\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
From No Small Dissension<\/a><\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Free Grace Theology is somewhere between Calvinism and Ar\u00admini\u00adanism. Contrary to Calvinism, Free Grace Theology teaches that peo\u00adple can freely choose to be saved by putting their faith in Jesus Christ. Contrary to Arminianism, Free Grace The\u00adol\u00ado\u00adgy teaches that a saved person cannot lose their salvation\u2014no matter what they do after they are saved.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the most disturbing part of Free Grace Theology. The Scrip\u00adtures teach that people are saved by grace through faith alone (not by good works) but true faith is never alone: it is always accompanied by repentance and the pro\u00adduc\u00adtion of good works. Free Grace Theology rejects this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reflecting upon one\u2019s works diminishes the eternal nature of the saving work of Christ on the cross, since Christians, being in the flesh, can have both good and bad works throughout their lifetime. Consequently, if one has believed in Christ but upon examining his works, he concludes that he is not saved, what does this say about the power of Christ\u2019s sacrifice to keep him? Was Jesus not able to save him completely? After all, faith is the only condition put forward in the Scriptures by which one receives eternal life.[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The proponents of Free Grace Theology teach that any in\u00adsis\u00adtence that a true believer also repents of his or her sins and pro\u00adduces good works is the same as saying that we are saved by faith and<\/em> good works. A per\u00adson is saved by grace through faith alone. The only proof that a per\u00adson is saved is God\u2019s promise that all believers receive eternal life as soon as they believe. There\u00adfore, a person enters heaven simply be\u00adcause he or she chose to believe, even if he or she has never re\u00adpented or pro\u00adduced good works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Good works are done by the believer who wishes to be re\u00adwarded when we Christians are judged by Christ at the bema<\/em> seat judgment (2 Cor. 5:10). In that case, the believer has become a disciple of Christ. That\u2019s right: Free Grace Theology makes a distinction between be\u00adliev\u00aders and disciples. As Jody Dillow states, \u201cSalvation is by faith alone and is totally apart from works. Works are condition for discipleship and not all Christians are dis\u00adciples.\u201d[2]<\/sup><\/a> All disciples are believers, but not all be\u00adlievers are disciples. Believers get into heaven but receive no rewards; dis\u00adciples are given rewards after they get into heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zane Hodges, who is often cited as the founder of Free Grace The\u00adol\u00adogy, teaches that discipleship is an educational process which \u201ccan be hard,\u201d so hard that many Christians drop out of the process. \u201cThe simple fact is that the New Testament never takes for granted that be\u00adlievers will see discipleship through to the end. And it never makes this kind of perseverance either a condition or a proof of final salvation from hell.\u201d[3]<\/sup><\/a> He interprets the warning passages in the Epistle to the He\u00adbrews as a warning to not drop out of the educational process, not as warnings that it is possible to lose one\u2019s salvation. He notes that Paul thought of himself as being in a race, but even he was not sure that he would finish it (1 Cor. 9:24, 26-27). \u201cAgain, there is no thought here of the loss of eternal life. Such a loss is impossible, as our Lord Himself made clear.\u201d[4]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hodges\u2019 followers also teach that the believer who does not per\u00adse\u00advere to the end still gets into heaven. David R. Anderson says, \u201c[E]ven for the believer that loses his way and does not per\u00adse\u00advere faithfully to the end of his life, God won\u2019t let go of him. Only this kind of gospel is greater than all our sin.\u201d[5]<\/sup><\/a> Charles Stanley, the late pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, agrees: \u201cEven if a believer for all practical purposes be\u00adcomes an unbeliever, his salvation is not in jeopardy. Christ will re\u00admain faithful\u2026. [B]elievers who lose or abandon their faith will retain their salvation, for God remains faithful.\u201d[6]<\/sup><\/a> Thus, according to the pro\u00adpo\u00adnents of Free Grace Theology, a person enters heaven simply be\u00adcause one day he or she chose to believe, even if he or she im\u00adme\u00addi\u00adately becomes an unbeliever. To this, Clement of Alexandria, would say, \u201cIt is neither the faith, nor the love, nor the hope, nor the endurance of one day, but \u2018he that endures to the end will be saved.