Repent ye, and believe the Gospel.
–Mark 1:15 (KJV)–

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God,
and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
–2 Thessalonians 1:8 (KJV)–

The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.
–Titus 2:11-12 (KJV)–

The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.
–Revelation 21:8 (KJV)–

Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who have sex with men, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
–1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NIV)–

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
–Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV)–

By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
–Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV)–

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
–Philippians 2:12 (KJV)–

Fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.
–Matthew 10:28 (KJV)–

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.
–Matthew 28:20 (KJV)–

Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
–Hebrews 12:14 (KJV)–

I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.
–Hebrews 8:10 (KJV)–

If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into Hell.
–Matthew 5:29 (KJV)–

The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul,
and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.
–1 Samuel 16:14 (KJV)–

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
–Matthew 25:44-46 (KJV)–

“Ye shall therefore be perfect, as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.” And who says, ye shall not; or, at least, not till your soul is separated from the body? It is the doctrine of St. Paul, the doctrine of St. James, of St. Peter, and St. John; and no otherwise Mr. Wesley’s, than as it is the doctrine of every one who preaches the pure and the whole gospel. I tell you, as plain as I can speak, where and when I found this. I found it in the oracles of God, in the Old and New Testament; when I read them with no other view or desire but to save my own soul. But whosoever this doctrine is, I pray you, what harm is there in it? Look at it again; survey it on every side, and that with the closest attention. In one view, it is purity of intention, dedicating all the life to God. It is the giving God all our heart; it is one desire and design ruling all our tempers. It is the devoting, not a part, but all our soul, body, and substance to God. In another view, it is all the mind which was in Christ, enabling us to walk as Christ walked. It is the circumcision of the heart from all filthiness, all inward as well as outward pollution. It is a renewal of the heart in the whole image of God, the full likeness of Him that created it. In yet another, it is the loving God with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves. Now, take it in which of these views you please, (for there is no material difference,) and this is the whole and sole perfection, as a train of writings prove to a demonstration, which I have believed and taught for these forty years, from the year 1725 to the year 1765.  –John Wesley

I believe that what people today call “lordship salvation,” is essentially what Wesley meant by the expression “Christian perfection.” Not sinless perfectionism mind you, but a faith in Jesus’ blood as a substitutionary atonement, that immediately leads to a heartfelt intention to obey the Bible for the rest of your life until you die, a repentance and obedience so deep that it can break off sinful addictions. 1 Peter 2:24 (KJV): “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.” –J.B.

—

Curtis Hutson, Salvation Crystal Clear (Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1987).

—. “Another Gospel Which Is Not Another.” It’s not until about 58:00 into the recording above that things get really bad, where obvious antinomian teaching rears its head. News of Dr. Jack Hyles being involved in sexual misconduct started to surface around 1989. It seems to me that Hutson was aware of this years before; and decided to formulate this cheap grace teaching to give his crony a pass for clergy sexual abuse (CSA). Although Pentecostals, the sexual misconduct of Jim Bakker (1987) and Jimmy Swaggart (1988), would have had a demoralizing effect on Baptists as well, because they all used to watch their TV shows. It’s not surprising that MacArthur’s lordship controversy surfaced around this time; as these scandals probably provoked a lot of discussion on the nature of true salvation.

Dr. John R. Rice, What Must I Do to Be Saved? (Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1945).

Dr. Thomas C. Oden, John Wesley’s Scriptural Christianity (Zondervan, 1994).

Dr. James Boice, Christ’s Call to Discipleship (Moody, 1986).

Dr. Kenneth Gentry, Lord of the Saved (Presbyterian & Reformed, 1992).

Dr. William G. T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology. 3rd ed. (P&R Publishing, 2024).

Dr. Anthony Hoekema, Saved by Grace (Eerdmans, 1989).

Dr. Richard Belcher, A Layman’s Guide to the Lordship Controversy (Crowne, 1990).

Dr. Robert Lescelius, Lordship Salvation (Revival Literature, 1992).

Walter Chantry, Today’s Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic? (Banner of Truth, 1970).

Gary Collins, Beyond Easy Believism (Word, 1982).

A. W. Tozer, I Call It Heresy! (Wingspread, 1991).

T. Alan Chrisope, Jesus Is Lord (Evangelical Press, 1982).

Curtis Crenshaw, Lordship Salvation: The Only Kind There Is! (Footstool, 1994).

R. B. Kuiper, God Centered Evangelism (Banner of Truth, 1961).

Ernest C. Reisinger, Lord & Christ (Presbyterian & Reformed, 1994).

—. Today’s Evangelism: It’s Message and Methods (Craig, 1982).