Source: “The Gift Nobody Wants,” True Disciple 2008, by Paul Washer, Preached at Grace Community Church, San Antonio, TX, December 4, 2008. Available for download at SermonAudio.com, Online Sermons: http://www.sermonaudio.com/gcc
The following are some quotations from Paul Washer’s sermon listed above, along with a few associated comments. At the end of this post is an excerpt from Dr. Charlie Bing’s Doctoral Dissertation on Lordship Salvation. That section deals with the true biblical meaning of the term “repentance.”
Paul Washer Quotations:
In a not-so-veiled mocking caricature of the common invitation for people to trust in Christ alone by grace through faith for salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9;), Washer says the following (pp. 1-2):
“‘Who would like to repeat this prayer after me? Oh, I see that hand. Come forward.’ We see none of that [in Scripture]. But the message of our Lord we see, ‘Repent and believe.’ . . . It is only until we come into this modern time that we hear nothing of repentance and faith unless it is redefined in the context of receiving Jesus which means pray this prayer and ask him into your heart and if you have done that sincerely you can stand on the fact that you have been born again. Now that is serious, folks. This is serious.”
Comment: In actuality, the biblical gospel of grace never says to simply say or recite a formulaic prayer or to “come forward” to be saved. It says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
Washer continues: “The reason there were just as many people and still are just as many people going out of the church as coming into the church is because the gospel that we are preaching is not the gospel. It is a truncated version of the gospel and the invitation we give cannot even be found in the New Testament. Now does anyone have a problem with that? The reason why they are leaving, well, they went out from us because they were not of us. They were not truly converted.”
Comment: This is the standard “out” for Lordship Salvation teaching. If anyone, true believer or not, ceases attending church, becomes lukewarm, or seems to have strayed from the faith, the standard LS response is to simply write them off as, “never having been genuinely saved to begin with.”
Paul Washer discusses (p. 4) Mark 1:15:
“‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’ Now both of these commands are in the present tense imperative and I believe there is an issue here. I believe that there is something going on that will cure the malady that is so frequent today in America. It is almost as if Christ is saying, ‘The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Now spend the rest of your life repenting and believing.'”
Response: In reference to Mark 1:15 above, as well as John 3:16, the present tense usage in no way mandates that pisteuo must be interpreted as continuous ongoing belief (the default position of Lordship Faith teaching). Quoting Bible scholar, Fred Chay, PhD, “Continual belief is no more in mind in John 3:16 than continual baptizing [also present tense usage “the baptizing one” meaning that John’s baptizing would have to continue while he was imprisoned and even after his death!] is in view in Mark 6:14. With this in mind, it becomes clear that it is dangerous indeed to assume that the normative use of the word pisteuo is always continuous action, especially in the light of the fact that it cannot even be assumed that the present tense in general assumes continuous aspect” (Chay and Correia, “The Faith that Saves,” Grace Line, Inc., 2008, pp. 48-52—available from Free Grace Alliance) http://www.freegracealliance.com/ .
Washer continues, as he describes a man who claims to have trusted in Christ alone as his Savior some ten years earlier:
“They don’t realize that the evidence, the raw bone biblical evidence that there was one time in your life that you repented unto salvation is that you continue repenting until today and growing in repentance. They do not realize that if at one time in your life you believed unto salvation, the evidence of that will be you continue believing unto salvation and growing in faith.”
Comment: the standard Lordship Faith tactic or approach is to place the onus of salvation back onto the person; the individual must continue repenting and believing in order to validate or to prove his true belief; he can never rest in the finished work of Christ on the cross on his behalf. Mr. Washer, your approach decimates assurance of salvation! (we are kept by the grace and power of God—John 10:27-30).
Paul Washer Quotation (p. 5): “A person who can show no mark of the sanctifying work of God in their life has no assurance that they have been justified. Now that is biblical teaching.”
Comment: Again, assurance of salvation is placed, not upon the finished work of Christ on the cross of Calvary (see Corinthians 15:1-8), but back upon the individual to prove or maintain his or her salvation—a standard teaching of Lordship Salvation and a real assurance killer!
Washer Quotation (p. 20): “People ask me, ‘Is there free will?’ I say, ‘Let’s not even answer that question. Let’s just go a little bit farther.’ The question is not: Is there free will? The question is: Is there good will? You are free to will, but will only [act] according to your nature and your nature is evil, so what you are going to do is evil unless God comes in and gives you a new heart, unless God regenerates you.”
Comment: Standard Calvinist unbiblical plan of salvation, that is, God must regenerate the sinner prior to his coming to faith. This false teaching flies in the face of the multitude of calls to salvation in the Bible (to be received—through free will—by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone), e.g., John 3:16, Acts 16:31; 19:4, John 11:26 (calls to believe in Christ for salvation are throughout the Gospel of John), 1 John 5:13.
