Lordship Salvation Click here for my YouTube videos on the Once Saved doctrine.
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The Lordship Salvation doctrine refutes Eternal Security (Once Saved Always Saved) which is seducing many souls into a false hope of heaven by stating that salvation cannot be lost. Lordship Salvation means that Jesus is both Saviour and Lord of a Christian's life, not just Saviour. Because of our sinful nature we have no hope of keeping the command which says, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn from wickedness" (2 Tim 2:19). When Jesus is Lord (that is 'the boss') in a Christian's life, His Spirit leads the believer in all respects. The Holy Spirit convicts believers of sin which leads to repentance, cleansing of sin and a holy walk. This is made evident where it says, "When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment ... If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (John 16:8 and 1 John 1:9). We must rely on Jesus to do this day by day otherwise we will drift back into the world of sin and be lost.
Rom 8:14 tells us that "those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." Lordship Salvation is simply being led by Jesus in all matters through daily hearing and following His voice, as He said His disciples would do. (John 10:27)
Regarding sin: When we sin, we hear the Lord's voice through our conscience which convicts us and we follow when we respond to that conviction and repent.
Regarding being led: We hear His voice as He prompts us to do this or that and follow Him as we respond to that prompting.
Lordship Salvation is nothing more than responding to the guidance of the Holy Spirit who leads us to walk in holiness.
This is a vital issue as "without holiness no one will see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14).
Those who oppose Lordship Salvation say that you can accept Jesus as your Saviour only and be saved eternally without making Him Lord of your life. They say that Jesus died for our sins (both past and future) so we can accept Him as our Saviour and then sin, even deliberately and habitually, and not lose our salvation. It's an attractive lie that tells souls they can have their cake and eat it too. This teaching makes a mockery of Jesus' sacrifice. Matt 1:21 tells us that Jesus died to save us from our sin, not in our sin or with our sin but from our sin.
People who hold to the Once Saved Always Saved doctrine say that when you are saved you won't continue to sin deliberately. However, when questioned enough, they admit that if they did fall into sin then they still would not lose their salvation ... exactly the same belief as those who oppose Lordship Salvation. No one can live a sinless life; we all sin from time to time but we will be condemned if we continue in a sinful lifestyle. There is endless Scripture to confirm that a person can lose their salvation and this is outlined in the article at Perseverance Of The Saints.
For an in-depth study of this doctrine, by Bill Webster, click on Lordship Salvation. Click here for some short videos on the Once Saved, Always Saved doctrine.