Lordship Salvation for “Dummies” ? Examining the Meaning of Faith

Posted on March 22, 2014 by jimfloyd12

Recently I engaged in some discussion with Pastor and blogger Kent Brandenburg. He admittedly embraces a Lordship salvation view of the gospel.  One of his more recent posts was titled “Lordship Salvation for Dummies”.  In it, he explains what he perceives are his problems with not accepting a Lordship view of the gospel and what he believes Lordship salvation is.

This except from the long post pretty much sums it up:

“In Lordship salvation, belief includes repentance.  Repentance includes self-denial.  Repentance means turning from idols to serve the living and true God.  Belief is more than just intellectual and emotional, but also volitional.  In Lordship salvation, someone believes in Jesus Christ, and sacrosanct to a belief in Jesus Christ is that Jesus is God, Lord, and Savior.  All sin is against Lordship.  If someone turns from sin, that means he wants to do what the Lord says.  That means that He wants the righteousness, which is in Christ alone.”

Brandenburg on his church’s website under the heading “Salvation” says:

“There is a kind of faith that will not save, that is only intellectual.”

“Part of what it means to believe is to repent. “Repent” means “to turn.” Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” We must turn from going our way to going Jesus’ way. Jesus describes it this way in Matthew 16:25: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it..” We must give up our life, our own temporal life, in order to get eternal life. Jesus also said in Matthew 10:38, “He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”

(We must give up our life in order to get eternal life? No sir! That is a barter exchange for salvation. We cannot purchase or merit our salvation in that fashion. We must accept it as the free gift that it is by grace through faith.

Matthew 16:25 is talking about our service to Him as believers.  The result is rewards or loss of rewards. Look down at vs 27 where it says that every man shall be rewarded according to his works. For the believer this takes place a the Bema seat judgement of Christ. Matthew 10:38 is not saying that a person may not be worthy to be saved but they may not be worthy to follow and learn. Discipleship involves commitment and work. Obviously receiving the free gift of salvation does not require commitment and work otherwise it wouldn’t be free and it wouldn’t be by grace.)

One of the main things to understand is the Biblical definition of faith.  Think about it. What happens if the definition of faith (pistis) is belief / trust and we read verses such as: Eph 2:8-9 or Romans 4:5? Now what happens if we take the words faith (trust, belief) and believe (pisteuo – to place faith in something) and add into those definitions the concept of obedience, willingness to obey, commitment to discipleship, change of direction. Reading the verses again will then give totally different meanings. The new definitions contradict the phrases “But to him that worketh not,” and “…that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Notice what happens when we change faith to include LS style commitment? Do you see how two different pastors could read the whole Bible through with two different working definitions of faith and come up with a different gospel?  I think it is troubling indeed. The same thing can go for words like “repentance. ”

A lost man needs to repent (change his mind) trusting Christ for salvation. Once he is saved he can engage in: growing in Christ, walking with His Savior, learning more of His Savior, learning more of the Word, and adding to His faith the things mentioned in 2 Peter 1:5-7.

2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Notice verse 8. If these things be in you… It does not say if you have faith ye shall not be barren or unfruitful.  In verse 9 a believer that lacks these things is not pronounced unsaved or never saved in the first place but is pronounced as one that has forgotten that he was purged.  There are other parallels to this including James 1:21-27.

So make no mistake about the fact that the free grace advocates and LS advocates use different definitions of the same words. Making faith include works is a really good trick but a dangerous one. Beware.

One might ask, what is the big deal? Can’t we all just get along under one big tent? Honestly the answer is no, we can’t.  See, one of the most important things is the gospel. If there is no agreement on the gospel then there really is no agreement.

Jim F

For further reading please see the following:

http://indefenseofthegospel.blogspot.com/2014/03/lordship-salvation-requirements.html

http://indefenseofthegospel.blogspot.com/2008/07/summary-of-lordship-salvation-on-single.html

http://expreacherman.com/%E2%99%A6-lordship-salvation-defined/

http://expreacherman.com/believers-justification/

https://standforthefaith.wordpress.com/2013/09/07/the-foundation-of-eternal-security-a-breath-of-fresh-air/

https://standforthefaith.wordpress.com/2013/08/10/kyle-idleman-not-a-fan-and-common-problems-with-lordship-salvation-part-1/

Posted in Free Grace, Fundamentalism, Heresy, Lordship Salvation, Salvation | Tagged , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

The Gospel According to Paul Washer Pt2 – The Gospel’s Power and Message

Posted on March 3, 2014 by jimfloyd12

We have begun our look at Paul Washer’s book The Gospel’s Power and Message.  Let’s see if it gets any better from here.

Washer 1

“Anyone who thinks that he knows the gospel well enough to leave it behind and go on to greater things would do well to follow the admonition of the apostle Paul: “If anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.”10 Washer, Paul (2012-10-12). The Gospel’s Power and Message (pp. 27-28).  . Kindle Edition.

(I have heard this before from Calvinists. What a crazy type statement. Sounds like they want believers to not press on and grow.)

“To alter the gospel in any way is to bring a curse upon ourselves and to hand down a corrupt gospel to the following generations.” (p. 32).

(You think? Wow, at least he know this potentially but I wonder he then promotes a gospel that is not what the Bible presents.)

“Through His suffering, divine justice was satisfied and the wrath of God was appeased, that God might now be both just and the justifier of those who place their faith in Him.27” (p. 36).

(Yes, so why does he add to this at other times?)

“We must not reduce the great commands of repentance and faith to nothing more than the repetition of a sinner’s prayer. Our hearers must understand repentance as a change of mind that encompasses not only the intellect but also the will and emotions.” (p. 38).