Washer’s example of a child: Washer uses the example of a young child regarding the plan of salvation [no name or gender will be given] (pp.24-25). The child was concerned with life and death; “I don’t want to die,” they said. He assured the youngster that, although death is always a possibility for everyone, that they were young and healthy and although no one knows the future, we trust in God. But the child pleaded, “I want God.” Washer asked, “You do?” “Yes, I want God,” the child replied. Washer said, “Well, you have heard the gospel . . . You know that you are to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The child responded, “Oh, . . ., I believe. I believe in Jesus.” Washer pondered what to say next: “Now, what do I do with them? Do I sit there and go, ‘[name withheld], you don’t believe. You just don’t believe. You are not fully understanding what is going on here’? But do I say, ‘Oh, [name withheld], you believe and you are saved. Let’s go tell [name withheld]’? That is what most people would do. But, you see, a discerning heart would recognize after talking to the [child]. [They] were not weeping over sin. [They] were not weeping over an offense against God. [They] were weeping over self-preservation. [They] didn’t want to die. And so what did I do? I said, ‘[name withheld],’ I redirected [them]. I said, ‘[name withheld], I want you to know something. If you truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the one who can take away your sins, any [one] who truly believes and trusts in him, recognizes the depth, something in the depth of [their] sin, turns from it and believes in Jesus is saved. And if you are doing that, if you are really doing that, that has really happened to you, you are saved. But now let me tell you something. The evidence of your salvation is going to be God beginning to work in your life, directing you towards Scripture, pointing out sin in your life, making you contrite and things such as that over disobedience to your parents. And [certain people] are just going to watch you, [name withheld]. And [they] are going to use the Scripture and just help you as you go through these next months and years to discern whether you have truly come to know him.”
Response: read the story of the Philippian jailer in Acts 16. There was a violent earthquake. The prison doors had broken open. He was distraught that the prisoners might have fled and he feared for his life. Verses 30-33 tell of the man’s miraculous conversion, along with his family: “And brought them [Paul and Silas] out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.”
Observation: notice that when the jailer and his family trusted in Christ alone for salvation, Paul and Silas accepted them IMMEDIATELY as brothers and sisters in Christ and then baptized them as an outward symbol of the new inward reality. Paul and Silas did not say that they were going to watch the jailer and his family to make sure that they were truly saved.
Repentance and Salvation
The following is a brief excerpt from Dr. Charlie Bing’s Doctoral Dissertation on Lordship Salvation. This review section deals with the topics, “Repentance and Salvation.” In it, Dr. Bing highlights some of the errors of the Lordship Salvation position on repentance. Below is the excerpt and the associated link to read the chapter in its entirety:
http://www.gracelife.org/resources/dissertation.asp?id=chp6
Repentance and Salvation
The controversy over repentance concerns the scope of its meaning in soteriological contexts. The Lordship Salvation position takes repentance to mean a turning from sin and sins which is necessary for salvation.
By association with metamelomai and epistrepho it is argued that the word metanoeo denotes both regret for sins and turning from sins. The study concluded that this argument is not supported from biblical usage. Furthermore, “repent” is not an accurate translation of metanoeo, which has the basic meaning “change the mind.”
Key Bible passages considered did not substantiate the Lordship understanding of repentance. An evaluation of the passages that concern the offer of salvation by John the Baptist (Matt 3:2, 11; Mark 1:4/Luke 3:3; Acts 13:24), Jesus Christ (Matt 4:17/Mark 1:15; Matt 11:20-21/Luke 10:13; Matt 9:13/Mark 2:17/Luke 5:32; Matt 12:41/Luke 11:32; Luke 13:3, 5; Luke 15; 16:30; 24:47), and the Apostles (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 8:22; 14:15 [with 1 Thess 1:9]; 17:30; 20:21) showed that metanoeo should be taken in its basic sense of “change the mind.” In these passages, that about which the mind changed was not always sin or sins, but could also be God or one’s opinion about Jesus Christ. Turning from sins is more accurately a result of repentance in some of the passages and should not be confused with repentance itself.
When sins are closely associated with repentance in Bible passages (2 Cor 12:21; Heb 6:1; Rev 2; 3; 9:20-21; 16:9), it is usually Christians who are in view, not unbelievers. Turning from specific sins is not required of the unbeliever in order to secure salvation. The exception of the unbelievers in Revelation 9:20-21 and 16:9 is not an offer of salvation.
Passages used by Lordship proponents to define repentance in terms of its fruits or works (Matt 3:8/Luke 3:8; Acts 26:20) did not support that understanding. It was argued that though there is a logical relationship between repentance and its fruits, the term repentance itself does not require resultant works for its meaning.
Notes From A Retired Preacher 
Dear Julia. I Believe you have sincere beliefs, but even some of what you say doesn’t line up with what Paul Washer says. Do you know that you do not have to turn from sin, commit your life, become a disciple, etc., to receive the free gift of eternal life? Would you agree that if one changes the gospel, it no longer has the power to save? If one adds or takes away from God’s Word, is it still God’s Word they are preaching or their own?
Paul Washer teaches you must turn from your sin in order to be saved.
He believes you continually repent, not as you said “to show our love for God’s kingdom” but in order to be saved and stay saved.
The Bible tells us we must earnestly contend for the faith once delivered. Paul Washer’s testimony is about himself. The only testimony we should defend is the one God gave of His Son Jesus and Paul Washer corrupts the simplicity that is in Jesus Christ.
I would be happy to point out sermons, problematic areas, and why His gospel is false if you want to hear.
The Bible also tells us when these people claim to speak the Word of God and yet He did not send them, we ought not be saying/defending them as speaking the Word of God (see Jeremiah 23 for an example). These men may look like ministers of righteousness, but we are to judge their doctrine (their fruit). They may do many wonderful works in the name of the Lord, but I am afraid Paul Washer will hear the very passage in Matt 7:21-23 he so often uses to accuse others with. And I actually fear for you too. Because do you know what it takes to be saved? That it is all about Christ and Him crucified for your sin, it was Him shedding His blood, dying, being buried and risen again, just as He said He would, just as the Scriptures testified. All for you, all for me. Your response is to believe. It’s not to add a long laundry list of things to do as Paul Washer does.
Here is the ‘constructive purpose’ for judging Paul Washer with what I believe is a righteous judgment (holding up his teachings against the Word of God).
