What is Lordship Salvation?

Great question. I know he addressed it on an episode of GTY, but that was years ago. Phil Johnson may have mentioned it on PyroManiacs, but I would have to do a more extensive search to find it.

 

There is THIS.

 

Given John MacArthur's reputation and body of work over his preaching/teaching/writing career, I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. The explanation seems plausible, plus no other sources have come out contradicting his account.

 

Here is the original wording:

"Don’t believe anyone who says it’s easy to become a Christian. Salvation for sinners cost God His own Son; it cost God’s Son His life, and it’ll cost you the same thing. Salvation isn’t gained by reciting mere words. Saving faith transforms the heart, and that in turn transforms behavior. Faith’s fruit is seen in actions, not intentions. There’s no room for passive spectators: words without actions are empty and futile. Remember that what John saw in his vision of judgment was a Book of Life, not a book of Words or Book of Intellectual Musings. The life we live, not the words we speak, reveals whether our faith is authentic."

 

Paul does that because there is a godly tension between the two. That is one the reasons Martin Luther had problems with the Book of James. He believed it elevated works over faith. I am not too hard on good ole' Martin for that error. He railed against anything that he even thought advocated a works righteousness.

 

The comments I am reading seem to agree with LS's basic premise, except for the objection of fruits (works). We are not to be fruit inspectors; putting believers under a magnifying glass to see if their works are in keeping with their faith. But neither are we to exhibit a laissez-faire attitude towards each other. God did save us to perform good works, which He prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Eph. 2:10). @TCassidy asked, "who is the judge of those good works?". Well, ultimately, God is, but the church is not divorced from involvement. The author of Hebrews writes, "and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds" (Heb. 10:24). We do not have to look too hard to find that our Christian life is to be filled with service to God and one another. I can point you to Romans 12 which commands us to present our bodies "a living and holy sacrifice...which is your spiritual service of worship" (v.1); "Since we have gifts...each of us is to exercise them accordingly" (v. 6); "contributing to the needs of the saints" (v. 13). The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 are spiritual good works, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentlenesses, self-control; against such things there is no law." Almost the entire book of James is written to show that true faith is seen in action. The Apostle John commands us to "love in deed and truth" (1 JN 3:18) so that, "We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him" (v. 19).

What is the point of all this? We are to be disciples and show the fruit of discipleship. John the Baptist strongly criticized the leading Jews because they came to be baptized without an attitude of repentance. That is why he said to them, "Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance" (Mt. 3:8). Repentance is not just a change of mind, it is a change of deeds. In the end, the final arbiter of our deeds is God, but we cannot use that as an excuse not do the deeds scripture commands us to do. We are to exhibit the marks of a disciple. Matthew 7:15-23.

 

Nitpicking? No. I understand your concern. LS is nothing more than discipleship. All of the works we do as disciples are a result of the new birth. The works do not save. They are evidence of salvation. If you can understand that part then you understand LS. You do not have to agree with it, but at least you will understand it.

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John's baptism emphasizes what repentance produces. The same thing in the life of a believer. Repentance brings change of thought and deed.

I am sure, if you dig up enough rocks, you will find someone who will say, "I believe in LS because I am afraid people are lazy." That is not what biblical repentance is about. It is not why Paul wrote Ephesians 2:10 or James his epistle. See my reply to Deacon. LS is really about discipleship. What are the marks of a true disciple? You cannot take out one of those marks and use them to attack the whole. Works are a part of discipleship, as is love and faith. It truly is a simple concept that came under the attack of revivalists such as Finney, Sunday, and even Billy Graham.

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The part of this discussion that surprised me is the bifurcation of salvation into something that happens and something follows. Salvation is not something that happens and then is followed by sanctification. The two are part of the same thing. When Paul wrote, "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12), he was not injecting works into salvation, he was commanding obedience. Paul viewed sanctification existing with salvation - salvation working itself out to our future glorification. That is how LS proponents see it.

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Justification and sanctification are different, but they are also connected. When we are declared righteous before the Father, we are also set apart for the Father's work. We become disciples. Progressive sanctification should make us more and more like the Son. If the distinction between justification and sanctification is blurred, that is an individual problem.