‘WHAT IS THE REQUIREMENT FOR SALVATION?
Part One
SO IS THERE A GOSPEL THAT IS A FALSE GOSPEL?
‘‘‘‘
The John MacArthur’s Lordship Position
vs
The Lou Martuineac’s Position
‘‘‘
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JESUS CHRIST
OR
in defense of the gospel
‘‘‘‘
Both sides tend to believe that the other is a "false gospel."

MY SYNOPSIS CHRONOLOGY OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE GOSPEL,

{A brief outline or general view and a record of events in the order of their occurrence}

If I introduce the gospel to a lost, unsaved person at church, in my home, or somewhere else, what am I going to tell him how to be saved. Could I use any of the more popular material to show a person how to be saved?
Should I be concerned about how I present the gospel to him, or more concerned to see the result of presenting the gospel?

WHAT IS TRUE CONVERSION?
Having preached for some forty years, you believe you have correctly presented the Word of God in a truthful manner, and you have not preached a false gospel.

It seems if your position theologically is based upon the sovereignty of God, and that God in His sovereignty has the final say as to who has been born again, and that He in His wisdom has chosen those who will be saved then that is a comfortable belief. That is, in the end, it’s the Lord’s decision as to who comes to be saved.

On the other hand, if you believe that man has the final word as to his own fate and salvation, it could be a little unsettling. If one’s salvation hinges upon a right understanding of the Word of God as he hears the Word preached, that too is a little unsettling.

Also, if the presentation of the Gospel has to be perfectly presented for one to be saved, that too could be a little unsettling.

From my early years in ministry and preaching as a teenager in youth revivals, and my own church, the method of presenting the Gospel was rather simple. In the process I gave little thought of the results of the preaching, and did little follow up on those who "made a decision" for Christ in a revival.

My first church I pastored for three and half years, I presented the Word of God in a manner that I believed was correct biblically, and there were those who came and "were saved." I certainly did not question their salvation. For the most part those who "made decisions" were believed to be genuine conversions. The conclusion was that they were born again. Based upon what I presented as the gospel, they were saved.
Then ten years later at our second church I was pastoring, our focus on preaching/teaching became expositional in nature. As we taught through the book of Romans for five years, our understanding of salvation and the means where by one was "saved," changed.

• We began to look upon the result of ones "decision" to be saved. We started to view one’s attitude and thinking, and behavior in relationship to his desire to be a Christian.
• What changed was, we didn’t seem to accept someone’s "decision" to become a Christian, at face value. We might have at the moment accepted the decision that they were making to become a Christian, based upon our presentation of the gospel of being born again.

Based upon what we preached and presented to them, the "how" to be born again was what we believed to be correct. As I remember (1980-1996), I didn’t mention that salvation was by the "five "solas". Grace alone, faith alone..... the alone’s were never a part of the presentation. In the sixteen years I was the pastor/teacher, I don’t think I mentioned those terms. But I taught those ideas.

What I did was to teach verse by verse the book of Romans in 1984 and then in First Peter in 1995-96 . One of the opening statements I made from I Peter chapter One.

• Reading 1 Peter 1:1.... that is to say, God has chosen us, sovereignly, by His unaffected, divine will. Strictly on the basis of His own free sovereign grace.
• He predetermined to set love on certain people, from all the world, and they are the elect. That is the nature of our election. {Sermon 60.4 page 46 from my manuscript.}

I also addressed this "Election" when I preached from Ephesians: When you teach word by word, you are going to have to deal with this sovereignty issue.

• Then upon reading John MacArthur’s "The Gospel According to Jesus Christ" in 1989, the Lordship position became a factor in my thinking.

"The gospel call to faith presupposes that sinners must repent of their sin and yield to Christ’s authority."

That, in a sentence, is what "lordship salvation" teaches"

Drafted by Charles E. Whisnant, Proof Read by Charity 11-14-06 #91