See this important Link on the issue: Lordship Salvation This debate is about a critical issue, but it is not a debate about Jesus being Lord. Both sides of this issue agree that Jesus is Lord, and we are called to obey Christ because if we love Him, we will keep His commandments, the 5 Crowns of Reward. The problem is when pastors tell people that their disobedience is a sign that they were never saved in the first place. This teaching is false, and it is never found on the lips of any author in the Bible. When our ministry teaches a "Cross-'n-Crowns" ministry, we mean exactly that, the cross is our salvation that is never questioned. The moment faith is placed in that Cross, the resurrection belongs to you, and you are saved with an eternal love that never fades nor forsakes. The Crowns, however, are our planned rewards that may be abandoned by the believer. Therein lies the confusion of those "Lordship salvation" advocates: you don't lose salvation, but you may lose rewards. Why else would Jesus command us to never let anyone steal our crown (Rev 3:11)? But some will retort with Matthew's warning: "not everyone who says to me "Lord, Lord" will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. So what does that mean? Firstly, what is the circumstance of this passage? Its the entrance of the Kingdom, the era of the millennium. Secondly, this is not entrance into the Church, is it? The word "Church" is not anywhere near this passage because it is spoken to Israel, the Jewish people, entering the millennial reign of Christ when He sits on His "glorious throne" in the Jerusalem Temple. While the Church began in Acts 2 and will end its dispensation in Revelation 4, when we are rewarded the Crowns, the entrance of the Millennium is the Second Coming of Christ in Rev 19. The millennium occurs only after the stages of the first resurrection are completed (compare 1 Cor 15:23–24; Rev 4:1-10; 11:11-12; 20:4-7). The lesson of this post is this: never question the salvation established by the work of Christ, the cross. But always examine ourselves to see whether we are working toward our rewards because the 5 Crowns of Reward determine our Christian maturity.

Today's modern, Western biases have infiltrated our presentation of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul shows no hesitation in affirming God's desire to save families through the faith of the head of the home, the Father: Apostle Paul: "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household." (Acts 16:31) Luke repeats this theme throughout the Book of Acts, too: see Ever wonder where this offer comes from? It comes from "the whole counsel of God"! (Acts 20:27) So when we read "the whole counsel of God", in other words, the entire Scripture, we ought to come up with the same conclusion. My Attachment (see PDF below) for this post equips you with a survey covering this theme through Scripture, with a brief theological outlook. Not shockingly, the document covers all 66 books of the Bible. After you read this paper, you will have eyes to see a theme in every single book that churches have failed--no, refused!--to teach.

Many puzzle over the Book on our Bible called "The Revelation of Jesus Christ" because they have been told its such a 'complicated' book. NO. That book could not be simpler to understand, and if you have the following little outline in mind, you will understand every word of it. That doesn't mean you won't need to dig deep in study, you will. But it won't be complicated, and this outline will keep you clear on where you are in every step of the book: I. Chapter 1: Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God slain, raised from the dead, and God Almighty. II. Chapters 2-4 The Church, the Bride of Christ, the Lamb of God. III. Chapters 5-19 The Wrath of the Lamb of God on earth The Marriage of the Lamb of God in heaven with His Bride, the Church IV. Chapters 20-22 The Reign of the Lamb of God 1,000 years on "this first earth" Forever in the "New Heaven and Earth" That's it. Every passage in the Book of Revelation falls under these sections. The theme is the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. Then the Bride of Christ, the Wrath and Marriage of the Lamb, and the Reign of the Lamb. No problem.

Our book, Crowns of Valor--Bold Leaders, Arise! Covers these covenants in better detail. The passage list is below. The redemptive covenants of God are based on the promises to Abraham, David, and Jesus. Noah's covenant after the flood is the setup for man's direction by God to eat meat, exercise capital punishment for murder, and to take faith in God will never flood the earth again. But Abraham, David, and Jesus (Hebrew: Yeshua) have the redemptive covenants. 1. Abraham's covenant bore all the signs of God's original creation week to symbolize full redemption of the heavens and earth through this covenant (see image below). The Word of Yehovah, Jesus himself, led Abraham to view all heaven and earth to summarize His promises ("The Word of Yehovah," Gen 15:1, 4; compare Jn 1:1; 8:56). The language of Abraham's covenant is the Gospel message (Gal 3:8) and it's all over the Bible, beginning in Genesis 12. Most of the Bible's vocabulary and references to faithfulness come back to this covenant. 2. David's covenant prophesies directly about the coming Davidic King who will reign forever. See our posts on "Forever language" in the Bible. 3. The New Covenant in Jesus establishes all covenant promises beginning with the Church's participation in the atonement for eternal life. Then at Jesus's Second Coming to earth, all promises to Israel will be accomplished: the Davidic King (Jesus), the Temple (Ezek 40-48), Israel's Tribal Land allotments, and a worldwide, perfect government having the resurrected Church (previously raptured) as the co-heirs and co-rulers with Christ. 4. The Mosaic Covenant at Mt. Sinai was a preparation for the Messiah's coming. Jesus repeated all of the Ten Commandments for His ministry. But the sacrifices and the law will be different.

When you read the Old Testament, the Jewish Tanakh, you will come across language we call "Forever Promises" or "Forever Language," and it's more than just rhetoric. These promises are the very Gospel of Jesus Christ himself, and Paul explicitly told us so! Consider Galatians 3:8: "The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: 'All nations will be blessed through you.'" Paul tells us these promises are the Gospel. Study FOREVER language! Gospel in the Old Testament