But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 2 Cor 11:12-15
So well said, Curtis, lordship is philosophy and vain deceit, after the rudiments of the world.
Julia welcome.. and you wrote
“We are in construction”
“Truly Repentance must be shown with actions if you truly believe in Jesus. We are in construction.”
Scripture says the exact opposite
“And ye are complete in him”
So now what?
its one thing to repent of sins (only for the believer in fellowship with God)
its another to repent of yourself
The penalty of sin is not repenting of your sins. the penalty for sin is dying for your sins.
Jesus paid our sin debt..
thats the danger of “repent of sins” a soul can repent of sins and never trust Christ Jesus payment for sin and miss heaven.
Mankind is so depesperatly religious to see that.
Grace is not a license to sin
Grace is payment for sin.
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Jason, agree!
Any sentence that begins with the gospel, ends with an additive, and has “but” in the middle is from the Serpent.
Julia you said:
“We are saved by grace but It doesn’t contradict that we need to continually repent.”
The word “grace” means “unmerited favour”, but turning from sin is a merit. So how can we be saved by grace by “continually repenting”? It is a contradiction.
Now if you define “repent” in it’s biblical definition, you only have to repent once, to change your mind about what you were already trusting in for salvation and throw all of your faith upon Christ’s death burial and resurrection as full payment for your sins.
Julia, thanks for your comment.
How much of Washer’s life he gave preaching the “gospel” is not really important. What is important is whether he was preaching the gospel or another gospel. Paul Washer preaches another gospel of works.
You said: Truly repentance must be shown with actions if you truly believe in Jesus.
My comment: How many actions? What sort of actions? The Bible says we can have assurance of eternal life if we have believed in Jesus as Savior. The Bible never tells us that works are automatic in the lives of believers, nor that we can, or should, gain assurance of eternal life through our works.
It is not loving to overlook assaults on the gospel. If any person really loves God, why would that person want to frustrate grace by adding works to the gospel?
I was born in Lima, Peru. I saw Paul Washer testimony on first hand when Brother Washer lived there. He found a Christian Church in Lima. He gave 10 years of his life preaching the gospel. He showed love to others no by words but with actions. The Bible says that we will know that we are disciples of Jesus if we show love one another. People who criticize Him without any constructive purpose is not showing love but only negative words according the Bible. The Bible says that Faith without works is death. Truly Repentance must be shown with actions if you truly believe in Jesus. We are in construction. We are saved by grace but It doesn’t contradict that we need to continually repent. Repentance shows our love for God’s kingdom.
God bless you all!
Let us spend our time doing things more positive than criticize without any constructive purpose. When I say that, I am including me. God is working in me to be more careful what I say. All the best for everyone!
But I’m sure Paul Washer had to get up early for his job as assistant to the accuser of the brethren. Yes, I do mean that one. He doesn’t preach the gospel, he preaches condemnation to the lost, and doubt and bondage to the saved. He doesn’t know the remedy for either condition.
I had someone wondering today if I was judging Ray Comfort or Charles Spurgeon of being unsaved. I told them individually I don’t make that call, but I can judge their doctrine, their gospel to be rotten fruit that will not save, an accursed gospel. So if they believed from the beginning that accursed gospel, then they have not been saved. Maybe one time they did and are in bondage, I don’t know.
Paul Washer’s wife, in elaborating on her ‘testimony’ of finding out she was a ‘false convert’, was the coldest man, made me sick of how she told him her fears and he agreed with her that she probably was.
Did he tell her what the gospel was? Did he stay to console her, and go through Scriptures with her? Why would he, because he could do nothing anyhow in his system. And in their system, if you are not one of the Stepford wives, then you are not worthy of their time.
He left her with her doubts and went to bed. (I would have tossed him outside the front door with his bags packed, and told him to go hang with the elect and not come back.) Might not be biblical advice… but I was sickened by his response… cold, no love.
Alex, whether or not Paul Washer has ever believed in Jesus as his Savior, we can’t know. If he has, than he has eternal life that can never be lost or forfeited. Whatever the case, his words reflect a current disbelief in the gospel.
So he said it himself that he doesn’t want God’s gift. Isn’t that the same as a public confession of unbelief? XD
Jack, when I saw the word obliterating in this article, it explained well what Paul Washer’s unreachable gospel does to those who have believed, and what it may cost those who are lost. Thank you for defending the gospel…
I hear people commend Washer all the time Mark S. as being ‘so sincere’ and ‘having some good things to say’. I’m just wondering how long before the arsenic poisons them or someone else they’ve led to the cistern.
Mark,
Thanks. Right you are… Washer and his ilk are purveyors of evil. It is difficult to understand his appeal — one of impossible demands to gain and keep one’s salvation.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
The Gift Nobody Wants? really, Mr. Washer??? In your unbiblical Calvinist system, Jesus did not die for the vast majority of mankind, only for a select elect, so those who “don’t want the gift” could not get it anyway, because Christ did not die for them, no, they were predestined to the Lake of Fire before the foundation of the world. Washer and people like him are evil!
Obliterate is a good way to explain what these enemy’s of the gospel do to believers, and worse, again, the shutting up of heaven to the lost…
Paul Washer, when he told that dying man in another video I saw, that he had to go beg God, to cry out all night long, just made me so upset. Poor guy, he told Washer he knew he was saved because of John 3:16 after a few days, and Paul Washer asked him how he KNEW he was saved. The man asked him in surprise, “Haven’t you read John 3:16?”….
His ministry is called Heart cry?