(There are some partial truths here. Receiving salvation really isn’t a simple repetition of a sinner’s prayer.  It is trusting Christ alone that He will save you based on His atoning work. Yes, repentance is a change of mind, but here is often where Calvinists slip up. Notice the addition of the part about the intellect, will, and emotions.  A change of will could something like a choice to change direction in life or make Christ Lord. Emotions could be made out to be a deep regret or sorrow or disdain for sin.  Be careful what you add in that the scripture does not. More could be said about this but I’ll leave it for now.)

“Furthermore, we must instruct our hearers regarding the evidence of conversion. We must warn them that genuine repentance brings forth the fruit of repentance, and that faith without works is dead.35 We must admonish them to examine themselves and test themselves to see if they are in the faith, and they must be diligent to make their calling and election sure.36” (p. 38).

(James 2 does not fit what Washer is trying to say because it is talking to believers about ongoing sanctification and also justification before men. Likewise, making our calling and election sure has to do with growth in the Christian life – not testing to see if we have enough evidence to consider ourselves saved.)

“The gospel of Jesus calls men to repent of their sins and believe.26 He promises those who obey the call will receive eternal life.27 He warns the rest that they will perish under the wrath of God if they continue in their unrepentant and unbelieving state.28  The gospel of Paul provides the very same promises and warnings. The apostle solemnly testified, to both Jews and Greeks, of the need for repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. He proclaimed that God has commanded all people everywhere to repent, and he warned men not to be deceived by empty works, for the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient.29” (p. 44).
(Ok, now see what happen to that earlier correct statement in light of this. What about “Through His suffering, divine justice was satisfied and the wrath of God was appeased, that God might now be both just and the justifier of those who place their faith in Him.27”  ??  Now Washer has committed, in typical Calvinist fashion, the error of the addition of other elements to the gospel. Now I am starting to see why he thinks it takes so long to understand the “gospel.”

(God does not call people to repent of their sin. Yes, those who perish in an unbelieving state will be lost eternally. The repentance mentioned there by Paul is a change of mind leading to trusting Christ alone. It is all one thing. Empty works are anything that can’t save which is all of a lost man’s works. Not even the good ones are anything more than filthy rags in God’s sight.  Mankind must change their minds and trust Christ alone to save based on the gospel.)

“In the gospel of Jesus, sincere and costly discipleship always accompanies genuine conversion. Jesus frequently culled the large crowds that followed Him by making radical demands upon them: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.”30 He even warned His own disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”31 The gospel of Paul contains the same radical demands of discipleship. With regard to holiness, Paul admonishes believers to come out from this world and be separate.32 With regard to righteousness, he commands believers to consider themselves dead to sin and alive to God as instruments of righteousness.33 With regard to faithfulness, they are encouraged to endure in spite of the many tribulations and persecutions that are certain to come against all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus.34”(p. 45).

(Is Washers considering Christ call to discipleship the same as the call to believe the gospel? The fact is that discipleship does not always follow conversion. Why else did Christ have to urge the believers to follow in discipleship in the first place if it was automatic!  Discipleship can indeed have radical demands but don’t confuse these for conditions to show you’ve obtained salvation, or worse yet, commitments that have to be made before your faith can be real. Yes Paul admonishes many to live as they ought as believers, not for salvation or to prove their salvation but because they are saved.)

“The gospel of Jesus teaches men that a mere profession of faith alone is no sound evidence of salvation. Jesus warned that not everyone who says to Him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of His Father in heaven.35 He was adamant that the fruit of one’s life is the proof of salvation, and that everyone who does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.36 The gospel of Paul contains the same solemn warnings. He admonished those who have professed faith in Christ to examine and test themselves to see if they are truly in the faith.37 He warned men about having a form of godliness but negating its power, and professing to know God but denying Him with their deeds.38” (p. 45).

(Notice the falsehood of the first line of this quote. Think about what Washer is really saying here. It is absolutely mind boggling. A profession of faith in the right object for salvation is indeed all the evidence needed provided that that object is Christ. Everything else falls short. Our works prove little but Christ proves everything.

Jesus was warning those who will not trust Christ alone for salvation but instead go about doing “great things” for God trusting in their own righteousness.  See, they had to be born again before they could do the will of God. They weren’t born again because they never believed. We know this because there is only one way of salvation and that being by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. So if they are being condemned it is that they never believed! They are not condemned for failing to behave.

No he was not adamant that fruit in one’s life is proof of salvation.  Fruit is proof of faithfulness and faithfulness is different than faith itself. We also cannot say that all believers will always be faithful. We still have the sin nature present with us and will always have struggles with it.

Examining one’s self to see that they are in the faith is to look at and consider who you have trusted in for salvation. Your salvation is as good as the person you are trusting is capable of providing that salvation.

Having a form of godliness and denying the power… hmm. That doesn’t sound too far off from those that have succumbed to LS error or Reformed error. Whenever the gospel is changed, even in the slightest, it saps the power and effectiveness of the gospel message thereby denying its power.)

“The Reformed gospel is completely different from the Roman Catholic gospel; a faith-based gospel is in direct contradiction to a works-based gospel; a truly evangelical gospel stands in contrast to an ultracharismatic gospel.” (p. 48).

(I still find similarities because, as shown above, Washer has added to the gospel too.  I can tell which tree the Reformed apple has fallen from.  Let’s not be a part of the heritage of Rome or the Reformers but let’s look at the Word directly through the guidance of the Holy Spirit and discern the true and proper gospel of grace. To be continued…)

God Bless

Jim F

 

 

Posted in Calvinism, Heresy, Lordship Salvation, Reformed Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

The Gospel According to Paul Washer Pt1 – The Gospel’s Power and Message

Posted on February 22, 2014 by jimfloyd12

Paul Washer is a popular name among those who support a Reformed gospel.  Many have read his books or heard his preaching. The thing is, is Paul Washer giving us the true gospel message?  This four part series of posts will attempt to examine Paul Washer’s book The Gospel’s Power and Message to see exactly what Paul is saying and consider if it is the Biblical gospel.

