There has been a lot written lately on the subject of “Lordship Salvation”. For quite some time now, Jonathan Moorhead has been antagonizing challenging a few of his readers who hold to what they call “Free Grace” theology. More recently, Pulpit Magazine has been posting articles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, more to come…) by John MacArthur, Bible teacher on Grace to You and author of The Gospel According to Jesus. In a corresponding series, Phil Johnson is writing How I got drawn into the Lordship debate (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, more to come…), chronicling his journey to his involvement in The Gospel According to Jesus and his present position at Grace to You. Nathan Busenitz has offered his input (1, 2, 3) as well at Pulpit Magazine.

Today, Nathan Casebolt has written Why Lordship Salvation Matters. Nathan’s introduction to the Lordship debate was very similar to my own. Before the publication of The Gospel According to Jesus, I had no idea that anyone could hold to such an absurd theology as so-called “Free Grace”. The Ryrie Study Bible was a hot item at the time, and the first study Bible I had ever seen, but I didn’t have one (I had been warned of his Calvinist tendencies – something I have never bothered to investigate – and wanted no part of that damnable heresy). Only recently have I realized how widespread this unbiblical nonsense is. Perhaps you are under the impression that there is a separation between Jesus as Savior and Jesus as Lord. If so, I encourage you to read the posts I have linked, and get a copy of The Gospel According to Jesus.

Finally, a word about terminology. John MacArthur has said that he doesn’t like the term “Lordship Salvation”, and I agree. It is a name given to Biblical Soteriology by its opponents, and implies, not accidentally, legalism. Yet Dr. MacArthur uses the term because it has become commonly understood and won’t go away. I suggest that we need a good term for the opposite (wrong) view. The “no-Lordship” moniker given by Biblical theologians is clumsy, in my opinion. “Free Grace” is the title preferred by its advocates, but that doesn’t fit. “Feckless Grace” would be more like it, if they want to maintain the “FG” abbreviation and the word “grace”. It’s a little rough, though, don’t you think? I suggest “Lordless Salvation”. Of course, that’s not entirely accurate, since someone must be lord – if not Jesus, then self. But I think it’s close enough. It’s certainly as appropriate as “Lordship Salvation”. If it catches on, it may be my only original contribution to… well, anything.