I believe if Jesus occupies our hearts, love will motivate us to live in harmony with Christian ethics, even if we do not know what they are.
And beyond that, given the choice between following the flesh, or following love, i.e. the Spirit, our works will adopt either of two tones. Therefore, I believe Paul fine tunes Lordship Salvation for us in 1 Corinthians 13:3.
“If I give all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3) (MEV)
So, there are two ways mentioned. One, works of love. And two, works of the flesh. Both under the guise of following Christ. But only love genuinely follows Christ.
We can react to others mechanically and legally to no benefit. But if love rules our thoughts and actions, Jesus, God who is love, becomes Lord of our lives in all situations.
We can experiment to see the differences by how we post in this forum. We can lop off heads doctrinally, telling the truth, but in a spirit of hatred. Or we can make Jesus Lord of our lives and make our posts and replies subject to God’s love. But if we happen to stifle someone with opposing views, we know it was for a good reason, and not as a work of the flesh.
We can live the Sermon on the Mount legalistically. Or we can focus on Christ’s love without reading the Sermon, and find that we are naturally doing many of the things the Sermon speaks of.
We can confess Jesus legalistically, or find that if we focus on Him in love, we’ll end up speaking his name boldly with motive being the only difference.
Thanks for reading this. Any thoughts welcome.
Lordship Salvation Revisited
Discussion in 'Calvinism & Arminianism Debate' started by 1689Dave, Apr 29, 2018.
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InTheLight Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
When are you going to bring up the subject matter in your thread title?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk -
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It is my belief that "Lordship salvation" is a non-issue.
Just to set the record straight Jesus Christ is my LORD, my God and my Savior.
However that full realization took time to settle in my heart as I am sure it does/did in the lives of other believers.
Do some realize it from day 1? Yes.
OTOH some "fall away" after a glowing profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Rather, the local churches should be disciplining in love, truth and deed to help the weak babes rather than intimidating them and even driving them away. -
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Iconoclast Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
This is a Biblical Doctrine when correctly understood. Some as you suggest have a legal spirit and abused the doctrine but that doesn't mean that the doctrine in and of itself is not the truth of God, it is It needs to be taught and instruction has to be given on it to form a correct framework on the Christian life.
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More visiting of old threads and throwing in my 2 cents:
Growing up and all into my 20's and 30's, I was always under the impression that "Lordship salvation" is when a person preaches that one "must make Christ the Lord of your life" in order to be ( or become ) saved.
I remember listening to both sides, and ended up leaving it on the shelf years ago, until recently.
From my reading of Scripture over the years, I've come to some concrete conclusions:
1) I love him and serve Him out of that love.
Does the Bible basically say that he must be Lord of my life in order for me to have eternal life?
Yes and no, hard to explain except to state some passages:
Matthew 7:21,10:38, 16:24, Luke 6:46, 14:27, Romans 2:13, 1 John 2:6.
Faith that is dead is not real faith. See James.
Our good works indicate our internal change of heart and the real presence of true faith within us, they do not determine whether or not we gain salvation.
Who sees those works? God, primarily. Often I believe He even sponsors them.There are plenty of things I do for the Lord that go un-noticed by mankind at large. Those who make a concerted effort to do good works so that all will see and think they are righteous, are generally religious, not the children of the living God, IMO.
2) He is Lord, I don't have to "make Him" Lord.
I acquiesce to His will because I love Him and He loves me, not because of anything I want.
I'm a soldier and I am a son. :Thumbsup
I've been disobedient and needed reprimanding and disciplining, but I am who He made me to be, and He is who made the worlds and owns the cattle on a thousand hills.
Jesus is Lord. :Notworthy
To me, anyone who teaches that one has to "make Jesus the Lord of your life" in order to be saved is putting the cart before the horse...it's actually happened in my experience the other way around. God the Father made me His son and a willing servant through Jesus Christ, and for that I am very grateful.
" For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure." ( Philippians 2:13 )
May God bless you all. -
Matthew 7
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. -
Squire Robertsson AdministratorAdministrator
Considering the OP is now banned this thread is now closed.