Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Here is the final paper for my graduate degree. It was interesting to write, since my professor is opposed to what I assert. Sip on a cup of coffee, read this, and get saved.
Lordship Salvation
Within the past two decades a debate has been going on amongst Evangelicals as to how a person comes to salvation in Jesus. Within this debate there are two main groups: One group believes that a person comes to salvation by faith alone, with or without making Jesus Lord of their life (I accept salvation, now I choose whether or not you are Lord); the other group maintains that salvation comes as a result of a commitment to Christ, and that following Jesus as Lord is an aspect of salvation (I choose to follow you as Lord, therefore, I accept salvation). This is a huge theological issue with large ramifications. I have prayed, read, and researched through various books, hoping to find out which group I belong to. Although, my answers are still in process, it is my intent that through this paper I will clearly demonstrate the theology I believe to be biblical.
Discipleship
Where does discipleship fit into this theological debate? Is it part of salvation?
First let us define discipleship. The word disciple is used throughout the Bible to mean: pupil or learner. The Pharisees considered themselves disciples of Moses; followers of John the Baptist were called disciples of John, this holds equally true for followers of Jesus who were called his disciples. Discipleship was always predicated upon a call from Jesus (Mark 1:16; 10:21) and meant undivided commitment to him, which was expressed in obedience to him. I. H. Marshall says, discipleship to Jesus “went well beyond the normal pupil-teacher relationship and gave the word ‘disciple’ a new sense. Faith in Jesus and allegiance to him are what determine the fate of men at the last judgment (Lk. 12:8f.).” (Pg. 285) Jesus expanded the definition of the word because the evangelists understood him to be more than a mere man, but God himself. The word does not appear outside of the gospels and Acts, but other NT writers refer to disciples in other terms including believers, saints, or brothers. Therefore, from the perspective of the NT a believer was a disciple; and belief entailed commitment to God through the person of Christ.
In the early church being a Christian meant being Jesus’ disciple. What does Christian mean other than Christ-follower? To follow Jesus is to be his disciple and to be a disciple is to be a Christian. Acts 11:26 says, “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch;” furthermore, in Acts 9:2, and 24:14, Paul refers to the believers as “followers of the Way.” The word translated into “Way” is the Greek word hodos, which is the same word Jesus uses to describe himself in John 14:6 saying, “I am the Way…” Clearly the implications in Acts show that, (a) disciples of Christ were called Christians; they were not Christians first who then became disciples; and (b) Paul identified them, and himself, as followers of “the Way,” who is Jesus; thus, they were followers of Jesus.
Does discipleship necessitate Lordship? The answer is clearly: Yes. A disciple of Christ acknowledges him as “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28) Thomas’ confession is to be recognized as the high point of faith. Too, this confession is not solely Thomas’ but is included in the gospel to be seen as a normative response by a disciple to the resurrected Christ: You are my Lord and my God. Therefore, discipleship means Lordship, and Lordship means adherence to that Lord.
Jesus speaks to this saying, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46) Jesus is here pointing out the opposite of a normal relationship to himself: If I’m Lord than you should obey me. He is making it obvious to the multitude, that his disciples were expected to obey him, since obedience to him was a demonstration of his position in their life. The Lutheran theologian and pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer makes this statement, “In the end, the first step of obedience proves to be an act of faith in the word of Christ. But we should completely misunderstand the nature of grace if we were to suppose that there was no need to take the first step because faith was already there. Against that we must boldly assert that the step of obedience must be taken before faith can be possible. Unless he obeys, a man cannot believe.” Later he adds his axiom, “Only those who obey can believe, and only those who believe can obey.” (Pg. 66; 70)
Biblically, being a Christian means following Christ as his disciple. There is no biblical evidence that people became a Christian without committing themselves to Christ in discipleship. Unlike our modern constructs, Scripture makes no difference between discipleship and belief in Jesus, or for that matter, a disciple and someone who is “saved;” belief in Jesus, and discipleship are biblically synonymous concepts. Likewise, “To be a disciple involved an unreserved and exclusive commitment to Jesus.” (Marshall Pg. 576) There should be little doubt that unreserved, exclusive commitment to Jesus means making him “Lord and God” of the believer’s life.
Discipleship: Pre-or-Post Salvation
Almost the whole of Jesus’ ministry was focused on what it meant to follow him, the cost involved, and the benefits to following him. Here are some passages that require our attention if we are to determine whether Discipleship, and therefore Lordship, is a Pre-or-Post salvation decision by the believer:
Mark 10:17-22 describes a scenario in which a rich young man questions Jesus about salvation. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus then speaks to him of the commandments, which he claims to have kept. Then Jesus, knowing the true issue that is keeping him from following says, “go, sell what you own…then come follow me.” Jesus requires this man to choose discipleship, there is no middle ground; knowing Jesus mandates that he alone take primacy in the man’s life; he alone is Lord. This, as we see, is too much for him to accept, and Jesus freely allows him to go. When Jesus asks the man to sell everything and follow him it is not identical with salvation; it is not a work to achieve it. However, it is the indispensable beginning to the salvation life, which is Jesus. Bonhoeffer says, “Discipleship is the end, voluntary poverty the means.” (Pg. 75) Jesus does not say, “be justified by your faith,” but says, “obey me, demonstrate your belief, then become my disciple.” Too, this parable should be seen in sharp contrast to the parallel story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) whose actions resulted in Jesus saying, “Today salvation has come to this house…” Why? Because his obedience is belief.