\u2019\u201d[7]<\/sup><\/a> Did not Je\u00adsus say the same thing (Matt. 10:22)? So, for the sake of their doc\u00adtrine, the Free Grace proponents are willing to contradict our Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Much has been said and written about Free Grace Theology. YouTube has numerous videos defending and critiquing it. Free Grace Theology: 5 Ways it Magnifies the Gospel<\/em>, edited by Grant Hawley, provides an explanation and defense of this theology. On the other hand, \u201cFree Grace\u201d Theology: 5 Ways it Diminishes the Gospel<\/em>, by Wayne Grudem, and Christ the Lord: The Reformation and Lordship Salvation<\/em>, edited by Michael S. Horton, provide insightful critiques of this theology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, it seems to me that the critiques overlook the fact that the theology is based on at least two false assumptions. The first is that the proponents of Free Grace Theology assume that eternal life is a gift that is separate from God and Jesus Christ, which is why they can picture someone walking away from God and still have the gift of eternal life in hand. This is not true. As we saw in chapter 13, God is<\/em> eternal life. And this life is in his Son: \u201cAnd this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life\u201d (1 John 5:11-12). To have eternal life, we must have God and Jesus Christ. We must enter into a deep, intimate, marriage-like relationship with both God and Jesus Christ. Jesus him\u00adself said, \u201cAnd this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent\u201d (John 17:3). We enter into this relationship through faith, which means that we sever this re\u00adla\u00adtion\u00adship through unbelief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is why Charles Stanley is wrong. The believer who be\u00adcomes an unbeliever does not retain his or her salvation. That per\u00adson no longer has eternal life because that person no longer has a relationship with God and Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second false assumption is that the proponents of Free Grace Theology think that faith in Jesus Christ only gets you into heaven, which means that salvation only saves you from the lake of fire. Sal\u00adva\u00adtion actually saves us from what is sending us to the lake of fire: sin. This is why the person who truly believes in Jesus Christ turns away from sin and starts to do the good works. The pro\u00adponents of Free Grace Theology reject this statement. They say that insisting that a believer proves his or her salvation by do\u00ading good works is the same as saying that the believer is saved by faith and<\/em> good works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The leaders of the Early Church, however, disagree with them. To be sure, they teach that we are not saved by good works, that we are saved by God\u2019s grace through faith alone. Clement, the bishop of Rome, wrote,<\/p>\n\n\n\n All these, therefore, were highly honoured, and made great, not for their own sake, or for their own works, or for the righteousness which they wrought, but through the operation of His will. And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by our\u00adselves, nor by our own wisdom, or un\u00adder\u00adstanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the be\u00adgin\u00adning, Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.[8]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ignatius was born around 35 AD and died a martyr in 105 AD. He was a disciple of one or more apostles and became the bishop of Antioch. He wrote, \u201cLet us not, therefore, be insensible to His kindness. For were He to reward us according to our works, we should cease to be.\u201d[9]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Justin Martyr <\/a>wrote,<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Abraham was declared by God to be righteous, not on ac\u00adcount of circumcision, but on account of faith. For before he was cir\u00adcum\u00adcised the following statement was made regarding him: \u2018Abraham believed God, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness.\u2019 And we, therefore, in the uncircumcision of our flesh, believing God through Christ, and having that cir\u00adcum\u00adcision which is of advantage to us who have acquired it \u2014namely, that of the heart\u2014we hope to appear righteous be\u00adfore and well-pleasing to God: since already we have received His testimony through the words of the prophets.[10]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Irenaeus, the bishop of Lyon, wrote,<\/p>\n\n\n\n For He did not set us free for this purpose, that we should de\u00adpart from Him (no one, indeed, while placed out of reach of the Lord\u2019s benefits, has power to procure for himself the means of salvation), but that the more we receive His grace, the more we should love Him.[11]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n These same men also knew that the ones who are truly saved will produce good works. Clement of Rome wrote, \u201cTake heed, beloved, lest His many kindnesses lead to the condemnation of us all. [For thus it must be] unless we walk worthy of Him, and with one mind do those things which are good and well-pleasing in His sight.\u201d[12]<\/sup><\/a> He also wrote,<\/p>\n\n\n\n How blessed and wonderful, beloved, are the gifts of God! Life in immortality, splendour in righteousness, truth in perfect con\u00adfidence, faith in assurance, self-control in holiness! And all these fall under the cognizance of our understandings [now]; what then shall those things be which are prepared for such as wait for Him? The Creator and Father of all worlds, the Most Holy, alone knows their amount and their beauty. Let us therefore earnestly strive to be found in the number of those that wait for Him, in order that we may share in His promised gifts. But how, beloved, shall this be done? If our un\u00adder\u00adstand\u00ading be fixed by faith towards God; if we earnestly seek the things which are pleasing and acceptable to Him; if we do the things which are in harmony with His blameless will; and if we follow the way of truth, casting away from us all un\u00adright\u00adeous\u00adness and iniquity, along with all covetousness, strife, evil prac\u00adtices, deceit, whis\u00adper\u00ading, and evil-speaking, all hatred of God, pride and haughtiness, vain\u00adglory and ambition. For they that do such things are hateful to God; and not only they that do them, but also those that take pleas\u00adure in them that do them.