It has become fashionable, of late, to use the term “privilege” to address perceived inherent advantages that some groups have over others.
Examples of privilege:
- White privilege
- Male privilege
- Heterosexual privilege
- Cisgender privilege (refers to agreeing with the sex and/or gender one is assigned at birth)
- Able-bodied privilege
My teenage daughter recently brought home, from a summer program she is attending, a “Christian Privilege Checklist.”
Following are each of the items listed (source: itspronouncedmetrosexual.com). The “privileges” are in italics. My responses to selected “privileges” are parenthetical, in bold.
- You can expect to have time off work to celebrate religious holidays.
- Music and television programs pertaining to your religion’s holidays are readily accessible.
- It is easy to find stores that carry items that enable you to practice your faith and celebrate religious holidays.
- You aren’t pressured to celebrate holidays from another faith that may conflict with your religious values.
- Holidays celebrating your faith are so widely supported you can often forget they are limited to your faith (e.g. wish someone a “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Easter” without considering their faith).
- You can worship freely, without fear of violence or threats.
- A bumper sticker supporting your religion won’t likely lead to your car being vandalized.
- You can practice your religious customs without being questioned, mocked, or inhibited.
- If you are being tried in court, you can assume that the jury of “your peers” will share your faith and not hold that against you in weighing decisions.
- When swearing an oath, you will place your hand on a religious scripture pertaining to your faith.
- Positive references to your faith are seen dozens of times a day by everyone, regardless of their faith.
(My comment: yeah, right. Christians are at least equally-often maligned as non-intelligent, superstitious, hateful, ignorant, etc.)
- Politicians responsible for your governance are probably members of your faith.
(My comment: Some probably are. Many say they are. Most pander to Lordship “salvationists” and other large, mainstream groups within professing Christendom, because that is where the big blocks of votes are.)
- Politicians can make decisions citing your faith without being labeled as heretics or extremists.
- It is easy for you to find your faith accurately depicted in television, movies, books, and other media.
(My comment: It is not even easy to find my faith accurately depicted in churches that claim to be teaching the gospel. Most churches teach a false gospel, so the depictions in television, movies, books, and other media pick up on this.)
- You can reasonably assume that anyone you encounter will have a decent understanding of your beliefs.
(My comment: Almost no one I encounter will have a decent understanding of my beliefs, unless I tell them. Even if I were to give my testimony in a “Christian” church, it is likely that most in attendance would look at me like I had two heads. My testimony would be unwelcome in most mainstream churches).
- You will not be penalized (socially or otherwise) for not knowing other people’s religious customs.
- Your faith is accepted/supported at your workplace.
(My comment: My workplace has affinity groups for every conceivable special interest group – except Christians – and encourages employees to be identified with pet special interest causes).
- You can go into any career you want without it being associated with or explained by your faith.
- You can travel to any part of the country and know your religion will be accepted, safe, and you will have access to religious spaces to practice your faith.
- Your faith can be an aspect of your identity without being a defining aspect (e.g., people won’t think of you as their “Christian” friend)
- You can be polite, gentle, or peaceful, and not be considered an “exception” to those practicing your faith.
- Fundraising to support congregations of your faith will not be investigated as potentially threatening or terrorist behavior.
- Construction of spaces of worship will not likely be halted due to your faith.
- You are never asked to speak on behalf of all the members of your faith.
- You can go anywhere and assume you will be surrounded by members of your faith.
(My comment: I cannot even go into a Southern Baptist church and assume that I will be surrounded by members of my faith.)
- Without special effort, your children will have a multitude of teachers who share your faith.
(My comment: This is just simply not true. Even if I were to send my children to a “Christian” school, I could not place confidence in that label without performing extensive due diligence to ensure that the “Christian” school was not corrupting the gospel.)
- Without special effort, your children will have a multitude of friends who share your faith.
- It is easily accessible for you or your children to be educated from kindergarten through post-grad at institutions of your faith.
- Disclosing your faith to an adoption agency will not likely prevent you from being able to adopt children.
