Should we hate religions to love God?
I find it ironical to say this:
"We are haters of religions; but we love God." Atheist would think that it is a self-deceiving oxymoron because they know that the most religious people are those who say this. Common sense would also tells us that most radical religious believers would love God so much that they hate other religions or any religion, including their own religion. So, do we, the Christians, hate religions to love God also?
No, I don't hate religions. Why should I ?
To make it clear, I would say this now, I don't hate religions or any particular religion. Why? It depends on how we define 'religion'. If religion is a way of life, belief, thinking, philosophy, education, or teaching, of doing good to God and others, why should I hate it. However, if it is a crooked belief, greedy philosophy, perversion of human value system, lies, or preaching of greed and covetousness, we may hate or condemn it. Hence, I treat the teaching of religion like it is 'commodity' or something neutral if it is not Christianity. It is like money which is not spiritual but it has great value if it is used lawfully and creatively. But if money is in the hand of the greedy or the wicked, it would do great harm to others. Similarly, religion can give great power to mankind. But, if it is in the hands of the hypocrites and the carnal believers, it can take control of others and make them look like fools.
Hence, we would hate it if our children or our loved ones would try to speak lots of religious jargon to show us that they are more spiritual than the parents, teachers, principals, lawyers, pastors, and us. Please be honest, How would you feel if you told your children to study more or to pursue higher education, but they would argue with you that
"Jesus could teach them everything"? Yes, they may argue or think that they are more spiritual than us because their lips could speak and boast the name of Jesus more than others, but I would think that they are just trying to be 'religious' with their lips - they are simply talking, thinking, arguing, and debating with us in a different 'wavelength'. But it is still a carnal, radical, religious, and ridiculous 'wavelength' which is against their honest thinking and our good system of law and education, no matter how spiritual or awesome they thought it is.
Do we teach good works, rest (Sabbath), or grace, based on the doctrine of the Lord, or based on our own doctrine?
The radical grace or hyper grace preachers who think that they are more spiritual than us would argue,
"But, don't you know that God hate the religion that is not true or any religion which misrepresented Him? It would lead many to hell and condemnation.." I will ask them, Do you hate money? Money is not God; but many have preached money as God, misrepresented it as God, and misled many people to hell and condemnation too. Do you hate money just because of this? No. If you do not hate money which can be evil, why should I hate any thing which can be noble?
Many may still argue that I am not as spiritual as them because I do not trust, think, or confess Jesus as often as they do. They said,
"Why do you always ask your children to study hard and pursue higher education? Why can't you trust Jesus to teach your children? If you don't trust Jesus to teach your children, you trust your education or self-effort. You trust 'do good get good' or 'do bad get beat'."
I will tell them, Let me warn you. If you are a preacher who told the people in your church to
'let Jesus teach your children' but secretly you keep advising your children to pursue high education, and as a result, most of your children have pursued higher education, graduated, and becomes masters, lawyers, or doctors, you could be a hypocrite. Many parents could have believed your words and suffered. They were trapped. But you would escape the trap because you knew it. You would never do what you preached.
I will tell them, If we teach our children to study hard and do more for God in their study, in their church ministry, or in good works,
it does not mean that I do not trust God or that I think of Jesus less than you. Yes, I do believe that Jesus will teach us everything, but I believe that we cannot throw away all His laws and commandments. When you told your children that Jesus would teach them everything, would you tell them that God will teach them everything, and therefore, they can just throw away their Bible also. No, if you cannot do this, neither can you criticize me or those who will still do and teach the laws and commandments of God according to the scripture. You cannot preach everything (including repentance and doing good) as self-effort just because you have received the grace of God. The Pharisees had taught so. They thought that, just because they had received the law of God and the justification by the law through Moses or Abraham, they had no more obligation to do good to live or to help others. They thought that doing good on the Sabbath would
crash with the law of God. Hence, John the Baptist and Jesus rebuked them:
- Mat 3:8-10 KJV Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: (9) And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (10) And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Today, many preachers are still thinking that doing good or repentance is self-effort, and hence, doing and teaching it in the covenant of grace would
crash with the grace of God. But I believe that Jesus would still rebuke them:
- Mat 12:11-12 KJV And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? (12) How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
- Mar 3:4-6 KJV And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. (5) And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. (6) And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
- Mar 6:2 KJV And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? (The mighty works that He did would show that doing good and teaching of it on the Sabbath could never crash with the law of God. Please think, If His teaching and doing of good works on the Sabbath could never crash with the law of God, how can it crash with the grace of God in the New Covenant?)
