John MacArthur explains easy-believism, grace-only, etc.

BCsenior

Still an evangelist
Aug 31, 2017
2,980
715
British Columbia
✟72,426.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Charismatic
Marital Status
Married
Grace-only, cheap-grace, hyper-grace, easy-believism, etc. are called antinomianianism.
This is the notion that a one-time justification saves … apart from sanctification.


FromThe Gospel According to Jesus
(Expanded Edition), John MacArthur, 1994, Zondervan


There are some today who ... “teach that Scripture promises salvation to anyone who simply believes the facts about Christ and claims eternal life. There need be no turning from sin, no resulting change in lifestyle, no commitment – not even a willingness to yield to Christ’s lordship. Those things, they say, amount to human works, which corrupt grace and have nothing to do with faith. The fallout of such thinking is a deficient doctrine of salvation. It is justification without sanctification, and its impact on the church has been catastrophic … many sincerely believe they are saved, but their lives are utterly barren of any verifying fruit.”

“Salvation is solely by grace through faith (Ephes. 2:8) … But it means nothing if we begin with a misunderstanding of grace or a faulty definition of faith. God’s grace is not a static attribute whereby he passively accepts hardened, unrepentant sinners. Grace does not change a person’s standing before God, yet leave his character untouched … Grace is the power of God to fulfil our New Covenant duties … Clearly, grace does not grant permission to live in the flesh; it supplies power to live in the Spirit.”

“Salvation is by grace though faith … But the only possible response to God’s grace is a broken humility that causes the sinner to turn from his old life to Christ. The evidence of such a turning is the willingness to submit and obey.”

“Faith, like grace, is not static … It is inseparable from repentance, surrender, and a supernatural longing to obey … the heart of the error of those who reject lordship salvation … they stumble over the twin truths that salvation is a gift, yet it costs everything.”

“What does it mean to believe in Christ? … Real faith
has at its heart a willingness to obey. … Thus the test of true faith is this: Does it produce obedience? If not, it is not saving faith. Disobedience is unbelief. Real faith obeys.”

“It is meaningless to expound on grace to someone who does not know the divine command for righteousness. … You cannot preach a gospel of grace to someone who has not heard that God requires obedience and punishes disobedience.”

“A righteous, holy, pure God cannot tolerate evil. He will not save those who try to come to him harboring sin.”

“… the gospel according to Jesus is as much a call to forsake sin as it is a summons to faith.”

“They have been deceived by a corrupted gospel. They have been told that faith alone will save them, but they neither understand nor possess real faith. The faith they are relying on is only intellectual acquiescence to a set of facts. It will not save.”

There are a few more quotes in post #2 ...
 
Last edited:

BCsenior

Still an evangelist
Aug 31, 2017
2,980
715
British Columbia
✟72,426.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Charismatic
Marital Status
Married
“Scripture often equates faith with obedience
(John 3:36, Romans 1:5, Romans 16:26,
2 Thessalonians 1:8).”

“Thus faith is inseparable from obedience … That is why faith and obedience are so closely linked throughout Scripture. Clearly, the biblical concept of faith must lead to obedience.”

“So the faithful (believing) are also faithful (obedient)
… Righteous living is an inevitable by-product of real faith (Romans 10:10). … The state of mind that refuses obedience is pure and simple unbelief.”

“Do not separate justification and sanctification so radically that you allow for one without the other. This is the error of antinomianism. God will not justify those he does not sanctify. God does not offer justification as a stand-alone means of salvation. … Justification cannot be isolated and made to represent the sum of God’s saving work. Yet that is exactly the error that is rampant in contemporary theology.”

“… those who comfort themselves with the promise of justification while living in wanton unrighteousness are thereby shown that theirs is a false security.”

“The message of Jesus cannot be made to accommodate any kind of cheap grace or easy-believism.
The kingdom is not for people who want Jesus without any change in their lives.”

“No passage in all of Scripture attacks modern-day easy-believism with more force than Matthew 7:13-14. …
it amounts to the Savior’s own presentation of the way
of salvation … these closing verses are pure gospel,
with as pointed an invitation as has ever been issued.”

“Jesus spoke the words of Matthew 7:21-23
as a warning to people who think they are saved,
but do not live in obedience to God.”

“Clearly no past experience – not even prophesying, casting out demons, or doing signs and wonders –
can be viewed as evidence of salvation apart from a life of obedience … I fear that multitudes who now fill church pews … will be among those turned away because they did not do the will of the Father.”

“The Bible teaches clearly that the evidence of God’s work in a life is the inevitable fruit of transformed behavior (1 John 3:10). Faith that does not result
in righteous living is dead and cannot save
(James 2:14-17).”

