Featured How ‘Free Grace’ Theology Diminishes the Gospel

Two more post seeking to nullify Ephesians 4: 22, Just read it folks. And I see that Icon has hurled yet another slander, that a belief that conversion, being born anew, results in changed living, is teaching a works based salvation. The defenders of the nameless doctrine are untethered from truth. Salvation through faith alone refers to, in James words, live faith. Costly and sacrificial works provides evidence for salvation, but does not provide salvation.

The issue is not that salvation by grace is free, we do not need to earn it or sustain it by good works, but rather if our life was not changed, God may not have credited our "shallow commitment" as righteousness and placed us in Christ. Thus on that day, Christ may say "depart from Me, I never knew you." Those that teach you do not have to go "all in" for Christ may be hindering people from being saved. Thus the issue is much more than a "difference" among siblings.

 

Eph. 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

There is nothing hard or difficult about this passage. It is a matter of putting off and putting on which make no sense unless there is something that you HAVE that can be put off and be put on.

Notice that what they are to "put on" is something that is "created" NOT CREDITED! He is talking about the regenerate new man "created in Christ Jesus" in Ephesians 2:10 and the direct consequences is "created in Christ Jesus UNTO good works."

The child of God has an "old man" or the law of indwelling sin that he can "put off" and he has an inward man "created in true holiness and righteousness" (NOT CREDITED RIGHTEOUSNESS) that he can "put on" which means he can also PUT IT OFF by following after the law of indwelling sin.

This is an internal battle that every child of God has and those who don't are not his children. There is the natural unregenerated aspect of human nature - the old man, the law of indwelling sins that dwells in our members and there is the new man or the regenerated human "spirit" as what is born of Spirit "is spirit." The conscious self (soul) is the battle zone within the child of God. The conscious self refers to our intellect and affections. That is why we are commanded to set our "affections on things above" and to "think on these things" because "as a man thinketh in his heart SO IS HE". You act out what your heart and mind are set on.

Paul is simply saying they are no longer unregenerate lost persons "as other gentiles" but God has "created" a new man within them that has altered the inclination of their will toward righteosness because it is created in true holiness and righteousness.

The war zone is our "mind" and that is why we need to be "renewed" in the spirit of our mind and "put on" the new man - if we were nothing but "new man" THERE WOULD BE NO NEED TO PUT IT ON as it would STAY ON and if we did not have the "old man" we would not have to put it off.

Furthermore, from whence is the old man to be put off and upon what is the new man to be put on? The answer is simple, it is the battle zone where one is on and the other is off.

 

No, there is nothing hard about the Ephesian believers putting off the old and putting on the new. Thus Ephesians 4:17-18 refer to the old that was put off.

21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,

Bottom line, even though ensnared in that former manner of life, they were able to respond to the gospel and believe.

 

Personally, I don't believe the "LORDship" of Christ needs to be humanly taught. If we are being led of the Spirit then the Spirit will lead us into all truth including the fact that He is LORD (God come in the flesh) and that we are His - "Lock, stock and barrel". We are NOT our own but bought with a great and precious price. And we have a commandment of holiness.

But it usually comes in time and sometimes a LONG time. Babes in Christ should be left alone and not burdened with LS requirements IMO. Let them rejoice with the milk of the word and don't choke them with meat.

Let them grow, learn to walk, talk, pray. if they don't stick around - go after them if they won't return to the fellowship, let them alone.

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

HOWEVER in the passage of time: In the NT metaphor (of a very real historical happening) of the OT Passover every nook and cranny of the house must be searched and cleansed of leaven. Using this "feast" as a metaphor then EVENTUALLY every nook and cranny of our live must be searched for "leaven" and surrendered to Christ before the angel of death comes if we want to hear "well done, thou good and faithful servant".

But who doesn't want this? only the phony believers, leave them to their own devices "which the wind (ruach-Spirit-wind) driveth away".

Is it fraught with difficulties? Yes, for many. For others it is quick and easy, we (God's children) are all different.

My opinion, of course.

HankD

 

Hank, are you perhaps confusing knowing versus practicing Lordship? Repentance requires acknowledgement of Lordship or there is no true repentance and hence no salvation present as there is no salvation possible apart from true gospel repentance. However, learning to practice the Lordship of Christ is a life long issue.

 

Ephesians 4:17, So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you [the Epheisans] walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, As I often say, they deny the obvious.

 

Agreed.

Those of us in "Christian Service" have seen all kinds come and go.
In my experience the Spirit takes the ascendancy in leading the children of God to the LORDship of Jesus Christ.
There is a great contingency of those out there who are true children of God but are floundering, resisting, and miserable. It makes no sense but it is true indeed IMO.

HankD

 

Hank, does not scripture teach we are to nurture babes and encourage them to progress beyond the milk of the gospel. And does not the gospel teach that all disciples are to observe all that Christ commanded. We are commanded to make disciples, not run a day care center for toddlers.

 

Van, where and when did I say that?
I never said that we should just let them stay in diapers.
Look again at my post(s). They must be taught to walk, talk, pray...