Washer

My comments are in ( ) and Paul’s are in quotes. Early on we are greeted with this:

“Until God regenerates a man’s heart, that man will address the gospel in the same way the demons of the Gadarenes addressed the Lord Jesus Christ: “What have we to do with You?”15 The carnal man can have no true interest or appreciation in the gospel apart from the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, and yet this miracle takes place in the heart of a man through the gospel preaching which he at first disdains.” Washer, Paul (2012-10-12). The Gospel’s Power and Message (pp. 7-8).  . Kindle Edition.

(The implication here is that regeneration needs to take place before faith but this is a grave Reformed error. Remember though in going through this that this is part of the lens through which Paul Washer views the gospel.)

“The preaching of Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, Charles Spurgeon, and other like-minded preachers would be ridiculed, lampooned, and laughed to scorn by modern man.” (p. 8).

(Please note here who Paul is looking up to and identifying with.  The three mentioned here were compromised on the gospel as well.)

“Since there is no affinity or friendship between the gospel and the world, to receive the gospel is to reject the world. This demonstrates just how radical the act of receiving the gospel can be. To receive and follow the gospel call is to reject all that can be seen with the eye and held in the hand in exchange for what cannot be seen.1 It is to reject personal autonomy and the right to self-government in order to enslave oneself to a Messiah who died two thousand years ago as an enemy of the state and a blasphemer.” (p. 9).

(To accept the gospel is not to reject the world. It is to reject any other method of salvation than by faith in Christ alone. It also is not the rejecting of self government.)

“Secondly, a man who receives the gospel trusts exclusively in the person and work of Jesus Christ as the only way of right standing before God.” (p. 10).

(Isn’t this the first and last point?)

“A genuine receiving of the gospel not only involves a disdain for and turning from sin but also a disdain for and turning from any confidence other than Christ, especially a confidence in self. It is for this reason that a person who is truly converted will become almost nauseous at even the slightest suggestion that his right standing before God might be the product of his own virtue or merit. Although his new life in Christ produces good works, he has cast off all hope in good works as a means of salvation and trusts exclusively in the person and perfect work of Christ.” (p. 10).

(Wait, what about the point above? I sense a contradiction. Repentance during conversion does not have to do with disdain or turning from sin. The part about turning from any confidence other than Christ has merit but the works have already been added in. Faith plus works equals works.  The new life in Christ does not produce the good works itself. Also, casting off all hope in goods works as means of salvation would have meant that they quit trusting the idea that turning from sin merits salvation. Remember, Washer does not see turning from sin as works because he believes in regeneration before faith.)

“God does not call men to make Jesus Lord (as though they had such power), but to live in absolute submission to the Lord He has made. Therefore, the man who desires to receive the benefits of the gospel must first decide if he is willing to turn over all autonomy and self-government to the Lord of the gospel.” (p. 11).

(God has called all men to believe the gospel. He desires that all men repent (change their mind) and trust Christ alone to save.  Submission comes after were are saved and is not automatic. It is a continual part of the process of progressive sanctification. No believer reaches the point where they are submitted perfectly always. This is because the sin nature is still present with us until we receive our glorified bodies in heaven.

Here also is a big error. Washer’s conclusion is that the person desiring salvation must not just believe but decide if he is willing to turn over all autonomy and self government.  This is really what Lordship salvationists mean by make Jesus the Lord of your life. They don’t mean make Him God but they mean to put yourself in submission to Him as God / Lord. However, this is not the gospel.  It is an addition to the Biblical gospel and is indeed another gospel. This takes it even one step further than the error of turn from sin for salvation.)

“The true convert does not receive the gospel as an addition to his previous life, but in exchange for it. To receive one is to lose the other. This is the clear teaching of Jesus: “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (p. 12).

(Obtaining salvation is NOT an exchange.  It is not this for that. It is not a barter deal or a bilateral contract.  Talk about error. That verse is relating to discipleship not conversion or the decision to trust Christ. Look at the preceding verse in context.

Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mat 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.)

“The man, woman, youth, or child who has truly received the gospel will stand upon it, and in their standing they prove that they have truly received it.” (p. 15).

(Even if this were true, what have you proven if you stubbornly stand upon a false gospel? I say that Christ alone is the proof of someone’s conversion. Have they trusted Him alone for salvation or not? It is that simple. If so, we have the promise of God’s Word that they are saved. Unless, that is, that we don’t believe God’s Word when it promises that! Jn 3:16 – more verses are listed below.)

“…we would do well to cry out to the masses, “Jesus Christ promises you two things: an eternal salvation in which to hope and a cross on which to die.16”(p. 20).

(No, this is error because it is mixing the grace offer of salvation with discipleship.)

“The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is one of the most precious truths to the believer who understands it.” (p. 20).

(No it isn’t. The believer that understands it exposes it for the error that it is. Remember, Calvinitsic Perseverance of the Saints is not Biblical eternal security.  It just means that God’s pre-chosen ones are enabled to live the Christian life and are prevented from falling away from the faith. It centers on works and there is no assurance in this system because any bad works might be a sign that one really is not truly one of the elect. It takes what should be security and turns it into insecurity.)

