Beware of Unjustified Assurance
Those who deny the correlation between salvation status and behavior are false teachers and practice deception as John and Paul mention a number of places:
1John 3:7,8 Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.
Ephesians 5:5,6 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person— such a man is an idolater— has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
1Cor 6:9,10 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
As mentioned previously, Free Grace Theology advocates the kind of deception spoken of here. "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them." Mt 7:15,16a, which is part of the test. Free Gracers attempt to remove the concept of testing, saying that one should not judge another, whereas Paul instructs, "I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked man from among you." 1Cor 5:11-13 By disallowing the exercise of discernment, posers hope to get away with misbehavior. And indeed such has been the case in much of 20th Century "Christianity". Given such misbehavior, the vast majority of Christians in this last century have little basis for the assurance of their salvation, as I also have little assurance that most so called "Christians" are saved. Hopefully the situation will change for this present century, but I doubt it. For whatever is popular is seldom Biblical. "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1John 2:17
"My brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure." 2Peter 1:10a
The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources
Those who deny the correlation between salvation status and behavior are false teachers and practice deception as John and Paul mention a number of places:
1John 3:7,8 Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.
Ephesians 5:5,6 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person— such a man is an idolater— has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
1Cor 6:9,10 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
As mentioned previously, Free Grace Theology advocates the kind of deception spoken of here. "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them." Mt 7:15,16a, which is part of the test. Free Gracers attempt to remove the concept of testing, saying that one should not judge another, whereas Paul instructs, "I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked man from among you." 1Cor 5:11-13 By disallowing the exercise of discernment, posers hope to get away with misbehavior. And indeed such has been the case in much of 20th Century "Christianity". Given such misbehavior, the vast majority of Christians in this last century have little basis for the assurance of their salvation, as I also have little assurance that most so called "Christians" are saved. Hopefully the situation will change for this present century, but I doubt it. For whatever is popular is seldom Biblical. "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1John 2:17
"My brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure." 2Peter 1:10a
The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources
