Lordship Salvation

What is the Position of the Elders on Lordship Salvation?

What is the Position of the Elders on Lordship Salvation?The elders reject any form of Lordship that would add any work to salvation.  This church has taught and will continue to teach that when God saves you, you are a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) and you cannot embrace the living God by faith and remain the same (Gal 2:20).  One cannot divide the office of Christ; nor can one receive Christ as Savior and not as Lord (Rom 10:9).  We understand that no amount of submission, surrender, or obedience can be grounds for acceptance by God (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).  It is only the shedding of Christ’s blood and the imputation of His righteousness into us that makes us acceptable before a holy God.  On one hand the Bible teaches that the believer is sanctified because of the work of the cross (Heb. 10:10).  On the other hand we are reminded that sanctification is a process (Rom. 12:1-2), beginning at regeneration and continuing until the day when we are ultimately glorified (Rom. 8:30).

We believe and teach our doctrinal statement.  It reads as follows:  the greatest degree of reformation, the highest attainment of morality, the most attractive culture, baptism or another ordinance, cannot help the sinner to take even one step toward heaven (Is. 64:6).  The doctrinal statement goes on to state that all believers should walk by the Spirit in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Lord and Savior. We believe that is the obligation of every believer to witness by life and by word to the truths of the Holy Scriptures and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all the world.

True faith is always accompanied by repentance from sin. Repentance is more than simply being sorry for sin. It is agreeing with God that you are sinful, confessing your sins to Him, and making a conscious choice to turn from sin and pursue holiness (Isaiah 55:7). Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15); and "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine" (John 8:31).

It isn't enough to believe certain facts about Christ. Even Satan and his demons believe in the true God (James 2:19), but they don't love and obey Him. Their faith is not genuine. True saving faith always responds in obedience (Ephesians 2:10).

Jesus is the Sovereign Lord. When you obey Him you are acknowledging His lordship and submitting to His authority. That doesn't mean your obedience will always be perfect.  We are all stained with sin and we will never in this life reach a point of sinless perfection (Romans 7; 1 John 1:8).  But the goal is to be living Gal 2: 20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.”  Therefore, there is no area of your life that you withhold from Him.  Jesus is Lord of all.