“In the text at the beginning of the chapter, the apostle Paul writes, “You are saved, if you hold fast that word.” The word if introduces a conditional clause that we must not ignore and we cannot remove. The logic is clear: a person is saved if he holds fast the gospel, but if he does not hold fast, he is not saved. This is not a denial of the doctrine of perseverance but rather an explanation of it. None of those who truly believe unto salvation will ever be lost to eternal destruction. The grace and power of the God who saved them will also keep them until that final day. However, the evidence that they have truly believed is that they continue in the things of God and do not turn away from Him. Although they will still struggle against the flesh and be subject to many failings, the full course of their life will reveal a definite and notable progress in both faith and godliness. Their perseverance does not save them or make them objects of grace, but it reveals that they are objects of grace who are truly saved by faith. To put it plainly, the proof or validation of genuine conversion is that the one who professes faith in Christ perseveres in that faith and grows in sanctification throughout the full course of his life. If a person professes faith in Christ and yet falls away or makes no progress in godliness, it does not mean that he has lost his salvation. It reveals that he was never truly converted. (p. 21).

(Paul Washer just described what I said. This is the explanation of perseverance of the saints and it is flat out error and amounts to Lordship legalism as a method of sanctification. It leads to law bondage and fear. People that have been rescued from this madness can testify of this experience.)

“They help us to discern the difference between true and false conversion, and they function as a warning for the believer to apply all diligence in making his calling and election sure. (p. 22).

(There is no such thing as a false conversion. Making your calling and election sure is part of sanctification.)

“There are many who believe they are saved and thoroughly Christian because they once prayed a prayer and asked Jesus to come into their hearts. However, they did not continue on in the faith. They never came out of the world, or if they did, they quickly returned. They possess no practical reality of the fear of the Lord. There is no fragrance of divine grace in their lives. They show no outward evidence of inward transformation. There is not even a hint of the divine discipline that God provides to all His children.25 Yet they stand assured of their salvation because of one decision in their past and their belief that their prayer was truly sincere. No matter how popular such a belief may be, it has no biblical grounds.”(p. 22).

(Let’s make no mistake here. Prayer itself does not save. That is not the issue. Faith alone in Christ alone saves. So a past decision to trust Christ alone for salvation does have Biblical grounds because it is THE only way to receive the gift of salvation that has already been purchased by Christ. Simply trust him for it.)

“However, biblical assurance that a person has passed from death to life finds a basis not merely upon an examination of the moment of conversion but also upon an examination of his or her life from that moment on.” (p. 22).

(This is false. I can see why a Reformed person coming at this from that perspective would say this but it doesn’t hold up to the Word. Consider some of these verses:

Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Notice it does not say works are required. The promise of eternal life is for all who will believe, not all who will believe and show enough evidence by way of good works.

Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

(This is a good question for Lordship salvationists.)

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Eph 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

(After we believed we were sealed.  It does not say after we showed enough good works we were sealed.)

1Jn 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
1Jn 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

(Notice specifically verse 10. We that believe have the witness because we have believed the record that God has given us of His Son.  There is no amount of works that have to be quantified or qualified. It is not about works! Thankfully salvation is about Christ and His righteousness applied on our behalf. All those who come to understand their need (that they are sinners before a Holy God) and trust Christ the Son of God based on His provision (death, burial, resurrection) are saved from eternal damnation and stand assured of eternal life. Praise God that no works enter this equation or else the would be no one good enough to be saved. I’ll close with verse 14.)

1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

(My prayer is that Paul Washer himself will come to understand the error that he is making and that he would trust Christ alone for salvation. I pray that those currently under this style of error are freed from it and embrace the gospel of grace and that those that are discerning would be bold in their defense of the one true gospel and true method of obtaining the free gift of eternal life. Eph 2:8-9)

God Bless,

Jim F

Posted in Calvinism, Lordship Salvation | Tagged , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

The Gospel According to MacArthur: Examing the book The Gospel According to Jesus Pt4 – Repentance and Faith

Posted on February 1, 2014 by jimfloyd12

So far we have considered some of John MacArthur’s beliefs and two examples of how these beliefs play out concerning the story of Nicodemus and the story of the woman at the well.  Now I want to wrap up this series with an examination of MacArthur’s teaching on repentance. This is a crucial issue and one in which many people stumble. People may see that Lordship salvation is an extreme, that Calvinism is an extreme, and that the gospel call does not equal the call to discipleship but far too many still stumble over repentance. Stumbling over the idea of repentance can lead to a false gospel. I firmly believe that if more people understood this that there would be more separation between groups that advocate one side or the other.

So what exactly does MacArthur say about repentance and faith?

“Repentance is a critical element of conversion, but do not dismiss it as simply another word for believing.” 177 MacArthur says that the meaning of the word does not stop at “change of mind.”

(I agree that it is a critical element. I disagree with MacArthur however that repentance is not synonymous with  believing. As far as conversion goes it most certainly is the same because there are not multiple ways of salvation. The word repent, believe, or the combination repent and believe can all be used to accurately describe repentance at conversion.  Repentance and faith can be seen as two sides of the same coin so to speak. Repentance is a change of mind from what one currently believes to trusting Christ alone based on His atoning work for salvation. Faith is to trust Christ alone based on his atoning work which implies that you no longer believe what you did before.  The two are inseparable as far as conversion goes for eternal life.

Keep in mind that LS advocates like MacArthur, along with many moderate Calvinists and Arminians, use a similar analogy but change it.  They keep with the two sides of one coin analogy but for them one side is repentance (turn from sin, be sorrowful, desire to obey) and the other side is faith (many times this faith means a faith that WILL obey or it wasn’t real).

“As metanoia is used in the New Testament, it always speaks of a change of purpose, and specifically a turning from sin. In the sense Jesus used it, repentance calls for a repudiation of the old life and a turning to God for salvation.”

