Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 143:569 (Jan 1986)
Article: Does the Bible Teach Lordship Salvation?
Author: Livingston Blauvelt, Jr.

BSac 143:569 (Jan 86) p. 37

Does the Bible Teach Lordship Salvation?

Livingston Blauvelt, Jr.

[Livingston Blauvelt, Jr., Bible Teacher, First Baptist Church, Tallahassee, Florida]

The issue of so-called lordship salvation is important, for it concerns one of the fundamentals of the faith—a truth basic to God’s plan of salvation and the assurance of everlasting life. Many Christians, and countless others on the brink of believing, are confused regarding the answer to the question “What must I do to be saved?”

What is lordship salvation? This is the view that for salvation a person must trust Jesus Christ as his Savior from sin and must also commit himself to Christ as Lord of his life, submitting to His sovereign authority.

This teaching is false because it subtly adds works to the clear and simple condition for salvation set forth in the Word of God. An unbeliever, to avail himself of the salvation offered in Christ, must only accept Him as his own personal Savior, believing that His death for sin on the cross was final and sufficient forever. This is not to minimize the importance of urging a soon committal to the sovereign authority of Jesus Christ. Of course it is recognized that many people may “say” they have faith (James 2:14) but have no genuine conversion. Mere verbal assent or mental acquiescence to the fact of Christ’s death, without any conviction of personal sin, is inadequate. That kind of so-called faith is pious pretense.

According to the Bible, salvation is always by faith alone. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can

BSac 143:569 (Jan 86) p. 38

boast” (Eph 2:8–9).1 People can do nothing to merit God’s gift of salvation, including making Jesus Christ Lord of their lives. In fact if one were not saved until Christ’s lordship was acknowledged, one would never be saved because “the natural man”—”unregenerate man” (Wuest2 ) or “the man without the Spirit” (NIV)—is not capable of any spiritual good so far as the attainment of salvation is concemed (1 Cor 2:14). To deny this truth is to deny man’s total depravity3 and the sufficiency of Christ’s death on the cross. To require from the unsaved a dedication to His lordship for their salvation is to make imperative what is only voluntary for believers (Rom 12:1;