Exposing the fallacies of
the the Hyper Grace Theology
I had the opportunity to engage a fellow
Christian whom I designate as DW in his Facebook postings promoting Paul Ellis
article on
How to Recognize a Mixed-Grace Gospel
on 1 August 16.
So that more viewers can be made aware of the
fallacies of Hyper Grace teaching, I took the liberty to reproduce this public tread
entitled "Mixture: Grace plus Work" here in its entity.
---Begin---
DW: Mixture: Grace plus Work
A mixed-grace gospel combines the unmerited favor of God with the merited wage
of human-effort. “You are saved by grace but you maintain your position through
right-living,” is an example of a mixed-grace message. “God gives you grace so
that you can keep His commands,” is another. These sorts of messages contain an
element of grace but ultimately push you to trust in yourself and your own
efforts.
Me:
Please try to convince your readers of your version of Grace is Biblically
correct with your explanation of 1 Corinthians 3.
1Co 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall
receive his own reward according to his own labour.
1Co 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are
God's building.
1Co 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise
masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let
every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus
Christ.
1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious
stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of
what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive
a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself
shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God
dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the
temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
1Co 3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in
this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
1Co 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is
written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
1Co 3:20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are
vain.
1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
if you still subscribe to 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God
and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness,
DW:
Thanks Kee Sin for your question.
The book of Hebrews - Is it a book on Faith or is it a book on Works? These
heroes of faith believed in God so they acted. Were they honored because of
their Works or was it because of their faith in God? Without Faith it
is impossible to please God.
One can have Works without Faith ...but One cannot have Faith Without Works. A
Man or a Woman of Faith is Full of God's Works.
I Corinthians 3 ... The Apostle Paul was not comparing between Grace and Work.
Paul was talking about the "Kind" of works that we do. vs 10 "But let every man
take heed how he buildeth thereupon."
There are two kinds of Works we can do - Works of the Flesh and Works of Faith.
Works of the Flesh is "What I can do for God". Works of the Flesh is base on my
own performance.
Works of Faith is "What God has Done and What He is now Doing". Works of Faith
is aligning oneself in the Works of God. Faith is believing "What God says is
True".Faith is acting on what God has said.
Yes, let us take heed to Apostle Paul's warning on how we labour in God's Vine
Yard - "Flesh" or "Faith".
Me:
If we truly take heed of the need to "labour in God's Vine Yard", then it is
inappropriate to promote Paul Ellis's less than
Biblical article on "How to Recognize a Mixed-Grace Gospel".
Simply put, God's grace is for our salvation. We still need to strive to be holy
and do good work in our response to God's grace.
1Co 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive
a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself
shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God
dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the
temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
DW:
Simply put, God's grace is for our salvation. We still need to strive to be holy
and do good work in response to God's grace".
Here in lies the point of contention. I believe Paul Ellis would argue that we
are already "Righteous and Holy" in Christ. We
do not need to strive to be holy. (The "Finished Work of Christ" on the Cross.)
Do we need to do good work in response to God's grace? God's grace is unmerited
favor ... we just Accept with thankfulness God's Grace. The response to God's
Grace would be a Transform life ...full of God's Work and Good Works. Resting in
His Finished Work.
Both are looking from a different perspectives ... let the Holy Spirit
enlighten.
Me:
Are we already "Righteous and Holy" in Christ?
Do you honestly think that Christian living is effortless i.e. no need to strive
to be holy and do good work?
In Romans 6 when it says, “Consider yourselves dead to sin,” who is to do the
considering? We are, not God!
When the Lord says in 1 Corinthians 6:18, “Flee from sexual immorality,” what he
means is again for us to consciously run away from sins.
How about 2 Peter 1:5-7, “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement
your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with
self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with
godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with
love.”
Only the Holy Spirit can truly develop those Christ like qualities. Nevertheless
we are told to strive towards them.
In Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Did
Paul rest in the "Finished Work of Christ"?
Paul could only do it as Christ strengthened him. Still, Paul had to do what
Christ gave him the strength to do in obedience to the Father.
Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of
unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of
you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Heb 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our
confidence steadfast unto the end;
In short, there is no elimination of any part of our humanity in Christian
living.
DW:
re we already "Righteous and Holy" in Christ?
Do you honestly think that Christian living is effortless i.e. no need to strive
to be holy and do good work?
Yes, I am already "Righteous and Holy" in Christ.
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God
dwelleth in you? I am the Temple which the Holy Spirit dwells ... am I not Holy?
Rom 5:19 "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by
one Man's obedience many will be made righteous". I am made "Righteous" in
Christ.
As, I have stated, we look at things from different perspectives. This is my
belief according to my understanding of Scriptures. I will not continue with
this conversation. Thanks for your sharing.
---End---
My intended response to DW's last posting is this:
Quoting 1Co 2:16 alone to
justify our perpetual righteousness is misleading
if we take into consideration the possibility of becoming
un-righteous as in 1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him
shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Rom 5:19 indeed made believers righteous in Christ. Again,
it is wrong to interpret that all believers will
continue to remain righteous.
Revelation 22:14-15 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that
they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into
the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers,
and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.,
requires us to do his commandments to remain in Christ.
These contentious but cordial exchanges had provided us with
some examples of the Hyper Grace Theology based
solely on selective scriptures of the Holy Bible.
The correct perspective does matter for those of us who are seeking the TRUTH
of the Gospel.
We should only accept as Gospel TRUTH, teachings that are based on the
correct interpretation of the Holy Scriptures in its entity.
On reflection, it is not difficult to understand why Hyper
Grace adherents continue to stand on their grounds when they allow themselves to
be misled by "feel-good" but un-Biblical teachings.
John 16:7-11 clearly debunk another
false and dangerous Hyper Grace teachings like this.
Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the
truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the
Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Joh 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Joh 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Sadly, these Hyper Grace teachers choose to emphasize only God’s love and
forgiveness while ignoring Jesus’ call for His people to
do His commandants and the
danger of losing our salvation.
They also dismissed the relevancy of the Old Testament
commandments and moral laws, preach on forgiveness without repentance and
on receiving God’s blessings without any conditions.
Jude 3-4, “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. For
certain men have crept in unnoticed … ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God
into lewdness.”, is a timely reminder for us to be vigilant of these false
teachings.