Metanoia is indeed the word in question but simply means afterthought or change of mind. It is not a call for the repuditation of the old life.  Remember, the gospel call is not the same as the call to discipleship. Not all believers become committed disciples and, of those that do, not all stay completely committed for their whole lives.

“Such a change of purpose is what Paul had in mind when he described the repentance of the Thessalonians: “You turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God” (I Thess. 1:9). Note three elements of repentance: a turning to God, a turning from evil, and the intent to serve God. No change of mind can be called true repentance if it does not include all three elements. The simple but all too often overlooked fact is that a true change of mind will necessarily result in a change of behavior.” P 178

(This is a false statement.  I Thess 1:9 is not an eternal salvation verse. Paul was commending them for their testimony.  Their change of service was part of their ongoing walk with God after conversion. The Thessalonians were saved through faith just like everyone else who is saved.  Remember there is only one way and that is by grace through faith. Look at I Thess 1:8 where it mentions their faith. They had believed Paul’s gospel (1:5) and were now at work spreading the good news. So much so that Paul said in 1:8: “…but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.” See, once they had believed the gospel they went about spreading the gospel versus serving the idols that they had served previously. Their change of behavior didn’t save them. Their service came out of love. This also doesn’t mean that good works automatically follow conversion.  For these people there were good works but it is not a normative principle.  Certainly believers should be good testimonies and faithfully spread the gospel but it not automatic and the zeal does not always last.  The flesh nature will always struggle against serving the Lord.)

“Repentance is not merely shame or sorrow for sin, although genuine repentance always involves an element of remorse. It is a redirection of the human will, a purposeful decision to forsake all unrighteousness and pursue righteousness instead.” P 178

Repentance at conversion is not as MacArthur describes here. Remorse is not a condition for salvation. Neither is a decision to forsake anything. Likewise unbelievers are not deciding to pursue righteousness.  All they need to do is see their need (hopeless sinful state) and trust Christ to save them.

“Nor is repentance merely a human work. It is, like every element of redemption, a sovereignly bestowed gift of God.”

MacArthur is at least consistent but is consistently wrong.  Repentance and faith etc are not “sovereignly bestowed gifts”. We are not regenerated before faith! See, MacArthur’s view only has a chance to be a non-works salvation view if this is true. The great problem is that IT ISN’T. This is why I believe that so many bypass the decision of repentance / faith because they make it out to be like something that God does FOR them and it becomes likened to the repentance and faith that are a part of Christian living, not conversion. In other words, one MUST obey to have any hope that his supposed gift of faith was real and that he is really one of the elect.  This leads to endless soul searching, lordship legalism, and fear once one realizes how bleak things look as far as their performance.)

To wrap this up let consider then what MacArthur says about faith.

“We have seen already that repentance is granted by God; it is not a human work (Acts 11:18; 2 Tim 2:25). Likewise, faith is a supernatural gift of God.”  p 188

(MacArthur goes in the book into a long twisting of Eph 2:8-9 to come up with this.  The problem for him is that salvation itself is the gift. It is a gift offered by grace (meaning it is undeserved on our part) and is accepted through the conduit of faith (our unmeritorious response).  Salvation is given to all who will believe as a free gift. Now that is grace! To say faith itself is the gift is to mix everything up.)

On page 189 MacArthur says that faith is not true faith unless there is an attitude of surrender to Christ’s authority. MacArthur’s errors go on and on from there. I’d have to write a few full long books just to cover it all. John MacArthur deeply saddens me because he is well known and has written many books but his message is not right.  Let’s be careful when studying and teach scripture that we deal honestly with what the texts actually say. Especially where repentance, faith, and the gospel itself are concerned.

God Bless,

Jim F

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The Gospel According to MacArthur: Examining the book the The Gospel According to Jesus Pt3 (The Woman at the Well)

Posted on January 5, 2014 by jimfloyd12

We have already seen MacArthur’s example and interpretation of the story of Nicodemus. Now let’s look at his next example of the woman at the well.

“He Demands True worship:”

“Those who oppose lordship salvation often point to this account as proof that salvation is a gift apart from any demand for commitment of the sinner’s life.1 But we dare not base our theology of salvation only on information gleaned from this account — or worse, label crucial elements of the gospel as nonessential because they are omitted in John 4.”

(What demand of commitment IS part of the gospel??)

“To call her to Himself, Jesus had to force her to face her indifference, lust, self-centeredness, immorality, and religious prejudice.”

(Unbelievers need to understand that they are sinners and thereby lost but there is no specific sin like these that they have to confront first in order to be saved.)

“The reason He had to go that way was to fulfill a divine appointment at Jacob’s well.”

(Be careful about this divine appointment idea. There are opportunities all around us to present the gospel. There doesn’t need to be some kind of divine appointment for it to happen. Also remember that God knows if and when people will be saved but does not make anyone be saved.)

“And His timing was critical. Had He arrived at that well ten minutes early or late, there may have been no woman. But His schedule was perfect; He wrote the script Himself even before the foundation of the world.”

(It is not like God writes scripts for us and we just follow through in them like puppets.)

“THE LESSON OF THE WOMAN: GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS”
“God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34),”

(No He is not, but that idea refutes the Calvinistic idea of unconditional election. God does not choose some for heaven and leave the rest with no choice but hell.)