[13]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ignatius wrote, \u201cThey that are carnal cannot do those things which are spiritual, nor they that are spiritual the things which are carnal; even as faith cannot do the works of unbelief, nor unbelief the works of faith.\u201d[14]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Justin Martyr wrote,<\/p>\n\n\n\n For, impelled by the desire of the eternal and pure life, we seek the abode that is with God, the Father and Creator of all, and hasten to confess our faith, persuaded and convinced as we are that they who have proved to God by their works that they followed Him, and loved to abide with Him where there is no sin to cause disturbance, can obtain these things. This, then, to speak shortly, is what we expect and have learned from Christ, and teach.[15]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n And let those who are not found living as He taught, be un\u00adder\u00adstood to be no Christians, even though they profess with the lip the pre\u00adcepts of Christ; for not those who make profession, but those who do the works, shall be saved, according to His word: \u201cNot every one who saith to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter in\u00adto the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Fa\u00adther which is in heaven. For who\u00adso\u00adever heareth Me, and do\u00adeth My sayings, heareth Him that sent Me. And many will say unto Me, Lord, Lord, have we not eaten and drunk in Thy name, and done wonders? And then will I say unto them, De\u00adpart from Me, ye workers of iniquity. Then shall there be wail\u00ading and gnashing of teeth, when the righteous shall shine as the sun, and the wicked are sent into everlasting fire. For many shall come in My name, clothed outwardly in sheep\u2019s cloth\u00ad\u00ading, but in\u00adward\u00adly being ravening wolves. By their works ye shall know them. And every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire.\u201d[16]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n And Irenaeus wrote,<\/p>\n\n\n\n And for this purpose did the Father reveal the Son, that through His in\u00adstrumentality He might be manifested to all, and might receive those righteous ones who believe in Him into in\u00adcorruption and ever\u00adlast\u00ading enjoyment (now, to believe in Him is to do His will); but He shall righteously shut out into the darkness which they have chosen for themselves, those who do not believe, and who do consequently avoid His light.[17]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026 those who believe God and follow His word receive that sal\u00advation which flows from Him. Those, on the other hand, who depart from Him, and despise His precepts, and by their deeds bring dishonour on Him who made them, and by their opin\u00ad\u00adions blaspheme Him who nourishes them, heap up against themselves most righteous judg\u00adment.[18]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Now the law has figuratively predicted all these, delineating man by the [various] animals: whatsoever of these, says [the Scripture], have a double hoof and ruminate, it proclaims as clean; but what\u00adso\u00adever of them do not possess one or other of these [properties], it sets aside by themselves as unclean. Who then are the clean? Those who make their way by faith steadily towards the Father and the Son; for this is denoted by the steadiness of those which divide the hoof; and they meditate day and night upon the words of God, that they may be adorned with good works: for this is the meaning of the ruminants. The unclean, however, are those which do neither divide the hoof nor ruminate; that is, those persons who have nei\u00adther faith in God, nor do meditate on His words: and such is the abom\u00adination of the Gentiles. But as to those animals which do in\u00addeed chew the cud, but have not the double hoof, and are them\u00adselves unclean, we have in them a figurative description of the Jews, who certainly have the words of God in their mouth, but who do not fix their rooted stedfastness in the Father and in the Son; where\u00adfore they are an unstable generation. For those animals which have the hoof all in one piece easily slip; but those which have it divided are more sure-footed, their cleft hoofs succeeding each other as they advance, and the one hoof supporting the other. In like manner, too, those are unclean which have the double hoof but do not ruminate: this is plainly an indication of all heretics, and of those who do not meditate on the words of God, neither are adorned with works of righteousness; to whom also the Lord says, \u201cWhy call ye Me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say to you?\u201d For men of this stamp do indeed say that they believe in the Father and the Son, but they never meditate as they should upon the things of God, neither are they adorned with works of right\u00adeous\u00adness; but, as I have already observed, they have adopted the lives of swine and of dogs, giving themselves over to filthiness, to gluttony, and recklessness of all sorts. Justly, therefore, did the apostle call all such \u201ccarnal\u201d and \u201canimal,\u201d\u2014[all those, namely], who through their own unbelief and luxury do not receive the Divine Spirit, and in their various phases cast out from themselves the life-giving Word, and walk stupidly after their own lusts: the prophets, too, spake of them as beasts of burden and wild beasts; custom likewise has viewed them in the light of cattle and irrational creatures; and the law has pronounced them unclean.