sites that teach Lordship “salvation” (the false idea that good works must accompany faith in Christ in order for one to receive, maintain, or indicate that he has received eternal life). For a more complete explanation of the error of Lordship “salvation,” please see link below:

Lordship “salvation.”

In any event, if you have been deceived by Lordship “salvation,” and have been drawn to, or even stumbled across the Expreacherman website, we are glad you have found us.

I believe that you may be here for one, or more, of the following reasons, each of which can be manifested in glorifying God.

  1. You are here because you have never believed in Jesus as Savior, and you need to hear, or read, the gospel message in its clarity, unhindered by any contradictions, nor masked by any of the false language or concepts that have become pervasive in presentations purporting to be the gospel.

You may be have spent a lifetime in church activities, lived a good life, and so on, but still deep down wonder if you have done enough.

Or, you may have avoided church like the plague, because you never really felt like you fit in. Or, maybe you have tried to engage in religion sporadically, whenever you felt lost.

If any of these scenarios strikes close to home, I invite you to read the attached link. Ask questions if there’s something you still don’t understand.

The Gospel

  1. You are here because, while you have believed in Jesus as Savior, you have been exposed to false teaching that has served to undermine your assurance, Christian growth, and power for Christian living.

Perhaps you have never really gotten grounded in your faith, because you either unwittingly, or even purposefully, tolerated false teaching. Perhaps that tolerance for false doctrine has led to your accepting, embracing, or even teaching it. But, deep down, you know something is not right.

If this sounds you, we have some suggestions:

  • Go on a spiritual “diet.” Stop consuming false doctrine. Stop looking for man’s consensus. See article below for further discussion:

Stop following the “menyouscript.”

  • Read God’s word. We would advise anyone to consider interpretation of scripture in light of the following three clear tenets. If someone’s interpretation of scripture renders an answer of “NO” to any of the following questions, it cannot be true:
    • Is it consistent with eternal life by Grace alone through Faith alone in Christ alone?
    • Is it consistent with eternal security?
    • Is it consistent with assurance of eternal life, based on God’s promises alone (i.e., it is not internally-focused on changes in attitudes, behavior, etc.)?

Again, ask questions if there is something you don’t understand.

  1. You are here because you would like to equip yourself to oppose false doctrine that undermines the gospel message. If so, a good starting point may be found in the link below:

What About John 3:16?

  1. You are here to oppose the message of grace, to contradict our clear teaching of the gospel, to teach doctrine that undermines the gospel, and otherwise “straighten us out.”

If this describes you, we will answer your false doctrine with scripture, in its proper context, and try to persuade you that you are in error. We will allow you to make your claims, and we will answer them. But, we will not engage in a protracted debate, and we will not allow you to have the last word. We will lay out, and make stark, whatever error you are teaching, and contrast it with the truth.

          We will protect our flock from you. And, we will pray for you.

We will pray that if you have never believed in Jesus as Savior, that you would hear and understand the gospel, and that if you do know Jesus as Savior, that you would have the wisdom, discernment, and humility to turn from the false doctrine that you are teaching, and that you would begin teaching the truth.

For those of us who are familiar with Expreacherman, I would repeat the following sentiment from earlier this year:

I join you in asking God to bless this ministry. I pray that those who come here who know Jesus as Savior will seek to honor God with their posts, that we will be faithful to Him and His word, that we will comfort and encourage one another, that we will be bold in proclaiming and defending the gospel, that we will be gentle and wise, that we won’t become confused with the wisdom of men, and that we will not allow our comments to become sidetracked with unimportant things.

Also, I pray that those who come here who are seeking truth, and do not know Jesus as Savior, would hear/read and understand the gospel message.

Happy New Year everyone!

89 Comments

Posted in Christianity, Lordship Salvation, Salvation

Lordship Salvation: No Thanksgiving

Posted on November 19, 2017 by | 42 comments

By johninnc

Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Bible describes eternal life as the gift of God.