Here is one of his quotes which reveals his heart to me anyways….
The last thing the accursed person will hear when they take their first step into hell, is all of creation standing to its feet and applauding God because God has rid the earth of them. ~Paul Washer
Adrian,
Welcome— FYI we do not include links to folks who supposedly explain Lordship Salvation who, themselves, are preachers of Lordship Salvation.
We have many articles on LS which we have been publishing for years. We understand completely.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
Don’t kill the message… because of the delivery method. Understand what Lordship Salvation is about –
{Link removed by Administrator}
Welcome to Expreacherman.com Nathan!
You and John both make a strong point about how LSers beat themselves up, or as John put it well, they “work themselves into a pious lather trying to make sure that they merit salvation.” How pathetic and unbiblical. This is no way for one who claims to be a Christian to live.
Part of an article that I wrote a while back dealt with this subject. I called it, “The Father Serra Syndrome.” See the article, “Driven”: http://www.freegracealliance.com/pdf/DRIVEN_byB_Bauer.pdf
Again, Nathan, we’re glad that you joined us today. Come back often.
And John, as always thanks for your insightful words.
Eternal salvation is by either works or grace. It can’t be both. Read Romans 11:6. Thank God eternal salvation is by grace alone, not by works at all (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Acts 16:31).
Nathan, welcome!
You said: “…if he believes his own message he has no choice to beat himself up on a daily basis because of his sin,the exact same thing I had been doing since hearing his sermon.”
That’s a very insightful comment. Some people who fall for the LS lie work themselves into a pious lather trying to make sure they merit salvation. Others realize that it is hopeless and give up and revel in their sin.
Jack addressed the latter response in a post a while back. See excerpt below:
“Could it be that a church’s Statement of Faith (SOF), would lead a Pastor into doubting or under-playing his mission, his Savior or his salvation? He might wonder “If I can’t do what I have promised (abide by the legalism and rules of the church’s SOF) then I might as well live it up and entertain my basest thoughts.”
Great to have you, Nathan!
Isn’t it strange how people can claim to be all about grace, yet demand simultaneous efforts of cleaning up your act to obtain salvation? At best, their false doctrine is poison to the believer’s soul; at worst, leading millions straight to hell.
We rejoice with you that you are free from the confusion and contradictions of LS, truly the Church’s ancient foe..
Nathan,
Welcome — you will find many free Grace Gospel friends here.
We appreciate your comment and have seen many others with similar sentiments. We are here to proclaim the free Grace Gospel of salvation by Grace alone through Faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. And to expose those false preachers like Washer who attempt to “frustrate the Grace of God..” (Galatians 2:21)
Glad to have you with us and pray you will return again and comment.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
Thank you Abe. Over just the course of a couple of weeks I had put myself under so much pressure because of Washer’s sermon that I was questioning everything.
Like I said, my head was spinning, “How can I show the fruits if I am not saved…how can I be saved if I don’t show the fruits” it was driving me bonkers. All the while I just kept asking myself why Mr. Washer seems so down and beat up, he seems to have no joy in anything. I can see why, if he believes his own message he has no choice to beat himself up on a daily basis because of his sin, the exact same thing I had been doing since hearing his sermon.
Nathan wrote: ” I just didn’t understand how he could be saying it was not a works salvation but it was a works salvation at the same time.”
What Washer is saying there is impossible to understand, because what Washer says is not true. What is true is the free grace of the Lord Jesus, in which He already paid for all our sins. John 3:16 🙂
All I have to say is thank God for your site and others like it. I am a believer (Feels good to say), that fell away from the church and am now beginning to be led back to it by Jesus. A few weeks ago I stumbled upon the exact sermon of Paul Washer’s that you are referencing. Ever since I have been questioning my salvation, becoming more and more depressed as I know that I can never be enough to be what God wants me to be. I just didn’t understand how he could be saying it was not a works salvation but it was a works salvation at the same time. My head was spinning. I am so glad that I decided to look into criticism of Paul Washer’s message as I was feeling defeated in my walk.
I am now renewed, and want to turn away from my sins not for salvation but for the glory of God. There is absolutely nothing I can do to earn salvation because it is freely given.
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Ariel,
Good to have you visit — you are welcome here.
You are wise to investigate Lordship “salvation” (LS) because it is not salvation at all but probation and does not save. LS teachers and churches are a tricky bunch and fool lots of people. But Study the Word and rightly divide it and you will be able to discern the Truth of God’s Grace from the error of LS.
Please search our web site and read our expose’ of LS and other false teachings. We would love to have you drop in again.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
Greetings Ariel,
Thanks for visiting the Expreacherman.com site. We hope that you come back often. There are many solid thorough articles and discussions about the Lordship Salvation issue at this site. I trust that you are able to check some of them out.
Blessings in the Lord!
.
Thank you for this, you have made me really want to study and measure against Scripture the Lordship Salvation issue. I enjoyed your blog and will add it to mine. God bless!!!!!!
Hi again Jimmy,
I’ll take an excerpt from my previous entry and show the time frame:
Numbers 5-10 clearly are PRECURSORS TO THE RAPTURE, NOT TO THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, which comes seven years later. None of these fits as a warning to prepare for the second coming. The timing of that event (the second coming of Christ) will become clearly defined by the rapture event. At the rapture the seven-year time clock begins ticking while the tribulation takes place. If one reads about the horrific tribulation events described in Revelation, there will be no need for any additional warning signs as shown in numbers 5-10 below. By the way, events 5-10 are happening right now before our eyes, yet the rapture of the church has not yet occurred.