- In the event of a divorce, the judge won’t immediately grant custody of your children to your ex because of your faith.
- Your faith is taught or offered as a course at most public institutions.
- You can complain about your religion being under attack without it being perceived as an attack on another religion.
- You can dismiss the idea that identifying with your faith bears certain privileges.
- Share more in the comments below!
(My comment: ETERNAL LIFE! All Christians have eternal life. Those who are not Christians do not have eternal life. If you would like to know how to have eternal life, click here: ETERNAL LIFE FOR YOU.)
Notes From A Retired Preacher 
I posted it, because I was just reminded thinking on how Peter and Barnabas were living just as the Gentile believers were, not differently, only when playing the hypocrite when certain Jewish people were in town. Then why were they chastised?
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? Gal 2:14
No differential… THE gospel.
Holly, thanks for re-linking this excellent article!
Holly, thanks for re-linking this excellent article!
To learn a little more about law, the purpose, and that it does not and never did save, please read here.
https://expreacherman.com/2014/07/06/tell-me-those-of-you-who-desire-to-be-under-the-law-do-you-not-hear-the-law/
I pray all will consider the Scriptures, all of them, before taking a few select ones like ‘my gospel’ or that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to Paul, and the gospel of the circumcision was committed to Peter, as some sort of proof there are two gospels, one for the Gentiles and one for the Jews. No, they originally both preached to both Jews and Gentiles alike, and Paul was not chosen solely for the Gentiles, so we need to look at the whole counsel of God. He was also chosen as a vessel to bring THE gospel to Kings AND Jews.
He came to make of us ONE MAN. By ONE WAY. Adam and Eve were not Jews, nor was Abraham or Isaac. So people need to understand that although the lineage was to bring forth a Messiah and to also preserve the Scriptures, that God promised from Gen 3:15. He promised to Abraham in Gen 12:3, and ratified it (if you will) in Gen 15.
One Savior. One condition. One gospel. The just shall live by faith.
I agree completely John, no one was ever justified by the law, the Scripture is clear. The purpose of the law is clear, to point people to Christ. Circumcision was only a seal of the righteousness Abraham had, a sign of the covenant. The law was added 430 years after the promise of the blessing of a Messiah who would be to all people. One way as you pointed out.
The just have always lived (eternal life) by faith.
There is one gospel Don, and you are in essence sharing two, by works plus grace for the Jews. But not so, it is one Gospel, the same that was preached from the beginning. Please don’t let yourself be confused by certain men’s wisdom about Paul having a different gospel than Peter. One way. Jesus is the way. No other way under heaven. Please just consider the Scriptures. I have heard Les Feldick and read Bullinger and all sorts of other contemporary hyper and ultra dispensationalists, I ask you to consider, are you possibly preaching another gospel to the Jews?
What gospel was preached in the garden? To whom? Did it justify?
What gospel was preached to Abraham in Gen 12:3? They were looking forward to the cross, we were looking backward. ANYONE who is of the works of the law is cursed. Don’t curse Israel.
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Gal 3:6-10
Don, my problem is with your caveat “TODAY.”
If you wish to teach different plans of salvation for different people in different times, that is not welcome here.
The view of this site is there has always been, and will always be, one way to receive eternal life – by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
I have posted no different plan of salvation, John. No one today is saved except by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, without works. Sanctification is likewise by grace through faith, not by works.
(Administrator’s note: a portion of this comment has been edited for content).
If I have worn out my welcome, so be it. Grace to all of you. See you at our Appearing with Him!
Note to posters:
We will not allow teaching of different plans of salvation at ExPreacherMan. Any posts that contain those teachings will be deleted. No exceptions.
Holly, whenever I see someone who “believes in grace” but only “for this age,” I get really queasy. It may seem like an easy way to deal with “difficult passages” to parse people up into different groups, with different plans of salvation. But, it introduces even more problems.
Some of the error taught includes:
• Old Testament believers had to remain faithful to stay saved (think Kings Solomon and Saul)
• People had to be baptized to have eternal life for some period between the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ and the advent of the church
• Early Jewish believers had to remain faithful to keep eternal life
• Tribulation-age believers will have to remain faithful in order to have/keep eternal life.
