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

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

Ephesians 1:7 and Grace Vs False Grace
[Print Document]

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

There is a modern teaching which is promoted foremost by a pastor from Singapore (Joseph Prince), who teaches that there is no need to repent from sin once you have become a born-again Christian. In his book Destined to Reign, Joseph Prince wrote: “Repentance and confession of sin are never necessary.” (See References [1]). He was referring to how he believes that Christians never need to repent from their sins. There is a problem with that teaching. That is what we will look into now. Let’s look at 1 John 1.

1 John 1:5-10

“[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.” (underlining and bold added)

Two Words of Great Importance

What the Bible Has to Say about False Teachers (False Prophets) (False Doctrine)

False teachers have been around since ancient times. They may sound good and say some correct things, but their deception is destructive and can be quite powerful. False teachers have certain characteristics which the Bible speaks of. Let us take a look at some of them.

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What the Bible Has to Say about False Teachers

1. False Teachers Scatter the Sheep of God’s Pasture

2. False Teachers Tolerate and Encourage Sin by Their Teaching

3. False Teachers Turn “the grace of our God into lasciviousness”

4. God is serious about repentance. 

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(1.) False Teachers Scatter the Sheep of God’s Pasture

Jeremiah 23:1-2 (bold added)

1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.

2 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.

False teachers scatter the sheep by bringing divisions in the Body of Christ: divisions which are contrary to the Word of God.

Romans 16:17-18

17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Divisions are necessary when they are done according to the doctrine that the Bible teaches. Divisions which are “contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned” are against God’s will.

(2.) False Teachers (or False Prophets) Tolerate and Encourage Sin by Their Teaching

Jeremiah 23:13-14

13 And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.

14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

The prophet of God, Jeremiah saw abomination (wickedness) being done in Israel and Judah. False prophets were not telling people to repent from sin. Instead, they “strengthen also the hands of evildoers”. They were teaching people that God tolerates sin and that God will not judge sin.

Jeremiah 23:7 says, “They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.”

Many teachers today say that God just wants to bless you and give you whatever is in your heart. The Bible shows us this truth about the heart.

Jeremiah 17:9-10

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Following your heart may sound good, but the “heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” and we cannot understand how wicked it really is. False teachers appeal to the heart’s desires. They sound good on the surface, but if you take time to seek God with all your heart and search the scriptures, God will reveal their true nature to you, by His Spirit.

Jude warns about false teachers in the Book of Jude:

Jude 1:3-5

3 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.

5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

(3.) False Teachers Turn “the grace of our God into lasciviousness”

These false teachers are “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness”. How are they doing that?