“Have you heard of James P. Shelly’s ‘Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross’? I was reading parts of that today as well, and it greatly disturbed me. He makes some solid points. Sadly, I can find no Free Grace response to it, or refutation of the points he makes.
The same goes for Justin Edwards’ response to an article by Andy Woods titled ‘What’s wrong with Lordship Salvation?’ He counters each point that Woods makes. Not all of his points are convincing, but I still found it a very defeating work to read.
They both make me feel like giving up. I just can’t be that perfect. I can’t do it. Shelly equates belief with obedience based on a number of passages, and it’s hard to argue. Edwards counters the Free Grace (FG) argument about carnal believers being a reality (such as Lot and the Corinthian church) by pointing out that Lot was not habitually practicing incest, and that he was grieved by the sins around him. And the Corinthian believers, he notes, were only being carnal in the sense that they were quarreling with each other. He has a point... If they are right, then my heart is so wicked and deceitful, that I can’t even begin to see how lost I am. If they are right, then I’m not really seeking to know God or His truth, I’m only trying to comfort myself in my sin and blindness so I can carry on as always. And that means that all the FG teachers I talk to are merely misdiagnosing my problem and further comforting me on my way to hell.
It’s all so exhausting. I don’t have rest or joy. I desperately want that rest. But, if they are to be believed, it isn’t really rest that I want — I just want my ears tickled and my fears soothed so I can comfortably resume my journey to hell. I can’t win.” [Editor’s note: You can’t win with Lordship Salvation, that’s for sure!]
I briefly wrote back to this disturbed individual and pointed out the following:
“Paul says of the Corinthian Christians that they were ‘yet carnal’ (1 Cor. 3:1-3), indicating a prolonged carnality. It’s hard to argue with that. Edwards even admits it apparently. Relegating the carnality to mere quarreling doesn’t help his case any, for carnality is carnality. It’s so clear that even Edwards can’t deny it, so he tries to say, in effect, ‘Well it’s not so bad.’ (A rather nonsensical argument in light of the fact that some of the carnal Christians were being chastened by the Lord with physical death!) The carnality of the Corinthians was so prolonged in fact, that some of these believers had even been disciplined by the Lord with physical death: Paul says that a number of them ‘sleep’ (1 Cor. 11:30-32), which is a metaphor for physical death. Reformed people have always tried to get around the reality of the carnal Christian, because such people have obviously not submitted to the Lordship of Christ yet they are nonetheless saved. So proponents of Lordship Salvation try to come up with a way to dismiss the fact of the carnal Christian. But none of their arguments are convincing in light of the clear statements of Scripture, which highlight the reality of the carnal Christian.
Actually, I’d say that it is the Lordship Salvationists who are ‘Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross’ (see Matt. 7:21-23; Jn. 6:40), because they are trusting in a works-based salvation and therefore a false gospel. Concerning such a ‘gospel’ the apostle Paul writes the following to the Christians in Galatia: ‘I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the [free] grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ’ (Gal. 1:6-7). The apostle Paul goes on to say that ‘heaven is free’ (Gal. 4:26, Worldwide English NT). So don’t be like the Galatian Christians, but instead cling to Free Grace!”
Your carnal self is to be considered dead (Really!) because that is what the faith is, that Jesus "killed" you along with Himself on the cross. It is finished, it is over, death has come to all and is no longer to be regarded as an active ingredient, your focus now is to be on life and life alone. Death has ceased to exist according to the word. Live outside of death and live only inside life.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thought on that. It reminds me of when the apostle Paul says, "So you too, consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:11, NASB).
ReplyDelete"For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3, NIV).
ReplyDeleteYes, thanks Jonathan, so basic and yet so misunderstood.
DeleteWow I had no idea I was actually refuting Lordship salvation and defending real salvation purchased by the precious blood of Jesus, when I wrote this book: https://tinyl.co/4YdW. I thought I was simply teaching biblical truth, the power of the gospel to grow and mature us into Christ-likeness. Then one of my students of this book asked me to critique "Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross", and I began to recognize in his teaching a complete lack of focus on the real cross, the real gospel. That's the problem, for when you don't have the real message of the cross in mind your conclusions about the rest of Scripture are not to be trusted.
ReplyDeleteOne simple illustration: in chapter 2 of "Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross" the author mentions what Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery in John chapter 8 as "Go and sin no more." Of course those of us who are steeped in the real gospel will recognize that as only half of what Jesus said, the second part of what Jesus said, and totally void of the first. Before Jesus ever said anything about the woman's need to forsake sin, He said, "Neither do I condemn you." That acceptance by Christ was the basis on which she was to leave her life of sin, working not for acceptance but from acceptance.
We who love the real gospel would have zero'd in on that first statement, focusing like a laser, explaining how Jesus did not condemn her because He knew He would shortly be condemned her place. He would take her sin to the cross, bleed and die to atone for it, and subsequently clothe this hurting and sinful woman in His robe of righteousness. She would be accepted because He was rejected. She would be clothed in righteousness because He was clothed in sin. She would have the favor of God because God turned His face away from His own Son. This is the basis on which she would then live a different life. Why the author chose to leave this good news out, in favor for living a life of obedience, is beyond me.
My review of his book would be to say, be very cautious about people who can use lots of Scripture but not base it on the gospel of Jesus Christ, for surely if you miss the main thing you will be wrong in most everything.
Hi Mike, welcome!
ReplyDeleteThanks for that review of "Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross," and thanks for pointing us back to the real cross and the real gospel. Those are excellent thoughts!
By the way, I took a look at your book on amazon.com using the tinyl.co link you provided in your comment. If you want to send me a review copy I will do a blog post on it. You can contact me anytime. Blessings to you
Thanks Jonathan, I'd be happy to send you a review copy. Would an e-version work for you or would you prefer a printed copy? Either way, just let me know how to get it to you and I'll be glad to do so.
DeleteYes, an e-version/e-book would be great. My e-mail is freegracer@gmail.com if you want to send it to me that way. Or just let me know. I look forward to reading it. Thanks!
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