In Luke 14 Jesus puts certain conditions upon discipleship: “If anyone comes to me, and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children…his own life, he cannot be my disciple;” “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple;” “So therefore, no one of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.” (Vv. 26, 27, 33) Jesus is calling people to discipleship, to a commitment in him. He is challenging them to allegiance to either themselves or loyalty to him. It is clear that the disciple must have but one love, one Lord: Self or Jesus; and this decision is a condition of discipleship.
In Mark 8:34-37 Jesus says, “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” Jesus says only those who lose their life for his sake will save it. These verses share the common theme with Luke: Denial of self and adherence to Christ is required; if you are to follow Jesus he alone is Lord. But this verse takes it a step further and speaks of what a person must do in order to save his life; only “those who lose their life” for Jesus will save their life. Jesus is here putting a pre-condition on salvation. What else can this verse mean? William Hendrickson, speaking of this verse says, “It is only by losing oneself—looking away from self in order to serve the Master and his ‘little ones’ (Cf. Matt. 25:40)—that one can ever be saved…For the sinner salvation is impossible apart from obedience to this rule.” (Pg. 500) To what rule? An individual must make a commitment to Jesus, losing his life, as a condition of “sav(ing) it.”
In John 12:24-26 Jesus tells the parable about the Grain of Wheat. Speaking of the seed, which falls to the ground and produces fruit he says, “He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to eternal life. If anyone serves me, let him follow me.” When speaking of the grain Jesus is here speaking of himself; however, he is also at the same time speaking of his disciples. D.A. Carson says, “But if the principle modeled by the seed—that death is the necessary condition for the generation of life—is peculiarly applicable to Jesus, in a slightly different way it is properly applied to all of Jesus’ followers.” (Pp 438-439) Once again Jesus is speaking of death, which brings about life; he shares how to save our life, by hating it, which is demonstrated by following him, throughout the NT this is called discipleship.
In Matthew 25 the evangelist includes a parable given by Jesus. Here we are told, “all the nations will be gathered before him” (v. 32) and he will separate them into two groups. One group will inherit the Kingdom, and the other group will inherit eternal fire. The large group is composed of people who should have known the condition by which Jesus would be separating them; they were expected to “love people” as an obligation to their relationship with Jesus. In the end, whatever the followers of Jesus did or did not do will be a defining mark for their eternal punishment, or being declared as righteous in God’s presence. Obedience is a condition to salvation.
Matthew 28:19 is another verse that speaks clearly about the importance of discipleship. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Here again Jesus speaks of discipleship as being the normative relationship of the believer to himself. Jesus could have just as easily said, “Go, and make people recognize me as Savior, baptizing them…then after this, help them make me Lord.” However, Jesus said, “make disciples who obey me.” Obviously Jesus knows the apostles must get this right; salvation is at stake. They will be the ones who teach the world what it means to be “born again;” and Jesus’ answer here: Discipleship. James Boice asserts, “This theology (Savior first) separates faith from discipleship and grace from obedience. It teaches that Jesus can be received as one’s Savior without being received as one’s Lord…Discipleship is not a supposed second step in Christianity, as if one first became a believer in Jesus and then, if he chooses, a disciple.” (Pg. 13-14) Furthermore, when we read Peter’s words to the crowd at Pentecost “Repent and be baptized” (Acts 2:38) one should clearly understand: only disciples were to be baptized.
Evidently, not everyone who calls Jesus Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of his Father. What is the will of the father? To believe in Jesus, but to believe in Jesus is to commit to him, and biblically, this meant discipleship.
Language and Concepts: Static or Dynamic?
As Westerners (Greek in thought) our whole concept of life is based upon a static system of communication, and therefore, fixed systems of belief. Noted linguist Charles Kraft says this, “Much of contemporary western Christianity seems static.” (Pg. 237) This he concludes is a result of the way we express Christian thoughts: God is love, God is my Father, the Lord is my Shepherd, etc, are static. To demonstrate the contrast he offers these dynamic alternatives: God relates to me lovingly, God treats me as a good father treats his child, the Lord guides me like a shepherd guides his sheep, etc.
Hebrew, on the other hand, is a dynamic language (Likewise Greek is more dynamic than English). Commenting on this Dr. Kraft says, “Greek embodied much action in nouns which, when translated literally into English, result in an impression of staticness.” (Pg. 237) Using the example of the Greek word logos he argues that when John used it he was, like most bilinguals, translating a thought from his native tongue into another language. The Hebrew term John would have translated would have been the word dabar, and this word in its original context carries a dynamic meaning.
