Heretic’s Hideout

2 Corinthians 6
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 7
1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Does not this passage present the very real possibility that if we refuse to come out, to be separate, that God may not receive us? This is a conditional promise. Paul exhorts us, based on this promise, to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. How contrary is this to modern Christian teaching?

I believe that there is a sense in which all believers have already been received. This is not speaking about being eternally saved. This is speaking of eternally saved, blood bought believers who need to remove themselves from their worldly associations that are going to keep them from being accepted by God. Paul is speaking here to believers. In verse 14 of chapter 6, he warns his audience not to be ‘unequally yoked together with unbelievers’.

Is there a sense in which God may not receive a believer? Indeed, we find in the same book that we labor to be accepted at the judgment seat of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:9-11
9 Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

The terror of the Lord, being rejected at the judgment seat of Christ, ought to be our motivating fear just as it was for Paul. Why do Christians make provision for the flesh and flirt with the unclean things of this world? It is because the fear of the Lord is not in them. If Christians believed that they could be found unacceptable to God at the judgment seat of Christ, how seriously would they take Paul’s admonition to cleanse themselves and to perfect holiness in the fear of God? How many contentions would dissolve? How many ‘gray areas’ would become black and white? Truly, the fear of the Lord is still the beginning of wisdom.

Jesus Christ is going to return to this world soon as a righteous judge. Christians are going to be judged and rewarded for their works done in the flesh, as the bible tells us in Matthew 16, 1 Corinthians 3, and many other places. Peter reminds us that this world is reserved unto the judgment of fire (2Peter 3:7) and admonishes us thusly:

2 Peter 3:11-14
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

What manner of persons ought we to be? He commands us to be diligent that we may be found blameless, without spot. Yet Christians in these last days seem to have a devil-may-care attitude toward holiness. All these warnings and rebukes just seem to bounce off them. The second epistle of Peter ends with this warning to believers:

2 Peter 3:17-18
17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.

Is the vast majority of Christianity today being led away with the error of the wicked? I believe this is the case.

2 Peter 2:1-3
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

Peter says many will follow the ‘pernicious ways’ of these false teachers. Pernicious means destructive. These false teachers convince folks to walk after them to destruction through their own covetousness. Paul warned Timothy that in the last days their would be people turning away from sound doctrine and heaping to themselves teachers after their own lusts, having ‘itching ears.’ Preachers, for the love of money, telling their congregations what they want to hear. Whatever truth you can’t endure, you can find a preacher that will speak evil of it for you. But the Lord knows how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished!

What is this error of the wicked? I think it is nothing more than the false assurance that God will never judge you for your sin, that you can get away with it. Christians are told that God only sees Jesus when He looks at them and that all their sins have been cast into the sea of God’s forgetfulness… when the truth is we will all have to appear before the judgment seat of Christ to give account for the things that we have done. What manner of persons ought ye to be?

One of the reasons that I believe the doctrine of Millennial Exclusion is true is because of the harmony that it brings to the scriptures. Verses that seem to be dark sayings to many have become illuminated by the light of truth. The second chapter of James is a perfect example. If a man were to come to these scriptures with an understanding of salvation by grace through faith and nothing more, he would likely come to the conclusion that James was a contradiction and that perhaps a mistake has been made somewhere. Martin Luther came to much the same conclusion. He writes:

“In the first place it is flatly against St. Paul and all the rest of Scripture in ascribing justification to works 2:24). It says that Abraham was justified by his works when he offered his son Isaac (2:20); Though in Romans 4:22-22 St. Paul teaches to the contrary that Abraham was justified apart from works, by his faith alone, before he had offered his son, and proves it by Moses in Genesis 15:6. Although it would be possible to “save” the epistle by a gloss giving a correct explanation of justification here ascribed to works, it is impossible to deny that it does refer to Moses’ words in Genesis 15 (which speaks not of Abraham’s works but of his faith, just as Paul makes plain in Romans 4) to Abraham’s works. This fault proves that this epistle is not the work of any apostle. ” Source: http://matt1618.freeyellow.com/preface.html

Many who are not willing to ascribe the fault to scripture will correctly state that the problem lies in our understanding of what James said. But then they explain that James really meant something else other than what he plainly wrote. They will say that James is not saying that a man is justified by works, but rather that ‘true faith’ will produce works, thus the works prove that a man is justified by faith. While this sounds to me like justification by works anyway, it also is directly in contradiction with what James said.