By teaching these beliefs, people are undermining who Jesus is, what grace is, what the gospel is, and what Jesus accomplished at Calvary.
Who is Jesus?
John 1:14: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 4:14: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
John 6:35: And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
What is grace?
“Grace” is “unmerited favor.” There is no one who will get to heaven on the merit of both Jesus and himself.
Romans 11:6: And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
What is the gospel?
There is only one gospel. There is no “gospel of the kingdom” that provides another way of eternal life.
Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4:
[3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
[4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
What did Jesus accomplish at Calvary?
John 1:29: The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Hebrews 10:9-10:
[9] Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
[10] By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
All-in-all, the beliefs that some people are saved by grace and others by grace plus works undermine who Jesus is, what grace is, what the gospel is, and what Christ accomplished at Calvary. They also open the door for full-on salvation by grace plus works right now. In other words, if salvation could ever be by grace plus works, then why not now?
Romans 4:3-8:
[3] For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
[4] Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
[5] But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
[6] Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
[7] Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
[8] Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Romans 4:23-26:
[23] Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
[24] But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
[25] Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
It’s one gospel, one way to be born again (1 Peter 1:23; 1 John 5:13; James 1:18), one body, one church, one Spirit who baptizes us into the church (1 Cor 12:13; Eph 4:4-6; Rom 8:9).
All the apostles preached the one and same gospel.
1 Cor 15
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
27 that he might present it to himself a glorious , not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. Eph 5:27-33
Sorry I didn’t see the second comment by Don, in this hyper-division I’d have to disagree. I started a reply and walked away for quite awhile, then posted, never seeing the second comment.
I’d like to add a few passages that I believe clearly shows there is no difference.
Three groups
Either non believing Jews, non-believing Gentiles or the church comprised of both believing Jews and Gentiles. The body is comprised of Jews and Gentiles, no difference.
1 Cor 10:32
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God.
Who again is the church of God?
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
All who were purchased with His blood.
Acts 15:6-11
6 Regarding keeping the law, and who first preached the gospel to the Gentiles.
7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9 and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
Eph 2:11-22
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17 and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 for through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. Eph 2:11-22
There’s a lot more thought wise, but I’m not Pauline, nor hyperdispensationalist, and I believe all the epistles are for the church. I believe there is one gospel. And I see 1 John written to believers.
I guess I take it literally.
1) I can’t differentiate between Jewish believers nor Gentile believers after the cross. At that point they are the ‘Church of God’. There are three peoples then, the Jews, Gentiles, and Church of God.
2) I can’t state that there was no church in Smyrna historically speaking, based on evidence for that’s not how I get my understanding. I prefer to go by “it is written”, and with the churches it was the things that ‘are’, so that’s where I take it to be literal.
3) It seems apparent to me that 1 John is written to believers based on multiple statements in the book itself, as well as the common ‘children’ usage for believers.
4) If we take it to be to unbelievers, then we’d be back under the law for receiving salvation. No one is justified by the law — Gal 2:16; Rom 4:4-6; Rom 11:6
1 John 1
1 That which was from the beginning looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we (I take this to mean believers) have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (I understand this to mean disobedience in walking in darkness)
7 But if we walk in the light(I take this to mean believers) , as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Those are some of my many thoughts on this, although I know people have varying ideas on it since there are varying views on who it speaks to. I believe believers can walk in darkness, hate others, and many other things that they are being led to confess. Again I see a difference between confession in the practical sense, which I believe is more for our benefit and confession for positional sense, which would be law and I cannot see confession of sins as a requirement for salvation, nor walking in the light as a requirement either. So it seems to me to be one or the other. I might be missing something, just can’t really see how it’s otherwise than the purpose is so we might have fellowship with other believers, close fellowship with the Lord, and so that our joy may be full. Since believers can grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30), and affect others by our behavior, this is how I have understood it, although always open to Biblical discussion on it.