Language dictates our thoughts, and our thoughts shape our beliefs, and our beliefs direct our actions. Therefore, our understanding of words (language) directly effects how we view concepts; and this includes the concepts of: Faith and Belief. Leslie Newbigin says, “The language of a people provides the means by which they express their way of perceiving things and of coping with them. (Pg. 3)
Our static concepts effect our understanding of what salvation is. When most Christians speak of becoming Christians they point to a specific point in time. A common question amongst our circles is: “When did you get saved?” answer: Dec. 5, 1989. This is a completely modern paradigm. Nowhere in the NT does anyone point to a specific point in the past to prove his or her salvation. In fact, the NT always asks the present to validate salvation: Paul “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith.” (2 Cor 13:5) or “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed…continue to work out your salvation…” (Phil. 2:12).
The hermeneutical lens by which we approach scripture has a tremendous effect upon how we view its claims on our lives. Our practice will reflect our theology; thus, most Westerners equate being a Christian with knowing doctrines rightly. For example, during the McCarthy era when America was fearful of Communist spies invading their ranks, some advisors of President Eisenhower advised him to create a Christian test for all government workers. This specific test included numerous doctrines a Christian was expected to know in order to be a Christian. They assumed Communists would not know the answers to these questions. Evidently, to be a Christian one only needed to pass a multiple-choice questionnaire. Truman never allowed this test, but this was one of the contributing factors to changing the Pledge of Allegiance and American currency to include references to God.
Faith: Static or Dynamic?
Is the biblical understanding of faith dynamic? Faith is the means by which we are justified, so the argument goes. However, is faith a static event or is it a process by which the believer lives in a relationship with God. Luther derived his “Justified by faith alone” from Romans by using Abraham as his example; however, Paul does not go into great detail about the characteristics of faith, only that we are justified by it.
In Romans 4:3 we read “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Abraham’s faith in God is the very thing that justified him before God. Abraham believed God’s promise that “…from your own body will be your heir.” And “Look into the heavens and count the stars…So shall your offspring be.” (Gen. 15:5) Therefore, faith is what puts Abraham in right standing with God and not the law.
However, this is not the end of the story; it seems as if God is not yet finished with Abraham’s faith; thus, we get another foundational story in chapter 22. Here God asks Abraham to sacrifice the very heir God had promised to him. Abraham obeys God and God says, “Because you have done this…I will indeed bless you…and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessings for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.” (Gen. 22:16-18) Once again this is a story about Abraham’s faith.
If faith is a static event then why was it necessary for God to test Abraham’s faith? Wasn’t the requirement of the previously made promise to Abraham already fulfilled because of his faith? We must conclude that the answer is: no. The first promise is openly conditional; not upon Abraham’s belief, but upon Abraham believing. Again, the positive outcome of Abraham’s obedience was a renewal of the before stated promise; therefore, we must also presume that disobedience would have led to a denial of that same promise. Furthermore, Abraham did not point to the past as proof of his faith saying, “I’m already justified, the promise is mine whether or not I obey this command.” Abraham was required to demonstrate his faith in the present. Biblical faith is not a one-time event.
Likewise, Biblical faith is not described as an intellectual decision alone, but is exhibited through obedience. The book of Hebrews gives us the greatest amount of material as to what biblical faith is. It is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1) The author then highlights certain people who throughout the Bible displayed faith in God, and most of these through their actions of obedience (the smaller portion point to a faith without an action attached).
From these examples we can confidently claim that faith is a dynamic concept and not, as is popular in our theological paradigms, inactive. Moreover, faith is not, from Biblical examples, a purely psychological event; it is often equated with an act of obedience. As a result, acts of obedience are called faith, and faith is often determined through an action (although this is not always the case, it does not lessen the strength of the argument).
Jesus: Lord or Savior?
Much of the issue within this debate stems from this question: When is Jesus Lord, and when is he Savior in the creation of a believer? Those who hold that Jesus must be Savior first and then Lord after salvation, hold this principle because requiring a convert to “give his life to Jesus,” thus making him Lord, is seen as something other than faith, it is a work; and therefore from a NT perspective it is unbiblical.
In the NT Jesus is referred to by many titles or names including: Master, King of Kings, I Am, Servant, Son of Man, Son of God, Messiah, Teacher, Prophet, Lord, Lamb of God, and Savior. These titles sometimes refer to actual specific functions that Jesus is performing at a given moment, i.e. Teacher; his person or his attributes, i.e. I Am; or both, i.e. Lamb of God. The titles Savior and Lord are both titles that describe a function and attribute of who Jesus is (see Acts 2:21and 5:31b).
In the early church, including the writings of Paul, these two terms seemed fairly interchangeable. Apparently, as is common today, there was not a separation of the two titles for Jesus. He was not viewed as Savior or Lord; he is Lord Savior or Savior Lord.
However, out of the two titles in consideration here, Lord was the title and position the early church sought to establish in the lives of its earliest converts. Consider these verses: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven…” (Matthew 7:21) “For Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord of the dead and the living.” (Romans 14:9) “…so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend…and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” (Phil. 2:10- 11) Lord was the title used by the early church because it best defined Jesus’ high-ranking status in the cosmos. Marshall says this concerning the title Lord, “If Jesus was now Lord, it followed that the task of the early church was to lead people to recognize the status of Jesus. New converts became members of the church by acknowledging Jesus as Lord.” (Pg. 589) This agrees with, Romans 10:9, “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Marshall again adds, ”Lord primarily expresses the exalted position of Jesus and this rule over the universe and especially over believers who accept his Lordship. It is thus especially used when the responsibility of Christians to obey Jesus is being expressed.” (Pg. 590) Why didn’t Paul say, “confess Jesus as Savior?” Because there can be but one Lord in a believer’s heart, God alone sits upon the throne of his Temple.