“The validation of salvation is a life of obedience.
It is the only possible proof that a person really knows Jesus Christ.”
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0

BCsenior

Still an evangelist
Aug 31, 2017
2,980
715
British Columbia
✟72,426.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Charismatic
Marital Status
Married
"Justification is... a completed fact for the believer; it is not an ongoing process." - John MacArthur
Every quotation is straight out of his 1994 book!!!
You can check this out ... IMO, he had a big problem
with his denomination, who demanded that he recant
what he had written ... I forget the rest of the story!
(In the book, he said that he believed all of this
basically his whole life, and finally got around to
writing a book about it.)
 
Upvote 0

Thess

Well-Known Member
Oct 31, 2018
756
319
56
Chelan
✟19,864.00
Country
United States
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Divorced
There are some today who ... “teach that Scripture promises salvation to anyone who simply believes the facts about Christ and claims eternal life. There need be no turning from sin, no resulting change in lifestyle, no commitment – not even a willingness to yield to Christ’s lordship.

That's literally what I taught myself, particularly to women whom I was sexually interested in. They would ask me, how, as a Christian man, I could be willing to be sexual in my premarital relationships. I was able to deceive many women with my false doctrines....what's amazing, is that I believed what I was telling them. I really believed that ALL of my sins were paid for, regardless of which ones. The problem? I wasn't saved at all, made evident by the missing Holy Spirit that would have empowered me to obey. But I was a Gentile with only the Law of Christ written on my heart, thus I was without a Helper. And of course, Romans 7 describes exactly how I was thinking....which is that I thought I loved God, but I just couldn't obey. The things I wanted to do were not the things I was doing.

Basically, I thought the biblical principles were essentially metaphorical, proven by the fact that I refused to imitate the Word of God. I didn't really believe, thus I couldn't obey. I needed the only qualifying faith there is, which is the Faith of Abraham (whom was indwelt by the Spirit and empowered to obey God regarding the sacrifice of his son, Isaac, with knife looming overhead, ready for the kill. Abraham was obedient.)

[Rom 4:16] So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham's. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0

Presbyterian Continuist

Senior Veteran
Supporter
Mar 28, 2005
21,810
10,792
76
Christchurch New Zealand
Visit site
✟827,033.00
Country
New Zealand
Faith
Charismatic
Marital Status
Married
Every quotation is straight out of his 1994 book!!!
You can check this out ... IMO, he had a big problem
with his denomination, who demanded that he recant
what he had written ... I forget the rest of the story!
(In the book, he said that he believed all of this
basically his whole life, and finally got around to
writing a book about it.)
I read that book, and he was very definite about the need for living a life of obedience and cooperation with the indwelling Holy Spirit. He reflects Paul who said that they who walk in the Spirit do not do the works of the flesh. There are those who use John's words, "If we have no sin, we lie", but they misinterpret John. John actually says that we will always be sinners in the sense that no matter how we try, we will always fall short of God's standards. But John is not saying that we should just carry on sinning because we can't be perfect in the flesh. We follow our desire to be holy as much as we are able because we want to honour Christ in our lives. Paul said, "Shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound? God forbid!"

The truth is that after conversion, we strive to keep God's moral law to the best of our ability, and when we fail, we have Christ who is our advocate in heaven, and we have 1 John 1:9 to give us the way to confess our sins and receive forgiveness and cleansing.
 
Upvote 0

BCsenior

Still an evangelist
Aug 31, 2017
2,980
715
British Columbia
✟72,426.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Charismatic
Marital Status
Married
I read that book, and he was very definite about the need for living a life of obedience and cooperation with the indwelling Holy Spirit. ...
The truth is that after conversion, we strive to keep God's moral law to the best of our ability, and when we fail, we have Christ who is our advocate in heaven, and we have 1 John 1:9 to give us the way to confess our sins and receive forgiveness and cleansing.
Hey Oscar, long time no see!
You've really got it all goin', ain't you?
Thanks so much for sharing !!!
 
Upvote 0

Presbyterian Continuist

Senior Veteran
Supporter
Mar 28, 2005
21,810
10,792
76
Christchurch New Zealand
Visit site
✟827,033.00
Country
New Zealand
Faith
Charismatic
Marital Status
Married
Hey Oscar, long time no see!
You've really got it all goin', ain't you?
Thanks so much for sharing !!!
Now that I have left my church, CF has been my main point of contact with other believers. I am having fun posting and replying to the good, bad and the ugly! I like a good debate! With some I have been tempted to say: "Am I right, or am I right?? Hahahahaha!

But seriously, I hope that my comments have been encouraging to people -to keep their faith firmly in Christ, and if what I have said has made the difference between heaven and hell for someone, then I would be blessed and encouraged to think that the Holy Spirit does speak through me sometimes.