Tom Cucuzza I believe does the series.
Good evening John. Is there a way I can do quotes or italics on this board to make replies clearer?
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“1. Confessing sins is not required of anyone to receive eternal life.
2. Confessing sins does not result in eternal life for anyone. We are saved by grace, through faith in Christ.
3. One must know he is a sinner, in need of a Savior, in order to come to faith in Christ.”
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Absolutely right. Today, none of that is required to be saved or to stay saved.
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“Accordingly, I see three possible meanings that are consistent with grace:
1. It is written to believers, and is a reference to their acknowledgement, in having come to Christ for eternal life, that they were sinners in need of a Savior. It does not relate to needing to confess sins on an ongoing basis to maintain fellowship.”
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I’ve heard this before but it doesn’t address the question of WHY believers would still need to confess their sins that were already forgiven esp. since John makes it conditional. I’m sorry to emphasize it but John wrote what he wrote: IF his readers (whoever they are) confessed their sin, THEN God was faithful and just to forgive and cleanse. That’s as conditional a statement as it gets. In 1 Jn 1:9, forgiveness and cleansing of sin IS conditioned upon its confession.
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“2. It is written to believers, and refers to confessing sin as a necessity for maintaining fellowship, or at least close fellowship, with Christ.”
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Respectfully, this is inconsistent with grace — its legal, it’s “do or else.” Allow me to quote an author who puts it better than I can:
“[Some hold that 1 Jn 1:9] speaks of restoration, not to salvation or even to maintain it, but rather to fellowship…the issue is intimacy with their heavenly Father. [They affirm that] our RELATIONSHIP is like the Rock of Gibraltar, steadfast and immoveable. On the other hand, our FELLOWSHIP (we are told) is like a tiny thread which the slightest [unconfessed] sin in thought, word or deed can break.”
The writer says he used to hold to that position, as I did, but began to question it. He realized holding to 1 Jn 1:9 raises the following issues:
“a. It is based on a performance system of conditional blessing, and shifted my gaze away from Christ and His grace to my own faithfulness (or usually failure) to confess.
b. If what I believed concerning confession was true, I was probably ‘out of fellowship’ much of the time, and so were most believers.
c. There were many things in 1 John 1 which are inconsistent with this view.
d. Concerning the popular father-son illustration, several rhetorical questions could be asked to show its weakness: What if the son fails to confess wrongdoing? Should a father continue to show him the cold shoulder until he does? What kind of father would that make him? Would this be a fitting picture of how our loving heavenly Father deals with his children today under grace?
e. I had to honestly admit to myself that I found it extremely difficult to confess all my daily sins on a daily basis.
f. This view that 1 John 1:9 must, of necessity, occupy a major plank in a person’s belief system. Without regular confession of sin, the promise of continual cleansing must be rendered null and void resulting in broken fellowship.
g. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, is silent in all his writings on confession of sins for forgiveness — parental or otherwise.
h. Paul’s epistles give us a positive affirmation of the total, complete and unconditional forgiveness for all those in Christ Jesus. . . Paul assures [us] that ‘God is faithful, by Whom ye were called unto the FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD’ (1 Cor 1:9).”
THIS fellowship – which we have now – is NOT conditional. 1 Jn 1:9 is.
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3. It is written to nonbelievers who do not understand that they are sinners, in need of a Savior. If they are going to come to Christ for eternal life, they will have to come to the realization that they are sinners, in need of a Savior.
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This view has the most to commend it under grace but it still raises a question: Does Paul anywhere say confession *of sin* is required to be forgiven? The closest thing I can find in the context of Paul is Rom 10:9-10. It’s the same word John used but Paul says to homologeo Christ as Lord to be saved, not to homologeo sins to be forgiven.
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“I do not believe that anyone will need to persevere until the end to receive, or keep, eternal life.”
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I believe that what John wrote ties in perfectly with Peter’s conditional promise at Pentecost:
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, THAT your sins MAY be blotted out, WHEN the times of refreshing SHALL come from the presence of the Lord. And He SHALL send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you” (Acts 3:19-20).