Confession of Jesus as Lord was the indicating feature in a Christian’s life. Therefore, submitting to the Lordship of Jesus simultaneously or as a pre-condition to salvation was normative within the early church; calling Jesus Savior and then deciding whether to make him Lord is a practice not advocated in Scripture, it is a modern distortion. A.W. Tozer makes this point, “We have no basis to believe we can come casually to the Lord Jesus and say, ‘I understand that you are the Savior so I am going to believe and be saved and then I am going to turn away and think about the other matters of lordship, allegiance, and obedience at some other time.’ I warn you, you will not get help from Him in that way for the Lord will not save those whom he cannot command. He will not divide His offices. You cannot believe in a half Christ.” (Pp. 14-16, 18-20) Regrettably, it seems in America we have advocated a half-Christ; 75% of Americans claim to be Christian, by what standard?
Conclusion
In the early church to be a Christian was to be a disciple of Christ. (Matt. 28:19). Jesus seems to emphasize this point with his various parables, which speak to conditions of a relationship with him; and this is his invitation to a relationship with him: in order to live you must die. Therefore, Jesus makes it clear that commitment is a condition of salvation.
Biblically, faith is a dynamic concept. Unfortunately, our enlightenment worldview renders this concept as fixed; this leads to the misunderstanding of salvation being a one-time event. As we follow certain characters in the bible we see that faith is an ongoing process. Likewise, justification through faith is also a repeated event in the life of the believer; thus, faith is about a relationship with God, through Jesus.
Belief infers obedience. Jesus puts the condition of obedience upon his followers. It is not enough to call him “Lord;” this conviction must be actualized within the life of the individual who believes. It is impossible to separate belief from action, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) Too, although not speaking about salvation James says, "Faith without works is dead." (James 2:26) Your actions indicate what you believe, as it is impossible to do anything (outside of external force), which is contrary to what you believe.
The title most commonly used by the early church as a designation of the person and position of Jesus within the believer’s life is Lord (Read Acts!). This is in agreement with Jesus’ emphasis on discipleship, since those who follow him must recognize him as Lord. Too, the NT writers had access to other words with which to define Jesus, but use the title Lord in pivotal verses such as: Acts 2: 21; 25; 34; 36; Romans 10:9, etc. Paul uses no other word for Jesus during his conversion. Paul says, “Who are you Lord?” (Acts 9:5) “What shall I do, Lord.” (Ibid. 22:10a) “The Lord said to me” (Ibid. 22:10b) He was then baptized (via. Matt. 28:19) calling on his name. (Ibid. 22:16) Why would Paul assume lordship was optional for others is if wasn’t’ for him? Clearly Paul recognized Jesus’ position in his life and consequently says we must call Jesus Lord. Moreover, to think Paul would say, “confess Jesus as Lord,” and imagine he intended believers to acknowledge Jesus’ Lordship of the cosmos, but not their life is a ridiculous idea. To suggest that Paul asserts Lordship as optional is a clear example of eisegesis.
Discipleship is not works! It is only by grace that we are saved and this by (dynamic) faith. However, our understanding of discipleship must recognize discipleship as God’s call to grace. Obedience is not works, “Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'" (Luke 17:9-11) Discipleship is our duty to God. We are only doing what is expected of us, nothing extra.
Savior first theology is dangerously close to idolatry. In allowing people to consider whether or not God is LORD, and this after salvation, makes self-lordship optional. God is very clear there is but one LORD; as it is, this theology allows a person to choose if they will allow God to be LORD or not. And why would you make him LORD, seeing as your salvation is secure; you can escape hell and love the world too. Advocating anything but complete Lordship is idolatry; you cannot serve two masters, you must love the one and hate the other. The Bible is painfully clear at this point.
“Yet the outcome of the Reformation was the victory, not of Luther’s perception of grace in all its purity and costliness, but of the vigilant religious instinct of man for the place where grace is to obtained at the cheapest price.” (Bonhoeffer, Pg. 49) We have been unfaithful to Luther’s revelation; thus, turning justification of the sinner to mean justification of the sin. Salvation isn’t a doctrine; it’s a person.
Which sounds more like Jesus? Do you want to go to heaven? Then please mark the box on the welcome card; or, “Follow me.”
Boice, James Montgomery, Christ’s Call to Discipleship, Moody, Chicago, 1986.
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, The Cost of Discipleship, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1959.
Carson, D.A., The Gospel According to John, Erdmann’s, Michigan, 1991.
Hendrickson, William, New Testament Commentary, The Gospel of Luke, Baker,
Michigan 1978.
Marshall, New Bible Dictionary, 2nd Ed, Intervarsity Press, Illinois, 1962.
Newbigin, Leslie, Foolishness to the Greeks, Erdmann’s, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1986.
