Posted on 06/24/2011 6:17:53 PM PDT by Gamecock
An Open Letter To Mr. Grace-Loving Antinomian
There seems to be a fear out there that the preaching of radical grace produces serial killers. Or, to put it in more theological terms, too much emphasis on the indicatives of the gospel leads to antinomianism (a lawless version of Christianity that believes the directives and commands of God don’t matter). My problem with this fear is that I’ve never actually met anyone who has been truly gripped by God’s amazing grace in the gospel who then doesn’t care about obeying him. As I have said before: antinomianism happens not when we think too much of grace. Just the opposite, actually. Antinomianism happens when we think too little of grace.
Wondering whether this common fear is valid, my dear friend Elyse Fitzpatrick (in C.S. Lewis fashion) writes an open letter to Mr. Grace-Loving Antinomian–a person she’s heard about for years but never met–asking him to please step forward and identify himself.
Enjoy…
Dear Mr. Antinomian,
Forgive me for writing to you in such an open forum but I’ve been trying to meet you for years and we just never seem to connect. While it’s true that I live in a little corner of the States and while it’s true that I am, well, a woman, I did assume that I would meet you at some point in my decades old counseling practice. But alas, neither you nor any of your (must be) thousands of brothers and sisters have ever shown up for my help…So again, please do pardon my writing in such a public manner but, you see, I’ve got a few things to say to you and I think it’s time I got them off my chest.
I wonder if you know how hard you’re making it for those of us who love to brag about the gospel. You say that you love the gospel and grace too, but I wonder how that can be possible since it’s been continuously reported to me that you live like such a slug. I’ve even heard that you are lazy and don’t work at obeying God at all…Rather you sit around munching on cigars and Twinkies, brewing beer and watching porn on your computer. Mr. A, really! Can this be true?
So many of my friends and acquaintances are simply up in arms about the way you act and they tell me it’s because you talk too much about grace. They suggest (and I’m almost tempted to agree) that what you need is more and more rules to live by. In fact, I’m very tempted to tell you that you need to get up off your lazy chair, pour your beer down the drain, turn off your computer and get about the business of the Kingdom.
I admit that I’m absolutely flummoxed, though, which is why I’m writing as I am. You puzzle me. How can you think about all that Christ has done for you, about your Father’s steadfast, immeasurable, extravagantly generous love and still live the way you do? Have you never considered the incarnation, about the Son leaving ineffable light to be consigned first to the darkness of Mary’s womb and then the darkness of this world? Have you never considered how He labored day-after-day in His home, obeying His parents, loving His brothers and sisters so that you could be counted righteous in the sight of His Father? Have you forgotten the bloody disgrace of the cross you deserve? Don’t you know that in the resurrection He demolished sin’s power over you? Aren’t you moved to loving action knowing that He’s now your ascended Lord Who prays for you and daily bears you on His heart? Has your heart of stone never been warmed and transformed by the Spirit? Does this grace really not impel zealous obedience? Hello…Are you there?
Honestly, even though my friends talk about you as though you were just everywhere in every church, always talking about justification but living like the devil, frankly I wonder if you even exist. I suppose you must because everyone is so afraid that talking about grace will produce more of you. So that’s why I’m writing: Will you please come forward? Will you please stand up in front of all of us and tell us that your heart has been captivated so deeply by grace that it makes you want to watch the Playboy channel?
Again, please do forgive me for calling you out like this. I really would like to meet you. I am,
Trusting in Grace Alone,
Elyse
William Graham Tullian Tchividjian is the Senior Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. A Florida native, he is a visiting professor of theology at Reformed Theological Seminary and a grandson of Billy and Ruth Graham.
Great summation!
"So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ,
that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that
we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh,
the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death.
6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve
in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code."
Romans 7:4-6
Dear Tullian Tchividjian - I think I can identify him for Elyse! He's the repeatedly banned antinomian blogger delbertt wildcarduces Benchim!
There are two laws, which law are you dead to?
No relation to the freeper formerly known as Antinomian.
The doctrine that claims that a person's faith in God and in the person of Christ frees him from the moral obligations of the law, whether natural or positive, biblical or ecclesiastical. It is a logical consequence of any theory that so stresses the work of the Holy Spirit as to exclude the need for co-operation with divine grace. The most authoritative condemnation of Antinomianism was by the Council of Trent, which saw in the Reformation principle of faith without good works the source of Antinomian conclusions. Hence among other anathemas of Trent was the censure of anyone who says that "God has given Jesus Christ to men as a redeemer in whom they are to trust, but not as a lawgiver whom they are to obey" (Denzinger 1571). (Etym. Greek anti, against + nomos, law.)