Peter preached Israel’s sins being blotted out when the ‘times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord,’ which is what many refer to as the second coming of the Lord. Not before. And the refreshing has not happened yet because Christ hasn’t returned yet. Paul confirmed this:
“And so all Israel SHALL be saved: as it is written, ‘There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and SHALL turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is My covenant unto them, when I SHALL take away their sins'” (Rom 11:26-27).
That hasn’t happened yet. That is the context in which, to me, 1 Jn 1:9 makes sense. Also consider this, please:
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also THE LAW: for sin is the transgression of THE LAW.” (1 Jn 3:4)
Notice that whoever John addressed, he appealed to the Law of Moses and equated sin with lawbreaking.
But members of the Body of Christ cannot break the Law — we were put to death in Christ and have been raised to new life, forever beyond the Law’s power:
“But now we are DELIVERED FROM THE LAW, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” (Rom 7:6)
“God forbid. How shall we, that are DEAD TO SIN, live any longer therein?” (Rom 6:2)
John’s readers were NOT dead to sin nor freed from it. They had to confess it for it to be forgiven. But WE do not because “he that is dead is FREED from sin.” (Rom 6:7)
Christ’s blessings to you, brother!
(Administrator’s note: we appreciate that our readers may have different perspectives as to the plan of salvation for believers prior to the church age, or after the rapture. It is the position of the ExPreacherMan ministry that there is one plan of salvation for all ages. Accordingly, salvation is available to everyone on the same basis: by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
We respectfully request that our commenters refrain from introducing other theories or interpretations at this website.)
Don, here are some of my thoughts on what you posted to Holly:
First, regarding 1 John 1:9:
1. Confessing sins is not required of anyone to receive eternal life.
2. Confessing sins does not result in eternal life for anyone. We are saved by grace, through faith in Christ.
3. One must know he is a sinner, in need of a Savior, in order to come to faith in Christ.
Accordingly, I see three possible meanings that are consistent with grace:
1. It is written to believers, and is a reference to their internal acknowledgement, in having come to Christ for eternal life, that they were sinners in need of a Savior. It does not relate to having to confess sin(s) in order to receive eternal life, nor does it relate to needing to confess sins on an ongoing basis to maintain fellowship.
2. It is written to believers, and refers to confessing sin as a necessity for maintaining fellowship, or at least close fellowship, with Christ.
3. It is written to nonbelievers who do not understand that they are sinners, in need of a Savior. If they are going to come to Christ for eternal life, they will have to come to the realization that they are sinners, in need of a Savior.
Second, regarding believing Jews needing to persevere until the end:
I do not believe that anyone will need to persevere until the end to receive, or keep, eternal life.
Why?
1. There is one plan of salvation for all ages.
2. Filthy rags are filthy rags – for all of us.
3. There is only one gospel (see Romans 1:16).
4. Galatians 2 refers to the groups to whom the one gospel was preached, not to two separate gospels.
5. There will be no boasting in heaven.
6. Many of the eternal security passages are in the gospel of John.
7. Eternal life is a gift, not a trade.
8. If righteousness could come by works of the law, then Christ died in vain.
9. By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in His sight.
Holly,
Sorry this will take a bit to explain but here goes…
First, I do not believe our fellowship or sonship can be broken. We can grieve the spirit God has given us but we’re still under grace and have been reconciled, justified, washed, cleansed and forgiven. Moreover, He says we died in Christ and thereby died to His condemning Law. Paul even says we DIED to His Law. That means there’s nothing left to confess and no legal basis on which to confess it. It’s not even me who sins anymore, but sin within my members that does it.
How can I confess what’s already been completely forgiven and isn’t even me doing it anymore?
That said, do I confess my failings and infirmities to my Father? Yes. Not to be forgiven — that’s been done — but simply because He is my Father Who loved me enough to send His only begotten Son to die for my sins.
For those reasons, I am convinced that this portion of 1 John was written not to us, but either to unbelieving Jews as an evangelistic appeal (there are reasons for this) or it was written to believing Jews who, as Christ said in the Gospels, will need to persevere unto the end. Or both.
