According to Ray, a lost sinner must do these things in addition to faith to be saved:
1) You must turn away from sin
2) Desire to have NOTHING to do with sin
3) surrender your life
Ray is absolutely correct that one MUST be aware of their need for a Savior. But he adds to the gospel by demanding additional requirements to saving faith!(yes he mixes in half truths!) Let me illustrate this. We are the sinners, Jesus is the Savior! If I threw a ball and broke a window, does ceasing from breaking additional windows repair the window I broke? Does wanting to do better repair the window? Does surrendering one's future to being more careful fix the window? No, either I must pay for it or someone else has to do it! Of course, repentance can be shown by being sorry, etc...but that's not the reason why we are saved!
”If you will confess and forsake your sins (repent) and trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, God will forgive you and you’ll pass from death to life. "
According to Ray, you have to forsake your sins(ie: stop sinning, turn away from sin) to come to Jesus Christ, but according to the Bible:
"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." John 5:24
Let me ask you this. How can a lost sinner turn away from sins before getting them dealt with by Jesus? False teachers make it a requirement, but the Bible exposes such thinking as foolish. We don't turn from our sins to come to Jesus, we turn to Jesus to save us from our sins! In fact, it was AFTER the lame man was healed did Jesus say to "sin no more"(John 5:14). It was AFTER the adulterous woman was forgiven, that Jesus said to "sin no more"(John 8:3-11).
1) You must turn away from sin
2) Desire to have NOTHING to do with sin
3) surrender your life
God does say a lot about turning from sins, abstaining from the appearance of sin, and surrendering your life to the Savior. The Word calls that discipleship, and that is telling BELIEVERS to yield themselves to Christ every day as Christians! So many are confusing "discipleship" verses with "salvation" verses! The Bible says forsaking sins(ie: turning from sins) is a condition for being a disciple; not for being saved (Luke 14:26-27, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:33, John 12:42, Romans 12:1-2).
"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 2 Timothy 2:19
"Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:22-23
To sanctify oneself means to "set ourselves apart" from the world(also see Romans 12:1-2). This verse is exhorting believers to turn from sinful habits, to have nothing to do with sin, etc....Read 1 Corinthians 3:1, and you will see an example of carnal Christians in the church whom Paul had to rebuke! Christians HAVE the Holy Spirit to help them conform their lives to Christ and away from the world(John 14:26), lost sinners do NOT! It is Jesus Christ who transforms the lives of new converts and all believers. We have no power on our own to do it!(Philippians 4:13, 2 Peter 1:2-4, etc) When churches obey the Word and disciple new converts(Matthew 28:19-20), those babes in Christ will grow in the Lord. Christians fall into sin! We have the Holy spirit to help us! What makes you think a lost person who doesn't even have the Holy Spirit living inside them, turn from their sins? I am not condoning sin, not at all!(see Romans 6:1-2). We must preach against sin, and point people to Jesus who paid the penalty for our sins! Evidence of faith is that one will be sorry for their sins, will want to commit their lives to Christ, etc, but the evidence is not part of salvation!
Lordship salvation eliminates growth in a Christian life, because as far as they are concerned, a lost sinner HAS made Jesus "Lord of their lives" to get saved. They put the cart before the horse, requiring sinners to stop sinning and make commitments, when it is Christians who are commanded to "grow" in the Lord. Getting saved is one thing. Living a consecrated Godly life is an entirely different matter. Many people will not come to Christ because they KNOW their deeds are evil, and they also know that a Christian should live differently(John 3:19-21). Once Jesus is in the life of the new convert, THAT is when Christ can work miraculously in his/her life to deal with sins! You cant expect the patient to get well or fix himself up before he sees the doctor! That's absurd!
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” 1 Peter 2:2
The Bible likens a new believer in Christ to a “newborn baby.” Carefully notice that the Bible doesn’t say “baby”; but rather, “newborn baby.” While an older baby might be able to perform certain advanced intellectual functions, such as saying “mama” or “papa”; a newborn baby is completely ignorant of its new life.
Likewise, when a lost sinner repents by turning to Jesus Christ in faith to be forgiven of their sins, they are born-again in Christ Jesus. At that point they are as helpless in their new spiritual life as is a baby physically born from its mother’s womb. Everything becomes new to them…
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
This is why the Apostle Peter, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in 1 Peter 2:2, said that a baby believer needs the MILK OF THE WORD to grow.
A patient doesn't go to a doctor unless he knows he is sick. He goes because he wants to get better! He doesn't go so he can go out and get sick again. The exact thing happens when a lost sinner comes to Jesus. He must KNOW he is lost and condemned under God's Holy law, deserving punishment because of his sins. He goes to the perfect Savior, Jesus to deal with them! There is a false teaching out there called "antinomianism" which is certainly nothing I endorse! I believe Lordship salvation tried to combat this but in doing so, fabricated damnable heresy itself!
Are all opponents of Lordship Salvation antinomians? No, absolutely not! The Word of God clearly states in Romans 3:31... "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." Also see Romans 6:15. Although the believer in Christ is freed from the CURSE of the Law, we are nevertheless expected to obey Christ, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." No believer has God's permission to sin.
What is so deceitful is that those who teach Lordship salvation declare that salvation is by faith alone! Lordship salvation completely contradicts such a declaration! This is satan at his most subtle. Declaring a truth, while speaking lies out of the other side of his mouth! I believe the Lordship crowd has good intentions, but they are teaching damnable heresy!