5. Matt. 24:4-6—False Christs arise [look at the flood of cults and isms] Wars and rumors of wars.
6. Matt. 24:7—Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Massive famines [look at Africa]; widespread epidemics of disease; earthquakes worldwide [increasing in intensity with resulting tsunamis].
7. Matt. 24:9—Worldwide persecution of the Saints.
8. Matt. 24:10—Widespread apostasy.
9. Matt. 24:12—Increase of wickedness.
10. Matt. 24:14—Gospel preached in the whole world; then the end will come. Has the gospel been preached worldwide? [Internet, TV, Radio] What is the end that will come? Is it the end of the world or the end of mankind or some other end? The end of the age [THE END OF THE CHURCH AGE WHICH WILL BEGIN WHEN THE CHURCH IS RAPTURED FROM THE EARTH].
Parenthetical Section (POST RAPTURE): Matthew 24:15-31, speaks of the second half of the Tribulation known as the Great Tribulation. Verse 15 begins the section at the middle of the seven-year tribulation period with a citation of Daniel 9:27, the abomination of desolation, in which the antichrist will desecrate the temple in Jerusalem, igniting the horrific events of the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation.
The text returns in verse 32 to signs of the coming end-time events which will usher in the RAPTURE of the church, NOT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST:
The budding of the fig tree (v. 32): the rebirth of Israel as a nation 1948; completed in
1967 with the taking over of Jerusalem.
What does the phrase, “right at the door” (v. 33) mean? THE RAPTURE IS IMMINENT!!! [The Second Coming of Christ will occur seven years later]
What does the phrase, “this generation will certainly not pass away” mean? SOME WHO WITNESSED THE REBIRTH OF ISRAEL AS A NATION AND/OR THOSE WHO HAVE WITNESSED THE PRECUSOR SIGNS MENTIONED IN #S 5-10 ABOVE, THEY WILL SEE THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH.
How long is a generation? 25 years?, 40 years?, 70 years? You do the math.
What is the meaning of the phrase, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man?” Business as usual for many
Dr. Ed Hindson’s statement of the implications of Christ’s admonitions in Matt. 24:
· Keep watching.
· Stay ready.
· Keep serving.
· Keep looking up.
KEEP WATCHING FOR WHAT, THE SECOND COMING? NO! WE ARE WAITING AND WATCHING FOR THE RAPTURE.
Hoping that this is more clear.
Hi Bruce,
Thanks for the information. Lest there be a potential misunderstanding, I dogmatically believe in the Rapture of the Church. Like you, I also believe the Rapture will take place prior to the beginning of the Tribulation. What I was curious about is your statement that Mt. 24 speaks about the Rapture. I have always understood the statements in the Gospels concerning Christ’s return to be refererencing Christ’s return AFTER the Tribulation (i.e. the setting up of His Millennial Kingdom–see following article): [link removed by administration]
To be sure this is a non-essential to salvation matter, but I’d still be interested in hearing from you where you believe the Rapture is mentioned/alluded to in the Gospels.
Thanks,
Jimmy
Hi Jimmy,
Sorry if this is a bit lengthy. I wrote it when I taught a course on Eschatology a few years back. I trust that it will answer your questions.
Evidences for a Pre-tribulational Rapture
[section on Matthew 24 at the end]:
· Revelation 4: Verse 1-2: “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it [Christ]. V. 4: Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty four elders [picture of the church in heaven]. Notice: you will not see the church mentioned in chapters 6-18, the Tribulation period. In chapter 5, you see the church already in heaven before the Tribulation begins in chapter 6. Then you don’t see the church mentioned again until chapter 19, again, pictured as the multitude in heaven shouting “Hallelujah!” to the Lord.
V. 10: The twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: [The believers have already appeared before the judgment seat (bema) of Christ—2 Cor. 5:10; sadly, some won’t receive any or many crowns—1 Cor. 3:12-15] 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” What crowns? A. Ornate ones [a description, not a type of crown] (“like jewels in a crown,” Zech. 9:16); B. Crown of Rejoicing (1 Thes. 2:19); C. Crown of Righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8: for Paul and all who have longed for Christ’s appearing); D. Crown of Life, for those who have persevered under trial because of their love for Christ (James 1:12); E. Unfading Crown of Glory for faithful church leaders (1 Peter 5:4); F. Crown of Life [Martyr’s Crown] for believers faithful to Christ even to the point of death (Rev. 2:10); G. A Crown that needs to be held on to (“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown” Rev. 3:11; cf. 1 Cor. 3:14-15).
· Revelation 3:10: “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from [Greek, ek, meaning “out of”] the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.”
· 1 Thes. 1:10: “and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from [again, ek, “out of”] the coming wrath.
· 1 Thes. 5:9 in the context of vv. 1-3 (the Lord’s coming as a thief in the night): “For God did not appoint us [Christians] to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” [Note: John uses the same term for “wrath,” orges, to speak of God’s wrath outpoured in the tribulation: Rev. 6:16, 17; 11:18; 16:19; 19:15].
· 1 Thes. 4:16: “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up [harpazo, meaning, “snatch, seize, i.e., take suddenly and vehemently;” the Latin translation (Vulgate) is raeptius (also rapio, rapiere, or rapturo) from which we get our English rapture”] with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.
· How will the Lord return? Bodily in the clouds. See Acts 1:9-11: “After he had said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’ ” cf. Luke 24:39
· Who will come with the Lord at his return?? 1 Thes. 3:13: “May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when the Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. Jude 14 [Oldest prophecy in the Bible—pre-flood]: “Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: ‘See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way,” Rev. 19:1-14: “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.”