James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

James said plainly that a man is justified by works. So now instead of James contradicting Paul, we have James supposedly contradicting himself, which doesn’t do a whole lot for the inerrancy of scripture nor the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone. Now we have just taken the works and implanted them into faith itself, so faith is no longer belief, but belief with works added to it. While James does state that faith without works is dead, that doesn’t mean it is not faith. He makes this clear.

James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Faith without works is dead, being alone. Read it backwards and you see that faith alone (that is faith without works) is dead faith. How then does a man say that he believes salvation is by faith alone, and then in another breath say that faith alone is not truly faith? And again James shows this is false.

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Would a man be so inclined to say that a body without a spirit is not really a body? No, it is a dead body, and faith without works is dead faith, but faith nonetheless. If a man is saved by faith alone, then a man is saved by dead faith, for that is the definition of dead faith. Many will disagree with that statement, that a man can be saved by dead faith. They will cry “No, dead faith cannot save you. You must have a living faith, one that is evidenced by good works.” Well now, what does Paul have to say about faith and works?

Romans 3:24-28
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

What is faith without the deeds of the law? Thats faith alone, the faith that according to some won’t save you. Brethren, if James and Paul are talking about the same thing, we are in a mess. Praise God there is another way to resolve and harmonize these scriptures that does not involve changing the Bible or defiling reason. The simplest explanation is that James and Paul are using similar language to speak about two different things, two different ‘justifications’. Paul in Romans is speaking of the absolute justification we have in Christ through his sacrifice alone, with no works added to it whatsoever. James is speaking of the practical justification of a believer, one who already has been justified by faith and is going to be judged as a believer for his works. When a believer appears at the judgment seat of Christ, he is not going to be able to point to the cross as an explanation of why he didn’t do those works that James is talking about.

James 2:13-16
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

James asks a rhetorical question in verse 14. If a man has not shown mercy, he will receive judgment without mercy. Can faith save him? The answer is no. Faith alone cannot overcome this judgment of believers. Christians have a duty to serve the one who saved them by His blood.

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

The man that says ‘Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled’ to his hungry, naked brother is the man that is going to receive that judgment without mercy. That man will still be saved, but he is going to be receiving for the things he has done.

Hebrews 10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

Faith alone will justify a man in eternity. At the great white throne, salvation will be based solely on whether or not that man has believed on the Lord and his atoning sacrifice. But faith alone will not justify a man in regard to temporal reward and punishment at the judgment seat of Christ. The Lord shall judge his people! What a statement, one that should cause at least minor discomfort in any believer. But if we were to really believe that Christ were going to judge His people and that He will recompense our works (whether good or bad, 2Corinthians 5:10) what trembling should be wrought among the sleeping saints and would we not awake and arise from our slumber and get busy about the Master’s business? Think not that I exclude myself from this charge, I am writing this in order to stir myself up as much as to stir up others.

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

This verse is often held up as a proof text that faith alone will not save a man in eternity. See, the devils believe, so belief alone will not save you. You have to have works to prove that your faith is really saving faith. These people have missed the point of James’ statement entirely. What works could the devils add to their faith to make it true saving faith? Can a devil be saved? Did Jesus Christ take on the form of a devil and die to save devils? James is not using the devils as an example of faith that won’t save a man. James is using the devils to shame those presumptuous believers who imagine they will be standing before the Son of God without any danger of judgment! Even the devils have enough sense to tremble at the thought of whats to come for them. But Christians, who think that they have nothing to fear at the judgment seat of Christ, will float through life with nary a thought of future recompense.

Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Ephesians 6:5-6
5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

Brethren, the devils believe and tremble. Do you?

I have been reading the book of 1 Samuel. I am always amazed at how Saul begins so well, and ends so wrong. When Saul was anointed by Samuel, he was humble.

1 Samuel 9:20-21
20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house?
21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?

Later, as Samuel rebukes Saul for not utterly destroying the Amalekites and their substance, he makes the same observation.