Tozer, A.W., I Call It Heresy, Christian Publications, Camp Hill, 1974.
Lordship Salvation
Within the past two decades a debate has been going on amongst Evangelicals as to how a person comes to salvation in Jesus. Within this debate there are two main groups: One group believes that a person comes to salvation by faith alone, with or without making Jesus Lord of their life (I accept salvation, now I choose whether or not you are Lord); the other group maintains that salvation comes as a result of a commitment to Christ, and that following Jesus as Lord is an aspect of salvation (I choose to follow you as Lord, therefore, I accept salvation). This is a huge theological issue with large ramifications. I have prayed, read, and researched through various books, hoping to find out which group I belong to. Although, my answers are still in process, it is my intent that through this paper I will clearly demonstrate the theology I believe to be biblical.
Discipleship
Where does discipleship fit into this theological debate? Is it part of salvation?
First let us define discipleship. The word disciple is used throughout the Bible to mean: pupil or learner. The Pharisees considered themselves disciples of Moses; followers of John the Baptist were called disciples of John, this holds equally true for followers of Jesus who were called his disciples. Discipleship was always predicated upon a call from Jesus (Mark 1:16; 10:21) and meant undivided commitment to him, which was expressed in obedience to him. I. H. Marshall says, discipleship to Jesus “went well beyond the normal pupil-teacher relationship and gave the word ‘disciple’ a new sense. Faith in Jesus and allegiance to him are what determine the fate of men at the last judgment (Lk. 12:8f.).” (Pg. 285) Jesus expanded the definition of the word because the evangelists understood him to be more than a mere man, but God himself. The word does not appear outside of the gospels and Acts, but other NT writers refer to disciples in other terms including believers, saints, or brothers. Therefore, from the perspective of the NT a believer was a disciple; and belief entailed commitment to God through the person of Christ.
In the early church being a Christian meant being Jesus’ disciple. What does Christian mean other than Christ-follower? To follow Jesus is to be his disciple and to be a disciple is to be a Christian. Acts 11:26 says, “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch;” furthermore, in Acts 9:2, and 24:14, Paul refers to the believers as “followers of the Way.” The word translated into “Way” is the Greek word hodos, which is the same word Jesus uses to describe himself in John 14:6 saying, “I am the Way…” Clearly the implications in Acts show that, (a) disciples of Christ were called Christians; they were not Christians first who then became disciples; and (b) Paul identified them, and himself, as followers of “the Way,” who is Jesus; thus, they were followers of Jesus.
Does discipleship necessitate Lordship? The answer is clearly: Yes. A disciple of Christ acknowledges him as “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28) Thomas’ confession is to be recognized as the high point of faith. Too, this confession is not solely Thomas’ but is included in the gospel to be seen as a normative response by a disciple to the resurrected Christ: You are my Lord and my God. Therefore, discipleship means Lordship, and Lordship means adherence to that Lord.
Jesus speaks to this saying, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46) Jesus is here pointing out the opposite of a normal relationship to himself: If I’m Lord than you should obey me. He is making it obvious to the multitude, that his disciples were expected to obey him, since obedience to him was a demonstration of his position in their life. The Lutheran theologian and pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer makes this statement, “In the end, the first step of obedience proves to be an act of faith in the word of Christ. But we should completely misunderstand the nature of grace if we were to suppose that there was no need to take the first step because faith was already there. Against that we must boldly assert that the step of obedience must be taken before faith can be possible. Unless he obeys, a man cannot believe.” Later he adds his axiom, “Only those who obey can believe, and only those who believe can obey.” (Pg. 66; 70)
Biblically, being a Christian means following Christ as his disciple. There is no biblical evidence that people became a Christian without committing themselves to Christ in discipleship. Unlike our modern constructs, Scripture makes no difference between discipleship and belief in Jesus, or for that matter, a disciple and someone who is “saved;” belief in Jesus, and discipleship are biblically synonymous concepts. Likewise, “To be a disciple involved an unreserved and exclusive commitment to Jesus.” (Marshall Pg. 576) There should be little doubt that unreserved, exclusive commitment to Jesus means making him “Lord and God” of the believer’s life.
Discipleship: Pre-or-Post Salvation
Almost the whole of Jesus’ ministry was focused on what it meant to follow him, the cost involved, and the benefits to following him. Here are some passages that require our attention if we are to determine whether Discipleship, and therefore Lordship, is a Pre-or-Post salvation decision by the believer:
Mark 10:17-22 describes a scenario in which a rich young man questions Jesus about salvation. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus then speaks to him of the commandments, which he claims to have kept. Then Jesus, knowing the true issue that is keeping him from following says, “go, sell what you own…then come follow me.” Jesus requires this man to choose discipleship, there is no middle ground; knowing Jesus mandates that he alone take primacy in the man’s life; he alone is Lord. This, as we see, is too much for him to accept, and Jesus freely allows him to go. When Jesus asks the man to sell everything and follow him it is not identical with salvation; it is not a work to achieve it. However, it is the indispensable beginning to the salvation life, which is Jesus. Bonhoeffer says, “Discipleship is the end, voluntary poverty the means.” (Pg. 75) Jesus does not say, “be justified by your faith,” but says, “obey me, demonstrate your belief, then become my disciple.” Too, this parable should be seen in sharp contrast to the parallel story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) whose actions resulted in Jesus saying, “Today salvation has come to this house…” Why? Because his obedience is belief.
