REASONS TO REMAIN A FREE GRACER:
by Colin Maxwell (who is on vacation and does not know that I have cut and paste this)
REASONS TO REMAIN A FREE GRACER:
1) If you think that preaching repentance to the unconverted is preaching a works gospel, then fine: Remain a Free Gracer!
We, Evangelicals, more or less agree with J. Vernon McGhee [comments on Ephesians 2:8-9] who answered the objection that one hadn’t been given the gift of faith with these words: ”That’s not your problem. Your problem is that you don’t want to give up your sins which the Bible condemns. Whenever you get sick of your sins, when you want to turn from yourself, from the things of the world, from religion, from everything the Bible condemns, and turn to Christ, then you will be given faith. You can trust Him.” (Actually, many of us believe that repentance flows from faith, rather than leads to faith as suggested by Mr McGhee, but we are one with him in the thought that a man cannot come savingly to Christ while determined to hold unto his sins.)
2) If you think that denying that someone who says that they believe in Jesus for everlasting life and then becomes an apostate, a chronic atheist etc., will still get to heaven is a travesty of John 6:47 etc., then fine: Remain a Free Gracer!
We, non Arminian Evangelicals, look for the evidence of the possession of the Holy Spirit who graciously, powerfully and infallibly enables God’s people to persevere unto the end. We run with HA Ironside’s comments: But, on the other hand, I am not so enthusiastic about the other expression, “the perseverance of the saints.” I believe in it; I believe that all saints--all really belonging to God--will persevere to the end, for the Book tells me, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13), and if a man starts out and makes a profession but gives it all up, he will never be saved, because he was never born again to begin with, he was never truly changed by grace divine. On the other hand, the reason he endures to the end is not because of any particular perseverance of his own. What I believe in, and what the Word of God clearly teaches, is the perseverance of the Holy Spirit. When He begins a work, He never gives up until it is completed. That is our confidence. [Eternal Security]
3) If you think that saying “It costs to be a Christian” is a typical statement by a works gospeller, then fine: Remain a Free Gracer!
We, Evangelicals, are quite happy to say so. Brother J. Vernon McGhee was happy to use this expression. In his comments on Luke 14:28-30, he says: ”It will cost something to make a decision for Christ. It will cost something to be His disciples. Think it over, friends, you should count the cost before you make the decision.” True, he goes on to make the difference between a Christian and a Disciple, but it is clear that he expects the interested enquirer to think long and hard because while salvation is a free gift, yet it does cost to be a Christian.
4) If you think that a professing Christian can live in sin and still be considered to be a true believer, then fine: be a Free Gracer!
We, Evangelicals, run again with J. Vernon McGhee who wrote: ”It is clearly understood that the unregenerate man who practices these sins has no portion in the kingdom of Christ and God. If a professing Christian practices these sins, he immediately classifies himself. No matter what his testimony may be on Sunday or what position he may have in the church, such a person is saying to the lost world that he is not a child of God. To live in the corruption of the flesh is to place one’s self beyond the pale of a child of God.” [Comments on Ephesians 5:5] Again: Someone may say, ‘Wait a minute. You said a child of God could confess a sin and come back into fellowship with God.’ That is right, but a child of God cannot confess a sin and continue in that sin. That is a dead giveaway that such a person is not a child of God.” [Comments on Ephesians 5:4, following his statement: ”Fornication is a sin. Regardless of where you are or who you are, if you are living in fornication today, you cannot be a child of God.”]
I’m sure there’s more I could add to that, but I’ve plenty to do today. Enough there for us all to chew on!
Labels: Colin Maxwell, Free Grace Theology
posted by mark pierson at 9:59 AM
9 Comments:
The free grace great commission:
Go make believers and teach them that they are saved even if they remain carnal for the rest of their lives. However, if they want rewards in heaven teach them they must perform works of service and become disciples.
July 12, 2008 10:30 AM
Free grace evangelism:
Keep simple and short with a message of believe that Jesus guaranteed them eternal life and they can become saved between rolls of the dice and before their cold beer gets hot!
July 12, 2008 10:42 AM
I'm just sorry I have to work the next two days. (I am getting ready to go for today as I type.) Should be interesting here.
July 12, 2008 12:34 PM
Why is there so much bickering between all of you about what is best?
And, nobody answered my question in the last post about what sins you do that make you a sinner.
July 13, 2008 5:35 AM
Loren,
You said……..
Why is there so much bickering between all of you about what is best?
The Bible encourages believers to encourage sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. Many of the books of the New Testament was written to refute false doctrine. Therefore, both sides in a debate are correct to stand for what they believe to be the correct view. One of them and possibly both are wrong in their differences, but it is nonsense to say both sides in a disagreement are right.
And, nobody answered my question in the last post about what sins you do that make you a sinner.
Just as any act of stealing makes one a thief, any sin makes one a sinner. One sin that is rampant today is unbelief in the Holy Bible. I am talking about unbelief in clear biblical passages such as John 14:6 where Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Many today assert that many religions lead to God and we even see this among some Christian leaders and their deluded followers who profess to be Christians. They are not Christians because they are denying Christ primary work for coming to planet earth. They are unbelievers!
July 13, 2008 8:13 AM
Loren,
This was seen in the UK this past week when a teacher at a school punished some students for not praying to the false God Allah in an Islam education week. The students correctly refused and were punished by their teacher.
What is going on in the UK?
July 13, 2008 8:16 AM
Haven't a clue! It's the first I've heard of it. The British are sticklers for 'political correctness' which at times is taken to farcical limits. I could quote you far more outlandish instances than the one you mentioned.
Sorry to keep banging on about this, but you profess to be a sinner. You only quote disbelief in the Bible as a sin (apart from the obvious criminal sins). You are a believer and you believe strongly, firmly and totally in the Bible.
So what other sins are there that people like you and your colleagues on Bluecollar can commit? It isn't enough say falling short on Christs goodness, as no one can possible do otherwise as we are not God.
Please help me on this as I really do find it terrible confusing. If you can give me a few examples I would certainly have something to work on.
July 13, 2008 9:10 AM
Actually, teh British are not half as 'politically correct' as the media make out.
The right-wing press are constantly on the look-out for exceptional examples of silliness and many of such stories turn out to be made-up anyway.
Don't criticise the UK until you have actually lived here.
July 13, 2008 9:35 AM
Jill,
ANYTHING short of Christ's standard fails. That is why He is to be clung to as one's Lord and Savior.
Let us say that a person went all his life living in utter perfection. Then one day he looked at a pretty girl and entertained a lustfull thought. Now remember God is perfect in holiness. ALL sin must be judged, even those that are "natural" for man. That man, though perfect all his life to this point, must be judged and spend an eternity in Hell for having offended his Infintely Holy Creator.
However, Christ, God the Son, died for that sin, having paid the penalty for that sin on the cross. Now the man needs to avail himself of the forgivness offered him from God the Father, that forgivness that stems from Christ's sacrifice. Once that man is convinced by God the Holy Spirit that he is a sinner he will cry out, "God be mercifull to me a sinner!". He is now coming to God on His terms for God is merciful and gracious to those who humble themselves before Him.
May you come to know Christ as your Master and Savior.
July 13, 2008 11:03 AM
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