Ephesians 1:7 and Grace Vs False Grace (Hyper Grace Exposed) (PART 2)

Ephesians 1:7 and Grace Vs False Grace (Hyper Grace Exposed) (PART 2) [Print Document]

Ephesians 1:7. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”

The “hyper grace” movement is very popular today. Teachers of “hyper grace” emphasize grace, but neglect to mention that repentance is necessary for fellowship with God (1 John 1:5-10) because sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2). Hebrews 3:6-19 gives an admonition to brethren (i.e. believers). Hebrews 3:8 says: “Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:”

But, some might say that Hebrews 3 was addressed to unbelievers. Is it really addressed to unbelieving people? Let’s take a look.

Hebrews 3 and Hardness through Sin

Hebrews 3:12-13

“[12] Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. [13] But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. [14] For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;”

First of all, an unbeliever already doesn’t know God and doesn’t believe in Jesus Christ as his (or her) personal Savior and Lord. In a sense, they already have departed from God. Also, notice the tone of the message? It is one of warning and admonition. The writer of Hebrews addresses his readers as “brethren” and warns them that they can be “...hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” He also clearly states that he and his readers are made partakers of Christ if he and his readers hold fast their confidence to the end.

Matthew 24 and Enduring to the End

Jesus warned in Matthew 24:11-13 — “[11] And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. [12] And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. [13] But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

Jesus taught about enduring to the end repeatedly. In Mark 13:13, Jesus said: “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

In Luke 8, in the parable of the sower, Jesus taught about the various types of people who hear the Gospel. Some people hear it, but reject it immediately. Some people receive the truth and start to bear fruit, but later reject the Gospel. But, the good soil… [Luke 8:15] “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” These people hear God’s Word and keep it.

The Greek word for keep is katechó. It means to hold fast and retain. Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines keep as: “To hold; to retain in one’s power or possession; not to lose or part with…” So, people who are the good soil do not “lose or part with” God’s Word. And, they bring forth good fruit. Another way of saying to part with something is to forsake it. These people do not forsake God’s Word. They eventually choose to obey it, even when their fleshly nature does not want to. Jesus said that His sheep follow Him (John 10:4-5). 

Not All Christians Are Sheep.

Not all Christians are sheep. Let’s state that again: not all Christians are sheep. How can this be true? Jesus said in John 10:4-5 — “[4] And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. [5] And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” The stranger is the devil and the devil’s servants. Some people will go after this stranger, but they are not Jesus Christ’s sheep. Some will go after sin, which is what the lusts of the flesh are all about. Let’s look at 1 John 2:15-17.

1 John 2:15-17

“[15] Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [16] For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. [17] And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

Notice the last part of verse 17? God is telling us: “but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” If we love the world, we do not love God. If we do God’s will, we will abide forever. So, if we turn from God and don’t obey Him, would we be God’s sheep?

Paul wrote these words (by the Holy Spirit) in Galatians 5:19-21.

Galatians 5:19-21

“[19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, [20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, [21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

The last part of verse 21 says: “...they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Is Paul saying that a Christian can get away with sin? No. By no means does God’s Word teach that you can continue living in sin and still arrive in Heaven. Rather, God’s Word warns us that if we live in sin and do not forsake it, we will be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:13).

And, God’s Word says that if we live a lifestyle of idolatry, adultery, strife, drunkenness, discord, hatred, and so forth, we would not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5).

Jesus Christ said: [Revelation 3:5] “[5] He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Jesus Christ will not blot out the names of those who overcome, but He will blot out the names of those who do not overcome.

“Hyper Grace” Teachers Say

that Christians never need to repent.

For “hyper grace” teachers to say that a Christian never needs to repent once he is saved is contrary to God’s Word and is contrary to what Jesus Christ said in Matthew 7:15-21.

Matthew 7:15-20 (emphasis added)

“[15] 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. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

If a Christian, who was serving the Lord and was walking with God, turned toward sin, and began living in sin, and did not repent, even until the day that he died, would he be in Heaven? We have seen from God’s Word that because he had bad fruit, he was a bad tree. So, was he ever a sheep? Listen to what Jesus said in John 10.

John 10:4-5 — “[4] And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. [5] And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.”

John 10:16 — “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”

John 10:27-28 — “[27] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: [28] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

Jesus Christ is the Shepherd. He cares for the sheep. Jesus said several times how His sheep hear His voice and follow Him. He said how His sheep do not (ultimately) follow a stranger. The sheep may go off the path, but Jesus will go after them, and they will repent and come back to Him. They don’t ultimately follow a stranger because they could not follow both Jesus and a stranger. Again, think of the devil and sin together being the stranger. Jesus also taught that no servant can serve two masters. Either we will serve sin, or we will serve God. We cannot serve both.  

“No servant can serve two masters...”

In Luke 16:13, Jesus said: “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” If we serve mammon (mamónas: which is avarice, greed, and material possessions), we cannot serve God. If we serve mammon, we would hate God. Related to this is what Jesus said to His disciples in Mark 9:33-48. We will just look at:

Mark 9:47-48

"[47] And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: [48] Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."

What false teachers are saying about how Christians “never” need to repent is heresy and false doctrine [See References (1)]. God’s Word is clear that we Christians must repent when we are sinning. 1 John 1:9-10 says: “[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.”

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters in Christ, if you have been listening to a teacher that promotes grace but never preaches repentance from sin, you need to hold that teacher accountable to God’s Word (the Bible). Sin is not something God tolerates in His children. We are not given grace so that we can continue sinning against God (Romans 6:15-16). Rather, we are given grace so that we can forsake sin and have intimate, personal fellowship (koinónia) with God.

Do not let yourself be deceived about God’s grace. Read the epistle of Romans and the epistle of James if you haven’t. Don’t follow what a mere man teaches. God gave us the Bible for our instruction and for having close fellowship with Him. Sin is not fellowship with God. Sin is bondage and corruption (Galatians 6:7-8). God will forgive us if we turn to Him and repent, but He cannot forgive a person who refuses to repent because God cannot let sin enter Heaven (Revelation 20:15, Revelation 3:5).

Indeed, God cannot let a sinful, rebellious person enter Heaven, even though he or she once had walked with Him. Satan, when he was an angel called Lucifer, walked with God and served Him, but not too long afterward, Lucifer became proud and decided he wanted to be like God (Isaiah 14:14). If one of God’s angels can fall away from the truth, and forsake the right way, how can we Christians think it would be impossible for us to fall away?

The Bible, as we have shown, is clear that some people will have their names blotted out from the book of life (Revelation 3:5) because of rebellion and pride. Let’s forsake sin by looking to God. God desires to have close, intimate, fellowship (koinónia) with each one of us (1 John 1). God also promised to satisfy us and make us drink His godly, delightful pleasures right now (Psalm 36:7-9) if we trust Him for this. And, God said He shall supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19).

Some Helpful Verses

1 John 1:3

“[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.”

Revelation 3:5

“[5] He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”

Psalm 36:7-9

“[7] How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

[8] They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

[9] For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.”


If you are coming here as a non-Christian, I encourage you to read this. God desires to have fellowship with you, as you make Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior.

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References:

[1] “What Is Hyper-Grace?” johnhamelministries.org. (http://www.johnhamelministries.org/Hyper_Grace_Dangerous_Error.htm#One)

Biblehub.com.

Webster, Noah. American Dictionary of the English Language. United Books Press, Inc., 2009. (i.e. Webster's 1828 dictionary)