Those who have received eternal life by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone can be thankful that they have received that gift.

2 Corinthians 9:15: Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

However, much of professing Christendom undermines the truth of God’s word by teaching the pernicious lie of Lordship “salvation.”

Lordship “salvation” (LS) is the unsupportable and unbiblical belief that the PERFORMANCE of good works, the PROMISE of good works, or the EVIDENCE of good works MUST accompany faith in Christ in order to establish, or provide evidence, that such faith has resulted in eternal life

We have heard and read countless comments from people, ranging from prominent “men of God” to unknown laypeople that promote or reflect the lie of Lordship “salvation.” Following are just a few examples:

However, good and bad deeds will prove an individual’s faith. If good deeds aren’t there, it proves faith isn’t present. These people face eternal judgment. If good deeds are there, it proves faith is present and they are granted eternal resurrection life. David Chadwick, Pastor of Forrest Hills Church, Charlotte

Although I don’t agree with the heresy of Lordship Salvation, I don’t agree with you either. I have been a fan of Stewart’s website and I’m so sure that he does NOT teach the crap of Lordship Salvation. Stewart is right, stop falsely accusing him. Stewart is saying that forsaking one’s sin is NOT the prerequisites of salvation, but the fruits of salvation. We don’t forsake our sins in order to be saved, indeed we forsake our sins because we ARE saved! – Commenter to the ExPreacherman site.

Another proof of the conquest of a soul for Christ will be found in a real change of life. If the man does not live differently from what he did before, both at home and abroad, his repentance needs to be repented of, and his conversion is a fiction. – 19th Century Preacher Charles Spurgeon

The Bible says to examine yourselves whether you be in the faith. What’s to examine since you deny the usage of any outward evidence or what you call “fruit inspection? – Commenter to the ExPreacherman site.

I am afraid that many Christians, in their zeal to share their faith in Christ, have made the Gospel message of making disciples for Him too simple. 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.” – Billy Graham

I have watched and listened to Paul Washer, Tim Conway, and John MacArthur for three years now, and you are mistaken. They teach the free gift of salvation – by grace through faith in JESUS CHRIST are ye saved!!! They teach that once you are saved, you will be led by the HOLY SPIRIT unto good works, and you will want to deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow JESUS CHRIST!!! – Commenter to the ExPreacherman site.

There are two types of “faith” described in the Bible. One is a dead faith that originates in man as he gives mental assent to certain truths about God, but it produces no evidence of a new life in Christ (James 2:17). The other is a God-given faith which includes being born again as a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is a living faith that is coupled with repentance (Acts 11:18). It flows out of a new heart that desires to bear fruit for God’s Glory (Ezekiel 36:26; John 15:8). – Mike Gendron

Questions: do you believe assenting to a set of facts about something is the same as acting on those facts personally? IOW, can one assent to facts on something and not act on it personally? Hope I’m making it clear. What about the devils? The Bible says they believe and tremble. What kind of belief would you call that since they obviously aren’t going to heaven. – Commenter to the ExPreacherman site.

______________________________

How can any of the above comments point one to thankfulness for the gift of eternal life? After all, each one of them reflects a false belief that eternal life is dependent to some extent on one’s own effort. Where is the thanks in that?

The Bible says that anyone who has believed in Jesus as Savior has eternal life that can never be lost or forfeited. The Bible also says that anyone who has believed in Jesus as Savior can be assured that he has eternal life. If one had to wait to see whether the works manifest themselves to know he has eternal life, then he could never really have assurance.

There is joy and thanksgiving with knowing that one has received the free gift of eternal life by grace through faith in Christ.

Conversely, there is no thanksgiving with Lordship “salvation,” because its purpose is to undermine the very concept of eternal life being the gift of God.

If you would like to know more about how to have eternal life click here: The Gospel

42 Comments

Posted in Assurance, Christianity, Lordship Salvation