Which shows the swing towards legalism by the Roman Catholic Church. Interesting who at the Council of Orange Rome was still Gospel centered but Trent reversed Orange.
Tradition? Nah. Contradiction.
| 420s |
*c. 420 The Semi-Pelagian controversy erupts. Many Pelagians accepted the condemnation of their beliefs at the Council of Carthage (418). In light of that, a more moderate form of Pelagianism, Semi-Pelagianism, arose. It stated that the act of will preceded the grace of salvation. The main proponents of this belief were the monks of Marseilles, including Vincent of Lerins and its main opponents were St. Augustine and his disciple Prosper of Aquitaine. It was condemned at the Second Council of Orange, 529.
*422 Pope St. Celestine I begins his pontificate (-432). During his reign, Nestorius, patriarch of Constantinople, professed the heresy of the two-person nature of Christ, known as Nestorianism. *c. 422 A mob of Christians in Alexandria murder Hypatia, a renowned female pagan philosopher. They tore her to shreds using sharp roof tiling, then burnt her remains. Damascius attributes the murder to St. Cyril of Alexandria's envy of her reputation; he is, however, a Christian-hater. The Church historian Socrates does not mention any motive on Cyril's part, but says that it did bring disgrace on the Church of Alexandria. More about the incident here *426 The Council of Africa formally requests the pope that he not be so ready to hear appeals settled in their jurisdiction or lift excommunications that they have imposed. Rome makes no reply. *427 Nestorius, heresiarch, is appointed Bishop of Constantinople. *428 Nestorius campaigns and obtains a new law against heresy. His friend, the monk Anastasius, in attempt to promte Nestorius' theology, preaches that the title "Mother of God" should only be used with the greatest of care, if at all. This creates a tumult. Nestorius excommunicates those who object to this novel theology. They appeal to the Emperor. *429 Vandals invade North Africa led by Genseric. They were Arian and very anti-Catholic. Catholic churches are burnt, Catholic meetings are prohibited, and Catholic clergy are exiled and replaced by Arian clergy. |
Same with the House of Israel and the House of Judah. Two separate nations, two separate people, two separate destinies. Until you understand that you can't understand Scripture.
From the Homily of Good Works annexed unto Faith
‘AS a branch cannot bear fruit of itself,’ saith our Saviour Christ, ‘except it abide in the vine, so cannot you except you abide in me. I am the vine, and you be the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, he bringeth forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.’ And St. Paul proveth that Enoch had faith, because he pleased God: ‘For without faith,’ saith he, ‘it is not possible to please God.’ And again, to the Romans he saith: ‘Whatsoever work is done without faith, it is sin.’ Faith giveth life to the soul; and they be as much dead to God that lack faith, as they be to the world whose bodies lack souls. Without faith all that is done of us is but dead before God, although the work seem never so gay and glorious before man. Even as a picture graven or painted is but a dead representation of the thing itself, and is without life, or any manner of moving; so be the works of all unfaithful persons before God. They do appear to be lively works, and indeed they be but dead, not availing to the eternal life. They be but shadows and shews of lively and good things, and not good and lively things indeed; for true faith doth give life to the works, and out of such faith come good works, that be very good works indeed; and without it no work is good before God.
As saith St. Augustine: ‘we must set no good works before faith, nor think that without faith a man may do any good work; for such works, although they seem unto men to be praise-worthy, yet indeed they be but vain, and not allowed before God. They be as the course of a horse that runneth out of the way, which taketh great labour, but to no purpose. Let no man, therefore,’ saith he, ‘reckon upon his good works before his faith; where as faith was not, good works were not. The intent,’ saith he, ‘maketh the good works; but faith must guide and order the intent of man.’ And Christ saith: ‘If thine eye be naught,’ thy whole body is full of darkness.’ ‘The eye doth signify the intent,’ saith St. Augustine, ‘wherewith a man doth a thing; so that he which doth not his good works with a godly intent, and a true faith that worketh by love, the whole body beside, that is to say, all the whole number of his works, is dark, and there is no light in it.’ For good deeds be not measured by the facts themselves, and so dissevered from vices, but by the ends and intents for the which they be done. If a heathen man clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and do such other like works; yet because he doth them not in faith for the honour and love of God, they be but dead, vain, and fruitless works to him. Faith it is that doth commend the work to God; ‘for,’ as St. Augustine saith, ‘whether thou wilt or no, that work that cometh not of faith is naught;’ where the faith of Christ is not the foundation, there is no good work, what building soever we make. ‘There is one work, in the which be all good works, that is, faith which worketh by charity:’ if thou have it, thou hast the ground of all good works; for the virtues of strength, wisdom, temperance, and justice, be all referred unto this same faith. Without this faith we have not them, but only the names and shadows of them, as St. Augustine saith: ‘All the life of them that lack the true faith is sin; and nothing is good without Him that is the author of goodness: where He is not, there is but feigned virtue, although it be in the best works.’ And St. Augustine, declaring this verse of the psalm, ‘the turtle hath found a nest where she may keep her young birds,’ saith, that Jews, heretics, and pagans do good works: they clothe the naked, feed the poor, and do other good works of mercy; but because they be not done in the true faith, therefore the birds be lost. But if they remain in faith, then faith is the nest and safeguard of their birds, that is to say, safeguard of their good works, that the reward of them be not utterly lost.