- Luk 4:31-32 KJV And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days. (32) And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.
- Joh 7:16-24 KJV Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. (17) If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (18) He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. (19) Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? (20) The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee? (21) Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. (22) Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. (23) If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? (24) Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. (it is sad to know that many preachers have judged like the Pharisees when it comes to good works, sabbath, rest, and grace. They think that doing good will crash with the grace of God whilst Jesus showed us that it is the doctrine of God.)
- Luk 10:30-37 KJV And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. (31) And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. (32) And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. (33) But a certain Samaritan, .. (36) Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? (37) And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Who is more religious ? The preacher of laws or the preacher of grace?
Yes, we do not deny that we could be quite religious in the eyes of the atheist because of our belief in God and in His laws. However, does it mean that the radical grace people can accuse us for being more religious than them just because of our belief in the law of God? No, those who believe in the grace of God could be as religious as those who believe in the law too. It depends on how they would believe in the grace or the law of God. I have known some radical grace believers who would give thanks for everything they received in lives, including a $5 dollar bill they picked on the floor. They would repeatedly give thanks and boast about God's favor because of that $5 dollar bill. If they happened to buy a car and the number plate of that car was '555', they would go around and tell everyone that it was the grace of God. If they were sick, admitted to hospital, and put on the bed with the number of '55' at ward '5', they would think that God was with them because it is the grace of God. Please think, Who is more religions? The atheist would think that this is not just religious; this is crazy ! Many think that the law-conscious people are religious. However, if we are taught (or brainwashed) to think of grace so radically, we could be more 'religious' than the religious.
Please think, If the believers would think of 'something that they picked in life' and boast that it is the 'supernatural favor' of God, everyday is a 'miracle'. No wonder most radical grace preachers could boast that they have received more miracles, favors, effortless success, and testimonies from the believers. However, are they really miracles, or just some kind of self-deceiving bragging and religious blindness?
I have already said that the Bible is not against those who are grace-conscious, law-conscious, or sin-conscious. Of course, there is nothing wrong because thinking of grace, law, or sin could be thinking of God, God's goodness, God's provision, or God's words too. It will not lead to more sins or more death, unless our hearts have become hardened like the heart of the Pharisee who could no longer be sin-conscious or law-conscious (God's command-conscious); but only favor-conscious. As the Pharisee was not sin-conscious, he could no longer repent or confess his sins. Neither could he obey the law of God when he had no more thinking of God's laws or intention to obey God's commandments:
- Luk 18:10-14 KJV Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. (11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. (12) I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. (13) And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. (14) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Many argued that the Pharisee above was a hypocrite because he was law-conscious. I will say, Yes, the Pharisee could be 'the law-conscious'. He was conscious about the law which could prosper him and help him to suck more money from the people, but he was not conscious of God's law which commanded him to stop stealing from the people.
Many argued that the Bible is against any thinking or conscience of sins. I will tell them to read the Bible again. The Bible told us that we have no more conscience of sins to offer the old sacrifice:
- Heb 10:2 KJV For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
The Bible did not say that we can never sin or we should not have any conscience of sins if we sin. Of course, we (the believers or sinners) must still come to God with the conscience of sins if we have sinned. Otherwise, we could have come to God and pray like the Pharisee. God would never accept us no matter how well we could praise Him, worship Him, give thanks to Him, or sacrifice for Him:
- 1Sa 15:22-26 KJV And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (23) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. .. (26) And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.
Many 'radical grace Christians' professed that they were 'haters of religions' or 'haters of any obedience to religions, rules, and regulations'
Are they really haters of religion because they wanted to condemn the hypocrites and carnal minded believers? I am afraid that many of them are the carnal minded believers themselves. They could not follow any teaching or doctrine of Christ in the early churches. They felt bitter and depressed reading the words of God, teaching of Christ, or commandments about godly living and higher standard of Christian conduct through repentance. They simply could not repent because they found that God's commandments were too grievous for them to obey even though John assured us that God commandments are important but not grievous.
- 1Jn 5:2-3 KJV By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. (3) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
- Php 3:1-2 KJV Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. (2) Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
- Heb 12:7-12 KJV If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? (8) But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. (9) Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? (10) For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. (11) Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. (12) Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
However, many would still leave the churches. Some of them were probably rebuked and told to leave because of sins or improper conducts. Please think, Wouldn't they become the 'haters of religions' too? They would certainly become the haters of some denominations who closely keep the doctrine and commandments of God too.