In Luke 14 Jesus puts certain conditions upon discipleship: “If anyone comes to me, and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children…his own life, he cannot be my disciple;” “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple;” “So therefore, no one of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.” (Vv. 26, 27, 33) Jesus is calling people to discipleship, to a commitment in him. He is challenging them to allegiance to either themselves or loyalty to him. It is clear that the disciple must have but one love, one Lord: Self or Jesus; and this decision is a condition of discipleship.
In Mark 8:34-37 Jesus says, “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” Jesus says only those who lose their life for his sake will save it. These verses share the common theme with Luke: Denial of self and adherence to Christ is required; if you are to follow Jesus he alone is Lord. But this verse takes it a step further and speaks of what a person must do in order to save his life; only “those who lose their life” for Jesus will save their life. Jesus is here putting a pre-condition on salvation. What else can this verse mean? William Hendrickson, speaking of this verse says, “It is only by losing oneself—looking away from self in order to serve the Master and his ‘little ones’ (Cf. Matt. 25:40)—that one can ever be saved…For the sinner salvation is impossible apart from obedience to this rule.” (Pg. 500) To what rule? An individual must make a commitment to Jesus, losing his life, as a condition of “sav(ing) it.”
In John 12:24-26 Jesus tells the parable about the Grain of Wheat. Speaking of the seed, which falls to the ground and produces fruit he says, “He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to eternal life. If anyone serves me, let him follow me.” When speaking of the grain Jesus is here speaking of himself; however, he is also at the same time speaking of his disciples. D.A. Carson says, “But if the principle modeled by the seed—that death is the necessary condition for the generation of life—is peculiarly applicable to Jesus, in a slightly different way it is properly applied to all of Jesus’ followers.” (Pp 438-439) Once again Jesus is speaking of death, which brings about life; he shares how to save our life, by hating it, which is demonstrated by following him, throughout the NT this is called discipleship.
In Matthew 25 the evangelist includes a parable given by Jesus. Here we are told, “all the nations will be gathered before him” (v. 32) and he will separate them into two groups. One group will inherit the Kingdom, and the other group will inherit eternal fire. The large group is composed of people who should have known the condition by which Jesus would be separating them; they were expected to “love people” as an obligation to their relationship with Jesus. In the end, whatever the followers of Jesus did or did not do will be a defining mark for their eternal punishment, or being declared as righteous in God’s presence. Obedience is a condition to salvation.
Matthew 28:19 is another verse that speaks clearly about the importance of discipleship. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Here again Jesus speaks of discipleship as being the normative relationship of the believer to himself. Jesus could have just as easily said, “Go, and make people recognize me as Savior, baptizing them…then after this, help them make me Lord.” However, Jesus said, “make disciples who obey me.” Obviously Jesus knows the apostles must get this right; salvation is at stake. They will be the ones who teach the world what it means to be “born again;” and Jesus’ answer here: Discipleship. James Boice asserts, “This theology (Savior first) separates faith from discipleship and grace from obedience. It teaches that Jesus can be received as one’s Savior without being received as one’s Lord…Discipleship is not a supposed second step in Christianity, as if one first became a believer in Jesus and then, if he chooses, a disciple.” (Pg. 13-14) Furthermore, when we read Peter’s words to the crowd at Pentecost “Repent and be baptized” (Acts 2:38) one should clearly understand: only disciples were to be baptized.
Evidently, not everyone who calls Jesus Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of his Father. What is the will of the father? To believe in Jesus, but to believe in Jesus is to commit to him, and biblically, this meant discipleship.
Language and Concepts: Static or Dynamic?
As Westerners (Greek in thought) our whole concept of life is based upon a static system of communication, and therefore, fixed systems of belief. Noted linguist Charles Kraft says this, “Much of contemporary western Christianity seems static.” (Pg. 237) This he concludes is a result of the way we express Christian thoughts: God is love, God is my Father, the Lord is my Shepherd, etc, are static. To demonstrate the contrast he offers these dynamic alternatives: God relates to me lovingly, God treats me as a good father treats his child, the Lord guides me like a shepherd guides his sheep, etc.
Hebrew, on the other hand, is a dynamic language (Likewise Greek is more dynamic than English). Commenting on this Dr. Kraft says, “Greek embodied much action in nouns which, when translated literally into English, result in an impression of staticness.” (Pg. 237) Using the example of the Greek word logos he argues that when John used it he was, like most bilinguals, translating a thought from his native tongue into another language. The Hebrew term John would have translated would have been the word dabar, and this word in its original context carries a dynamic meaning.