Look at the heavenly metaphor of the family. We assist the child as he/she begins to desire the ability to walk. They learn to talk by hearing the family members fellowship in language (a gift, a fact that JoJ has shown us) we guide them in correct grammar, sytax, pronunciation, etc.

Actually we can't teach them anything, the Holy Spirit does that.

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Even those who teach/preach have a GIFT from the Spirit to do so.
We assist them, guide them, clarify for them, pick them up when they fall, go after them when they run away, intercede when they get in trouble...etc.

HankD

 

Jesus said we are to teach them all He commanded.

Matthew 5:19
Matthew 28:20
Acts 18:11
Romans 12:7
1 Cor. 12:28
Galatians 6:6
Colossians 1:28
Colossians 3:16
2 Timothy 3:16
Titus 2:3
Hebrews 5:12
2 John 1:9

To say we should not teach is off the mark. Not all are gifted in teaching, but all should teach by example, we should strive to mirror Christ to the lost world.

 

Yes and I agreed with what you said in a former post that when we display the fruit of the Spirit we show the true God to a lost and dead race.

We seem always to want to take for our selves God's credit for his handiwork.
I'm guilty - patting myself on the back for my "successes" with His sheep.

All we can do is lead the sheep to the still and living waters of the word for them to drink, but they must do the drinking, we can't force them.

The green living pastures as well, we can lead them as under Shepherds to the scriptures we are shown by Christ as to where to bring them to feed, but they must eat, we can't force them.

Then God gives the growth.

ALL growth is God's. We are simply the garden workers.

1 Corinthians 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Colossians 2:19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

HankD

 

We teach, God converts.

 

Romans 7:1-6 clearly states that the believer in Christ is dead to the Law. Being "dead" to the law is the only solution to satisfying the demands of the Law. While Paul was an unregenerate his attempt to satisfy its demands was only futile (Rom. 7:7-13). Change to present tense, the regenerate Paul's attempt to satisfy the Law is just as futile as Paul (Rom. 7:14-25), whether unregenerate or regenerate, self has no ability to manifest or satisfy the righteousness of Law. The only possible way to satisfy the law's righteousness is POSITIONALLY dead in Christ and EXPERIENTIALLY dead to the law. The positional deadness to sin is what Romans 7:1-6 speaks about. The EXPERIENTIALLY deadness to sin is what Romans 7:14-8:27 is about. The only possible way to EXPERIENTIALLY have victory over sin and express the rightoeusness of God in and through himself is by EXPERIENTIAL DAILY DEATH to the law by daily crucifying SELF and living in the power of the Spirit - and that is what Rom. 8:4-27 is all about.

Jesus told saved people "without me ye can DO NOTHING." We cannot work out our salvation unless God is working in us "both to will and to do of His good pleasure." One must pick up the cross and DIE DAILY or Romans 7:14-25 will be your frustrating experience.

There is no MIDDLE position between lost and saved as some interpret Romans 7:14-25. The present tense coupled with delight in the law of God "after the inward man" completely repudiates the lost condition described in Romans 8:7. The command to "put on" and "put off" demands one must have something that can be put on and can be put off. The command to "yeild" and "count" and "put to death" are not describing a human being free from the law of indwelling sin. The man in Romans 7:14-8:13 still has an unregenerate aspect of his nature as what is born of Spirit "is spirit" not his body. In the lost man the law of sin ruled in his spirit as it was "dead in tresspasses and sins" but in a saved man the law of sin has been booted out of the control of the human spirit and is finds its only dwelling place in the outer court of man - the body and its natural cravings.

 

You have past the point of diminishing returns B, no mater what you say phony believers cannot hear you (unless God opens their ears - which is within the realm of possibility with God).

HankD

 

An unregenerate Paul seeking to be godly flies in the face of the bogus doctrine of total spiritual inability. Why did he realize he had broken the Law by his covetness? Limited Spiritual Ability! And why would FGT claim we should not see ourselves as wretched sinners, striving to become more Christ like?

 

Because the Spirit of God can and does speak to the unregenerate - take the case of Cain.
God spoke to Him , he heard and he (Cain) departed from His (God's) presence rather than repent (he either couldn't or wouldn't - depending whether you are C or A).

Once that happens it is IMO the blasphemy (blasphemeo - to speak against) against the Holy Ghost for which there is no remedy (unless God permits).

Mark 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:

In danger, not a guarantee but a very real possibility.

HankD

 

Hello B,

As I have said before...I like most of what you post but have found a few differences...this is one of them, so i offer you this from John Eadie for your consideration; We are agreed that the issue is remaining sin and corruption in the life of a believer-
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

 

pt2

 

HankD, the Spirit of God speaks to the unregenerate through scripture and the witness of believers. Some have so hardened their hearts they cannot grasp the milk of the gospel, but like the other three soils, most can. Scripture is not mistaken when it says Christ enlightens every person, or draws all people to Himself.
Think about the rule and not the exception.

Since our love for the lost is unconditional, we till the ground, plant the seed, and water, knowing that the lost might reject the gospel initially, but come to their senses later and trust in Christ. We are to be unrelenting in our ministry to win some.

 

Agreed!

HankD