Many of them are now actually 'haters of the churches'
In the past, believers who were exposed as the adulterers, fornicators, thieves, liars, mockers, dirty jokers, boasters, 'playboys', or 'gigolos' would be rebuked and asked to repent. They would be expelled if they argued and boasted that 'grace' would still make them righteous without the need to admit and confess any sin. Hence, many would just go back to the world and disappear from the Christian circle.
However, things have changed today. Many of them have come back and gathered in many modern churches who believe in 'radical grace', with no more law, no more commandments, and no more turning away from sins. If we asked them,
"Have you repented?" they would say,
"Certainly yes ! We have now changed our mind from thinking of a judgmental God to the thinking of a loving God or a 'too good to be true' God. We have changed our minds from thinking of unbelief to belief". They will now turn back and accuse the churches for not been loving and gracious. They will now claim that they are the
'haters of the religions, or any religion, including the teaching, law, commandments, doctrine of the churches'. Please think, If they preached the gospel with such bitterness and radical view on the teaching of the churches because of their past records, Should we be 'haters of religions' like them too. No, certainly not. Why should we join them as 'haters of religions' when they are actually 'haters of the churches and God's commandments'?
- Act 8:20-25 KJV But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. (21) Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. (22) Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. (23) For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. (24) Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. (25) And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
- Rev 22:13-17 KJV I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. (14) Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (15) For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. (16) I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. (17) And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
- Jud 1:16-19 KJV These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. (17) But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; (18) How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. (19) These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
- 1Jn 2:17-20 KJV And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (18) Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. (19) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. (20) But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
- Mat 7:15-23 KJV Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (16) Ye shall know them by their fruits. .. (21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
When the Lord said,
"Many ..", He meant many, not a few, in the churches. Many are still THINKING that they are doing well when they are actually disobedient, rebellious, and sinning against the will of the Father. They are still ARGUING vehemently that they are righteousness of God when they have departed from the laws of God and lived in 'lawlessness'; not only in deeds; but in THOUGHTS.
Many of them are now confused if they should be haters of God's laws or lovers of God's laws
Many of them argued that if they hate the hypocrites, they can hate the Pharisees. If they hate the Pharisees, they can hate the religious, and the laws of God too.
However, this argument shows that many people are confused by the preaching of radical grace doctrine and teaching. Please think, If we would not like to be associated as gangsters or lawless people just because we have some tattoo on our bodies, would we pass rash conclusion on everyone who keeps the law of God? Yes, most of the Pharisee were good in the laws. However, it is ridiculous to conclude that if you are good in the laws, you are a hypocrite or you would become one of the Pharisees because you love to study laws, meditate on the laws of God, and keep His commandments. In fact, law has higher purpose than money. If we do not stereotype everyone who think of money as covetous people, how can we think of those who keep the laws as hypocrites? If we read the Bible, we know that Jesus did not define those who keep the laws of God as hypocrites. On the contrary, it was those who did not keep the laws of God:
- Mat 6:2 KJV Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
- Mat 15:5-9 KJV But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; (6) And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. (7) Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, (8) This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. (9) But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
- Mat 23:10-13 KJV Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. (11) But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. (12) And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. (13) But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. (They were hypocrites because they would just teach others not to keep the laws of God, knowing that they themselves could never keep them).
- Mat 23:15 KJV Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. (They were hypocrites because they preached something that was not true, and made the people fall into the traps and become worst than them.)
- Mat 23:23-30 KJV Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. (24) Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. (25) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. (26) Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. (27) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. (28) Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. (29) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, (30) And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
Hence, how can we get confused by those who are the hypocrites when Jesus has defined them so clearly with those words. Hypocrites are not those who keep God's laws and commandments; hypocrites are those who attacks God's laws and commandments. The hypocrites are the ones who attacks the prophets of God and the righteous.The hypocrites are the ones who pay attention to how much you tithe and omit the weightier matters of the law, judgement, mercy, and faith. They do not do them; nor do they teach them.
It is sad to know that many radical 'believers' would just want to condemn everything that is of God ignorantly when their flesh could not keep His laws
I will ask them, Do you think well after hearing so much about radical grace teaching against all the laws of God? Do you know that Jesus and Paul would never think that the law or the Old Covenant is something that will make people become the 'hypocrites'? Common sense, please. If they would preach that the law is so bad that it would turn everyone into a hypocrite, how about Moses, David, and Samuel? How about Zacharias who keep the laws of God too? How about Joseph and Mary?
