Thursday, July 05, 2007

A Crossless Gospel?

Many of us are familiar with the warnings about adding to what God says in the Bible. Two examples being Prov 7:5-6 Rev 20:18-19 which also carries a warning about taking away from the Word (actually this applies to the Revelation but the concept is seen in the rest of scripture).

I see people adding to it all the time, but there haven't been a lot of times when I have seen people "taking away" from it. But recently I HAVE seen a most shocking example of it. And Lou is talking about it at his blog. The idea that some people who call themselves as part of the Free Grace movement have begun spreading and teaching a "Crossless gospel". Where a person need not know if Jesus died and rose again or not.

This is beyond simple error this is that which demands separation and excommunication. Oh that these people would repent of their dangerous false teaching. I'll be discussing this more over at Lou's blog.


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6 comments:

Lou Martuneac said...

Kevl:

You asked a very important question of Antonio at UnAshamed of Grace. It is under the article: Reasons for My Latest Series of Posts.

You asked, "Does a sinner need to be aware and or agree with the fact they are a sinner in order to be saved?"

I'll be interested to read Antonio's reply to your question. I believe it will be a defining issue in this debate.

LM

PS: I left a note for you at UAoG this morning, but I think it was deleted, so I put it back up.

Lou Martuneac said...

BTW:
I added your site to the Links at my site.


LM

Kevl said...

Wow Lou thanks for the link.

I think that's a "defining" question too. Because it's the heart of the topic. It gets into God's Justice and His Holiness and really His honesty.

I hold on to Grace because without it God would have nothing to do with me. I'm completely dependent on His being Graceful. Yet I know Him well enough to know He IS Just, Holy, Pure and True. I know that no "Good Judge" will turn a blind eye to sin. He can't - or it'd make Him a liar. I know He's been propitiated in Christ's work on the Cross but we are still sinners.

I hope Antonio does respond. I'm just a new kid on the block. Hopefully he doesn't discount the question because of that.

Kev

Antonio said...

Kevl,

There are at least two ways that can be used in order to invite, or offer someone a gift.

#1) Touch upon their need of the gift

#2) Touch upon the appealing nature of the gift itself to possess

John 4:10
10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."
NKJV

The gift of God, eternal life, is an appealing and desirable gift. When it is heralded as an absolutely free gift, men and woman may be persuaded to receive that gift based upon its appeal.

I want to give you the link to an article that discusses logical and theological necessity.

Here is the link:

Logical vs Theological Necessity

It is a very short post, that you could read in about 2 minutes or less. My position is that:

understanding the death of Christ
understanding one's sinfulness
understanding Christ's deity
understanding Christ's physical resurrection
understanding Christ's miracles
understanding Christ's virgin birth
being repentant

and other considerations, viewed from the perspective of the subject of our evangelism, can be logical necessities.

There is only one theological necessity to bring eternal life: taking Jesus Christ at His word in His promise to guarantee eternal life to the believer.

But there may be varying logical necessities, based upon the subjective nature of the personality and mind to which Christ's claims are presented, which would need to be met in order for faith in Christ to occur. In other words, faith in Christ could be precluded by these necessities not being met.

For instance, an atheist would have alot of logical necessities to come to faith into Jesus Christ for eternal life. Someone who has grown up in a Christian home may not have many or any.

For another look at logical vs. theological necessity, please refer to this post:

Acts 17 and Repentance

Antonio

Kevl said...

Hio Antonio,

Thanks for your post! Your Logical vs Theological need is an interesting read.

You have the concept right in that different people need different things in order to come to a point of faith in Christ. However, all the NT is in agreement (I believe even John's Gospel) that this faith is in Christ Crucified and Risen for our sins. This by the very nature of it requires repentance (self judgment) that we are sinners who need to be redeemed.

Some people need scientific explanations... some people respond to the accuracy of the Word.. some people need to see that you're real that you really care for them.. some people need an answer to why their Grand Parent had suffered in death so badly... the list is endless.

I haven't read your article Repentance in Acts yet. I'll respond again after I have.

Kev

Lou Martuneac said...

Kevl:

Antonio finally answered your question at Unashamed of Grace.


LM