Romans 4:5-6, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,”
Not many words need to be spoken here, for the Bible, God's inspired Words,
are very clear. Salvation is without any works of self-righteousness.
Eternal life is the free gift of God, paid for by Jesus precious literal
blood (1st Peter 1:18-19; Hebrews 9:12,22-24). You come as a guilty SINNER,
acknowledging your sinnership before the Lord, believing upon the SAVIOR to
forgive your sins. It's that simple. No religion. No ceremonies. No rituals.
No money. No water baptism. No speaking-in-tongues. Just Jesus!
Now there is a group of false prophets who argue and say that a person absolutely must purpose in their heart that they are going to stop living in sin, in order to be saved. The Bible does NOT agree nor teach this. Whatever changes need to be made are made by God's Holy Spirit as we grow in the grace and Word of God (1st Peter 2:2). Salvation is of the Lord, completely. Our part is simply to trust upon Jesus as the Christ, the only begotten Son of God (John 20:31). Salvation is receiving; not giving. It is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9).
California, amongst other problems, is a hotbed of heresy and occult activity. Lordship Salvation is most prevalently taught from California, whose primary teacher is none other than Dr. John MacArthur. MacArthur has had widespread influence over tens-of-thousands of ministers worldwide, including Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron. Lordship Salvation is a spiritual disease that has rotted many churches with doctrinal cancer. Watch out for these self-righteous hypocrites, for if holding onto one's sins could keep a person from being saved, then no one could be saved. No human being on earth, nor throughout history has ever been able to abandon all sin. Oh sure, they may think they've abandoned all their sins, and they may live a life above reproach as some men do; but God sees our evil hearts (Jeremiah 17:9). Romans 3:23 proclaims for all have sinned, and come short of pleasing God. No one is worthy of eternal life.
Only Jesus Christ is the sinless, spotless and perfect Lamb of God (1st Peter 2:22).
Beware of any doctrinal teachings coming out of California. Jack Chick is another Lordship Salvationist in California, teaching that it's not enough to merely admit one's sinnership, but must also purpose in their heart not to sin anymore. That is work-based salvation. John 3:20 teaches that love for sin hinders men from coming to Christ to be saved; but Jesus said in John 5:40 that it's only because they “won't” come, not because they can't come. Lordship Salvationists teach that men CANNOT come unless they are willing to forsake their sins. That is unscriptural. Anyone can come to the Lord to be saved... WHOSOEVER WILL may come (Romans 10:13; Revelation 22:17).
The problem is that many people claim to be Christians, but still live like the Devil. So Lordship Salvationists take it upon themselves to create a new rule, or doctrine per say, teaching that you have to stop sinning to be saved. The truth is that many Christians DO live in sin, as evidenced by the carnal church at Corinth (1st Corinthians 3:1). Even fornication was being allowed in the church, and no one was saying anything about it (1st Corinthians 5:1-5). They fought amongst each other, sued each other in heathen courts, ate meats offered to idols, came drunk to the Lord's supper and spoke in demonic tongues. Quite a bunch, huh? But they were saved. Paul never questioned their salvation in 1st Corinthians.
Certainly, most professions of faith are false. I'd guesstimate that 95% of all people who claim to be Christians are still unsaved. Roman Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventists, Mormons and Church of Christ all FALSELY claim to be Christians. These are all New World Order religions, whose leaders are all members of the diabolical anti-American, anti-family and anti-Christian Council On Foreign Relations. Anyone can claim to be a Christian; but unless you've been truly born-again by the Seed of God's Word, then you are not saved.
Heathen, lesbian-promoting, singer Katy Perry (real name: Katheryn Hudson), claims that she was saved forever while listening to the homosexual Rock band singing. I think not. Salvation does not come from the Devil's Rock 'N' Roll; but from the inspired Words of God (1st Peter 1:23). Katy Perry is also from California.
So be vigilant and sober my friend, as 1st Peter 5:8 commands, and guard against the evil menace of Lordship Salvation. We are saved by HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS (Matthew 6:33), i.e., the righteousness of Jesus Christ (2nd Corinthians 5:21) which is imputed to every believer at the moment of salvation (Romans 4:6).