· 2 Thes. 2:3: “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs [KJV “falling away comes first;” Grk. apostasia, whose root meaning is “to lead away,” or “to depart from”] and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
· 2 Thes. 2:7-8: “For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way [“He” refers to the church, the true believers, who are taken out of the way at the rapture; “he” is not the Holy Spirit for the Holy Spirit being God will never be taken away]. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.
· Why is there a necessity for an interval between the Rapture of the Church [immediately prior to the tribulation] and the Second Coming of Christ [at the end of the tribulation]??
A. There must be time for the judgment of the Saints and rewarding of the crowns.
B. The readying of the Bride of the Lamb—Rev. 19.
C. There must be an interval of time for many to get saved during the Tribulation and to go into the millennium in non-glorified bodies; if all the righteous are glorified before the Millennium and all the wicked excluded from the kingdom, who populates the Millennium?
D. There must be a interval of time between the rapture of the Saints and their return back to earth; otherwise, what is the purpose or logic of having a rapture at all?
E. Also, the destination points are different: the destination of the Rapture is heaven; the destination of the Second Coming is earth.
· 1 Corinthians 15:51-52: “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will all be changed.” What is the mystery? What is the meaning of the phrase, “We will not all sleep?” How will we be changed? How quickly will that transformation occur?
· John 14:1:1-4: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
MORE SIGNS OF THE COMING OF THE LORD
Discussion: A. What three-letter word has been cited as the root cause for the proliferation of the Middle East crisis and for the rise of terrorism worldwide in modern times? OIL [see Walvord’s Armageddon, Oil, and the Middle East Crisis]
B. Opinion question: How close are we to the return of Christ—are we that generation? Is it alright in terms of biblical truth to even hold such an opinion?
The exact timing of last-day events may be indefinite, but several prophetic elements are now in place:
· Israel is back in the Promised Land for the first time in nearly 2,000 years.
· The Arab nations seem bent on driving Israel into the Mediterranean Sea.
· The intervention of the major Western powers in the Middle East indicates the times of the Gentiles are still operable.
· Attempted peace settlements, though desirable, seem destined to failure in resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict.
· Popular resentment against Israel among the Arab peoples is deeper than ever since the Persian Gulf War.
· Iran’s attempts to rally the Arabs into a jihad (“holy war”) against Israel show how quickly an Arab coalition could form and invade Israel in the end times [see Ezek. 38-39].
· The political unification of Europe seems more likely than at any other time in recent history. This may fulfill Daniel’s prophecies of a great end-times revived Roman Empire.
· The stage is now set for a prominent world leader to arise from the West and promise peace for the entire world.
· A global economy is now upon us. It is only a matter of time until the whole world is one economic unit waiting to be taken over by a sinister power.
· The potential of nuclear war remains an ever-present reality in the world’s march to Armageddon.
Even More Signs of the End Times: [See Ed Hindson, “Final Signs”]
1. Daniel 12:1—A time of great distress. When will this occur?
2. Daniel 12:4—Worldwide travel and a great increase of knowledge.
3. Daniel 11:36-45—The rise of the antichrist.
4. Isaiah 60; Ezekiel 36:8-37:22—The rebirth (restoration) of Israel.
5. Matt. 24:4-6—False Christs arise [look at the flood of cults and isms] Wars and rumors of wars.
6. Matt. 24:7—Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Massive famines [look at Africa]; widespread epidemics of disease; earthquakes worldwide [increasing in intensity with resulting tsunamis].
7. Matt. 24:9—Worldwide persecution of the Saints.
8. Matt. 24:10—Widespread apostasy.
9. Matt. 24:12—Increase of wickedness.
10. Matt. 24:14—Gospel preached in the whole world; then the end will come. Has the gospel been preached worldwide? [Internet, TV, Radio] What is the end that will come? Is it the end of the world or the end of mankind or some other end? The end of the age.
Parenthetical Section: Matthew 24:15-31, speaks of the second half of the Tribulation known as the Great Tribulation. Verse 15 begins the section at the middle of the seven-year tribulation period with a citation of Daniel 9:27, the abomination of desolation, in which the antichrist will desecrate the temple in Jerusalem, igniting the horrific events of the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation.
The text returns in verse 32 to signs of the coming end-time events which will usher in the rapture of the church:
The budding of the fig tree (v. 32): the rebirth of Israel as a nation 1948; completed in
1967 with the taking over of Jerusalem.
What does the phrase, “right at the door” (v. 33) mean?
What does the phrase, “this generation will certainly not pass away” mean?
How long is a generation? 25 years?, 40 years?, 70 years? You do the math.
What is the meaning of the phrase, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man?” Business as usual for many
Dr. Ed Hindson’s statement of the implications of Christ’s admonitions in Matt. 24:
· Keep watching.
· Stay ready.
· Keep serving.
· Keep looking up.
Hi Bruce,
You state:
“Matthew 24 speaks largely of the rapture of the church and the events that lead up to the rapture.”
Where in Matthew 24, (let alone in any of the four Gospels) do you find the Rapture of the Church alluded to/spoken of?
Thanks,
Jimmy
Greetings Sue!
Thank you for sharing some of your experiences with us today.
Yes, the gospel is indeed straightforward and clear: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:30-31); you are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). The result: ETERNAL life, not temporal life; it can never be taken away; it can never be walked away from; it can never be lost by any means; God is our protector and keeper of eternal life (John 10:27-30; Romans 8:38-39).
