Much of the article above is excerpted from the revised and expanded edition of In Defense of the Gospel: Biblical Answers to Lordship Salvation.
Following is John MacArthur’s definition of saving faith from the original edition of The Gospel According to Jesus:
“Saving faith is a commitment to leave sin and follow Jesus at all costs. Jesus takes no one unwilling to come on those terms.”In his Revised & Expanded Edition, John MacArthur reworked the above statement as follows,
“Saving faith does not recoil from the demand to forsake sin and follow Jesus Christ at all costs. Those who find his terms unacceptable cannot come at all”In the 20th Anniversary edition of The Gospel According to Jesus the section appears this way,
“Saving faith does not recoil from the demand to forsake sin and self and follow Christ at all costs. Those who find His terms unacceptable cannot come at all. He will not barter away His right to be Lord”The message MacArthur conveys is consistent in all three editions of The Gospel According to Jesus. Only in the third edition, however, does the final sentence appear as shown above. The Lord most certainly will not “barter away” His lordship or sovereignty. Neither is eternal salvation something that can be gained through barter, but is Lordship Salvation’s interpretation of how a lost man is born again a barter system?
In each of the quotes above notice Dr. MacArthur is speaking in terms of coming to Christ. The obvious implication is of a lost man coming to Christ for salvation. You can read those quotes, apply them to a personal evangelism setting, and you have a lost man being told that he must come to Christ with a promise to “leave (stop committing) sin,” and follow Jesus at any cost to receive the gift of eternal life. These quotes, which appear in all three editions of The Gospel According to Jesus, remove any doubt that MacArthur conditions the reception of eternal life on a definition of “saving faith” that includes an upfront commitment to performance. That theme, which runs like a thread through each of his three major Lordship apologetics, is a works based message that frustrates grace (Gal. 2:21).
Again from his original edition, MacArthur writes,
“Thus in a sense we pay the ultimate price for salvation when our sinful self is nailed to a cross. . . . It is an exchange of all that we are for all that Christ is. And it denotes implicit obedience, full surrender to the lordship of Christ. Nothing less can qualify as saving faith.”Dr. MacArthur says the reception of salvation is based on an “exchange.” That is how he defines the way in which a man must come to Christ to be born again. Lordship’s terms for salvation are: “wholehearted commitment, a desire for him at any cost, unconditional surrender,” in “exchange” for the gift of eternal life.
Barter is defined this way: As to exchange in trade, as one commodity for another.
Therefore, we see “exchange” and “barter” are essentially interchangeable. Dr. MacArthur says salvation, the reception of eternal life, is an “exchange.” Dr. MacArthur believes if there is no “exchange” there is no salvation. What is the exchange Dr. MacArthur calls for? He says the gospel requires an exchange of “wholehearted commitment, surrender, self-denial, cross bearing, a willingness to die for Jesus’ sake” for the reception of salvation, the free gift of God.
Does the Bible call on the lost to, “pay the ultimate price FOR salvation?” (emphasis added) Is receiving the gift of eternal life based on “an exchange” of “obedience” and “surrender?” Dr. MacArthur’s saving faith not only implies, it demands the “exchange” of a commitment to life long obedience and submission to the Lord, to receive His free gift of salvation. At salvation there only has to be surrender to what the Holy Spirit is convincing and convicting of at the moment. Future issues may not even be on one’s mind.
Lordship Salvation, according to John MacArthur’s definition of saving faith, is a barter system. In my book, and in my on line debates with the advocates of Lordship Salvation, I have documented from Dr. MacArthur’s own books that his interpretation of the Gospel does indeed demand an “exchange” of “obedience” and “full surrender” for the reception of eternal life. Lordship advocates are, however, quick to cry, “straw man.” The straw man argument is a logical fallacy based on misrepresentation of an opponent’s position.
To set up a straw man or set up a straw-man argument is to create a position that is easy to refute, and then attribute that position to the opponent. The call for upfront promises to stop sinning, for “obedience” and “full surrender” in “exchange” for salvation is found in Dr. MacArthur’s books, which I have cited. Lordship’s exchange/barter system does not need to be artificially attributed to Dr. MacArthur because it is his position.
There is no misrepresentation, no mischaracterization. There is, therefore, no straw man! Claiming “straw man” does nothing to negate the clear, incontrovertible evidence of Lordship Salvation’s barter system.
Lordship Salvation is a works based message that corrupts the simplicity that is in Christ and frustrates grace.