That means the circumcision epistles will have dual application — both back when they were written and someday during the Tribulation when God is once again dealing with Israel *as Israel* in the Day of the Lord. Same with Revelation: you know how Christ compliments the church at Smyrna for being so faithful to Him? Wonderful to read, isn’t it?
There’s just one little problem with that: there’s zero archeological or historical evidence that any church existed in Smyrna (not far from Ephesus) during the time Paul was traveling in that region. I have sources on this that I’ll be happy to share if you’re interested.
Does that mean Revelation contains a lie? NO! It simply means we’re to rightly divide the Word of Truth and realize there WAS no church in Smyrna, but come the Day of the Lord, there WILL be. Either that or we take a razor blade and cut Revelation out of our Bibles as spurious.
Back to 1 John 1:9: it cannot be speaking to members of the Body of Christ ***for the reason John says to confess sins.*** John plainly says IF we confess, THEN God will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Paul says that forgiveness and cleansing AND MORE were done for each of us at the moment of believing the Gospel of grace.
So if we try to apply 1 Jn 1:9 to ourselves FOR THE REASON JOHN GAVE IT, we create a gigantic contradiction between John and Paul.
If we stand on 1 Jn 1:9, confessing sin by sin in order to BE forgiven, then we deny the truth of Col 2:13 that we ARE forgiven all sins.
If we stand on Col 2:13, then there’s no need to confess sin by sin because they and we are already forgiven.
BUT WE CAN’T STAND ON BOTH. So which apostle are we going to believe?
The answer is simple: John isn’t talking to us. He’s addressing circumcision believers, exactly as the agreement of Galatians ch. 2:2-9 describes. Rightly dividing the Word of Truth avoids these contradictions created by the traditions of men!
Agree or disagree, I hope this clears up what I posted.
Don, On one thing you said I’m confused. You don’t think fellowship can be broken? Or did you mean Sonship?
I do believe everything else that you said, but would like to ask you about that. I believe it can only speak to two things. Some say it speaks to before salvation, however confessing one’s sin is work #75/613 works of the law (seen in Numbers 5:7). Some (like me) say it speaks to practical sanctification in our walk here on this earth. For the purpose of continued fellowship with God and other brethren, and so that our joy may remain full.
Did I misunderstand? If you do see it that way, then do you might sharing who/what/why etc. you see that being spoken to?
“Why does a man like Paul Washer preach ‘if one has truly been saved, they’ll prove it by repenting and will keep on repenting for the rest of their lives’?”
Because he can’t know he’s really saved because he can’t know he’s elect. It’s just one more uphill speed setting on the works treadmill I was trapped on for years. It took a long time to see it but many brethren patiently showed me that,
(1) I (the “me” who types this, the new man created by God) CANNOT sin (Rom 7:20-21; Gal 2:20),
(2) I’ve been declared DEAD to God’s law, His means of condemnation (Rom 7:4; Gal 2:19), so there is now no law that has any claim on me now save Christ Himself, who is not law but Life, and
(3) I’ve already been forgiven ALL sins (Col 2:13).
So if my forgiveness and justification are no longer an issue, then repentance isn’t either. While I need to cooperate with my gradual growth into the image of Christ, that is God’s work, not mine. All I need do is walk in the Spirit so I don’t carry out the desires of the flesh, WHICH IS NOT ME AND WHICH DESIRES ARE NOT MINE.
That means there is no place for confession per the forgiveness terms of 1 Jn 1:9, which is almost always ignored. Fellowship cannot be broken; we’re adult sons, adopted and given the full blessings and privileges thereof. We’ve no need to keep the supposed “clean slate” or “short accounts” with God. In Christ, our slates are forever as clean as His. In Christ, our accounts are AT THIS MOMENT stocked full of the glorious unsearchable riches that await us!
When people start to live in these truths, they suddenly realize they have no need for many of the teachers they used to depend on to help them “stay right” with God. It’s all still Catholicism without the collars and Romish trappings, but the same basic mind-slavery.
