This document summarizes Norman Geisler's views on the conditions for salvation from his book "Systematic Theology II". It discusses the views of Calvinism, Arminianism, Roman Catholicism, the Church of Christ, Lordship Salvation, and Free Grace on the conditions. Geisler argues that faith and repentance are necessary conditions, but that faith alone (not works) is what saves. Repentance involves a change of mind and turning from sin. Saving faith involves commitment, obedience, love and humility toward God.

1. Geisler, Norman Vol. 3
Systematic Theology II
TH 513 Systematic Theology II
PPt by Dr. Mark E. Hardgrove

2. SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY II
GEISLER, NORMAN
Chapter 68
“The Condition for Salvation”

3. Conditions for Giving and Receiving
According to all forms of Calvinism and
most forms of Arminianism, there are no
conditions for God’s provision of salvation.
It is a free gift—with no strings attached.
Eternal life is not conditioned on anything
but God’s grace (cf. Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7;
Rom. 4:5; 11:29).

4. The Roman Catholic View
Though individual Catholic believers may not
offer, in fact, some may not know or understand
the official position of the Roman Catholic
Church as stated at the Council of Trent (1545-
1563):
According to the Holy Writ, eternal blessedness in
heave is the reward for good works performed on
this earth, and rewards and merit are correlative
concepts . . . (Matt. 5:12; 25:34, et seq.)

5. The Roman Catholic View
There are two responses to the Catholic
view. The first is to respond to verses
misused by Catholics to support the works
view, and second is to demonstrate
through Scripture that justification is by
faith.

6. The Roman Catholic View
A Protestant Response:
1. It confuses gifts and merit.
2. It makes works a condition of eternal life.
3. It makes works of sanctification a condition of one’s ultimate salvation.
4. It confuses working for and working from salvation.
5. It makes a false distinction between “works of the law” (which they say are not
necessary) and “works” (which they say are necessary).
6. It embraces the error of Galatianism (cf. Gal. 3) by making works necessary for
ultimate justification (glorification) before God.
7. It confuses salvation and service.
8. It loads works into its concept of faith.
9. It sacramentalizes salvation, thereby making the Catholic Church to be the
administrator of grace.
10. I institutionalizes salvation making the Church the official institution through which
salvation is received, piecemeal, through its seven sacraments.
~ Geisler

7. The Strong (Hyper) Calvinist View on
the Condition for Salvation
T-U-L-I-P
Total depravity
Unconditional election
Limited atonement
Irresistible grace
Perseverance of the saints

8. The Strong (Hyper) Calvinist View on
the Condition for Salvation
T-U-L-I-P
As the TULIP confession states, according to the
extreme Calvinists, there can be absolutely no
condition for a person to meet before he or she
can receive the gift of salvation.
Therefore one is saved by grace (elected) before
anything else happens, i.e., faith, justification, etc.

9. The Strong (Hyper) Calvinist View on
the Condition for Salvation
Geisler notes three fundamental problems with the extreme
Calvinist’s views:
1. The belief that justification is prior to faith;
2. The contention that God uses irresistible grace on the
unwilling; and
3. The idea that faith is a gift of God only to the elect.
Review Geisler for his response to these problematic tenants of
extreme Calvinist view. Please note that even as Geisler refutes
the extreme Calvinist view, he support the Wesleyan view.

10. The Conditions of the Church of Christ
Four necessary condition for salvation according
to the Church of Christ (this does not apply to
the Church of God in Christ):
1. Faith as a Condition for Salvation
2. Repentance as a Condition for Salvation
3. Confession as a Condition for Salvation
4. Water Baptism as a Condition for Salvation

11. The Conditions of the Church of Christ
Response to the Church of Christ conditions:
1. Faith as a Condition for Salvation
Faith is the means or the medium by which
salvation is received, not a condition.

12. The Conditions of the Church of Christ
Responses to the Church of Christ conditions:
2. Repentance as a Condition for Salvation
If this is a condition, then why does the Bible
mention faith alone? Repentance is implicit in
faith. Faith in Jesus is also a simultaneous
acknowledgment of who we are, that is, sinners
in need of a Savior.

13. The Conditions of the Church of Christ
Response to the Church of Christ conditions:
3. Confession as a Condition for Salvation
Confession as expressed in scriptures, is nothing
more than a verbalization of faith. The outward
act add nothing to faith alone. It is the
expression of what has occurred in the heart of
the believer. It is a result, not a cause of
salvation.