[19]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n According to nature, then\u2014that is, according to creation, so to speak\u2014 we are all sons of God, because we have all been created by God. But with respect to obedience and doctrine we are not all the sons of God: those only are so who believe in Him and do His will. And those who do not believe, and do not obey His will, are sons and angels of the devil, because they do the works of the devil. And that such is the case He has declared in Isaiah: \u201cI have be\u00adgot\u00adten and brought up chil\u00addren, but they have rebelled against Me.\u201d And again, where He says that these children are aliens: \u201cStrange chil\u00addren have lied unto Me.\u201d According to nature, then, they are [His] chil\u00ad\u00addren, because they have been so created; but with regard to their works, they are not His children. For as, among men, those sons who disobey their fathers, being disinherited, are still their sons in the course of nature, but by law are dis\u00adin\u00adher\u00adited, for they do not become the heirs of their natural parents; so in the same way is it with God,\u2014those who do not obey Him being disinherited by Him, have ceased to be His sons.[20]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n With these statements, the Scriptures agree. Free Grace The\u00adol\u00adogy correctly teaches that we inherit the kingdom of God (enter heaven) by faith alone. It also correctly teaches that all Christians will stand before the bema<\/em> seat of Christ to receive rewards based on what we did here on earth. Jody Dillow, therefore, con\u00adcludes, \u201cThe Bible teaches that there is a dual-inheritance: One inheritance by faith alone (entrance into heaven, the salvation-inheritance) and one which comes to us by faithfulness of life (the reward-inheritance).\u201d[21]<\/sup><\/a> The reward-inheritance is earned by the disciples for their works. The salvation-inheritance (inheriting the kingdom of God) is a gift given to all believers. Works have nothing to do with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s not what Jesus said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, \u201cCome, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hun\u00adgry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me\u2019\u201d (Matt. 25:31-36).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The goats, of course, do not inherit the kingdom but are sent into the everlasting fire (v. 41). Jesus ends the parable by saying, \u201cAnd these (the goats) will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life\u201d (v. 46).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Notice the word \u201cfor\u201d in verse 35. The sheep inherit the king\u00addom because<\/em> they did all of these good works. The sheep go into eternal life because<\/em> they did all of these good works. The goats do not inherit the kingdom because<\/em> they did not do all of these good works. The goats go into everlasting punishment because<\/em> they did not do all of these good works. As Keith Green, a Chris\u00adtian singer during the 1980s, said in his song, The Sheep and the Goats<\/em>, \u201cAnd my friends, the only difference between the sheep and the goats, according to this scripture, is what they did, and didn’t do!!\u201d Or as Justin Martyr said, \u201c\u2026each man goes to ever\u00adlast\u00ading punishment or salvation according to the value of his ac\u00adtions.\u201d[22]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jesus, of course, is not contradicting the doctrine that we are saved by grace through faith and not by works. Nor is he con\u00adtra\u00addict\u00ading all of the times that he said that eternal life is obtained by believing in him. He is saying that the true faith produces good works. The good works of the sheep are proof that they had put their faith in him. Therefore, they get to inherit the kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On one occasion, the people asked Jesus, \u201cWhat shall we do, that we may work the works of God?\u201d His answer was, \u201cThis is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent\u201d (John 6:28-29). In other words, if you believe in Jesus, you will do the works of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Picture, if you will, a lamp. The cord is plugged into the wall, so electricity, which represents God\u2019s grace, is always available to the lamp. Turning on the switch allows the electricity to flow through the light bulb, just as putting faith in Jesus allows God\u2019s grace to flow through us. The light bulb produces both heat, which cannot be seen, and light, which can be seen. So, too, putting faith in Jesus produces both salvation, which cannot be seen, and good works, which can be seen. The light is proof that the switch has been turned on, just as good works are proof that we have put our faith in Jesus. The lack of light is proof that the switch has not been turned on. A person can claim all he wants that the switch has been turned on; the lack of light says other\u00adwise. The lack of good works is proof that one has not put his or her faith in Jesus. A person can claim all he wants that he has put his faith in Jesus; the lack of good works says otherwise. This is precisely what James means when he says, \u201cWhat does it profit, my breth\u00adren, if some\u00adone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? \u2026But someone will say, \u2018You have faith, and I have works.