Regarding you question about Matthew 25, it is crucial to keep the context in mind. Matthew 24 and 25 are primarily referring to what is called, “The Day of the Lord,” also known as, end-time events. Matthew 24 speaks largely of the rapture of the church and the events that lead up to the rapture. The end of chapter 24 and on into 25 speak of the Lord’s return to earth in glory, also called, the second coming of Christ. This event will occur at the end of the seven-year tribulation. Zeroing in on the section to which you refer in chapter 25, the parables speak of readiness for the Lord’s return. When the Lord Jesus returns will he find tribulation believers ready? [Tribulation believers are those who have placed their faith in Christ alone for salvation during the tribulation] Have they served him faithfully in spite of the horrific events which have unfolded upon the earth? The surviving believers, the sheep, will be ushered into the millennial kingdom upon earth. The goats are unbelievers; they have rejected God’s gracious offer of salvation through his son Christ Jesus. Much like the Bema Seat judgment of raptured believers, which will have already occurred in heaven simultaneously with the tribulation time (2 Corinthians 5:10), there will be a judgment of surviving tribulation believers at the start of the millennium, based upon their service to the Lord. This is not a judgment for salvation; that has already occurred eternally at the point that they trusted Christ alone for salvation. This will be a judgment of believers to determine rewards and positions in the kingdom. The unbelievers (the goats) have already been separated out for destruction.
These comments are a real blessing and “good news” for someone raised in an Arminian background. I recently listened one Sunday morning to a preacher basically question the salvation of everyone present in the service, including his own. He then stated he even had to ask God to save him often. It so shocked me that any man would stand in the pulpit to preach and at the same time question his own salvation that when he gave the invitation I wondered why anybody would bother to go forward to seek the same kind of uncertainty and tormenting misery this man seemed to have. Even more surprising, the rest of the congregation seemed perfectly happy with the preacher, and congratulated him profusely after the service on his wonderful sermon. I, on the other had, was in a state of turmoil and resolved never to return on any Sunday when this “guest” preacher would be holding forth. Still, I have heard this type of preaching since childhood. It has had its effects and there is always the nagging doubt in me that perhaps I have not really “believed,” perhaps this man and the other congregants are right. I remember once explaining the Gospel to a Roman Catholic woman. With astonishment she said, “It can’t be that simple.” Sometimes I find myself echoing that statement, even though I really know it is just that. Particularly, the parables in Matthew 25 cause me to wonder if it truly is “that simple.” Could anybody please tell me how the parable of the virgins , the talents, and the sheep and goats fits in with salvation by grace? Thanks.
Thank you bro. Bruce. It is a blessing to visit here. I appreciate all of you brothers & sisters in Christ.
Thanks David!
It’s always a blessing to hear from you.
My thoughts exactly bro. Jack. Yes, Bruce did a truly fine job, I wish more could see it. Thanks and may the Lord bless you bro.
Bro David,
Thanks for your comment. Your rant is well taken.. Bruce did a masterful job of exposing Washer for the lie that he is. How anyone can take Washer seriously is beyond me, yet he has a large following. Sad.
But we know — God’s Grace is Truly Amazing!!!
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
What a cruel, not to mention unbiblical way to treat a child showing evidence of their need of Christ, this makes me truly angry, forgive me. God Himself has to have the “help” of those “watching” this poor child’s life to see if he’s truly repented and received Christ?? Praise God rather for the simplicity that is in Christ! Believe me, I’ve labored under the false teaching of the Washers & the Chans, etc etc ad nauseum for years & but for the grace of God I’d be laboring & heavy laden by it still! Praise God I found genuine salvation rest in Christ many years ago & IT still “works” to this day & on through eternity! Thanks bro. Jack for your stand for genuine grace in Christ. My rant is over!
A note to all:
We are excited and pleased to offer anyone and everyone two new FREE booklets by our dear friend Dr. Tom Cucuzza. These are: (1) Faith Without Works is Dead – What does it Mean? A detailed study of one of the most controversial passages in the Bible, and (2) The Permanence of Salvation. – Twelve Reasons why Once Saved, Always Saved is True.
The links are in the header of this web site “2 Free Booklets By Dr. Tom Cucuzza.“
Enjoy!!!
In Christ eternally, Jack
Thanks John for the comparison to Spurgeon. It is really amazing to look and see how Calvinism can lead a person in any time period to further wrong conclusions. I really feel that we are seeing the problems that we do today because not enough people are standing up to error. Even letting Calvinism linger in back corners of our churches, so to speak, is like leaving a fire unchecked because you never know what damage it will cause or who will get burnt by it. I think it is time some people realize that Calvinism and Reformed theology can actually work against people believing the true gospel. I do feel that my sentiment is backed by scripture and I thank men like Jack and Bruce for proclaiming the truth.
John,
Thanks for reporting that. The parallel’s that you point out between Spurgeon’s teachings and those of Washer’s are astounding (not in a positive sense). From what I have observed and heard, it seems that Lordship Salvation teaching, while certainly around in Spurgeon’s day, didn’t catch on in a huge global way until the 1980s with the publication of MacArthur’s book, “The Gospel According to Jesus” [I call it, “The Gospel According to MacArthur”].
In addition to being unbiblical, Washer’s sermon excerpts are simply re-hashes of Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s revered sermon entitled “Turn or Burn.”
False definition of saving repentance as turning from sin:
Spurgeon: “Repentance to be true, to be evangelical, must be a repentance which really affects our outward conduct… All sin must be given up, or else you shall never have Christ: all transgression must be renounced, or else the gates of heaven must be barred against you. ”
Washer: “If you truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the one who can take away your sins, any [one] who truly believes and trusts in him, recognizes the depth, something in the depth of [their] sin, turns from it and believes in Jesus is saved.”