1) You must turn away from sin
2) Desire to have NOTHING to do with sin
3) surrender your life
Ray is absolutely correct that one MUST be aware of their need for a Savior. But he adds to the gospel by demanding additional requirements to saving faith!(yes he mixes in half truths!) Let me illustrate this. We are the sinners, Jesus is the Savior! If I threw a ball and broke a window, does ceasing from breaking additional windows repair the window I broke? Does wanting to do better repair the window? Does surrendering one's future to being more careful fix the window? No, either I must pay for it or someone else has to do it! Of course, repentance can be shown by being sorry, etc...but that's not the reason why we are saved!
”If you will confess and forsake your sins (repent) and trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, God will forgive you and you’ll pass from death to life. "
According to Ray, you have to forsake your sins(ie: stop sinning, turn away from sin) to come to Jesus Christ, but according to the Bible:
"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." John 5:24
Let me ask you this. How can a lost sinner turn away from sins before getting them dealt with by Jesus? False teachers make it a requirement, but the Bible exposes such thinking as foolish. We don't turn from our sins to come to Jesus, we turn to Jesus to save us from our sins! In fact, it was AFTER the lame man was healed did Jesus say to "sin no more"(John 5:14). It was AFTER the adulterous woman was forgiven, that Jesus said to "sin no more"(John 8:3-11).
1) You must turn away from sin
2) Desire to have NOTHING to do with sin
3) surrender your life
God does say a lot about turning from sins, abstaining from the appearance of sin, and surrendering your life to the Savior. The Word calls that discipleship, and that is telling BELIEVERS to yield themselves to Christ every day as Christians! So many are confusing "discipleship" verses with "salvation" verses! The Bible says forsaking sins(ie: turning from sins) is a condition for being a disciple; not for being saved (Luke 14:26-27, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:33, John 12:42, Romans 12:1-2).
"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 2 Timothy 2:19
"Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:22-23
To sanctify oneself means to "set ourselves apart" from the world(also see Romans 12:1-2). This verse is exhorting believers to turn from sinful habits, to have nothing to do with sin, etc....Read 1 Corinthians 3:1, and you will see an example of carnal Christians in the church whom Paul had to rebuke! Christians HAVE the Holy Spirit to help them conform their lives to Christ and away from the world(John 14:26), lost sinners do NOT! It is Jesus Christ who transforms the lives of new converts and all believers. We have no power on our own to do it!(Philippians 4:13, 2 Peter 1:2-4, etc) When churches obey the Word and disciple new converts(Matthew 28:19-20), those babes in Christ will grow in the Lord. Christians fall into sin! We have the Holy spirit to help us! What makes you think a lost person who doesn't even have the Holy Spirit living inside them, turn from their sins? I am not condoning sin, not at all!(see Romans 6:1-2). We must preach against sin, and point people to Jesus who paid the penalty for our sins! Evidence of faith is that one will be sorry for their sins, will want to commit their lives to Christ, etc, but the evidence is not part of salvation!
Lordship salvation eliminates growth in a Christian life, because as far as they are concerned, a lost sinner HAS made Jesus "Lord of their lives" to get saved. They put the cart before the horse, requiring sinners to stop sinning and make commitments, when it is Christians who are commanded to "grow" in the Lord. Getting saved is one thing. Living a consecrated Godly life is an entirely different matter. Many people will not come to Christ because they KNOW their deeds are evil, and they also know that a Christian should live differently(John 3:19-21). Once Jesus is in the life of the new convert, THAT is when Christ can work miraculously in his/her life to deal with sins! You cant expect the patient to get well or fix himself up before he sees the doctor! That's absurd!
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” 1 Peter 2:2
The Bible likens a new believer in Christ to a “newborn baby.” Carefully notice that the Bible doesn’t say “baby”; but rather, “newborn baby.” While an older baby might be able to perform certain advanced intellectual functions, such as saying “mama” or “papa”; a newborn baby is completely ignorant of its new life.
Likewise, when a lost sinner repents by turning to Jesus Christ in faith to be forgiven of their sins, they are born-again in Christ Jesus. At that point they are as helpless in their new spiritual life as is a baby physically born from its mother’s womb. Everything becomes new to them…
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
This is why the Apostle Peter, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in 1 Peter 2:2, said that a baby believer needs the MILK OF THE WORD to grow.
A patient doesn't go to a doctor unless he knows he is sick. He goes because he wants to get better! He doesn't go so he can go out and get sick again. The exact thing happens when a lost sinner comes to Jesus. He must KNOW he is lost and condemned under God's Holy law, deserving punishment because of his sins. He goes to the perfect Savior, Jesus to deal with them! There is a false teaching out there called "antinomianism" which is certainly nothing I endorse! I believe Lordship salvation tried to combat this but in doing so, fabricated damnable heresy itself!
Are all opponents of Lordship Salvation antinomians? No, absolutely not! The Word of God clearly states in Romans 3:31... "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." Also see Romans 6:15. Although the believer in Christ is freed from the CURSE of the Law, we are nevertheless expected to obey Christ, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." No believer has God's permission to sin.
What is so deceitful is that those who teach Lordship salvation declare that salvation is by faith alone! Lordship salvation completely contradicts such a declaration! This is satan at his most subtle. Declaring a truth, while speaking lies out of the other side of his mouth! I believe the Lordship crowd has good intentions, but they are teaching damnable heresy!