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| PentecostalTheology.com
Saved by ‘Allegiance’ Alone? On a New Attempt to Revise the Reformation
Matthew Bates, a gifted young scholar who teaches at Quincy University, thinks that an adjustment would be salutary, suggesting we revise “faith alone” and reformulate with the slogan “allegiance alone.” As those who believe in Scripture alone, we should be open to reforming and sharpening what we have held in the past, and Bates challenges us to look at the Bible anew.
Allegiance and the Gospel
In this new book, Salvation by Allegiance Alone: Rethinking Faith, Works, and the Gospel of Jesus the King, Bates considers afresh the nature of salvation and the gospel. He argues “faith” and “belief” aren’t always the best terms to translate pistis and pisteuō in the New Testament. Instead, with regard to salvation it would be better to speak of allegiance to Jesus as King, so that faith has the idea of fidelity. The advantage of allegiance is that it includes the idea that good works are necessary for final salvation. Bates rightly maintains that faith can’t be defined as mere intellectual assent, a leap in the dark, or wishful thinking.
The notion that faith is best rendered by “allegiance” is supported, according to Bates, by a look at evidence in Second Temple Jewish literature. He then argues for this meaning in key Pauline texts, saying that the notions of mental assent, “professed fealty,” and “embodied loyalty” better account for what is meant by salvation or justification through pistis. Hence Paul teaches “embodied allegiance” to Jesus as King. Bates prefers “allegiance” to “trust” since he thinks the latter doesn’t sufficiently capture loyalty to Jesus as the enthroned King. According to Bates, we’ll be judged on the last day on whether we were genuinely loyal to Jesus, not whether we kept an itemized list of commands.
As Bates argues, the gospel can’t be reduced to the formula “Jesus died for our sins,” since the gospel centers on the truth that Jesus is King. He’s the resurrected and enthroned Lord over all, and we’re called to express our allegiance to him as our Lord. According to Bates, there are eight elements to the gospel:
- Jesus pre-existed with the Father;
- He became incarnate and fulfilled the promise to David;
- He died for our sins according to the Scriptures;
- He was buried;
- He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures;
- He appeared to many, showing he was raised from the dead;
- He is seated at God’s right hand as Lord; and
- He will come again as judge.
Bates particularly stresses that Jesus is enthroned as King and Messiah over all the world.
Salvation as a Gift and the New Creation
Bates emphasizes we can’t earn salvation; it’s a gift of God. At the same time, however, he rejects individual election and contends corporate election more accurately captures the biblical witness. In any case, grace is effective and transforms our lives. Though Protestants often say our works are the necessary evidence and fruit of our faith, it’s better, Bates says, to speak of allegiance to Jesus as the enthroned and reigning King, and thus works are “integral to final salvation” (110).
Bates takes issue with the notion that Christians simply go to heaven after death. The New Testament picture has more vigor and strength than this popular conception of heaven. Believers are raised from the dead and live as citizens in the new creation. We’re awaiting a transformed universe and look forward to ruling with King Jesus to fulfill the purpose for which God originally created human beings. We will not be ethereal creatures floating on clouds, but persons with transformed and immortal bodies residing in a new universe.
Anonymous
Kyle Williams Duane L Burgess As I have said many times, Calvinism is false doctrine that has become a cult behind false teachers like Piper and MacArthur…!
Anonymous
Troy Day yeah, but you’ve not said anything of substance besides that
Anonymous
Kyle Williams thats plenty to say
Anonymous
Troy Day and pentecostalism is a false doctrine that started with an unqualified pastor that quickly devolved into heterodoxy and today has become a cult behind men such as Benny Hinn and Bill Johnson….
Is that a fair assessment of Pentecostalism?
Anonymous
Kyle Williams Benny Hinn and Bill Johnson are charismatic
appears you know about Pentecostalism
about as much as Calvinism
but I do not the counter attack when you are out of ammo
SO characteristic for all calvinator forums I’ve read before
Anonymous
Troy Day I said that to say; of course it’s not a fair assessment of pentecostalism. Neither is your pejorative labeling of Calvinism as a cult. As far as the distinction between Charismatics and pentecostals; I deny that its legitimate. Pentecostals are supposedly distinct from Charismatics, however they claim and defend word of Faith heretics (Hinn, Johnson, Branham) when it suits the agenda at hand.
Anonymous
Troy Day might I also add that Piper and MacArthur do not fairly represent confessional Particular Baptist Theology. When any orthodox Theology moves away from confessionalism it tends to go awry.
Anonymous
Kyle Williams well give us then a FIAR assessment on this teaching about the blood https://www.pentecostaltheology.com/macarthurs-heretical-teaching-regarding-the-blood-of-christ/
Anonymous
The controversy was originally ignited by a supposed “news” item written by Bob Jones, Jr. in the April 1986 issue of Faith For The Family (a Bob Jones University-sponsored magazine). Jones quoted some remarks MacArthur had originally made in a live Q&A session at Grace Community Church sometime in the early 1970s. MacArthur’s comments had been transcribed and published in the May 1976 issue of the Grace Church newsletter “Grace Today.” The Jones article cited the comments without any documentation, and without noting that they were from a ten-year-old source.
Anonymous
Does the passage below (Hebrews 6:4-6) mean a Christian can fall away and “lose their salvation”? Let’s assume for a moment that it does. What that also means, then, is that once a Christian loses their salvation, they can’t get it back since this passage says “it is impossible… to the restore them again to repentance”. If this passage means a Christian can lose their salvation, then it also means we get one chance to receive Christ and stay with Him. If this passage means a Christian can lose their salvation, then it also means if we walk away from the faith, we can’t come back home to the Lord as the man did in the parabel of the Prodigal Son did. Again, the passage states it is “impossible” to restore such people to repentance. I know of no one who believes this or teaches this. I have never heard a preacher say to the congregation “If you’re here today and you have fallen away from Christ, too bad. There’s nothing God can do for you anymore. You’re irrevecobly hopelessly doomed.” What this passage more likely refers to are people have been exposed to and participated in the things of the faith, yet whole heartedly rejected them never truly embracing Christ.
“For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.”
(Hebrews 6:4-6, ESV)
Anonymous
Troy Day No it doesn’t. Stop speculating. We understand Scripture through exegesis, not logic and human reasoning.
Anonymous
Doing exegesis washout logic and human reasoning conceptualizes heresies and births cults John Mushenhouse well then Duane L Burgess how are people falling off from grace and backsliding every day?
Anonymous
tell us then Kyle Williams is John PIPER: A brother or a heretic? Link Hudson rather see this woman’s way of thinking ‘exorcised.’ AND YES This is an old thread. there are plenty of rules about resurrecting them if you missed it the first go-round.
https://www.pentecostaltheology.com/john-piper-a-brother-or-a-heretic/
Anonymous
CAN ONE LOSE THEIR SALVATION.??
13 Bible Verses about Guarding Yourself..
1 Peter 5:8
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 John 5:21
Little children, guard yourselves from idols.
Proverbs 4:23
Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.
1 Timothy 4:16
Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.
Psalm 39:1
For the choir director, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
I said, “I will guard my ways
That I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle
While the wicked are in my presence.”
2 John 1:8
Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.
Ephesians 6:11
Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
1 Corinthians 16:13
Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
2 Timothy 4:15
Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching.
Deuteronomy 4:9
“Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.
Ecclesiastes 5:1
Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.
1 Timothy 6:20
O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”—
James 4:7
Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.