I downloaded this discussion on Free Will from salvationbygrace.org
Free Will and False Doctrine
Q -
Regarding last week's message that
I downloaded ["Arguments Against The Perseverance of the Saints"
Dated: August 25, 2002]. If I understand this correctly, you're saying that the
Bible says that saying we have free will is considered a false gospel, correct?
Jim -
First off, I'm glad that you're
availing yourself of the MP3 downloads available on our site. We update them
weekly and have the previous two weeks' worth of messages available. They can
be streamed (if you have a fast connection) or they can be downloaded to your
hard drive for later listening. Soon, we'll be including the weekly Thursday
night classes on Eschatology, so check back for those.
Now, to your question.
Let me explain my position this
way. If you start with the notion that humans have an unencumbered will and
that their willpower and decision-making ability leads to their salvation (i.e.
they obligate God to save them as the result of their choices and decisions),
then you have indeed created a method of salvation that is foreign to Scripture.
The human will does have a
capacity for choice. That's axiomatic. But, our ability to choose between
options is limited by the fact that our nature is sinful and that we can only
choose those things that are within our grasp and sinful capabilities. For
instance, we cannot choose to invade Heaven and call God into account for His
actions. Our will is weak in matters of God. In fact, we are only able to
choose among a variety of sinful thoughts and actions. But, we are incapable of
choosing to do righteous works and faithful acts that are sufficient to advance
or secure our standing before God. That's the Biblical paradigm.
In order for men and women to move
toward God or perform activities that are pleasing in His sight, He must
indwell that person, free them from their bondage to sin, enlighten them,
regenerate them and draw them to Himself. The good works that they will
perform, then, are in reaction to His gracious call and saving work. They are
not the cause of salvation. They are the reaction.
That being said, freewill is not
the false gospel. It is simply a false concept. The idea of individual
self-will was introduced into Christian theology by an early church father
named Tertullian, who lived and wrote 100 years after the last apostle died. He
also introduced the language of the Trinity into our Christian lexicon. So,
Tertullian has lots of credibility in certain circles. But, the notion and
concept of freewill is not found in the pages of Holy Writ, particularly in the
New Covenant documents. And, that's the difference.
So, if you start with a fallacious
premise and then allow that false notion to influence your thinking about God,
of course you will arrive at false conclusions. And, that's where false
doctrine comes into play.
The false gospel is any gospel
that denies Christ's complete and utter salvation of His people. If we add
anything, any requirement that people must perform in order to complete the
work of salvation, we have created a false gospel.
"I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who
called you in the grace of Christ, to a different (Gr. "heteros" -
altered) gospel, which is not another (Gr. "allos" - not of the same
quality, qualitatively different); but there are some who trouble you and want to
pervert (Gr. "metastrepho" - to transmute or corrupt) the gospel of
Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you
than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed (Gr.
"anathema"). As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches
any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed."
(Gal 1:6-10)
In the case of the church at
Galatia, the corruption of the gospel was that Gentile converts were compelled
to be circumcised in accordance with the Mosaic Law. In some modern churches
you must tithe or you're not considered truly saved. In other churches, baptism
is the deciding factor. In some groups, the words that are said during your
baptism reckon your eternal state. Some denominations and church groups believe
that only adherents to their set of rules, or membership in their body, can
guarantee your eternal destiny.
And in many, many churches the
emphasis is put on your willingness to "accept Jesus," or "make
Him your Lord and Savior," or "say the sinner's prayer," and
then you are truly saved. These are all actions and activities designed to
obligate God to save people in response to their willingness to be saved. God
is not seen as the "first cause" in such instances. He is not the
instigator, author or finisher of salvation. God is simply seen as providing an
opportunity for salvation, provided someone will come along behind Him and put
that plan into effect.
But, the Bible teaches quite the
opposite message. Men and women are described as "dead in trespasses and
sins," wholly incapable of taking the slightest step toward God. God,
therefore, is presented as saving His people for His own glory. It is His idea,
His design and His enterprise. He is saving sinners who cannot get to Him,
cannot please Him and cannot obligate Him. He is loving the unlovable,
pardoning the unforgivable, and saving the otherwise unredeemable.
