Hyper-Grace vs Salvation

A response to this http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/38297-confronting-the-error-of-hyper-grace

It’s something that hits close to home as I have come under the same conviction as Dr Brown. Thanks to Bill Snell for clarifying some of the teachings in huge post 🙂 I am probably going to be guilty of the same…

Anyhow, I would like to weigh in on this topic from a different angle. I think
the core around this debate goes even deeper: Do you think your salvation can be lost?

Depending on your answer, I think you’ll probably land on different sides of
this debate. You also need to consider, that your average Christian today is still a baby and I do not think they have the maturity nor fortitude to discern the more “advanced aspects” of God as they could easily come to wrong conclusions.

If you believe that your salvation CANNOT be lost, you will probably also
believe that God’s grace is huge and limitless, and that God does not even see your sins anymore and then there is no real need for repentance or changing your life. So no real Sanctification will take place.

If you do believe that your salvation CAN be lost, you realize that God’s grace has limits, and His patience does run out. (There are legions of examples of this in the Old Testament, and in God’s treatment of Israel) While God is loving and patient, and desires for all to be saved, this desire is not limitless. Hence, you will find a real need and urgency that drives you to Sanctification.

If your life does not show Sanctification then your faith is not real. James 2 makes this abundantly clear – note I am not claiming your works saves you – I am claiming that your works is a proof of your faith and even that it helps to JUSTIFY you. Think about it, the less sin you have in your life, the less judgement is necessary, the more you are justified. Whenter this comes about by your own effort, or with the Spirit’s urging and help, is largely irrelevant. You have less Sin in your life, so you are better off…

Jam 2:24 NKJV – You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

Now, I have no qualms with claiming that most people commenting on this post are indeed saved. Extolling and believing in God’s grace is not sufficient cause to make you lose your salvation. However, you need to get a balanced view of not only God’s full Character, but of all scripture. What you believe in the end of God and in His word, needs to cater for all of it. Not just certain parts of scripture or certain aspects of His character. While God is loving and gracious, He is also Judge and righteous. What will be sufficient cause to lose your salvation and to come under the last day’s deception is the belief that God’s grace is limitless and that there is no need for CONTINOUS repentance. This is not a one-time act or prayer; you have to do so continually. AND the proof is in the pudding; in what you live out.

Over-emphasizing a specific quality like God’s grace will in most instances
only lead to further sinning and abuse and Dr Brown does well in raising the alarm and consciousness around this issue.

Now, given the huge amounts of warnings in the Bible on the apostasy and false teachers (and teachings) in the last days, let’s consider the two sides of this debate again in the light of the luke-warm Laodicean church, whom God will vomit from His mouth. We need to worship God in Spirit and TRUTH. The worst thing about being deceived is that you do not know it! It is therefore paramount that you work out your salvation with FEAR and Trembling.

So bottom line, you cannot just teach Grace. You also cannot just teach judgment. You need to balance these teachings and do so in TRUTH, and the Holy Spirit will do the rest.

Here is a list of Bible verses that to my mind CLEARLY shows your salvation can be lost. Please PRAYERFULLY consider these, and then measure your own convictions against God’s word. Be humble and teachable and change / renew your mind and thinking if required…

1Ch 28:9 NKJV – “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.

Mat 7:19 NKJV – “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Mat 7:20 NKJV – “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Mat 7:21 NKJV – “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Mat 7:22 NKJV – “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
Mat 7:23 NKJV – “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Luk 8:13 NKJV – “But the ones on the rock [are those] who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.

Hbr 2:1 NKJV – Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

Hbr 3:12 NKJV – Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
Hbr 3:13 NKJV – but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Hbr 3:14 NKJV – For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,

Hbr 5:9 NKJV – And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,

Hbr 6:4 NKJV – For [it is] impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
Hbr 6:5 NKJV – and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
Hbr 6:6 NKJV – if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put [Him] to an open shame.

1Cr 15:1 NKJV – Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,
1Cr 15:2 NKJV – by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you–unless you believed in vain.

1Ti 1:18 NKJV – This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
1Ti 1:19 NKJV – having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,
1Ti 1:20 NKJV – of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

1Ti 4:1 NKJV – Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,

2Ti 2:12 NKJV – If we endure, We shall also reign with [Him]. If we deny [Him], He also will deny us.
2Ti 2:13 NKJV – If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
2Ti 2:14 NKJV – Remind [them] of these things, charging [them] before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.
2Ti 2:15 NKJV – Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Jam 5:19 NKJV – Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,
Jam 5:20 NKJV – let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

2Pe 3:17 NKJV – You therefore, beloved, since you know [this] beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;

When you become a believer, your name is written in the book of life:
Phl 4:3 NKJV – And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names [are] in the Book of Life.

Note however, that IT CAN BE REMOVED AGAIN!!!
Rev 3:3 NKJV – “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
Rev 3:4 NKJV – “You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they
are worthy.
Rev 3:5 NKJV – “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.