\u2019 Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works\u201d (James 2:14, 18).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because of the word \u201cprofit\u201d in verse 14, the proponents of Free Grace Theology want to say that James is only talking about getting re\u00adwards: the good works which are motivated by faith will save the person from losing his rewards. He is not talking about the faith that saves us from the lake of fire. This is only one example of how they twist the Scrip\u00adtures to make them fit their doctrine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gen. 15:6 says, \u201cAnd he (Abram) believed in the LORD, and He ac\u00adcounted it to him for righteousness.\u201d Jeremy Edmondson says this verse proves \u201cGod\u2019s righteousness has been made known apart from works.\u201d[23]<\/sup><\/a> In other words, Abraham\u2019s faith was the saving faith, the faith that lets the believers enter heaven, the faith that gives the believers eternal life. This is the salvation-in\u00adher\u00adi\u00adtance faith, not the reward-inheritance faith. But James says that there is more to this story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 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, \u201cAbraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for right\u00adeous\u00adness.\u201d And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only (James 2:20-24).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Abraham\u2019s saving faith was perfected by his works. Yes, he was de\u00adclared righteous apart from works because of his faith, but that right\u00adeous\u00adness obtained by faith then produced good works. That is how he proved that his faith was not dead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paul also said that professing faith in God is not enough. Speaking of unbelievers, he said, \u201cThey profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work\u201d (Tit. 1:16). Those who truly know God will prove it by the good works which they do. This is why Paul also says that God will render \u201ceternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality\u201d (Rom. 2:5-7).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then there is this warning in the Epistle to the Hebrews: \u201cPursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord\u201d (Heb. 12:14). This warning seems to say that if we do not do the work of pursuing holiness, we will lose our salvation. However, the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews knows that we are saved by grace through faith and not by works; therefore, we do not lose our salvation by the works which we do or do not do. What the writer is implying is if we are not pursuing holiness, if our hearts do not desire to be holy as God is holy, if we do not want to do the good works which a holy Chris\u00adtian would do, then we are not saved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n John\u2019s writings also demonstrate that the true faith produces good works. Jesus said in John 17:3, \u201cAnd this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.\u201d We have eternal life if we know God. How do we know that we know God? \u201cNow by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His com\u00admand\u00adments. He who says, \u2018I know Him,\u2019 and does not keep His com\u00admand\u00adments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him\u201d (1 John 2:3-4). Keeping his com\u00admand\u00adments is proof that we know God and, therefore, have eternal life. We can come to the same conclusion through another chain of passages. How else do we know that we know God? \u201cBeloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and every\u00adone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love\u201d (1 John 4:7-8). We know that we know God when we love one another, that is, since we are all the chil\u00addren of God, when we love the children of God. How do we know that we love the chil\u00addren of God? \u201cBy this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments\u201d (1 John 5:2). To have eternal life, we must know God. To know God, we must love his children. To love his children, we must love God AND keep his com\u00admand\u00adments. In short, keeping his com\u00admand\u00adments is proof that we know God and, therefore, have eternal life. Free Grace Theology can\u00adnot get around these chains of passages. True faith gives us eternal life and produces good works, which is de\u00adfined as \u201ckeeping God\u2019s com\u00admand\u00adments.\u201d If our faith does not produce good works, then it has not given us eternal life, either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Will we keep his commandments perfectly? Not in this lifetime. We will fail, perhaps more often than we will succeed. This is why Free Grace Theology rejects using good works as proof that we are saved. Measuring good works is too subjective to be mean\u00adingful, according to them. Charles Bing wants to dismiss using good works as proof of salva\u00adtion by asking, \u201cHow many good works does a person need to dem\u00adon\u00adstrate to be sure of salvation?\u201d[24]<\/a> That is the wrong ques\u00adtion. The Scrip\u00adtures tell us that God has prepared good works for each and every one of us (Eph. 2:10), but which works and how many works God re\u00adquires will vary from person to person. So, the question is not \u201cHow many?