LM
“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,” (2 Cor. 11:3).
“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain,” (Gal. 2:21).
LM
Originally published August 2008 with lengthy discussion thread.
Hi Lou. I genuinely want to know what you believe the requirements for salvation are. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who is also God lived a perfect life and sacrificed Himself as the perfect sacrifice. He paid the ultimate price for all who would believe in Him. He rose from death after 3 days and broke the chains of sin and death. All who believe on Him and only Him for salvation are saved apart from works. I’ve seen conflicting things from people who almost make it seem we have to be perfect or bear specific fruit to prove we are saved. This worries me some because even though I believe what I stated before, I do struggle and sin a lot more than I would like to admit. Now I feel convicted and do try to do better and grow my relationship with Him. However, the more I try to do better, the more I realize I sin constantly in lots of areas. It almost feels helpless. I truly believe that I cannot earn or lose salvation, but sometimes I get caught in doubting from others who say you can lose salvation. I’m curious as to what you think. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reaching out.
DeleteThere are a number of excellent soul winning methods available to us. I think of Jeff Musgrave’s program "The Exchange" and John VanGelderen’s "Netcasters." These give a clear biblical plan of salvation.
I think there is little better, more succinct explanation of God’s plan of salvation than is found in what we call the “Romans Road.” There we find God’s simple plan of salvation for lost mankind. It is what I point to when asked what I believe the gospel of grace to be.
Romans 3:10, 23
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one…. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 10:9-10, 13
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation…. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
We can be assured of our salvation through 1 John 5:11-13
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
If a man comes to Christ in faith believing he can be sure of his salvation because the Bible says so.
Lordship Salvation (LS) as defined by its high profile gurus like John MacArthur (T4G) front loads faith with conditions of promising to live as an obedient disciple of Christ to become a born-again disciple of Christ. LS is an exchange of promised obedience for salvation, justification. As I often point out, LS corrupts the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Cor. 11:3) and frustrates grace (Gal, 2:21).
LM
Lou, sorry for getting back so late. You made your points very clearly and concise. Since you used scripture so clearly, it opened my eyes to how clear scripture can be. I think sometimes I try overthink things. Instead, the gospel is simple yet so awesome in power! Thanks so much. Reading your page, even the posts from years ago has made my faith even stronger. Thanks!
DeleteI’ honestly not sure if this thread is even active. If it is, Lou please respond to my post above whenever you get the chance.
ReplyDeleteLou, if you see this would you mind answering why some don’t think once saved always saved or eternal security is true. How does Jesus say I give them eternal life, and then (I don’t mean to disparage Catholics and Eastern Orthodox but they seem to be the most against it) say someone can lose it? I do not get it. How do you take back a gift?
ReplyDeleteThank you. I will reply at my earliest convenience. But why is eternal security of the believer true? Because the Bible says so, repeatedly.
DeleteLM
Here are a few samples from the Bible teaching the eternal security of the believer in Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeleteJohn 6:39-40 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
1 John 5:11-13 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
John 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Ephesians 1:12-14 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
How can we know that the believer in Christ is eternally secure? Because Jesus, because the Bible says so.
LM
Why then do so many people teach you can lose salvation. I believe in the gospel, and I’ll be the first to admit I struggle with some addictions that I shouldn’t struggle with as a believer. I’ve changed my mind and would be the first to admit I deserve hell. Even if I was to clean everything up, I deserve hell. I believe it’s a free gift, and to be honest I need it to be. I’m in a period where I’m praying more often and starting to do better, but I know that I could go back to doing things I shouldn’t really easily. I truly love Jesus, and I have cried so many times about this. I some people might say “you want to love your sin and God,” If I’m being honest, then yeah I guess I like to do things I shouldn’t and sun. I know that I shouldn’t, and I pray the lord changes my heart to desire Godly things. I honestly want peace more than anything though. I’d give my own free will up to just let Jesus do everything to be honest. I see the argument over repentance, and I think to myself, I will never stop sinning. If it’s change of mind, then yes I know I’ve changed my mind. However, if it’s turn completely from sin and never do it again or do it less, then I almost feel hopeless. I have a voice in my heart and mind that calls me Son. I feel like it’s God, but I guess I cannot confirm it is. It tells me I cannot mess up or lose my salvation, because if I could then I would. It tells me that He isn’t happy when I sin, but also that I am not condemned. What would you say?
DeleteI'd like you to send me an email so that I can share some helpful thoughts. My email is indefense06@gmail.com
DeleteLM