Lordship Salvation and Carnal Christianity are terms used to refer to the sinner’s responsibility in salvation. The lordship of Christ refers to “Jesus Christ’s authority and rule over the life of the Christian.”⁵¹ Lordship Salvation, consequently, is the view that a person must accept Jesus as Lord and Savior in order to be saved. The sinner must believe the Gospel and repent.⁵² John MacArthur describes the importance of Lordship Salvation by saying that, “true faith is not lip service. Our Lord Himself pronounced condemnation on those who worshipped him with their lips but not with their lives (Matt 15:7-9).”⁵³

Carnal is “literally, ‘fleshly,’ an adjective usually applied to worldly or unspiritual Christians.”⁵⁴ A carnal Christian is a believer who has not repented of his sins and who continues to live a “worldly or unspiritual life.” According to Lewis Sperry Chafer, “the carnal Christian is . . . characterized by a ‘walk’ that is on the same plane as that of the ‘natural’ (unsaved) man.”⁵⁵ A carnal Christian is a believer who, for whatever reason, continues to live a life of sin to such an extent that he is easily confused with an unbeliever.

As can be seen by examining the following areas, the Bible teaches the doctrine of Lordship Salvation:

1. The Teachings of Jesus 

Luke 6:43–45 says,

For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a brier bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

Here, Jesus makes a distinction between a good tree and a bad tree. Why? Verses 46–47 say, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to Me, and hears My words, and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like . . .” Jesus is saying that those who follow Him will produce “good fruit.” Disciples of Jesus will look like disciples of Jesus. They will, in essence “do what I say.”⁵⁶

Luke 9:23 says, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” The logical implication here is that, if someone does not repent – “deny himself” – and “take up his cross daily,” he cannot follow Jesus.” In Luke 13:3, Jesus articulates this in a clearer manner: “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

2. The Teachings of the Apostles

In Acts 2, Peter gives the first recorded sermon after Jesus’ ascension into heaven (2:14). After Peter gave a Gospel presentation (vv. 14–36), the crowd asked him how they should respond. Peter answered, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (v. 38). After the first Gospel presentation from an apostle, came the first invitation to receive salvation from an Apostle. And this invitation was an invitation to repent.

Second Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” A believer cannot be “in Christ” and remain the same “old creature.” He must repent of his sins and become a “new creature.”

First John 2:3–4 states this clearly:

By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him.

The apostle John did not teach that a believer could be a Christian and remain “carnal.” In fact, he disagreed with this so deeply that he called such a man a “liar.”

Carnal Christianity is an incorrect view of the sinner’s responsibility in salvation. The Bible makes no distinction between Jesus’ roles of Savior and Lord. In order for a believer to be saved by the blood of Christ, he must submit himself unconditionally to the authority of Christ. Jesus cannot be accepted as Savior and not as Lord, for He is both. In order for salvation to occur, a sinner must believe that Jesus died for his sins and must repent of those sins. There is no other way for salvation to occur.

Endnotes