14. The Conditions of the Church of Christ
Response to the Church of Christ conditions:
4. Water Baptism as a Condition for Salvation
1. Faith and faith alone is scripturally set forth (Rom. 1:17; Titus 3:5-
7).
2. In John’s Gospel only faith is listed as a condition.
3. Jesus called water baptism as work of righteousness, it is the
response to the transformation of salvation, not the cause.
4. Baptism is not a part of the gospel.
5. Paul was saved before he was baptized.
6. Peter affirmed that Cornelius was saved before he was baptized.
7. Baptism is a directive to those who are saved, not a condition.

15. The Lordship-Salvation View on
The Condition(s) for Salvation
Soteriologically, according to this view, we must accept
Christ (i.e., Master) of our lives (as well as Savior) in
order to be saved. In MacArthur’s words:
Lordship salvation . . . is “the view that for salvation a person must trust
Jesus Christ as his Savior from sin and must also commit himself to Christ
as Lord of his life, submitting to his sovereign authority,” It is astonishing
that anyone would characterize that truth as unbiblical or heretical.
Faith and faithfulness are the same. Therefore, no one can receive
justification without sanctification.

16. The Lordship-Salvation View on
The Condition(s) for Salvation
Geisler’s response to this view:
1. It overtly confuses salvation with discipleship.
2. It makes the promise of doing good works (by submitting to Christ’s
lordship) a condition for receiving the free gift of everlasting life.
3. It fails to distinguish what is implicit in faith (e.g. obedience” from what is
explicitly necessary to be saved (faith alone).
4. It overstates the important connection between faith and works by
claiming that there is an “inevitable connection” between them.
5. It stereotypes the free-grace view by labeling it easy believism.
6. It fails to see that there can be a distinction between justification and
sanctification without there being a dichotomy between them.
7. It makes faithfulness to the end (perseverance) a condition for certain
knowledge of individual salvation (Wesleyan’s would agree with this).
8. With seeming inconsistency, it admits that a true Christian can be a
secret believer and may even extensively backslide.

17. The Free-Grace View on
The Condition(s) for Salvation
This view, as expressed by Zane Hodges, contends that
saving faith cannot be distinguished from nonsaving
faith by its fruits. Faith alone is the condition for our
salvation. Repentance is neither a separate act nor a
part of saving faith.
Hodges does not accept that faith involves trust and
that a person must be received in the believer’s heart.
Personal appropriation is an aspect of true faith and
will usually manifest in good works.

18. The Free-Grace View on
The Condition(s) for Salvation
This view, as expressed by Zane Hodges, contends that
repentance is not necessary for salvation, only faith is,
and repentance is not a part of faith.
Hodges does not accept that repentance is necessary to
restore a right relationship with God. Faith is the only
condition for salvation, but as a dimension of faith,
repentance is the act by which a man turns away from
a former lifestyle and pattern of thinking to a new life
with a renewed mind.

19. The Free-Grace View on
The Condition(s) for Salvation
This view, as expressed by Zane Hodges, contends that
obedience to God is not soteriologically required. He says
they should embrace obedience, but it is not a condition for
salvation. Further, according to Hodges, neither obedience
nor good works are evidence of one’s salvation.
While obedience and good works are not conditions for
salvation, and it is true that people who are not saved can
do good works and appear to be obeying God’s Word, Jesus
clearly indicates the works we do and the fruit we bear can
indicate that one is not a child of God. A good spring
cannot produce bitter water. The fig tree cannot produce
grapes. A Christian’s life will reflect, in obedience and good
works, the fact of his or her transformation.

20. Repentance
• The root meaning of “to repent” (Gk:
metanoeo) is “to think differently” or “to
reconsider.” Virtually all the Greek lexicons
agree that to metanoeo is “to reconsider” or
‘to change one’s mind.”

21. Faith
• Faith, from the Greek pisteuo is a common
New Testament term meaning “to have faith
(in, upon, or with respect to a person of
thing). . . by implication to entrust (especially
one’s spiritual well-being to Christ) . . . commit
(to trust), put in trust with” (Strong’s, NSECB).

22. Faith and Repentance
• There is a tight connection between faith and
repentance, as two facets of the same action.
• In the biblical (Protestant) principle of “faith
alone”, both faith and repentance are necessary
for salvation, but each is a part of one saving act
by which a person receives the gift of everlasting
life.
• Faith and repentance are inseparable, in the
same way as the command to “come here”
cannot be fulfilled without “leaving there.”

23. Saving Faith
• Even Satan believes that Jesus is the Son of
God, but this type of faith is insufficient.
Saving faith contains more than mental assent
to the fact. According to Geisler “saving
faith”:
1. Involves Commitment
2. Involves Obedience
3. Involves Love
4. Involves Humility