Lordship salvation is a teaching in Christian theology which maintains that good works are a necessary consequence of being declared righteous before God. In other words, Jesus cannot be considered a person's savior (that is, bringer of salvation) without simultaneously being lord of the person's life, which is demonstrated by the gradual purification from sin and the exercising of good works (for instance, caring for widows and orphans, James 1:27). This teaching is advocated in many of the creeds of Protestantism, but is not universally accepted. Advocates and opponents of the doctrine within Protestantism all agree that justification before God is through faith alone by grace alone, but they differ on whether true salvation can ever be followed by leading a worldly life or even apostasy.

The opposing position is called Free Grace theology which maintains that the Lordship salvation view is marked by legalism and a lack of graciousness. In particular, Free Grace theology claims that the Lordship position is "fixated" on the works-minded Gospel of Matthew while overlooking the Grace-minded Gospel of John. An in-between position also exists which asserts that the Lordship salvation view is legalist and Free Grace theology is antinomian.