Eight key tenets of hyper-grace doctrine refuted
When red flags go up at popular beaches, it means there are dangerous undercurrents that endanger lives. Stay out of harm’s way. Don’t swim. It’s too risky.
Similarly, in the spiritual realm, we need to raise red flags whenever there are dangerous false teachings so that impressionable believers will not be entrapped.
Believers are taught not to believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1).
We also need to scrutinise whatever is taught, like the Bereans, to ascertain whether it is in accordance with scriptures (Acts 17:11).
I have already highlighted a serious heresy in an earlier post: “Is it true that the Holy Spirit does not convict believers of sin?” http://bit.ly/1OczgqH
If we think that this megachurch pastor’s teaching on conviction of sins—the Holy Spirit does not convict believers of sin—is outrageous, we haven’t seen the rest yet. The other tenets of his hyper-grace teachings are equally erroneous.
“A false-grace doctrine is a drug—a poisonous sleeping pill that feels freeing, relaxing and euphoric. Yet the false-grace overdose that’s occurring in churches all over the world is resulting in people’s careless, self-focused slumber that they will, one day, fail to awaken from.”
– John Burton
Here are seven other key tenets of hyper-grace doctrine, each followed by a link that presents a rebuttal to it.
FUTURE SINS AUTOMATICALLY FORGIVEN
Hyper-grace teaches that the future sins of Christians are automatically forgiven (FSAF). Is it rational to say Christ’s blood covers all our future sins even before it came into being?
CONFESS ONCE ONLY
Hyper-grace teaches us that, after our one-time confession of sin at conversion, believers no longer need to confess our sins. When God looks at us, all He is going to see is Christ’s blood, not our sins whether it is past, present or future. We merely rest in the ‘imputed righteousness of Christ’. Is it true that sin need not be dealt with after conversion since we merely rest in the ‘imputed righteousness of Christ’?
REPENTANCE IS MERELY CHANGING ONE’S MIND
Hyper-grace teaches believers only need to change their mind (correct their past erroneous thinking) when they repent. Is this what the Bible teaches about repentance?
GRACE MAKES THE LAW OBSOLETE
Hyper-grace teaches that believers are no longer under the law since they are now under grace. Are believers really free from the requirements of the law?
BELIEVERS SHOULD BANISH (GET RID OF) SIN CONSCIOUSNESS COMPLETELY
Hyper-grace teaches that since God has already forgiven all the past, present and future sins of believers, it follows that we should put the ‘sin issue’ behind us and banish ‘sin consciousness’ from our lives. Is this biblical?
GRACE IS NULLIFIED THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW
Hyper-grace teaches that since believers are under grace, they do not have to be subject to the law. Obedience to the law is seen as something negative—an attempt to earn God’s blessings apart from grace.
Hyper-grace teaching implies that obedience is unnecessary in the life of a believer—that we should not nullify God’s grace through obedience or “works of the law”.
ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED
Hyper-grace teaches that believers enjoy eternal security and will never lose our salvation: “The truth is you are saved by grace and you are kept by grace. It’s grace from start to finish! Don’t let anyone frighten you into doing dead works, but rest secure in His finished work. Just as you did nothing to earn salvation, there is nothing you can do to lose it.”
Is it true that believers will never lose our salvation—even if we deny God or willfully live in sin?
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EIGHT KEY TENETS OF HYPER-GRACE DOCTRINE REFUTED
When red flags go up at popular beaches, it means there are dangerous undercurrents that endanger lives. Stay out of harm’s way. Similarly, in the spiritual realm, we need to raise red flags whenever there are dangerous false teachings so that impressionable believers will not be entrapped.
EXTERNAL LINKS
HAVE YOU FALLEN FOR THE FALSE-GRACE MESSAGE?
CONFRONTING THE ERROR OF HYPER-GRACE
Dear Dr. Though I have some reservations on Pastor Prince's messages but I see more flaws in your understanding of the glorious Scriptures! Instead of further dividing the Body of Christ and being played into the enemy's scheme, why not use this blog/Facebook to preach this message of hope to the lost, the downtrodden and the needy? Our Lord Jesus said that harvest indeed is plentiful but the laborers are fill. Why not answer to that urgent call than wasting time & energy putting down on another laborer of the Lord?
ReplyDeleteThe Bible says: Contend for the faith.
Delete(Jude 1:3-4)
If these false teachers are not challenged or called out, they pose a serious threat within the Church.
Truth cannot be compromised or left unchallenged.
Many who championed Truth in the past went to the stake and were burned alive.
Why? Because they could see the damage it would do to the Church.
The Church is to be the "Pillar and Ground of the Truth".
(1 Timothy 3:15)
SHOULD THE CHRISTIAN IDEAL OF TOLERANCE EXTEND TO FALSE TEACHING?
ReplyDeleteChristians are supposed to be kind, good-natured and tolerant. But that is not the stance adopted by apostles Paul, Peter and John in relation to false teachings. They made sure they took a strong stand against destructive heresies (2 Timothy 4:1-4; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1).
http://bit.ly/1NPpH1f
Totally agree with you.
DeleteThe Bible says: Contend for the faith.
(Jude 1:3-4)
If these false teachers are not challenged or called out, they pose a serious threat within the Church.
Truth cannot be compromised or left unchallenged.
Many who championed Truth in the past went to the stake and were burned alive.
Why? Because they could see the damage it would do to the Church.
The Church is to be the "Pillar and Ground of the Truth".
(1 Timothy 3:15)
Here is the full response to the comment by J T Trust: http://bit.ly/1N14txA
ReplyDeleteA blog reader, Robert Tan, commented:
ReplyDeleteActually your blog has played the part of encouragement to Christians and also a cautionary role that warns against false teaching. It is always easy to have a warm and fuzzy feeling of tolerance and let it be so. Some self-righteous people or really confused people will feel that you are divisive and there are some who think that these false teaching is minor and inconsequential.
Paul words mention a “different gospel”. During these days the world is literally flooded with the teachings and representatives of those who propagate a “different gospel’, (NIV) “ another gospel”, (KJV) in place of the message which was once for all delivered unto the saints (Jude 1:3). False teaching don’t save anyone.
But every honest hearted person should heed the Berean call. All true believers can agree that a proper understanding of the Scripture is one thing worth guarding aggressively.
Keep up the good work, brother!