What? No one interprets scripture by "what is popular." That is simply a red herring. And what does Luke 15 have to do with anything? I wasn't talking about Luke 15.
It most certainly is not. Luke and Iconoclast constantly accuse me of not being "orthodox". They do not care what scriptures appear to say, but what Reformed "scholars" SAY they mean. If you haven't noticed this you are completely unaware.
Iconoclast is
constantly appealing to Reformed scholars.
I addressed you directly. You ignored that for some reason.
Then show me again, because I have no idea what you are talking about, and neither does anyone else. Why can't you simply show that?
People are dishonest. People are deceived. People are confused.
Mormons say they trust in Jesus to save them. Are they saved?
Benny Hinn says he is trusting in Jesus to save him. Is he saved?
70+% of this country claims to be trusting in Jesus to save them. Are they all saved?
No they don't. Ask any Mormon what they have to do to go to heaven and they will tell you you have to do good. They are trusting in their own good works, not Jesus to save them.
I have no idea what Benny Hinn believes, so I can't comment on him.
No they don't. Ask nearly everybody why they should go to heaven and they will say, "Because I am a GOOD PERSON". They are not trusting Jesus to save them at all, they are trusting in their own good works and righteousness to save them. This is exactly what the false converts in Matthew 7 claimed, and what the Pharisee in Luke 18 claimed.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me,
Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Boy, these are Lordship Salvationists if ever there was one. Look at the great emphasis Jesus put on how these folks called him, Lord, Lord.
So calling Jesus "Lord" does not make you saved. But note what their claim to salvation is, they prophesied in Jesus's name, they cast out devils (Charismatic) in Jesus's name, and did MANY WONDERFUL WORKS (Catholic, Lordship Salvation) in Jesus's name.
These folks were depending on THEMSELVES to get to heaven, they were boasting what they DID. This is WORKS. And they were as lost as a turkey on Thanksgiving Day.
We see the same in Luke 18;
Luk 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain
which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,
God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying,
God be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Did the Pharisee believe in God? YES. But did he trust God to save him? NO. He trusted in his own good works, he was not an extortioner, or unjust, or an adulterer, he fasted, he tithed.
You see, he boasted of his own goodness and WORKS, and he was LOST.
The publican on the other hand made no boasts whatsoever. He freely admitted he was a terrible sinner and cast himself completely on God's mercy. This is what it means to believe on Jesus, it means to cast ourselves on his mercy and completely depend on him and the work he did for us to save us.
So, you better watch out about Lordship Salvation, just because you go to church, pay tithes, read your Bible and talk about Jesus being your Lord doesn't mean anything.
What matters is if you truly trusted Jesus to save you as the poor publican did.