“One author goes so far as to say, “The synonyms for ‘faith’ in the New Testament cannot mean ‘commit.’ For example, in John 4:14 Jesus said, ‘But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.’ Later, Jesus said, ‘Whoso eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood hath eternal life.’ (John 6:54). Obviously, these statements suggest ‘appropriation,’ not commitment.”2 Can we concede that the verb “drink” conveys the idea of appropriation apart from commitment? Certainly not. Matthew 20:22 (“Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?”) and John 18:11 (“The cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”) both use drink in a way that clearly implies full compliance and surrender. Furthermore, to attempt to define faith with a metaphor is unwarranted selectivity. What do we then do with verses such as John 3:36 (“He who does not obey the Son shall not see life”), and Hebrews 3:18 – 19 (“Those who were disobedient . . . were not able to enter because of unbelief”), which clearly equate disobedience with unbelief? The fact that Jesus offered this woman living water does not in any way minimize the factor of commitment ever present in true faith. The living water He held out to her was the gift of salvation, including all that is inherent in the reality of redemption — freedom from sin, the commitment to follow Jesus, the ability to obey God’s law, and the power and desire to live a life that glorifies Him.”

(What more of a clear statement do we need to know that MacArthur adds to the sole condition of faith in Christ alone for eternal salvation?)

“Jesus never sanctioned any form of cheap grace. He was not offering eternal life as an add-on to a life cluttered with unconfessed sin. It is inconceivable that He would pour someone a drink of living water without challenging and altering that individual’s sinful lifestyle. He came to save His people from their sin (cf. Matt. 1:21), not to confer immortality on people in bondage to wickedness (cf. Gen. 3:22 – 24).”

(Grace is not cheap or costly. It is free. Salvation is a free gift for us because Christ purchased it. MacArthur’s last statement actually directly denies the gospel because all lost people are in bondage to wickedness !! If He will not give people the new man upon faith in Christ (regeneration) then no one will be saved and the Bible is a lie.)

“G. Campbell Morgan, commenting on this passage, writes, “How did He reply? ‘Go, call thy husband.’ Why that? If she was to have that well of water springing up in her, there must first be moral investigation and correction.”4 Willingness to confess the reality and odiousness of one’s sin is an essential manifestation of genuine spiritual thirst.”

(Spiritual thirst?)

“God’s objective in salvation is to create a true worshiper5 (cf. Phil. 3:3).”

(We must first be born again in order to worship in spirit. We can’t be born again by believing a false gospel.)

“When Jesus said the Father was seeking true worshipers, it was more than a statement of fact. It was a personal invitation to the Samaritan woman. Do not miss the importance of that invitation. It debunks the notion that Jesus was offering eternal life without making any demand for a spiritual commitment.”

(No, salvation is not obtained by barter as in my spiritual commitment in exchange for salvation.

Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh 4:24Godisa Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

All this means is that only those who have been born in Spirit – given the new man – can truly worship God.)

“The call to worship the Father in spirit and in truth was a clear summons to the deepest and most comprehensive kind of spiritual submission.”

(No, what was needed was for her to believe the truth as in the gospel. That is the same for everyone. Salvation is always by grace through faith. Eph 2:8-9 Jesus was not giving her special extra requirements. Did Paul lie when he told the Phillipian jailer to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved? Did the thief on the cross have to promise spiritual commitment? Abraham’s spiritual commitment was accounted to him for righteousness or was it his faith? (Rom 4:3-5) For God so loved the world that the gave His only begotten Son that whosoever – makes a spiritual commitment to follow Christ? – no – whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Jn 3:16)

“The irresistible grace of the Messiah had penetrated her heart. Step by step He had opened her sinful heart and disclosed Himself to her; and apparently she responded with saving faith.”

(Irresistible grace is a lie of Calvinism. She simply was presented with the truth and believed it. The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation. Rom 1:16)

“The woman’s actions at this point strongly indicate that she had become a believer. She “left her waterpot, and went into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?’ ” (vv. 28 – 29). She evidenced all the characteristics of genuine conversion. She had sensed her need, she had confessed her guilt, she recognized Jesus as Messiah, and now she was showing the fruit of her transformed life by bringing other people to Him.”

(Actions do not prove that a person is a believer.

See this: http://expreacherman.com/2013/12/14/title-true-or-false-a-person-who-believes-in-jesus-for-salvation-will-have-a-change-of-behavior/

And this: http://expreacherman.com/2013/12/21/why-we-cant-judge-whether-or-not-someone-possesses-eternal-life/

Salvation is about being born again and being declared righteous based on Christ’s righteousness thereby being saved from the penalty of sin. Right living comes then from walking in the Spirit, not by doing right things in order to be spiritual.)

“God seeks people who will submit themselves to worship Him in spirit and in truth. That kind of worship is impossible for those sheltering sin in their lives. Those who confess and forsake their sin, on the other hand, will find a Savior eager to receive them, forgive them, and liberate them from their sin.”

(On the contrary, those who believe the gospel of Christ trusting Him alone to save them will be accepted by the Lord who is already seeking them with open arms. Eternal salvation is by grace through faith. MacArthur does not get to change scripture to suggest otherwise.)

“The final chapter of the Bible closes with this invitation, which evokes a picture of the Samaritan woman: “Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost” (Rev. 22:17). While it is free, it is not cheap; the Savior Himself paid the ultimate price so that thirsty, repentant seekers can drink as deeply as they like.”

(Salvation is a free gift offered to all. All may freely drink. All may decide to believe the gospel. However, sadly many try to obtain salvation MacArthur’s way by adding to the gospel and turning faith into repentance of sins and commitments to follow or worship. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ today. Now is the time. Do not wait. Do not try to bargain your way to heaven or try to earn it in any fashion. Christ has purchased the gift of salvation so trust Him for it and He will freely give it to you. The ability to walk in the Spirit comes only after being born again in the spirit.)

