The level of talking past each other in this thread is very unfortunate. Almost everyone is protecting some turf that is not even being encroached upon by others.
Now, to deal with the matter at hand...
Lordship salvation does not preach/teach sinless perfection. Lordship salvation (which, for the record, requires that Jesus be both "Savior
and Lord") is the only true, biblical option for those who wish to be believers. After all, are we not commanded to "make disciples" not "converts?"
The issue is important because there are some out there (not sure if there are some here) who preach/teach that you only need believe in Christ for salvation and you don't have to show evidence of a changed life. So, in other words, there are some who would say you can live life like you want--sinning all you want, doing every thing which is in contradiction to God's word, living in rebellion against God Himself--and, as long as you claim Jesus as Savior, you'll be fine. This is a lie straight from the pit of hell.
There simply must be evidence of a changed life. But, it isn't that kind of "must." We do not say there must be evidence to gain salvation (that would be works-salvation). We say there must be evidence of salvation because of what God has already done.
Now, in 1 Corinthians, Paul is crystal clear on the matter:
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV)
Paul is saying that those who do these things--sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery...--will not enter the kingdom of heaven, even if they claim Jesus as Savior. Notice v. 11 "And such
were some of you. But you have been washed, you were sanctified,..."
Paul is obviously talking to believers here saying that some of them were idolaters and adulterers (among other things). But, now, since coming to Christ they have been changed--obviously stopping their previously sinful ways. Now, perhaps they didn't perfectly stop their sinful ways, but something is noticeably different--there has been a transformation.
Pastor and author Mark Dever gives us a good way to think about this. I will quote him at length:
I often tell my congregation that when it comes to battling sin in our lives, the difference between Christians and non-Christians is not that non-Christians sin whereas Christians don't. The difference is found in which sides we take in the battle. Christians take God's side against sin, whereas non-Christians take sin's side against God. In other words, a Christian will sin, but then he will turn to God and his Word and say, "Help me fight against sin." A non-Christian, even if he recognizes his sin, effectively responds, "I want my sin more than God." (emphasis original) [1]
As Dever helps us see--the Lordship of Christ must be present in our lives if we are to be considered Christians by ourselves or by others.
The Archangel
[1] Mark Dever, What Is A Healthy Church?, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2007), 40