Key Scripture — 1 Peter 1:14: “as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance” (NKJV) 📖 Read in NKJV
What this chapter says
Tozer opens the book by naming what he considers the most dangerous heresy quietly accepted in evangelical circles: the idea that a person may receive Christ as Savior now and postpone accepting Him as Lord indefinitely. He argues Scripture never divides the Person or offices of Christ — no one can believe in “half a Christ.” Drawing on Peter’s description of believers as “obedient children,” he traces the root of sin to rebellion against rightful authority, and salvation as its reversal: a return to the Creator-creature relationship in willing obedience. Heaven, he says, is simply the world of God’s obedient children; hell, the world of the unrepentant rebel. The chapter closes with a direct appeal: a divided allegiance to Christ is no allegiance to Christ at all.
Reflect
Where have you been tempted to accept Christ as Savior while quietly postponing His lordship over some area of your life?
This UECF.NET web book presents an original chapter-by-chapter guide rather than Tozer's full copyrighted chapter text, which remains in print from Moody Publishers. Read Tozer's complete chapter (pp. 2–9) in the original PDF, or see About this edition for details.