Blessings,

Jim Floyd

Btw, for any doubting that eternal salvation is obtained through faith alone, please see the following link. This refutes the charge that the free grace gospel is a watered down gospel. Salvation is by grace through faith and there is no adding or subtracting from it.

http://expreacherman.com/believers-justification/

Posted in Calvinism, Heresy, Lordship Salvation, Reformed Theology, Salvation | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Gospel According to MacArthur: Examining the book The Gospel According to Jesus Pt2 (Nicodemus)

Posted on December 23, 2013 by jimfloyd12

The following is a continuation in the series on the gospel according to MacArthur.  One of his first examples in the book The Gospel According to Jesus is that of Nicodemus. Let’s look to see how MacArthur’s theology interprets this story.  Note how stories like this one in the Bible seem totally different depending on certain theological frameworks. I have followed the quotes from the book with my own thoughts in ( ).”29. Cocoris, Lordship Salvation — Is It Biblical? 11. Also, Ryrie claims that repentance is “a change of mind about Jesus Christ so that He is believed and received as personal Saviour from sin.” Repentance, by this definition, has nothing to do with one’s attitude toward sin and does not necessarily result in any change in lifestyle. It is merely a christological focus. Ryrie, Balancing the Christian Life, 175 – 76. ”

(The fact that MacArthur stands opposed to this should reveal that he teaches another gospel which includes a focus on man’s works.)

“30. Those who reject the lordship position often claim that texts such as Romans 1:5 (“the obedience of faith”) indicate that believing itself is the only obedience called for in salvation. By believing in the Son, we obey the Father’s will (John 6:29). This is “the obedience of faith,” they say; it is one-time obedience to the Father, not lasting obedience to the commandments of Christ. But obedience to Christ’s authority is clearly enjoined by texts such as John 3:36 (“He who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him”) and Hebrews 5:9 (“[Christ] became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation”). ”

(MacArthur is saying that ongoing obedience is necessary for salvation.)

Part 2:

“Unbelievers do make false professions of faith in Christ, and people who are not truly Christians can be deceived into thinking they are.”

(Lets examine though why professions might be false. A person could fake a religious conversion for personal gain. A person could trust in the wrong object or god for salvation. A person could hear about the right God but try to be saved by faith plus works. A person could try to “pray a prayer” for salvation because someone else is and have someone then tell them that they are saved. These are all possibilities but it is not a possibility for a person who hears the gospel and trusts Christ as Savior to be a false professor – even if his life seems to have a hard time backing it up. If the person believes Christ alone to save then it is accounted to him for righteousness and he is positionally justified and sanctified. One day that person will receive a glorified body because he is now a child of God. )

Referring to Nicodemus:

“His words, always tailored to the individual’s needs, never failed to puncture an inquirer’s self-righteousness, unveil wrong motives, or warn of false faith or shallow commitment. Jesus’ meeting with Nicodemus in John 3 is an example of this.”

(False faith is unbelief. Jesus did not want Nicodemus’s commitment. He wanted him to know how to be born again.)

“Nicodemus, then, stands as an illustration of inadequate faith. His mind accepted to some extent the truth of Christ, but his heart was unregenerate.”

(The object of faith has to be explained – verses 3:14-17)

“The Pharisees were so enamored with the law and religion that when Christ came offering grace and salvation to even the grossest of sinners, they would not receive Him.”

(It’s funny how LS advocates do essentially the same thing. They don’t receive him without adding in works. They perceive that accepting Christ by grace through faith is too easy. They tack on tests of works to determine if one is sincere or genuine.)

“A teacher himself, Nicodemus understood the rabbinical method of using figurative language to teach spiritual truth, and he was merely picking up Jesus’ symbolism. He was really saying, “I can’t start all over. It’s too late. I’ve gone too far in my religious system to start over. There’s no hope for me if I must begin from the beginning.”

(I have found this from those who have been tied up in things like Calvinism. They had fully bought in and weren’t going to hear anything else or start all over to rebuild their theological foundations.)

“Jesus was demanding that Nicodemus forsake everything he stood for, and Nicodemus knew it. Far from offering this man an easy conversion, Christ was challenging him with the most difficult demand He could make. Nicodemus would gladly have given money, fasted, or performed any ritual Jesus could have prescribed. But to call him to a spiritual rebirth was asking him to acknowledge his own insufficiency and turn away from everything he was committed to.”

(No, Nicodemus needed to believe. Jn 3:16. So Jesus went around offering people hard conversions? What Christ did was the hard part – that is living a sinless life and being the sacrifice on the cross for all mankind. Each person now has to decide if they will trust Him or reject His payment for their sin.)

“The water Jesus is speaking of is merely symbolic — as it was in the Old Testament — of purification.”

(No, for a Biblical discussion of this please see: http://www.cleargospel.org/topics.php?t_id=25&c_id=258 )

“Paul refers to this as “the washing of regeneration, and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5), almost perfectly echoing Jesus’ words in John 3:5: “Unless one is born of water [the washing of regeneration] and the Spirit [and renewing by the Holy Spirit], he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

(See the link above.)

“Salvation was never a reward for human works; it has always been a gift of grace for repentant sinners, made possible by the work of Christ.”

(False, it is a free gift for all who believe – not for people trying to turn from their sins. God also does not make people turn from their sins.)

“Even in the Old Testament, salvation was not a payoff for those who observed the law; it was a gift to those who humbly and by faith sought redemption from their sin. Yet it always meant a new start, a rebirth, a turning from sin to God.”

(Those who believed in the coming Messiah were saved. Think of Abraham as an example. Abraham did not turn from sin to God for salvation. Rom 4 says he had faith and it was accounted to him for righteousness.)

“They looked to Abraham as their father but overlooked the key lesson of his life: “He believed in the Lord; and [the Lord] reckoned it to him as righteous ness” (Gen. 15:6).