And, it is this very incapability
on the part of humans that necessitates God's grace in action. Since we cannot
exercise our will to get to Him, to obligate Him, to plead our case before Him,
or to produce any positive results or merit that will redound to our eternal
account - indeed because we cannot do any good thing whatsoever and all our
best actions are accounted as filthy, bloody rags (Isa. 64:6), it is axiomatic,
self-evident, that God must move toward us. We cannot, nor would it ever enter
our sin-corrupted minds, to move toward Him.
God approaches the sinner to begin
the salvation relationship. Sinners cannot move toward God any more than
Lazarus could move out of the tomb toward Jesus. First Jesus had to bring
Lazarus to life. Then, He could tell Him what He wanted him to know.
Inasmuch as sinner are powerless
to obligate God (I mean, what do we have to commend ourselves? Our works? Our
filthy rags?), it must be God - of His own will and for His own purposes - who
determines the salvation of people.
That's a long answer to a short
question, I know. But, whenever you start with a false premise, you must arrive
at a false conclusion. An
individual's will is never designated in Scripture as the instrument or method
of salvation. The instrument is God's grace and method is God's power.
We are merely the recipients of God's good pleasure and abundant mercy.
So, while freewill is not the false
gospel, in and of itself; it cannot help but lead to one.
Q -
I am a member of the local First
Baptist Church. I've been there for about three years now and Jim, I cannot
deny seeing God take such an active part in the lives of those people and in
that church in general. Granted, they don't teach election...well, it's
acknowledged but it's not taught.
Jim -
I don't doubt it. Wherever two or
more of Christ's people are gathered in His name, He is there in the midst
(Mat. 18:20). I have never argued against congregations. Paul himself did not
argue against bodies of saints gathered together. He argued against the
leadership, the teachers, the false professors and those who would introduce
heresy into the body. He fought to protect the body against such encroachments.
People misunderstand me sometimes
when I comment on the traditions of other churches. The traditions of men,
according to Jesus, make the Word of God of no effect - null and void,
essentially (Mat. 15:3). And, God will hold those teachers accountable for
their error.
I am a great fan of the Church.
Like Paul, under most all circumstances I am thankful that Christ is preached.
But, that does not mean that we should not earnestly contend for the faith once
delivered to the saints.
"Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you
concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting
you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the
saints." (Jude 3)
It is bothersome to me to hear
that any church will "acknowledge" some aspect of God's Word while at
the same time being unwilling to teach and embrace it. I wonder what they are
afraid of. God's people are not offended by God's Word, any more than sheep are
bothered by sheep food.
But, there's more to it. The
modern church is shackled with responsibilities and problems that the early
church knew nothing of. For instance, the First Century Church spent no time
"counting heads." They realized that Jesus was building His church
and that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it (Mat. 16:18). They
understood that God added daily to the church "such as should be
saved" (Acts 2:47). And, they knew that as the gospel went out those who
were "ordained to eternal life believed" (Acts 13:48).
So, they were not worried with
numbers. They were worried with quality. They only wanted genuine converts who
held to the true faith. And, they were quick to expose and break fellowship
with anyone opposed to the genuine gospel.
"Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of
Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both
the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this
doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he
that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." (2 John 9-11)
That seems very extreme and
"separatist" to our modern sensibilities, but it was essential that
the early church not allow the various destructive ideas and teachings to permeate
the body. Purity of doctrine was absolutely essential.
But not so, these days.
If you are the pastor of a large
church with a large building, large budget and large bills, you have
considerations beyond doctrine. And, if you are answerable to a board, a Synod,
a convention, or a Presbytery, then one of the ways your effectiveness as a
pastor is judged is by your ability to grow the numbers and raise money. That
becomes a primary concern. And lesser concerns, like proper doctrine, take a
back seat to the more immediate and practical matters of bill-paying and
church-growing. So, whatever it takes - puppets, mimes, clowns, surround sound,
drama, musicals, showbiz, multiple self-improvement classes, singles groups,
social clubs, gymnasiums, swimming pools, martial arts classes, music lessons,
whatever! - the leaders of the modern church need to put people in the pews and
keep them coming back.
