Recently I wrote a blog (see here) about whether the label no-lordship is a fair designation of Free Grace Theology. I suggested that it is pejorative since it suggests either that we do not believe in the Lordship of Jesus Christ or we do not proclaim it. Neither is true. That label is not fair.

Sam Marr, who works at GES and posts all the blogs, asked me if the opposite was fair. Is the label Lordship Salvation pejorative for the view that someone must repent, surrender, commit, and follow Christ to have everlasting life?

Lordship Salvation is a label that was coined by people in that camp. No one in Free Grace circles coined that expression as far as I recall.

The first modern discussion of Lordship Salvation that I recall was an article in 1959 in Eternity Magazine. Wikipedia writes (see here):

Connection of the word “Lordship” and salvation existed in a Ph.D. dissertation at Wheaton College in 1958. Therefore, the use of the term ‘Lordship salvation’ came before the first edition of MacArthur’s 1988 book, possibly after the 1959 debate in Eternity magazine, Sept 1959, between Presbyterian Everett F. Harrison [advocating that faith in Christ does not include submission to His Lordship], a professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, and John Stott, an Anglican theologian [advocating that faith in Christ includes repentance and submission to His Lordship].

I remember reading that article when I working on my master’s thesis at DTS in 1982.

I would gladly accept the label Lordship Salvation if I could define what it means. The expression itself is not pejorative. What is bothersome is the position itself.

I believe in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. If He were not Lord God Almighty, then He could not be faithful to His promise that “he who believes in Me has everlasting life” (John 6:47). I teach that when I evangelize.

I believe in salvation from eternal condemnation. I teach that too.

Hence, I believe in Lordship Salvation if that means that anyone who believes in the Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ for everlasting life has that life and will never perish. But since that is not what that expression means, I do not adopt it as accurately reflecting my view.

The very fact that Lordship Salvation advocates call our view no-lordship shows that the name Lordship Salvation is acceptable to them. If it were not acceptable to them, then they would say that they believe in no-lordship Salvation.

I am happy to call them by another name if it is truly descriptive. Some have called it Commitment Salvation. That seems fair. I think Discipleship Salvation or True Faith Salvation are accurate and not pejorative.

I urge people who believe that repentance and commitment and surrender and following Christ are needed to be born again to pray about this issue. Study the Gospel of John carefully. Is it as simple as being convinced that the Lord Jesus Christ guarantees eternal life to all who believe in Him for it?

Keep grace in focus and you will remain sure of your eternal destination.