(Yes, this proves my point not MacArthur’s.)

“The message is simply that God graciously saves repentant sinners who come to Him in faith. There is no secret there, no mystery, no obscurity, and no complexity. If Nicodemus had truly understood God’s Word, he would have known that much.”

(Note the different use of the word repentance here. MacArthur means turns from sins etc – I mean change of mind.)

“Verses 11 – 12 confirm that unbelief was the real issue.”

(Yes, the problem is unbelief. The solution to unbelief is not to turn from your sins. The solution for unbelief is faith or to believe – change your mind! )

“And thus we have the starting point of Jesus’ gospel: that salvation is impossible apart from divinely wrought regeneration.”

(Not exactly. On one hand salvation does require the new birth but this new birth is a result of faith in Christ alone to save, not a result of God doing a mysterious work in us to regenerate us and make us believe, repent, persevere, and on and on as the Reformed Catholic view would have us to believe.)

“He chose an Old Testament illustration of salvation, as if to underscore His rebuke to Nicodemus for not understanding the truth of Scripture: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life” (vv. 14 – 15). Surely Nicodemus knew that story. Why hadn’t he ever understood its truth?”

(Why indeed? Why don’t LS proponents believe it either? I personally think that it is because it is too simple for them. Man always manages to complicate things.)

“The Lord gave this promise: “Everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he shall live” (Num. 21:8). He did not prescribe a ritual or a chant. Just so, salvation doesn’t happen by religious ceremony. That was true when the Israelites were in the wilderness; it was true for Nicodemus; it is true today. Those who reject obedience to Christ as an element of saving faith claim that Jesus selected this illustration to show that faith is simply embracing the facts of the gospel.”

(Correction, trust Christ alone for personal salvation.)

“In ‘looking,’ ” one author writes, “there is no idea of committal of life, no thought of healing being deserved, no question concerning the subsequent life of the looker, no possibility of surrender to the object of vision.”3 Zane Hodges adds, “Could anything be more profoundly simple than that! Eternal life for one look of faith! Clearly here too we meet the unconditional gift which may be acquired by any who desires it. . . . The issue is simply faith in the divine offer.”4

(Hodges is right here and MacArthur won’t accept it. It doesn’t jive with his theologically Reformed position.)

“Is that the case? Certainly not. The issue is not faith in the offer, but faith in the One who was lifted up.”

(This is what Hodges is saying as well. )

“A more careful study of Numbers 21 reveals that Jesus was not painting a picture of easy faith. He was showing Nicodemus the necessity of repentance.”

(If you mean changing your mind yes – if you mean turn from sins – no.)

““Without shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22). God’s sacrificial system demanded a blood atonement, for “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Someone must die to pay the price of sin.”

(Yes. Why so much talk then about MacArthur denying the importance of the blood of Christ?…)

“That truth leads into what is undoubtedly the most familiar and magnificent statement in all of Scripture: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

(This verse itself goes a long way toward disproving Calvinism and the whole Reformed view.)

“What does it mean to believe in Christ? It means more than accepting and affirming the truth of who He is — God in human flesh — and believing what He says.”

(Really, if so then what verses say that? Could it be that MacArthur is adding things to faith to fit his preconceived theological construct?)

“Real faith has at its heart a willingness to obey.”

(That makes no sense. The willingness on the part of the unbeliever is to put their faith in Christ – this IS obeying the gospel and Christ.)

“There is no way to eliminate that truth from this passage.”

(Sure, this is because it is not there to begin with. JMac is making it up.)

“Jesus does not allow for “faith” that gives lip service to the truth and then goes ahead in sin.”

(Jesus does not allow for faith that is placed in someone or something else or faith that is accompanied by works. There are two natures. Even believers still have the flesh with them in which they can sin if they so choose. Think of all of the people in the Bible who were recorded as believers but still chose to sin. David, Abraham, Lot, Samson, Peter, Paul, etc.  Some Calvinistic types say – well as long as the person doesn’t practice sin – (I John 3) however, the verses used for this indicate that a person must be perfect. Not one sin – so practice is eliminated in the equation. If you are trying to keep the law you have to keep all of it. The only way to be saved is to be born again upon faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to save based on His atonement. The new man does not sin but the flesh still does.)

“Look at verses 20 – 21: “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

(This carries with it elements relating to sanctification – not justification.)

“Verse 36 goes even further, equating disobedience with unbelief: “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Thus the test of true faith is this: Does it produce obedience? If not, it is not saving faith. Disobedience is unbelief. Real faith obeys.”

(To obey the gospel is to believe it. It is not talking about how we live after we are born again.)

“He came to bring salvation not just to Israel but to the whole world.

(Sure He really did but how does this square with MacArthur’s limited atonement view.?? )

“That is the reality of redemption. It is offered not just to Pharisees, not just to the Jews, but to “whoever believes in Him” (v. 16).

(It is offered to whoever will believe in Him. All men have the opportunity to believe, not just a few selected ones. It’s sad that JMac adds to faith. He misses out on something that he actually tries to say here.)

“There is no promise of life — only a guarantee of condemnation — for those who will not identify with the sinful, dying Israelites and turn from sin in obedient faith to the One who was lifted up so that they would not have to perish.”

(No turning from sin is needed, but a change of mind on who we will trust as Savior is needed.)

With the Christmas season upon us, lets remember that Christ came to seek and to save those which were lost. All men may now believe on Him based on His sinless life, death burial, and resurrection to be their substitute payment for their sin.  Trust Christ alone for salvation today if you have not already and, if so, spread the good news to others.
God Bless.

Jim Floyd

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