1 Samuel 15:16-19
16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.
17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.
19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?

Was it not simply pride that caused Saul to stumble? Did he allow himself to be lifted up in his own heart? Lord God, help us to not think too highly of ourselves! I tried to see when this change occurred. When Saul and the Israelites were given the first victory over the Ammonites, Saul gave the glory to God.

1 Samuel 11:12-13
12 And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for today the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.

We see a humble man attributing his victory to the Lord. But a couple of years later, it seems that Saul had perhaps begun to give himself more credit.

1 Samuel 13:3-4
3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.
4 And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

I think Saul still gave God credit, but think he became important in his own eyes. Maybe he even began to think himself indispensable in some way, that without him, God could not deliver Israel from her enemies. Perhaps this is why he began to show contempt for God’s commands which ultimately ended up getting him replaced. It is important to understand that God has a use for us if we will submit to Him and allow Him to use us. But we are merely tools in His hands, and God has a large toolbox with many tools. We should give Him the glory when he works through us and be thankful that we have an opportunity to serve Him, and remember that just as Saul was chosen, he could be unchosen and so could we.

Christian polygyny is not a term that you see in print every day. For those who don’t know, polygyny is the practice of a man having more than one wife. I was surprised to find a man on the Fighting Fundamental Forum who claims to promote this practice for believers. My brother Hugh is a brave man to publicly state his position, that polygyny is not only allowed by God, but that it is perhaps even something to be desired by Christians. Forgive me if I misrepresent you Hugh, for I am still not one hundred percent sure of your position, and have no clue as to your motive for promoting polygyny. I can only assume that it is your sincere belief that this is the teaching of the word of God, and not merely the product of a desire to fulfill what some men might think of as a dream, while others who have been there might call it a nightmare. I am sure that many men throughout the ages have thought that it might be grand to have an extra wife or two. I will confess that I have entertained the notion, but I have since thought better of it. I will take the position that, while polygyny may not be a sin in the sense that it goes against God’s permissive will, I do not believe it to be part of God’s beneficent will for His people. In other words, while God may have allowed it, He does not wish it to be the practice for His children, it will not produce the pure and peacable state of marriage that He intended when He created man and gave him one woman to be his help, and it is likely to cause much grief that would be wholly avoidable by taking the advice of the wisest man on earth, who even though he had a thousand wives and concubines penned these words:

Proverbs 5:18-19
18  Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
19  Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.
(more…)

I am accused of being a heretic, because I embrace the teaching that Christians will be judged according to their works, and that Christians who are found unfaithful at the judgment seat of Christ will not enter into the thousand year kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who dislike my doctrine accuse me of denying the sufficiency of Christ’s blood. It seems to me that most of the folks who make such charges are actually guilty of the very crime they ascribe to me.

I fully believe in the sufficiency of the atonement. There is nothing that must be added to the finished work of Christ. All a man has to do to be saved is believe on the Lord, and that blood that was shed on the cross is applied to his sins and they are made null and void in regard to his eternal destiny. Most of the opponents of the Kingdom teaching will say they believe this, but then they will qualify believe. No, it’s not enough to believe, it has to be truly believe, truly believe in a manner that causes you to have good works, for the blood of Christ is only sufficient for those who are truly sorry for their sins and will make Christ the Lord of their life and will turn from their wickedness, etc… So who is truly denying the sufficiency of Christ’s blood? I believe that the blood is not only sufficient to save a lost sinner regardless of whether or not he continues in his sin or backslides, but I also believe that the blood is sufficient to give a man the power to cease from sin!

For those who believe that the idea of chastening at the judgment seat denies the sufficiency of Christ’s blood, why is it that you can have chastening for sin in this life and that is not denying the sufficiency of Christ’s blood? If Christ’s blood took care of every penalty and consequence for sin, then surely chastening in this life is denying the sufficiency of Christ’s blood! If Christ’s blood still allows for consequence for sin in this life, then there is hardly an argument for consequences in the next life being an affront to the sufficiency of Christ’s blood. You believe that one may lose rewards at the judgment seat? Why isn’t that denying the sufficiency of Christ’s blood?