- Luk 1:5-6 KJV There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. (6) And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
- 2Pe 2:9-10 KJV The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: (10) But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
- Jud 1:8 KJV Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
The opposite of the law of God is not grace; but another law
Of course, those who preached hatred against the law of God would love the preaching of grace. At least, they would think that the opposite of the law is grace. They would insist that they can never be hypocrites because they preached grace or received grace.
However, I doubt if the opposite of the law of God is grace. The Bible shows us that the opposite of the law of God is the law of sin and the flesh, not grace.
- Rom 7:21-25 KJV I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. (22) For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: (23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
- Rom 8:2-8 KJV For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (5) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. (6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Hence, Paul could never be clearer than the above when he explained what will opposed with another -
The law of God opposes
the law of sin and flesh and vice versa. He said that the law of God will oppose with the law of the flesh and sin. The law of God is the law of the Spirit which goes after the things of the Spirit; it opposes the law of the flesh which goes after the things of the flesh. The law of God opposes the carnal mind because the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God and it cannot please God.
Believers of law or grace can fall if they have become over-confident
When radical grace preachers argued that they are better than those who preach the law of God, they showed us that they did not know what is law and grace. Firstly, they did not know that law and grace do not oppose one another, as Paul had explained clearly above that the thing which opposes the law of God is not grace; but the carnal mind and the flesh. Secondly, Jesus had shown us another parable that those who preached grace or received grace could be equally hypocritical too:
- Mat 18:32-34 KJV Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: (33) Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? (34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Obviously the servant was wicked in the eyes of the Lord, not because he preached too much law or believed in the laws; but because he 'believed' in too much grace. He could have probably believed in so much 'favor' that he thought he could never face any punishment from the Lord. He thought that, once he was forgiven, he would be forgiven forever, no matter how he behaved or bullied others. I don't think we can over-emphasized, How appropriate is this parable and warning against those who have the same thought and behavior in our modern churches? Once saved always saved and nothing can change that even if we behave like the wicked? This has been prophesied by the words of the Lord. Hence, I don't see any logic to preach that all the parables and teaching of Jesus Christ has become obsolete because many people find that His words, commands, and warning are 'hard sayings':
- Joh 6:60-68 KJV Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? (61) When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? (62) What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? (63) It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (64) But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. (65) And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. (66) From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. (67) Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? (68) Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
I am not surprised that many of the disciples have departed from the commands of the Lord and walked no more with Him. However, they are still in the churches. May God have mercy and grant them grace to repent.
Preachers of law or grace can be hypocrites only if they use the law or grace to promote for selfish gains
There were many Jews who were under the law in the Old Testament.
1. Do we conclude that they were the hypocrites just because they believed in the law? Were Moses, David, Samuel, Jeremiah, Malachi, Zacharias, Joseph, Mary, and many others hypocrites because they believed in the law? No, they were hypocrites only if they used the law or perverted the law to argue with the Lord, gain popularity, and prosper like the Pharisees:
- Mal 2:7-17 KJV For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. (8) But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts... (16) For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously. (17) Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
- Mal 3:13-15 KJV Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? (14) Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? (15) And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
- Mar 7:9-13 KJV And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. (10) For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: (11) But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. (12) And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; (13) Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
2. Similarly, we don't conclude that everyone who believes in grace as hypocrites too. They are hypocrites only if they use grace or pervert grace to argue with the Lord, gain popularity, and prosper like the wicked servants or false prophets:
- Jud 1:3-4 KJV Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (4) For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 1Ti 6:3-5 KJV If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; (4) He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, (5) Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
- Jud 1:10-11 KJV But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. (11) Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
- 2Pe 2:1-4 KJV But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. (2) And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. (3) And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. (4) For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
If people do not believe in grace, it does not mean that they are hypocrites
Hence, I won't conclude that the culprit which makes people turning into hypocrites is the law or grace. Neither do we accuse those who preach the law or grace as hypocrites.
If we have become hypocrites, we don't blame our belief in the law or grace; we just blame ourselves. We don't just blame God's laws or preachers of His laws; we blame our sins. Hence,
if we would just humbly admit sins and repent, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. But,
if we always argue with others and accuse everyone, except ourselves, as hypocrites, I don't think we are humble enough to know what is grace:
- 1Jn 1:4-10 KJV 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 have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (7) But if we walk in the light, 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.