Be free, but be free of it all!
Yes, to them salvation takes time. Time to prove that you are. Time to know that you are. Time to ‘work out your salvation with fear and trembling’ (relating that verse to eternal life)…
“the process”????
John 5:24 – 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is PASSED from death unto life
I got to be “reals”. The religious are tiring!!!! time for a nap.
Preston, I actually did that with the loadship people, an article entitled that, for this very reason. They pride themselves on being chosen, being ‘gifted’ their faith and repentance, yet boast about what one must ‘do’ to prove they are saved, and insist that if others don’t, somehow they are not saved. Why does a man like Paul Washer preach ‘if one has truly been saved, they’ll prove it by repenting and will keep on repenting for the rest of their lives’, then on the same site his wife has a ‘testimony’. A testimony of what? That she started the process for reals this time?
funny (ironic),
“trampling underfoot the Son of God” in context of Hebrews 10 was about those going back to the levitcal law and sacrificing animals; in essence saying “the blood shed at the cross was not good enough” (the blood an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto he Spirit of grace)
So in essence, THEY are “trampling underfoot the Son of God” according to the bible (in my opinion), saying the blood shed was not good enough to save (the once for all sacrifice 10:10)
That’s just trying to put “human logic” to a passage without looking at context. (which we all can sometimes do) According to the “religious” I have trampled on Him as well. (smh).
– Proverbs 14:12 – 12 There is a way which SEEMETH right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death
Holly, when my wife challenged someone to find “repent of sin” in the KJV, he said “I don’t have one.”
Alex – 🙂 I like that. We are privileged indeed.
Johninnc – Some of these people called Christians are our worst enemies at times. One today let everyone know I was a heretic teaching a false gospel because she said, she removes repentance from the gospel’.
I asked her if she would mind showing me in her KJV where ‘repentance from sin’ was listed as a condition for eternal life, or even if she could find ‘repent from sin’ or ‘repentance from sin’ in there at all.
I was blocked, and then she told the others of the heretic I was (posting my ‘Trampling the Son of God underfoot’ article). It’s really sad, because these are the people out there representing ‘Christianity’, with their bullhorns, and with their TURN FROM SIN OR BURN IN HELL signs, and they have no clue what the gospel is…
Does privilege to suffer for our faith count? XD (Rev. 2:10)
“Cops threaten man holding ‘John 3:16’ sign at ballpark
Christian surrounded, ‘forcibly removed’ under threat of arrest.”
Privileged, indeed.
Holly, I agree that much of “Christendom” (along with the non-believing world) does not know what a Christian is.
Here is where there definition and my definition, are two entirely different things. Also the obvious, they don’t understand what a Christian is. The ‘Christians’ they are identifying as such, are Calvinists, Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah’s witnesses, Pentecostals, Lutherans, Methodists, Anglicans, Wesleyan’s, Northern/Southern Baptists, etc. (Not of course saying some, a few, in some of these religions may have believed the gospel).
And think on the Dominionist mindset of many/most of these people. They are not waiting for His kingdom to come, they think He is reigning now, and are trying to subdue the earth. Truly this thinking is not much different than the Muslims or any other religion at all that wants to take over and subdue others to their way of thinking. The metrosexuals have their own dominionist thinking, they may just not realize it, because they have suppressed the truth in unrighteousness. May the Lord cause some to come and read about how they can have eternal life…
i do believe there is calvinist privilege. That’s all I see as the true ‘christianity’ being promoted virtually everywhere.
but
however
also
with
and
alongside
too
etc!!!!
Preston, I did have writer’s block.
As a bit of foreshadowing, I am also considering something along the lines of “I believe we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, but…”
Fryingpan, every generation thinks they’ve “cracked the code.”
Ecumenicalism at its finest.
John, what took you so long? writers block? 🙂
All visiting the linked site did was make me have to repeatedly pray, “Dear Lord, help me to love my enemies.” It’s not easy praying when you’re spitting nails.