If you want to view some really good ministry that gives a lot of insight into what is going on in the churches, and at the same time stablizing your faith securely in Christ, then view Dave Hunt on Youtube. Many Charismatics hate him because he tells the truth about some practices, but he is a fascinating and faith-building Bible teacher and well worth viewing and listening to.
 
Upvote 0

Thess

Well-Known Member
Oct 31, 2018
756
319
56
Chelan
✟19,864.00
Country
United States
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Divorced
Thess, thanks so much for sharing!
Praise Him and Thank Him all the time
for showing you the way, and etc.

Thank you! For setting the foundation for others to build upon. I'm glad to see that you see the Gospel as it is, transcribed by my human hands. Good to know there are good people, here. :)
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

BCsenior

Still an evangelist
Aug 31, 2017
2,980
715
British Columbia
✟72,426.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Charismatic
Marital Status
Married
If you want to view some really good ministry that gives a lot of insight into what is going on in the churches,
and at the same time stablizing your faith securely in Christ, then view
Dave Hunt
on Youtube.
I met and talked with him at length when he
spoke at David Jeremiah's church in San Diego
where I lived for 38 years.
 
Upvote 0

Romans 8

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Feb 16, 2019
1,410
1,151
Canada
✟114,753.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
“Clearly no past experience – not even prophesying, casting out demons, or doing signs and wonders –
can be viewed as evidence of salvation apart from a life of obedience … I fear that multitudes who now fill church pews … will be among those turned away because they did not do the will of the Father.”

“The Bible teaches clearly that the evidence of God’s work in a life is the inevitable fruit of transformed behavior (1 John 3:10). Faith that does not result
in righteous living is dead and cannot save
(James 2:14-17).”

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Mathew Henry:

That it is necessary to our happiness that we do the will of Christ, which is indeed the will of his Father in heaven. The will of God, as Christ's Father, is his will in the gospel, for there he is made known, as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: and in him our Father. Now this is his will, that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one another. This is his will, even our sanctification. If we comply not with the will of God, we mock Christ in calling him Lord, as those did who put on him a gorgeous robe, and said, Hail, King of the Jews. Saying and doing are two things, often parted in conversation of men: he that said, I go, sir,stirred never a step (Mat 21:30); but these two things God has joined in his command, and let no man that puts them asunder think to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
 
Upvote 0

BCsenior

Still an evangelist
Aug 31, 2017
2,980
715
British Columbia
✟72,426.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Charismatic
Marital Status
Married
Thank you! For setting the foundation for others to build upon. I'm glad to see that you see the Gospel as it is, transcribed by my human hands.
Good to know there are good people, here. :)
Thanks Thess, but what's the red all about?
 
Upvote 0

Romans 8

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Feb 16, 2019
1,410
1,151
Canada
✟114,753.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
Now that I have left my church, CF has been my main point of contact with other believers. I am having fun posting and replying to the good, bad and the ugly! I like a good debate! With some I have been tempted to say: "Am I right, or am I right?? Hahahahaha!

But seriously, I hope that my comments have been encouraging to people -to keep their faith firmly in Christ, and if what I have said has made the difference between heaven and hell for someone, then I would be blessed and encouraged to think that the Holy Spirit does speak through me sometimes.

If you want to view some really good ministry that gives a lot of insight into what is going on in the churches, and at the same time stablizing your faith securely in Christ, then view Dave Hunt on Youtube. Many Charismatics hate him because he tells the truth about some practices, but he is a fascinating and faith-building Bible teacher and well worth viewing and listening to.

Oscarr, I'd like to get your opinion on salvation. Do you believe the baptism of the Holy Spirit/indwelling of the Holy Spirit is required? I'm referring to what some call the second Baptism, as some believe the Holy Spirit indwells us when we believe. I think that there's likely only one indwelling, and that's when Jesus baptizes us in the Holy Spirit wich is referred to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. (I will put my Spirit in you, and trade your heart for a heart of flesh).

I don't believe in OSAS, but I am skeptical to think that everyone that hasn't got the Holy Spirit is taking the wide gate. Because this would discount probably over 80% of the church. I would think though that anyone that is Spirit filled is closer to salvation than those without.

What are your thoughts?
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Presbyterian Continuist

Senior Veteran
Supporter
Mar 28, 2005
21,810
10,792
76
Christchurch New Zealand
Visit site
✟827,033.00
Country
New Zealand
Faith
Charismatic
Marital Status
Married
Oscarr, I'd like to get your opinion on salvation. Do you believe the baptism of the Holy Spirit/indwelling of the Holy Spirit is required? I'm referring to what some call the second Baptism, as some believe the Holy Spirit indwells us when we believe. I think that there's likely only one indwelling, and that's when Jesus baptizes us in the Holy Spirit which is referred to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. (I will put my Spirit in you, and trade your heart for a heart of flesh).