Doctrine won't accomplish that.
Proper doctrine, rightly taught, is likely to offend people. And, you cannot
risk offending people when you're striving to reach million-dollar budgets.
Throughout Scripture, the genuine
gospel was always considered "a rock of offense." Everywhere that it
was told, people rejected it violently, stoning the preachers and driving them
out of their cities. The true gospel pulls the rug out from under men's
self-sufficiency and convicts them of their sinfulness. People don't like that.
They want to hear that they are just fine, doing well and God loves them
regardless.
But, Jesus said, "Woe unto you, when all men shall speak
well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets." (Luke 6:26)
That ought to wake us up. The
current man-pleasing gospel is designed to make everyone like the preacher and
his message of universal love and acceptance. No rules, no absolutes, no
requirements. Just easy-believism and a free pass into Heaven.
But, the true Word will separate
sheep from goats. It will cause division and contention. I'm not saying we need
to go out and try to stir up trouble, but every apostle who told the truth
concerning God ended up in a world of trouble. The world hates the gospel. It
reproves them of their evil deeds. It throws light on their dark hearts. So,
they reject it.
But, the modern church has made a
comfortable place for even the most miserable sinner to join without guilt or
repentance - provided they bring their wallet. It's easier to preach a
non-threatening, light and easy message and then pass the plate. It's hard to
stand up for the truth, because there's a very good likelihood that people will
try to stone you.
So, to answer your question more
directly, will God bless the people who are in churches that advance the
watered-down message? Sure. I've seen Him do it. But, that is an act of grace,
not obligation on His part. Is God pleased with the milquetoast message
emanating from so many contemporary pulpits? Surely not.
"So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will spew thee out of my mouth." (Rev. 3:16)
God holds the leaders in the
church responsible for the health of the body. And, there are plenty of sick
bodies out there. But, God is gracious to His people wherever He finds them.
Q -
I admit that they do push works in
the form of "quiet time," church service, tithing and the like...your
general works that most people don't particularly consider works, but they are
because of how they are pushed. If that is a false gospel, its teachers are
worthy of damnation. So then why does God take such a positive role in things
there?
Jim -
You are very perceptive, so you
are asking very good and probing questions. And your logic is correct. Whatever
we add to the finished work of Christ is necessarily "works." And,
those works hamper the genuine gospel. That does lead to a false gospel and
Paul did say that anyone who preached another gospel was "anathema" -
fit for burning for God's glory. Those are his words, not mine.
You simply cannot mix works and
grace. The two are diametrically opposed to each other. It's one or the other.
Either God will judge you on your own merit, or He will judge according to
Christ's finished work of redemption. But, as soon as we add some morsel, some
speck, some attribute or merit of our own, we are begging God to judge the
quality of that contribution. And, according to Paul, the minute we are tried
according to our works, there is no grace to cover us. God will judge all our
works and condemn on the basis of our failure to accomplish the perfect
righteousness He justly demands. It's a very dangerous game people are playing,
but they seem oblivious to it.
Now, why does God continue to
bless such a body? Grace, my friend. He is kind. He is charitable. He is
longsuffering. And, He has His people in the midst of that body. After all,
you're there, right?
God blessed Egypt when Joseph was
in their midst. Once Israel was delivered, God drowned the armies of Egypt. God
will continue His patient forbearance with this evil world so long as His
Church is on the planet. But, after He has removed the body of Christ, the
tribulation will begin. That's how God works.
God will shake up the false
churches and hold the false teachers accountable. But, He is longsuffering and
endlessly kind toward His people, and the false professors may prosper under
the hand of blessing that has providentially fallen their way. But, not
forever.
"For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me,
I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his
people." (Heb 10:30)
Q -
Do I doubt you? No. I'm just
trying to understand and must play "devil's advocate" in order to get
the whole picture. I've been meaning to go back and listen to that message
again. But, if I understood you correctly, then what you're saying is that only
those who believe in the reformed way will be in heaven...? Doesn't make sense.