And this matter (which St. Augustine at large in many books disputeth) St. Ambrose concludeth in few words, saying; ‘He that by nature would withstand vice, either by natural will or reason, he doth in vain garnish the time of this life, and attaineth not the very true virtues; for without the worshipping of the true God that which seemeth to be virtue is vice.
And yet most plainly to this purpose writeth St. John Chrysostom in this wise: ‘You shall find many which have not the true faith, and be not of the flock of Christ, and yet (as it appeareth) they flourish in good works of mercy: you shall find them full of pity, compassion, and given to justice; and yet for all that they have no fruit of their works, because the chief work lacketh. For when the Jews asked of Christ what they should do to work good works, he answered: ‘This is the work of God, to believe in him whom He sent:’ so that he called faith the work of God. And as soon as a man hath faith, anon he shall flourish in good works; for faith of itself is full of good works, and nothing is good without faith.’ And, for a similitude, he saith, that ‘they which glister and shine in good works without faith in God, be like dead men, which have goodly and precious tombs, and yet it availeth them nothing. Faith may not be naked without works, for then it is no true faith; and when it is adjoined to works, yet it is above the works. For as men, that be very men indeed, first have life, and after be nourished; so must our faith in Christ go before, and after be nourished with good works. And life may be without nourishment, but nourishment cannot be without life. A man must needs be nourished by good works, but first he must have faith. He that doth good deeds, yet without faith, he hath not life. I can shew a man that by faith without works lived, and came to heaven: but without faith never man had life. The thief that was hanged when Christ suffered, did believe only, and the most merciful God did justify him. And because no man shall object, that he lacked time to do good works, for else he would have done them; truth it is and I will not contend therein: but this I will surely affirm, that faith only saved him. If he had lived, and not regarded faith, and the works thereof, he should have lost his salvation again. But this is the effect that I say, that faith by itself saved him, but works by themselves never justified any man. Here ye have heard the mind of St. Chrysostom, whereby you may perceive, that neither faith is without works (having opportunity thereto), nor works can avail to eternal life without faith.
As St. Augustine stated,
An excellent read indeed, but in faith first...
I tell you this:
Churches offer too much grace for adultery and not enough challenge to remedy the behavior. I doubt God offers grace for those who do not repent.
FYI to everyone:
Cranmer was the English Reformation’s leading Reformer, and pretty much wrote the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, still used in worship around the world by 70+ million Anglicans, the largest Protestant denomination.
There is no faith apart from repentance.
Show me an “easy grace” Church and I’ll show you a faithless one...
When you are dead, you are dead. The Law no longer has claim on you.
Christians are dead - having been crucified with Christ.
"For I, through the Law, am dead to the Law, that I might live unto God.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live,
but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
I do not make void the grace of God, for if righteousness come by the Law,
then Christ is dead in vain" (Galatians 2:19-21).
There is, of course, a higher law - the law of the Spirit of Life that
overcomes the law of sin and death.
"the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from
the law of sin and death" (Romans. 8:2).
When you are dead, you are dead. The Law no longer has claim on you.
Christians are dead - having been crucified with Christ.
"For I, through the Law, am dead to the Law, that I might live unto God.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live,
but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
I do not make void the grace of God, for if righteousness come by the Law,
then Christ is dead in vain" (Galatians 2:19-21).
There is, of course, a higher law - the law of the Spirit of Life that
overcomes the law of sin and death.
"the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from
the law of sin and death" (Romans. 8:2).
No, the law can be divided into three parts, judicial, ceremonial, and moral. The judicial law was for the governance of Israel at a particular time and place. The ceremonial law has been fulfilled in Christ. And the judicial law has been binding on all people at all times.
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