Language dictates our thoughts, and our thoughts shape our beliefs, and our beliefs direct our actions. Therefore, our understanding of words (language) directly effects how we view concepts; and this includes the concepts of: Faith and Belief. Leslie Newbigin says, “The language of a people provides the means by which they express their way of perceiving things and of coping with them. (Pg. 3)
Our static concepts effect our understanding of what salvation is. When most Christians speak of becoming Christians they point to a specific point in time. A common question amongst our circles is: “When did you get saved?” answer: Dec. 5, 1989. This is a completely modern paradigm. Nowhere in the NT does anyone point to a specific point in the past to prove his or her salvation. In fact, the NT always asks the present to validate salvation: Paul “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith.” (2 Cor 13:5) or “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed…continue to work out your salvation…” (Phil. 2:12).
The hermeneutical lens by which we approach scripture has a tremendous effect upon how we view its claims on our lives. Our practice will reflect our theology; thus, most Westerners equate being a Christian with knowing doctrines rightly. For example, during the McCarthy era when America was fearful of Communist spies invading their ranks, some advisors of President Eisenhower advised him to create a Christian test for all government workers. This specific test included numerous doctrines a Christian was expected to know in order to be a Christian. They assumed Communists would not know the answers to these questions. Evidently, to be a Christian one only needed to pass a multiple-choice questionnaire. Truman never allowed this test, but this was one of the contributing factors to changing the Pledge of Allegiance and American currency to include references to God.
Faith: Static or Dynamic?
Is the biblical understanding of faith dynamic? Faith is the means by which we are justified, so the argument goes. However, is faith a static event or is it a process by which the believer lives in a relationship with God. Luther derived his “Justified by faith alone” from Romans by using Abraham as his example; however, Paul does not go into great detail about the characteristics of faith, only that we are justified by it.
In Romans 4:3 we read “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Abraham’s faith in God is the very thing that justified him before God. Abraham believed God’s promise that “…from your own body will be your heir.” And “Look into the heavens and count the stars…So shall your offspring be.” (Gen. 15:5) Therefore, faith is what puts Abraham in right standing with God and not the law.
However, this is not the end of the story; it seems as if God is not yet finished with Abraham’s faith; thus, we get another foundational story in chapter 22. Here God asks Abraham to sacrifice the very heir God had promised to him. Abraham obeys God and God says, “Because you have done this…I will indeed bless you…and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessings for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.” (Gen. 22:16-18) Once again this is a story about Abraham’s faith.
If faith is a static event then why was it necessary for God to test Abraham’s faith? Wasn’t the requirement of the previously made promise to Abraham already fulfilled because of his faith? We must conclude that the answer is: no. The first promise is openly conditional; not upon Abraham’s belief, but upon Abraham believing. Again, the positive outcome of Abraham’s obedience was a renewal of the before stated promise; therefore, we must also presume that disobedience would have led to a denial of that same promise. Furthermore, Abraham did not point to the past as proof of his faith saying, “I’m already justified, the promise is mine whether or not I obey this command.” Abraham was required to demonstrate his faith in the present. Biblical faith is not a one-time event.
Likewise, Biblical faith is not described as an intellectual decision alone, but is exhibited through obedience. The book of Hebrews gives us the greatest amount of material as to what biblical faith is. It is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1) The author then highlights certain people who throughout the Bible displayed faith in God, and most of these through their actions of obedience (the smaller portion point to a faith without an action attached).
From these examples we can confidently claim that faith is a dynamic concept and not, as is popular in our theological paradigms, inactive. Moreover, faith is not, from Biblical examples, a purely psychological event; it is often equated with an act of obedience. As a result, acts of obedience are called faith, and faith is often determined through an action (although this is not always the case, it does not lessen the strength of the argument).
Jesus: Lord or Savior?
Much of the issue within this debate stems from this question: When is Jesus Lord, and when is he Savior in the creation of a believer? Those who hold that Jesus must be Savior first and then Lord after salvation, hold this principle because requiring a convert to “give his life to Jesus,” thus making him Lord, is seen as something other than faith, it is a work; and therefore from a NT perspective it is unbiblical.
In the NT Jesus is referred to by many titles or names including: Master, King of Kings, I Am, Servant, Son of Man, Son of God, Messiah, Teacher, Prophet, Lord, Lamb of God, and Savior. These titles sometimes refer to actual specific functions that Jesus is performing at a given moment, i.e. Teacher; his person or his attributes, i.e. I Am; or both, i.e. Lamb of God. The titles Savior and Lord are both titles that describe a function and attribute of who Jesus is (see Acts 2:21and 5:31b).
In the early church, including the writings of Paul, these two terms seemed fairly interchangeable. Apparently, as is common today, there was not a separation of the two titles for Jesus. He was not viewed as Savior or Lord; he is Lord Savior or Savior Lord.
However, out of the two titles in consideration here, Lord was the title and position the early church sought to establish in the lives of its earliest converts. Consider these verses: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven…” (Matthew 7:21) “For Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord of the dead and the living.” (Romans 14:9) “…so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend…and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” (Phil. 2:10- 11) Lord was the title used by the early church because it best defined Jesus’ high-ranking status in the cosmos. Marshall says this concerning the title Lord, “If Jesus was now Lord, it followed that the task of the early church was to lead people to recognize the status of Jesus. New converts became members of the church by acknowledging Jesus as Lord.” (Pg. 589) This agrees with, Romans 10:9, “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Marshall again adds, ”Lord primarily expresses the exalted position of Jesus and this rule over the universe and especially over believers who accept his Lordship. It is thus especially used when the responsibility of Christians to obey Jesus is being expressed.” (Pg. 590) Why didn’t Paul say, “confess Jesus as Savior?” Because there can be but one Lord in a believer’s heart, God alone sits upon the throne of his Temple.
