"And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." Numbers 21:6-9
Not only have the Scriptures spoken loud and clear about the simplicity of the gospel, the Old Testament models how one is saved(in other passages as well). In this passage notice a number of things:
1)The people of Israel sinned
2)The LORD sent deadly snakes as rightful punishment
3)The people realize they have sinned
4)They look upon a serpent on a pole, and are healed
Now, notice the underlying principle of what this models:
1)All man has sinned(Romans 3:23, Isaiah 64:6)
2)The penalty of sin is death and hellfire(Romans 6:23, Revelation 20:13-15, 21:8)
3)Man realizes he is a sinner before God Almighty. That he is condemned by God's Holy law(Romans 3:19-20).
4)Man looks upon Christ as the only way to heaven(Isaiah 45:21-22, Galatians 2:16)
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:14-15
Isaiah 45:21-22 is a powerful passage of Scripture:
"...there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." Isaiah 45:21-22
Just as the people looked upon the serpent on the pole to be healed from certain death, so man must look upon the Lord Jesus Christ as the only means to salvation! You're either looking completely upon Jesus, or looking upon yourself. Lordship salvation is the lordship of works, not Christ! It's a deceptive tool created by satan and his ministers! Nowhere in Numbers 21:6-9, Isaiah 45:21-22 were the people told to make life commitments or turn away from sins to be healed/saved. All they had to do was realize they needed a Savior and look upon Him! The publican did just that:
"And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner." Luke 18:13
Notice, the publican realized he was a sinner, and asked God for mercy. Saving faith means placing trust on Christ ALONE.
"And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." Luke 23:39-43
1)one of the men saw his own sinfulness, and saw Jesus Christ as sinless
2)he believed that Jesus was the only hope and Savior
3)Jesus declares him righteous by BELIEVING on Him!
"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, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Romans 4:5-8
Please don't let deceptive men fool you into believing a false gospel! Lordship salvation is a malicious attempt by the devil to deceive multitudes into believing a counterfeit gospel. The devil will EVEN speak half truths, and say salvation is by faith alone, but say that that involves making commitments to Christ and turning away from sins. Lordship salvation cannot hold up to Scripture. I beg you, if you have always trusted in MacArthur or Ray's false plan of salvation, start trusting only on Christ to save you! If you are a believer and got caught up in this heresy, please start preaching the Biblical gospel, don't be carried about with every wind of doctrine(Ephesians 4:14).
Not only have the Scriptures spoken loud and clear about the simplicity of the gospel, the Old Testament models how one is saved(in other passages as well). In this passage notice a number of things:
1)The people of Israel sinned
2)The LORD sent deadly snakes as rightful punishment
3)The people realize they have sinned
4)They look upon a serpent on a pole, and are healed
Now, notice the underlying principle of what this models:
1)All man has sinned(Romans 3:23, Isaiah 64:6)
2)The penalty of sin is death and hellfire(Romans 6:23, Revelation 20:13-15, 21:8)
3)Man realizes he is a sinner before God Almighty. That he is condemned by God's Holy law(Romans 3:19-20).
4)Man looks upon Christ as the only way to heaven(Isaiah 45:21-22, Galatians 2:16)
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:14-15
Isaiah 45:21-22 is a powerful passage of Scripture:
"...there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." Isaiah 45:21-22
Just as the people looked upon the serpent on the pole to be healed from certain death, so man must look upon the Lord Jesus Christ as the only means to salvation! You're either looking completely upon Jesus, or looking upon yourself. Lordship salvation is the lordship of works, not Christ! It's a deceptive tool created by satan and his ministers! Nowhere in Numbers 21:6-9, Isaiah 45:21-22 were the people told to make life commitments or turn away from sins to be healed/saved. All they had to do was realize they needed a Savior and look upon Him! The publican did just that:
"And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner." Luke 18:13
Notice, the publican realized he was a sinner, and asked God for mercy. Saving faith means placing trust on Christ ALONE.
"And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." Luke 23:39-43
1)one of the men saw his own sinfulness, and saw Jesus Christ as sinless
2)he believed that Jesus was the only hope and Savior
3)Jesus declares him righteous by BELIEVING on Him!
"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, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Romans 4:5-8
Please don't let deceptive men fool you into believing a false gospel! Lordship salvation is a malicious attempt by the devil to deceive multitudes into believing a counterfeit gospel. The devil will EVEN speak half truths, and say salvation is by faith alone, but say that that involves making commitments to Christ and turning away from sins. Lordship salvation cannot hold up to Scripture. I beg you, if you have always trusted in MacArthur or Ray's false plan of salvation, start trusting only on Christ to save you! If you are a believer and got caught up in this heresy, please start preaching the Biblical gospel, don't be carried about with every wind of doctrine(Ephesians 4:14).