Legalism

Faith & Works

August 26, 2013 By ELLIOTT NESCH

The Apostle James wrote:

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? (James 2:21-25)

These verses have confused many Protestants who have initially found James to be in contradiction with the Apostle Paul who said:

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. (Romans 3:28)

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1)

knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. (Galatians 2:16)

But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” (Galatians 3:11)

Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Galatians 3:24)

What do we make of this apparent contradiction between Paul and James? First of all, James admits that it was because of Abraham’s faith that God declared him righteous. James and Paul both cite the same passage Genesis 15:6 to make their points:

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3)

just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (Galatians 3:6)

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. (James 2:23)

James is saying the same thing as Paul, but he is clarifying that Abraham’s works demonstrated that he had saving faith. Abraham’s obedience corresponded to his faith in God. James informs us how works are an important part of saving faith, that a man is justified by works, not faith only. It is not just any type of faith, but a particular kind of faith that saves: “faith working through love.” (Galatians 5:6)

In Ephesians 2:8-10, Paul describes how salvation is not of works, but by faith in Christ which brings us into God’s grace which works in us and through us. He describes how saving faith is always followed with and characterized by good works.

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Filed Under: Commandments, Faith, Grace, Law, Legalism, Obedience, Righteousness, Salvation, Sola Fide, Works

Would You Recognize the Deception of Hyper-Grace?

May 18, 2013 By ELLIOTT NESCH

by David Ravenhill of Charisma News

Someone wisely stated, “The church has suffered more from her exponents than from her opponents.” This is certainly the case today, as we are seeing an onslaught of dangerous teaching sweeping through the body of Christ like never before. We have the graphic and prophetic picture of the serpent in Revelation pouring water like a river out of his mouth in order to sweep away the woman (Rev. 12:15-16). This, to me, speaks of the false river the enemy is attempting to use to deceive the church in these last days. Thank God that He has promised, “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against him” (Is. 59:19, NKJV).

One of the enemy’s wiles is to take something that is inherently good and seek to make it appear better. The hyper-grace message is a prime example of this. What is more amazing than grace? Nothing sets Christianity apart more than the message of grace. None of us would ever know our magnificent Savior and Lord without His redeeming, reconciling grace. There is no sect, cult or religion that has any doctrine comparable to it. Grace is found in Christ alone!

Little wonder, then, that the enemy has sought to improve on this glorious message by appearing to make it even more glorious, while at the same time lacing it with his deadly poison of deception and distortion.

Consider how you would respond to a message exhorting you to guard your mind, stay sober, be obedient, don’t be conformed to your former lusts, be holy, conduct yourself in fear, obey the Word and put aside all malice, guile and hypocrisy? What if the message went on to tell you to love and read God’s Word, grow up, tell others about God’s goodness, avoid fleshly lusts, do good deeds, do right, don’t speak about evil, be zealous for what is good and sanctify Christ as Lord?

Many within the body of Christ today would cry out against such a message, claiming it to be nothing more than a religious spirit or legalism or even fleshly works. Grace, we are told, frees you from all these works and liberates you so that you are no longer under any obligation of any kind. Grace, they say, is the gift that comes to us with no strings attached. But is that really the message of grace? Has the enemy blinded our eyes through super-sizing the true message of grace—and thereby distorting it?

It may surprise you to know that all the exhortations I’ve listed above were taken directly from Peter’s first epistle. Now, here is a most amazing truth: Peter tells us in the closing verses of his epistle, “I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!” (1 Pet. 5:12, NASB, emphasis added) . . . Continue Reading “Would You Recognize the Deception of Hyper-Grace?”>>

Filed Under: Grace, Hyper-Grace, Legalism, Works

Pure Grace or Hyper-Grace?

April 30, 2013 By ELLIOTT NESCH

A Review of Pure Grace by Clark Whitten

The most important criticism of Clark Whitten’s book Pure Grace is that it cripples the Christian so that they cannot walk in righteousness. While there is much emphasis on God’s grace in justification and the “imputed righteousness” of Christ being counted to the believer, the book seriously twists and neglects the subsequent sanctification of Christians who actually practice righteousness when God regenerates them. Apart from this sanctification and regeneration, there can be no final justification and salvation.

Whitten’s book exchanges biblical grace for hyper-grace and turns biblical obedience into legalism. Whitten uses the word “law” very generally by taking New Testament verses about the Mosaic Law and applying it to any form of obedience or moral law. Whitten says,

“Can we agree that Christians are not under the law? . . . A gospel of law-keeping is no gospel at all. There simply is no “good news” associated with a life lived under the law. That is true before salvation and even more applicable after one is saved.” (Clark Whitten, Pure Grace (Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 2012), 59-60)

In context, there is no indication that Whitten has the Law of Moses in mind when he says “under the law” as Paul did when he said “under the law.” It’s easy to see how Christians who take the commandments of Christ seriously will be accused of being legalistic according to Whitten’s misuse of “law.” It is true that Christians are not under the Law of Moses. Certainly Paul rebuked what he called “another gospel” (Galatians 1:6) which caused the Galatians to “fall from grace” (Galatians 5:4). But this other Gospel was not obedience to Christ; it was seeking to be justified by observing the Law of Moses.

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