Confession of Jesus as Lord was the indicating feature in a Christian’s life. Therefore, submitting to the Lordship of Jesus simultaneously or as a pre-condition to salvation was normative within the early church; calling Jesus Savior and then deciding whether to make him Lord is a practice not advocated in Scripture, it is a modern distortion. A.W. Tozer makes this point, “We have no basis to believe we can come casually to the Lord Jesus and say, ‘I understand that you are the Savior so I am going to believe and be saved and then I am going to turn away and think about the other matters of lordship, allegiance, and obedience at some other time.’ I warn you, you will not get help from Him in that way for the Lord will not save those whom he cannot command. He will not divide His offices. You cannot believe in a half Christ.” (Pp. 14-16, 18-20) Regrettably, it seems in America we have advocated a half-Christ; 75% of Americans claim to be Christian, by what standard?
Conclusion
In the early church to be a Christian was to be a disciple of Christ. (Matt. 28:19). Jesus seems to emphasize this point with his various parables, which speak to conditions of a relationship with him; and this is his invitation to a relationship with him: in order to live you must die. Therefore, Jesus makes it clear that commitment is a condition of salvation.
Biblically, faith is a dynamic concept. Unfortunately, our enlightenment worldview renders this concept as fixed; this leads to the misunderstanding of salvation being a one-time event. As we follow certain characters in the bible we see that faith is an ongoing process. Likewise, justification through faith is also a repeated event in the life of the believer; thus, faith is about a relationship with God, through Jesus.
Belief infers obedience. Jesus puts the condition of obedience upon his followers. It is not enough to call him “Lord;” this conviction must be actualized within the life of the individual who believes. It is impossible to separate belief from action, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) Too, although not speaking about salvation James says, "Faith without works is dead." (James 2:26) Your actions indicate what you believe, as it is impossible to do anything (outside of external force), which is contrary to what you believe.
The title most commonly used by the early church as a designation of the person and position of Jesus within the believer’s life is Lord (Read Acts!). This is in agreement with Jesus’ emphasis on discipleship, since those who follow him must recognize him as Lord. Too, the NT writers had access to other words with which to define Jesus, but use the title Lord in pivotal verses such as: Acts 2: 21; 25; 34; 36; Romans 10:9, etc. Paul uses no other word for Jesus during his conversion. Paul says, “Who are you Lord?” (Acts 9:5) “What shall I do, Lord.” (Ibid. 22:10a) “The Lord said to me” (Ibid. 22:10b) He was then baptized (via. Matt. 28:19) calling on his name. (Ibid. 22:16) Why would Paul assume lordship was optional for others is if wasn’t’ for him? Clearly Paul recognized Jesus’ position in his life and consequently says we must call Jesus Lord. Moreover, to think Paul would say, “confess Jesus as Lord,” and imagine he intended believers to acknowledge Jesus’ Lordship of the cosmos, but not their life is a ridiculous idea. To suggest that Paul asserts Lordship as optional is a clear example of eisegesis.
Discipleship is not works! It is only by grace that we are saved and this by (dynamic) faith. However, our understanding of discipleship must recognize discipleship as God’s call to grace. Obedience is not works, “Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'" (Luke 17:9-11) Discipleship is our duty to God. We are only doing what is expected of us, nothing extra.
Savior first theology is dangerously close to idolatry. In allowing people to consider whether or not God is LORD, and this after salvation, makes self-lordship optional. God is very clear there is but one LORD; as it is, this theology allows a person to choose if they will allow God to be LORD or not. And why would you make him LORD, seeing as your salvation is secure; you can escape hell and love the world too. Advocating anything but complete Lordship is idolatry; you cannot serve two masters, you must love the one and hate the other. The Bible is painfully clear at this point.
“Yet the outcome of the Reformation was the victory, not of Luther’s perception of grace in all its purity and costliness, but of the vigilant religious instinct of man for the place where grace is to obtained at the cheapest price.” (Bonhoeffer, Pg. 49) We have been unfaithful to Luther’s revelation; thus, turning justification of the sinner to mean justification of the sin. Salvation isn’t a doctrine; it’s a person.
Which sounds more like Jesus? Do you want to go to heaven? Then please mark the box on the welcome card; or, “Follow me.”
Boice, James Montgomery, Christ’s Call to Discipleship, Moody, Chicago, 1986.
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, The Cost of Discipleship, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1959.
Carson, D.A., The Gospel According to John, Erdmann’s, Michigan, 1991.
Hendrickson, William, New Testament Commentary, The Gospel of Luke, Baker,
Michigan 1978.
Marshall, New Bible Dictionary, 2nd Ed, Intervarsity Press, Illinois, 1962.
Newbigin, Leslie, Foolishness to the Greeks, Erdmann’s, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1986.
Tozer, A.W., I Call It Heresy, Christian Publications, Camp Hill, 1974.
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