Revised Defense of the Gospel

Dear Guests:

This afternoon I received a phone call from a pastor on the East Coast. He was asking when I anticipate finishing the revised and expanded edition of In Defense of the Gospel: Biblical Answers to Lordship Salvation. He told me he appreciates my defending the Gospel of grace against the errors of Zane Hodges and the “Crossless” advocates. He also expressed his hope that I had not lost sight of the need to continue with the revision of my book and the necessity of continuing to expose and refute Lordship Salvation. I assured him that I had not lost my fervency or zeal to address the Lordship Salvation interpretation of the Gospel.

It has been quite a few months since I began doing the work of revision on my book and it has been near completion for some time. Had it not been for my discovery of the equally disturbing “Crossless” interpretation of the Gospel the revision would have been long since completed.

IMO, it was providential that I learned of and engaged the “Crossless” gospel. From what I have learned from “Crossless” gospel advocates I am now able to incorporate portions into my revised book. I have added several small sections and an appendix to expose the egregious errors of the Zane Hodges “Crossless” gospel. This way a broad cross section of evangelical Christianity will be warned of Hodges’ teaching that is antithetical to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

My hope and prayer is that the egregious errors of the advocates of the “Crossless” gospel will never gain the kind of attention and traction that Lordship Salvation has enjoyed. The Grace Evangelical Society (GES) has lost membership and financial support because of the radical views on the Gospel by Zane Hodges and Bob Wilkin. Lord willing, the day will come and soon when the GES ceases to exist and the teachers of this heretical view of the Gospel will be relegated to their blogs and thankfully small cells of extremists.

It is imperative that those of us who recognize the dangers of the Hodges, Wilkin, GES assault on the Lord and His Gospel be consistently, fervently and biblically resisted. It would be a tragedy if the “Crossless” gospel made any where near the level of inroads into evangelical circles that MacArthur’s Lordship Salvation has made.

What’s Next?
Late last year I was asked to write an article for a new web site that is widely recognized in Fundamental Baptist circles. They asked me to write an article to expose the errors and danger of the “Crossless” gospel. Once that article is complete I intend to bury myself in the revision work and complete it within 30 days.

It grieves me every time I hear of a Bible college graduate who, some time after graduation, falls into the trap of Lordship Salvation. This may appear totally self-serving, but my goal is for In Defense of the Gospel to find its way into every Bible college doctrines curriculum. I am convinced that if Bible college students were to have read my book it would equip them to know, understand, recognize and refute the dangers of Lordship Salvation.

I am energized to finish the revised and expanded version of my book, send it back to the publisher and do all I can to get it into the hands Bible College young people.

While I engage the errors of “Crossless” theology, and complete my book I do not want my guests to lose sight of the fact that Lordship Salvation is a works based, man-centered interpretation of the Gospel that frustrates grace (Gal. 2:21). Those who understand the inherent danger of Lordship Salvation’s theology, must never lose sight of the urgency with which we, “should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered,” (Jude 3).

Following are links to some of the articles from my archives on Lordship Salvation. Please take a moment to peruse the following or more of the many related articles on Lordship Salvation.

John MacArthur’s Costly Salvation

Lordship Salvation’s “Barter” System

The Relationship Between God’s Grace & Lordship Legalism

Is the Sermon on the Mount “Pure Gospel?”

Is This an “Invitation to Salvation?”


LM

See the Labels section for links to additonal articles on Lordship Salvation.