Jim -
First off, I'm a great fan of
healthy cynicism. Don't take any man at his word. Always, always check every
man's teaching against the Word of God, and if it doesn't fit, if it doesn't
jibe, if it doesn't make sense, run to the nearest exit. Test the spirits and
hold teachers accountable for how they represent God. It's important work and
not to be taken lightly. I commend you for your "due diligence."
"And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by
night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These
were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with
all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things
were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were
Greeks, and of men, not a few." (Acts 17:10-12)
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits
whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the
world." (1 John 4:1)
Now, as for your understanding of
my teaching: I have never said that only those people who believed Reformed
Theology will enter into Heaven. The thief on the cross knew no theology
whatsoever. He only knew whom to look to. And, that was enough. The gospel
message has always been that simple. People cloud it up and confuse it with
traditions and false ideas. But, the thief on the cross trusted wholly and
completely in Jesus to save him. And, that was sufficient.
But, more to the point, no one in
the First Century church believed "Reformed Theology." It had not
been developed in any systematic form and wouldn't be for many hundreds of
years. Yet, plenty of people were saved. That's not to say that Paul did not
argue adamantly that his theology was accurate and any other version of the
gospel was false and incapable of securing salvation. There has always been one
- and only one - genuine article.
"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in
one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father
of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Eph 4:4-6)
But, the one faith that can save
is equitable with Paul's doctrine, not necessarily "Reformed
Doctrine." There are many, many similarities and I do believe that of all
the various historic theological systematics, Reformed thinking comes closest
to Pauline teaching. But, I'm studying and promoting Paul's teaching, not the
teaching of the Reformers, per se.
As for whom God will save or
condemn, that's none of my business. It's up to Him and I do not go around
pronouncing judgment on people. I agree with Paul's assessment that men who
"pervert" the gospel will fall into just condemnation. But, that's
not my conclusion, that's Paul's conclusion. I agree with him.
Now, what I do know is where the
safe ground is. I know how to build a house on the solid rock. And, that's what
I adjure people to do. I go around saying, "I know the sure way." As
bold as that may sound, I am convinced that the gospel message contained in the
bible is sufficient to guarantee the salvation of your ever-living, never-dying
soul. That's what I'm all about. I point people to the sure and certain way.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of
people out there building on sand. There is no security in that. There is no
surety in that method. I try to warn them, but I cannot save them. Only God can
convince them. Now, whether those people end up in Heaven or not is completely
and utterly God's decision, not mine. I do not pretend to have such authority
or intimate knowledge of God's dealings. I hope and pray that He will be
merciful to them. And, I trust He will. He is a merciful God. But, I do not
pretend to persuade Him.
My job is not to give comfort to
those who are in error or in danger. My job is to point people to the truth,
where safety and security abounds. My job is to tell people where certainty,
rigor and eternal peace can be found.
Let me put it this way: If you
wanted to visit Hickory Hollow Mall, I could give you directions. The streets
between here and there are "set in stone." If you follow my
directions, turn where I say turn, follow the roads I say to follow, and stop when
I say stop, you will end up nowhere else except the Hickory Hollow Mall.
However, you may opt for an alternate course. That course may ultimately lead
you to the Mall or you may end up hopelessly lost. But, I do know the way and I
am willing to tell you, provided you'll pay attention and follow the
directions.
Now, of course, where mall-hopping
is concerned, it might be fun to veer off course and see where you end up. But,
when we're talking about things of eternal importance, like where your soul
will wind up, I think it's vitally important to understand the true path and
make sure you're on it. God may be gracious to people who wander off and lose
their way. He may guide them back to that steady course and get them safely
home. But, that's between them and Him. That's not my job, nor do I have such
abilities. I just tell everyone who will listen where the safest course is.
On the other hand, God may leave
people to themselves and let them wander until they are hopelessly doomed.
Again, that's up to Him. And, I leave it there. I do not presume to encroach on
the mind of God. I pray for His mercy on those who are lost, but I do not
pretend to have the capability to pronounce judgment on anyone.
But, I do know the true and secure
path. So, I tell people. That's my gig.
Thanks for writing. I hope that
helps.
Yours in Him,
Jim Mc.
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