Have you ever heard a pastor or evangelist say, “If Jesus is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all!" or "Salvation is free, but it will cost you everything!"? These clever sounding clichés are repeated so often that many people assume they are true, BUT... Click #2 above to continue
These sayings are actually misleading and unbiblical because they imply that we are saved, not by faith in Jesus Christ alone, but by faith plus works, or faith plus obedience, or faith plus personal submission to the Lordship of Christ. Click #3 above...
When a preacher or evangelist tells an unsaved person to completely submit or surrender to Jesus as their lord and master, he is asking them to do the impossible! Even worse, the preacher or evangelist is asking the unsaved person to do what God has not asked them to do! Click #4 above...
The Bible makes it clear that an unbeliever is utterly powerless to do anything righteous or pleasing to God (Romans 8:8, Isaiah64:6). If personal righteousness, submission and devotion are necessary for a person to be saved, then no one could be saved. "There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who does good, no one who seeks God" (Romans 3:10). Click #5 above...
Our attempts at submission are not only inadequate, but they are tainted and polluted by our inherent sinfulness. They are offensive and utterly unacceptable to God! The only one who who can save us from our sin and self-righteousness is Jesus Christ. Only His one act of submission on the cross is accepted by God the Father as payment for our sins and justification!
The Bible makes it clear that we are only made right with God by simple childlike faith in Christ's finished work on the cross on our behalf - totally apart from our personal obedience or submission. It is only after we have been declared righteous in God's sight that the Holy Spirit begins to produce the fruit of obedience in our lives. To read a full length article on this important subject, click here.