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Absolutely Free: A Biblical Reply to Lordship Salvation
Lordship Salvation is the teaching that simple faith in Jesus is not enough to be eternally saved. You also need works. You not only have to believe in Jesus, you also have to live up to His commandments. One of the best known exponents of this view is John MacArthur. In Absolutely Free, Zane Hodges shows that Lordship Salvation has no basis in Scripture. Hodges argues that there is a great difference between eternal salvation and discipleship, between the condition for being regenerate (simple faith in Jesus' promise of everlasting life) vs. the condition for being a mature and faithful disciple (a life of obedience). Confusing these two things leads to a gospel of salvation by works, instead of a gospel of God's free grace.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 27, 2018
Zane Hodges takes on Lordship Salvation. In particular, a response to John MacArthur's work, The Gospel According to Jesus, or more accurately, The Gospel According to Another and Different Jesus. It's a wonderful response to The Lordship Controversy. Should be on the shelf with Ryrie's - So Great Salvation, Kirkwood's - Unlimited Grace, and Dillow's - Final Destiny.
July 19, 2024
BEFORE JOHN MACARTHUR'S BOOK, "LORDSHIP SALVATION" WAS STILL CONTROVERSIAL,
Zane Hodges taught New Testament Greek at Dallas Theological Seminary for 27 years; he has written many other books, such as 'A Free Grace Primer,' 'The Gospel Under Siege: Faith & Works in Tension,' 'Grace in Eclipse: A Study on Eternal Rewards,' etc.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1989 book, "This book... is first and foremost a tribute to the perfect freeness of God's saving grace... God's grace to sinful men and women is---both now and always---absolutely free!"
Commenting on John 11:25-26, he notes that "Martha believed and, in so doing, she knew that she, to, would never die... Martha KNEW that she had eternal life. This is not to say, however, that later on Martha could not have doubted this truth. Even John the Baptist doubted... (but) a person who has never been sure of eternal life has never believed the saving message of God." (Pg. 51) Later, he summarizes, "the assurance of salvation is fundamental to all New Testament morality. It is the fixed point of reference out of which Christian obedience must flow." (Pg. 98)
About 1 Cor 9:24-27, he observes, "there is no thought here of the loss of eternal life. Such a loss is impossible... But the apostle can envision the possibility that even he... might lose the reward that God grants to successful runners." (Pg. 82-83) He adds later, "the reality of our salvation is quite independent of our confidence in that reality." (Pg. 112)
This book represents a "classic" and clear presentation of Hodges' point. (But see John MacArthur's 'The Gospel According to Jesus: What Is Authentic Faith?' for a contrary view.)
Zane Hodges taught New Testament Greek at Dallas Theological Seminary for 27 years; he has written many other books, such as 'A Free Grace Primer,' 'The Gospel Under Siege: Faith & Works in Tension,' 'Grace in Eclipse: A Study on Eternal Rewards,' etc.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1989 book, "This book... is first and foremost a tribute to the perfect freeness of God's saving grace... God's grace to sinful men and women is---both now and always---absolutely free!"
Commenting on John 11:25-26, he notes that "Martha believed and, in so doing, she knew that she, to, would never die... Martha KNEW that she had eternal life. This is not to say, however, that later on Martha could not have doubted this truth. Even John the Baptist doubted... (but) a person who has never been sure of eternal life has never believed the saving message of God." (Pg. 51) Later, he summarizes, "the assurance of salvation is fundamental to all New Testament morality. It is the fixed point of reference out of which Christian obedience must flow." (Pg. 98)
About 1 Cor 9:24-27, he observes, "there is no thought here of the loss of eternal life. Such a loss is impossible... But the apostle can envision the possibility that even he... might lose the reward that God grants to successful runners." (Pg. 82-83) He adds later, "the reality of our salvation is quite independent of our confidence in that reality." (Pg. 112)
This book represents a "classic" and clear presentation of Hodges' point. (But see John MacArthur's 'The Gospel According to Jesus: What Is Authentic Faith?' for a contrary view.)
January 17, 2025
I read a couple of pages of this every day with Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians. This book helps me very much to hold to grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Many popular and mainstream teachings unknowingly subvert the free grace of the Lord and this book aids in combating the errors and threats of works-based systems.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews