The Words "Surrender" and "Commit" in Preaching
We would like to point out two words being abused by proponents of works salvation. But first what do these words really mean?
Note: We have put into bold lettering how the words commit and surrender should be understood in pulpit preaching especially when it comes to the doctrine of salvation. Today the pulpits suffer from a problem of confused terminology like how the term "Jesus as Lord and Savior" is often confused with adding works to getting saved. The problem today is that many words can mean many things so this ministry will do terminology corrections before debates start because doctrinally, our mind is made up but terminological problems do come and go!
Note: We have put into bold lettering how the words commit and surrender should be understood in pulpit preaching especially when it comes to the doctrine of salvation. Today the pulpits suffer from a problem of confused terminology like how the term "Jesus as Lord and Savior" is often confused with adding works to getting saved. The problem today is that many words can mean many things so this ministry will do terminology corrections before debates start because doctrinally, our mind is made up but terminological problems do come and go!
Commit
a : to put into charge or trust : entrust b : to place in a prison or mental institution c : to consign or record for preservation d : to put into a place for disposal or safekeeping e : to refer (as a legislative bill) to a committee for consideration and report
2
: to carry into action deliberately : perpetrate
3
a : obligate, bind committing the company to complete the project on time> b : to pledge or assign to some particular course or use c : to reveal the views of commit himself on the issue>
Surrender
a : to yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demand b : to give up completely or agree to forgo especially in favor of another
2
a : to give (oneself) up into the power of another especially as a prisoner b : to give (oneself) over to something (as an influence)
So let us think about these statements. Here's something below some may consider to be works salvation:
Here's the page from "This Was Your Life". Okay this was said to be promoting works salvation. However an analysis of the word "surrender" here is used as "to give one's self over to something" meaning the person is to simply give in by acknowledging that Jesus died for his sins and receive Him as Savior as the ONLY means to surrender to Christ. That is he is to stop running his own life (that includes trying to work one's way into Heaven). Good works happen not to surrender to Christ but because one has been surrendered to Christ. People who teach that they have to stop sinning to be saved or to stay saved and that people have to work their way to Heaven (both become inseparable heresies) and say one must surrender is plainly making a fool out of themselves. Does a sinner surrender by living a new life or does a sinner live a new life because he's surrendered? He/she lives a new life because he's surrendered. Surrender is as easy as simply GIVING UP which results to a change. DO NOT CONFUSE SURRENDERING WITH THE RESULTS!
The other would be commit. Many say, "Commit yourself to Christ to be saved." True. But when they add works to being saved or to stop sinning to be saved (or to stay saved) then they are NOT trusting themselves to the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ and they continue to live their own lives NOT according to the life that Christ wants- getting saved and walking by His grace. Committing one's self for salvation means to put one's self in Christ's trust that He will save you and safekeep you for all time- once saved, always saved and manifestations of this trait happen like how a believer responds to persecution vs. the fake believers. Also it means to give one's self for preservation- resulting to the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints in which in Christ, the saints will persevere because Christ preserves them in contrast to the unsaved (1 John 2:19)!
What about backsliders? Christ still OWNS them if not He would not bother to chastise them. Christians can fall into sin- true- but because they are in the safekeeping of Jesus Christ who never fails, it can be manifested by His loving chastising and the conviction of the Holy Spirit in their lives. He will not cast them out (John 6:37) but it does not mean He will condone sin. If sinning results to losing your salvation every time you sin, it's still works salvation!
By the way, salvation is technically giving and not receiving. However let's take it this way, when somebody gives you a gift, you have to GIVE YOUR ACCEPTANCE! That means, salvation being free is of no effect if you do not give your trust to the person by SIMPLY receiving the gift.
a : to put into charge or trust : entrust b : to place in a prison or mental institution c : to consign or record for preservation
2
: to carry into action deliberately : perpetrate
3
a : obligate, bind committing the company to complete the project on time> b : to pledge or assign to some particular course or use
Surrender
a : to yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demand
2
a : to give (oneself) up into the power of another especially as a prisoner b : to give (oneself) over to something (as an influence)
So let us think about these statements. Here's something below some may consider to be works salvation:
Here's the page from "This Was Your Life". Okay this was said to be promoting works salvation. However an analysis of the word "surrender" here is used as "to give one's self over to something" meaning the person is to simply give in by acknowledging that Jesus died for his sins and receive Him as Savior as the ONLY means to surrender to Christ. That is he is to stop running his own life (that includes trying to work one's way into Heaven). Good works happen not to surrender to Christ but because one has been surrendered to Christ. People who teach that they have to stop sinning to be saved or to stay saved and that people have to work their way to Heaven (both become inseparable heresies) and say one must surrender is plainly making a fool out of themselves. Does a sinner surrender by living a new life or does a sinner live a new life because he's surrendered? He/she lives a new life because he's surrendered. Surrender is as easy as simply GIVING UP which results to a change. DO NOT CONFUSE SURRENDERING WITH THE RESULTS!The other would be commit. Many say, "Commit yourself to Christ to be saved." True. But when they add works to being saved or to stop sinning to be saved (or to stay saved) then they are NOT trusting themselves to the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ and they continue to live their own lives NOT according to the life that Christ wants- getting saved and walking by His grace. Committing one's self for salvation means to put one's self in Christ's trust that He will save you and safekeep you for all time- once saved, always saved and manifestations of this trait happen like how a believer responds to persecution vs. the fake believers. Also it means to give one's self for preservation- resulting to the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints in which in Christ, the saints will persevere because Christ preserves them in contrast to the unsaved (1 John 2:19)!
What about backsliders? Christ still OWNS them if not He would not bother to chastise them. Christians can fall into sin- true- but because they are in the safekeeping of Jesus Christ who never fails, it can be manifested by His loving chastising and the conviction of the Holy Spirit in their lives. He will not cast them out (John 6:37) but it does not mean He will condone sin. If sinning results to losing your salvation every time you sin, it's still works salvation!
By the way, salvation is technically giving and not receiving. However let's take it this way, when somebody gives you a gift, you have to GIVE YOUR ACCEPTANCE! That means, salvation being free is of no effect if you do not give your trust to the person by SIMPLY receiving the gift.