I don't believe in OSAS, but I am skeptical to think that everyone that hasn't got the Holy Spirit is taking the wide gate. Because this would discount probably over 80% of the church. I would think though that anyone that is Spirit filled is closer to salvation than those without.

What are your thoughts?
When we look carefully at the Scripture, we see that the Holy Spirit causes us to be born again when we receive Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who does the work of conversion in us to give us our new heart and to enliven our spirit.

We see in Scripture that the resurrected Jesus went to each disciple in turn and breathed into them, saying "Receive the Holy Spirit". This is when the disciples were born again. Then He told them to wait in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. This is because they had to wait until Jesus was ascended, presented His blood in the heavenly holy of holies, and then sat down at the right hand of God. Then as the ascended, glorified Jesus, He sent the Holy Spirit to be with and in them to empower them to take the gospel to all the world.

Of course, we don't have to wait any longer for the enduement of power, which is the baptism with the Holy Spirit. This is shown in the experience of the household of Cornelius and the disciples at Ephesus where they were baptised with the Spirit immedately they were born again.

So, when the Holy Spirit breathes into a person receiving Christ, they are born again. This is not the baptism with the Spirit, because baptism speaks of either immersion or something being poured over them from above. When the already born again disciples received the baptism with the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came from above and settled on them with what looked like flames of fire. Then they were filled with the Spirit and spoke with tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Mistakes are made when we rely on experiences rather than knowing what the Word of God actually says. We are saved when we are born again of the Holy Spirit. Only those who have already been saved can be baptised with the Spirit. Being born again and baptised with the Spirit should happen at the same time, as the other examples in Acts shows, but because of teaching that has not been totally consistent with the Word of God, some have believed that one can be born again with having to be "baptised with the Spirit", and others believe that one has to be baptised with the Spirit in order to be saved. The former are using the cart without the horse, and the latter are putting the cart before the horse!
 
  • Agree
Reactions: hhodgson
Upvote 0

Romans 8

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Feb 16, 2019
1,410
1,151
Canada
✟114,753.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
I am under the impression that "born again" and "saved" are synonymous.

Are you familiar with David Pawson? He claims that there is one baptism, and that the apostles were not given the Holy Spirit until Pentecost and that before Pentecost, the resurrected Jesus was explaining to them how He would give them the Holy Spirit so they'd be ready.

I have not received the Holy Spirit, I cannot yet speak in tongues. I believe, repented, was water baptized, but I question if I die today if I will be saved.
 
Upvote 0

Presbyterian Continuist

Senior Veteran
Supporter
Mar 28, 2005
21,810
10,792
76
Christchurch New Zealand
Visit site
✟827,033.00
Country
New Zealand
Faith
Charismatic
Marital Status
Married
I am under the impression that "born again" and "saved" are synonymous.

Are you familiar with David Pawson? He claims that there is one baptism, and that the apostles were not given the Holy Spirit until Pentecost and that before Pentecost, the resurrected Jesus was explaining to them how He would give them the Holy Spirit so they'd be ready.

I have not received the Holy Spirit, I cannot yet speak in tongues. I believe, repented, was water baptized, but I question if I die today if I will be saved.
If all else fails, just read the Bible as it is written! The resurrected Jesus went to every disciple in turn, breathed into them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit". That doesn't sound like just explaining something that was going to happen later on to me. This was the point that when the disciples were born again and saved, before they were later baptised with the Spirit.

I'm not arguing with you about being saved before being baptised with the Spirit - just clarifying the significance of what the resurrected Jesus did when He breathed into the disciples. This act links with God breathing life into Adam who became a living soul. When Jesus breathed into the disciples their spirits became alive.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hhodgson
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Romans 8

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Feb 16, 2019
1,410
1,151
Canada
✟114,753.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
If all else fails, just read the Bible as it is written! The resurrected Jesus went to every disciple in turn, breathed into them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit". That doesn't sound like just explaining something that was going to happen later on to me. This was the point that when the disciples were born again and saved, before they were later baptised with the Spirit.

I'm not arguing with you about being saved before being baptised with the Spirit - just clarifying the significance of what the resurrected Jesus did when He breathed into the disciples. This act links with God breathing life into Adam who became a living soul. When Jesus breathed into the disciples their spirits became alive.

I think this makes more sense, than a practise run as Pawson suggests.

My question though is how do we know if we're born again? From what I described, does this qualify? To recap, I believe, repented, and was water baptized. I have not yet received the Holy Spirit. Am I born again or do I need the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
 
Upvote 0