\u201d but \u201cIs the person doing the works which God has given that per\u00adson to do?\u201d And, \u201cIs the person making prog\u00adress? Is the person run\u00adning the race that God has set before him or her?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set be\u00adfore us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:1-2).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The righteous runs the race with endurance and if the righteous falls, the righteous gets back up and runs again, and again, and again, look\u00ading to Jesus for help, until the righteous crosses the finish line. The wicked never gets there. Neither does the so-called believer who never does good works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But laying aside the sin which so easily ensnares us and running the race with endurance until one wins is the very definition of repent\u00adance. Repentance is the com\u00admit\u00adment to turn from sin, to start doing the good works, to start obeying God\u2019s commandments, to get back up when one has fallen, to keep press\u00ading on until the bat\u00adtle is won. This is why re\u00adpent\u00adance and good works always accompany true faith. This is also why Clement of Al\u00adex\u00adan\u00addria says, \u201c\u2026it is the will of God that he, who is obedient to the commands and repents of his sins should be saved\u2026.\u201d[25]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The two assumptions upon which Free Grace Theology is based are, therefore, false. We obtain eternal life only through a deep, in\u00adti\u00admate, marriage-like relationship with God and Jesus Christ. We enter into this relationship through faith in Jesus Christ. If we turn to unbelief, we sever this relationship and lose eternal life. But if we stay in this re\u00adlationship, we will love God, love his children, and keep his com\u00admand\u00adments. Good works do not produce salvation, but salvation does pro\u00adduce good works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [1]<\/a> Jeremy Edmondson, \u201cFree Grace is Returning to Scripture as Our Sole Authority,\u201d in Grant Hawley, editor, Free Grace Theology: 5 Ways it Magnifies the Gospel<\/em>, 2023, p. 41.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [2]<\/a> Jody Dillow, \u201cFree Grace Interpretations Have Great Explanatory Power,\u201d in Hawley, pp. 165-166.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [3]<\/a> Zane Hodges, Absolutely Free: A Biblical Reply to Lordship Salvation<\/em>, Grace Evan\u00adgel\u00adi\u00adcal Society, Kindle Edition, p. 74.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [4]<\/a> Hodges, p. 76.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [5]<\/a> David R. Anderson, \u201cForeword,\u201d in Hawley, p. 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [6]<\/a> Charles F. Stanley, Eternal Security<\/em>, Zondervan, Kindle Edition, pp. 92-93.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [7]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 2, p. 600.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [8]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 1, p. 13.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [9]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 1, p. 63.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [10]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 1, p. 245.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [11]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 1, p. 478.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [12]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 1, p. 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [13]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 1, p. 14.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [14]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 1, p. 53.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [15]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 1, p. 165.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [16]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 1, p. 168. Justin is citing Matt. 7:21; Luke 13:26-28; Matt. 13:42; Matt. 7:15, 16, 19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [17]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 1, p. 468.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [18]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 1, p. 511.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [19]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 1, p. 534.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [20]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 1, pp. 524-525. Irenaeus is citing Is. 1:2 and Ps. 18:44 (both from the Septuagint).<\/p>\n\n\n\n [21]<\/a> Dillow, p. 166.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [22]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 1, p. 166.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [23]<\/a> Edmondson, p. 44.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [24]<\/a> Charles Bing, \u201cFull Assurance Produces Godly Living,\u201d in Hawley, p. 92.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [25]<\/a> Schaff, Ante-Nicene Fathers<\/em>, Vol. 2, p. 363.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 From No Small Dissension: Free Grace Theology is somewhere between Calvinism and Ar\u00admini\u00adanism. Contrary to Calvinism, Free Grace Theology teaches that peo\u00adple can freely choose to be saved by putting their faith in Jesus Christ. Contrary to Arminianism, Free … Continue reading
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