Have we thought why John said, If we confess our sins .. and Paul said, If we sin wilfully..?
Does it mean that John always confessed sins or Paul always sinned
wilfully? No. We can say that they hardly sinned. But does it mean that
they are saying it to the agnostic believers and therefore their
warnings are not applicable to us? No. They are saying it to us and
their warnings are for us. Please think, When a father warned his kid
and said, "Son, if we take drugs, we will get addicted and we will regret one day..",
does it mean that the father had taken drugs? No. We can say that the
father had never taken drugs or hardly took any drugs. But does it mean
that the father could only say it to other kids and therefore his
warning was not applicable to his kid? No. It is ridiculous to twist the
warning of the father and convince the son that his father's warning
was not for him. Similarly, it is equally ridiculous to twist the words
of God in Heb 10:26 and 1 John 1:9 and convince God's children that God's warnings are no more applicable to them.
Hopefully, we will be sober enough not to blame everyone who does not believe like us. We don't accuse them as hypocrites even if they refuse to believe grace, pure grace, radical grace, or God.
I don't think we have good justification to accuse everybody as hypocrites even if they believe only in money and refuse to believe like us too.
We cannot judge anyone who believe wrongly but God can judge anyone who believe in lawlessness
Yes, it is not for us to accuse or judge those who are not hypocrites, even if they believe wrongly. But God is faithful and just to judge those who believe in lawlessness. What is lawlessness?
Many argue that lawlessness is doing lawless deeds, lawless activities, or serious crimes. But to God, lawlessness is anything which departs from His laws or rebels against the keeping of His laws. It includes lawless thoughts, lawless teaching, lawless philosophies, and lawless seduction too:
- Gen 2:16-17 KJV And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (17) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
- Gen 3:1-7 KJV Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (2) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: (3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die ... (7) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
When Eve believed the serpent or believed it wrongly, she departed from God's law and command. She was immediately considered as 'lawless' (naked) even though she did not kill, steal, or do any lawless deeds.
- 1Jn 3:3-4 LITV And everyone having this hope on Him purifies himself even as that One is pure. (4) Everyone practicing sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
Many preachers today may have taught lawlessness without knowing it
Hence, God can judge any preachers who promote and teach lawless belief or lawless thinking. Lawlessness is sin in the eyes of God. The serpent might argue that it had never taught license to sin, but in the eyes of God, the serpent had certainly taught license to sin when it taught Eve to depart from His law and commandment, because sin is lawlessness or transgression of His law.
Today many preachers argue that they have never taught license to sin too. But I will ask them, Have you taught people to depart from God's law or commandment? You may argue that you have never taught people to kill or steal; but if you have not taught people to keep any law, but only to think of your 'law' or confession, you could have taught people to depart from God's law. You have taught like the serpent, and that is the license to sin. You may argue that you have only preached the gospel until everyone misunderstood you or misunderstood the gospel as license to sin. You may argue that you have only told people to go for better life without the law of God without telling them to kill, steal, lie, or sin. So can the serpent say it too. The serpent had only told Eve to aim for better life without giving any suggestion to sin. But God knew that the serpent had given the 'license to sin' subtly and deceitfully to Eve:
- Gen 3:4-6 KJV And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (6) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Many preachers may argue that Paul had also preached the gospel until everyone misunderstood him and falsely accused him for preaching the license to sin. But I will tell them, No, Paul did not preach the gospel until everyone misunderstood him. At least the believers would never misunderstand him. Why? Paul made sure that all the believers would still keep the laws and commandments of God:
- Rom 6:1-13 KJV What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (2) God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (3) Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?.. (12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. (13) Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. (Did Paul tell the believers to just think of how grace would abound and do nothing? No, he commanded them NOT TO SIN by YIELDING to righteousness and DOING righteousness.)
- Eph 6:1-3 KJV Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (2) Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) (3) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
- Rom 13:9 KJV For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
- Rom 7:24-25 KJV O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. .. (8:7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
- Tit 2:1-15 KJV But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: ... (7) In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, ... (10) Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. (11) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (12) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; .. (15) These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. (Paul said it very clearly: If we just want to preach better life and speak like the serpent, we would never preach like the servant who knows sound doctrine which must speak, exhort, and rebuke according to His teaching.)
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