False definition of saving repentance as sorrow for sin:
Spurgeon: “Furthermore; the repentance here described as absolutely necessary is hearty repentance. It is not a mock tear; it is not hanging out the ensigns of grief, whilst you are keeping merriment in your hearts. It is not having an illumination within, and shutting up all the windows by a pretended repentance; it is the putting out of the candles of the heart; it is sorrow of soul which is true repentance.”
Washer: “But, you see, a discerning heart would recognize after talking to the [child]. [They] were not weeping over sin.”
False definition of saving repentance being perpetual:
Spurgeon: “And lastly, upon this point, this repentance must be perpetual. It is not my turning to God during to-day that will be a proof that I am a true convert; it is forsaking of my sin throughout the entire of my life, until I sleep in the grave.”
Washer: “They don’t realize that the evidence, the raw bone biblical evidence that there was one time in your life that you repented unto salvation is that you continue repenting until today and growing in repentance. They do not realize that if at one time in your life you believed unto salvation, the evidence of that will be you continue believing unto salvation and growing in faith.”
False assertion that avoiding destruction is not a legitimate motivation for believing:
Spurgeon: “Legal repentance is a fear of damning: evangelical repentance is a fear of sinning. Legal repentance makes us fear the wrath of God; evangelical repentance makes us fear the cause of that wrath, even sin.
Washer: “. [They] were weeping over self-preservation. [They] didn’t want to die.”
My response:
T’was Grace that taught…
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear…
the hour I first believed.
Bill (aka, 2 Timothy),
Setting aside the dash of sarcasm implied in your question, regarding James 2, if you do a search on this site, you will find that the chapter has been discussed in detail on several posts. Briefly, James is unmistakeably addressing BELIEVERS, not unbelievers. You will see this clearly in the first two chapters in which James addresses his audience repeatedly as, “my brethren,” or, “my beloved brethren.” James speaks of the QUALITY and USEFULNESS of a man’s faith, NOT the REALITY of his faith. He WARNS against a “dead faith,” that is, an unprofitable and useless faith, genuine faith to be sure (James already confirmed this fact in Chapters 1 and 2), but a faith that is not lived out in a way that would serve and please God as every believer OUGHT TO live. And, James warns of an unprofitable faith that could put the believer in jeopardy of losing some or all rewards at the judgment seat for believers (2 Corinthians 5:10; cf. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15). He admonishes his readers to live lives befitting the rich spiritual heritage which they already possessed by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. This fits the overall thrust of the Epistle in which James wants his readers’ faith in Christ to produce maturity in their lives. James in no way is threatening his listeners with loss of salvation or with never having been saved to begin with. This is where Lordship Faith teachers like Francis Chan, John Piper, Richard Stearns, David Platt, Paul Washer and John MacArthur stray from the pure, simple, straightforward Bible gospel of Ephesians 2:8-9, Acts 16:30-31, Romans 4:5 and 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; INSTEAD, they advocate a merit-based “gospel” which insists upon a whole array of openly-visible works (extreme or radical works for some of them) in order to PROVE that one is truly saved. This false system of faith plus works is much akin to Catholicism (even to the cults). It artificially sets man up as the arbiter of who is saved and who is damned, based upon a works-proved belief model. And pity the poor Lordship Faith follower who never knows when she’s done enough; she lives in a perpetual state of fear and dread; she can never get a grasp upon assurance of faith that Christ would want for her to possess (see John 10:27-30). Living in fear and doubt is certainly NO WAY for a Christian to live!
Notes: 2:19 does not speak of a deficient faith in terms of salvation. The demons have no ability to believe in the sense of salvation. The text says that they merely believe in the existence of one God. Re. Abraham and Rahab, in congruence with Paul’s writings, James 2:21-25 speak of a justification before men (practical righteousness), not before God (judicial righteousness).
where does the esteemed panel then sit in regards to James 2:18 – 26 in connection with living as a Christian?
To behind-the-scenes contributor 2 Tim:
Thank you for joining our site today. It is the long-standing policy of the Expreacherman site founders and administration to disallow the promotion or preaching of views, such as Calvinism, Lordship Salvation, a.k.a., Lordship Faith or Lordship Probation, which are contrary to the stated Free Grace views of the administration and of the regular commenters. If one is making a brief honest inquiry and/or seeking explanation of a Bible text, that is fine (perhaps some of your comments fit into this category). But the site is not designed to become a platform for the propagation of LS or other viewpoints which stand in opposition to the Free Grace Gospel (Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 16:30-31; John 3:16-18; Romans 4:5; Titus 3:5, et. al.).
Let us not grow tired of fighting the fight.
Matthew 9:36-38 (NKJV) But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
Thanks John and Jack for you comments.
From the description or titles of some of Washer’s sermons, it appears that he intentionally wants to shock the evangelical Christian community with what he preaches.
Here are a few examples:
• Shocking Youth Message Stuns
• A Sermon That Has Angered Many
• 10 Indictments
• The Gift Nobody Wants
A Sermon That Kept One Church From Inviting Him Back
Thanks Bruce, excellent expose’ of Washer and his lies. It really hurts to see his response and advice to that poor child (if he/she was real).
In Jesus eternally, Jack
Wow! Washer’s sermon is aptly title: “The Gift Nobody Wants”
That’s because, based on his beliefs, salvation is not a gift. It is a trade.
These guys just keep “doubling down” on works for salvation.
Thanks for the valiant defense of the true Gift of God – eternal life for those who believe in Christ alone!