Free-Grace Theology: Is It Biblical?

I am going to be doing a series of posts on a theological issue that I have followed for a number of years now. The issue I want to address is sometimes labeled “free-grace” theology (or “non-lordship salvation”), and this particular system of theology is one that I consider to be very unbiblical and dangerous. In this first post, I want to briefly define the issue I have with this system of thought and in subsequent posts will address this system from historical, theological, and biblical angles.

Free-grace theology (also known as “consistent grace” or “non-lordship salvation”), maintains, along with historic Protestantism, that good works play no part in obtaining salvation but that a person is saved by faith alone in Christ alone. However, free-grace theology denies, against historic Christianity, that good works are the necessary consequence of salvation. Representative of historic biblical Christianity, the Westminster Confession states that,

“Faith…receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification: yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but works by love.”

Against this, Free-grace theology would affirm only the first half of this definition given by the Westminster divines—that faith alone justifies, but it would deny the second half—that the faith that justifies is never alone but is always accompanied by good works. The Grace Theological Society, for instance, states that

“obedience to the Word of God, while not necessary for obtaining everlasting life, is the essential responsibility of each Christian…However, the Bible does not teach that this obedience will be manifested in all believers” (from their website)

In contrast, the Bible clearly says that genuine faith always produces good works (Js. 2:14-26) and is marked by perseverance and holiness (Matt. 10:22; Col. 1:22-23; Heb. 2:14; 12:14).

This then, is my real dispute with free grace theology: it is over the nature of saving faith. But, as I will show in future posts, this is just the tip of the iceberg.