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Lord of the Saved: Getting to the Heart of the Lordship Debate

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Simply stated, this is one of the finest explanations of Lordship Salvation. Perhaps the best short commetn would be to say that, the Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society consideres it "as clear and concise a statement of the [Lordship] position as can be found anywhere." That comes from the opponents. It is respected a worthy and scholarly by all reputable scholars of all persuasions.

Dr. Gentry has done the church a great service by providing this clear and concise explanation of the Lordship salvation controversy. Sadly, many well meaning Christians have been persuaded of a view of salvation that is utterly contrary to Scripture and really has no other name than antinomianism. What is inexcusable is that many of the proponents of this system of theology speak and write as if it were the teaching of the Protestant Reformers. Usually this is accomplished by taking sentences here and there out of context and twisting their meaning. These men count on the trust of their readers, for if their readers ever bother to read the Protestant Reformers for themselves they will see immediately that what is being attributed to them is not what they taught. One will search in vain to find Luther or Calvin saying that a Christian can become an atheist and still be saved. (Yet Zane Hodges says this in his book Absolutely Free!).

These men have so misinterpreted the Protestant slogan of sola fide (by faith alone) that it is unrecognizable. For Hodges salvation entails little more (if any more) than assenting to the truthfulness of several historical propositions. Luther said salvation was by faith alone, but that faith had to be a "living faith." If the faith didn't produce fruits of righteoyusness - it wasn't true faith. In other words, although justification must be distinguished from sanctification, it cannot be separated. Hodges and Ryrie would have unsuspecting men and women believe that one can have justification without sanctification. This is a lie (Hebrews 12:14; James 2:14-26).

John MacArthur did a fine job exposing the faulty theology and exegesis of these men like Zane Hodges and Charles Ryrie in his two books "The Gospel According to Jesus" and "Faith Works." Michael Horton edited another helpful volume entitled "Christ the Lord." Now Gentry has summarized the basic arguments in "Lord of the Saved." For those interested in a good introduction to the issues, this is as good a place as any to start.

This is a valuable contribution to the Lordship debate, and a good tool for those who desire a concise, yet clear elucidation of the Lordship position. Many key terms essential to the Lordship debate are addressed faithfully. This book is a definitive statement for the Reformed view of the gospel, and gives the lay reader a good introduction to the controversy. It is also noteworthy that many related works quote this book. A good antidote to the heresy of "Nicolaitan" Antinomianism.

Advocacy pure and simple!

After a good introductory bibliography in chapter 1, the author immediately launches into a set of arguments designed to convince you that his view is correct. One problem is that the author starts by begging one of the main questions of the debate: of those who attend churches, how many are really born again?

The author's answer, stated without proof, is that it is only one's life that proves one is born again.

The main problem with this book is that it treats those it disagrees with so peremptorily and unfairly, either misquoting them, ignoring their arguments, their verses they use, or their criticisms of his views. Talk about Romans 3:24! The main good point of the book is that it clearly states his view, however light the support for it is.... For a more circumspect view which shows some problems with his side of the debate, see chapter 1 in 'Christ the Lord,' edited by Michael Horton, or the essay 'The Law According to Jesus' in that same title, by Rich Ritchie. And I'm trying not to mention books that advocate the side he opposes at all, even though they are not as unfair as his book is....!