... By this we know (recognize) the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error. 1 John 4:6b AMPC
The Gospel is Good News. God has restored the simple truth of the Gospel within the last 20 years. The "Grace message" can be summed up as Jesus at the center of it all. Grace reveals all that Jesus has accomplished and freely provides for us in the Finished Work.
The enemy tries to steal the Word when truth is restored and revealed afresh. One way he does this is by perverting truth and promoting error. If truth is overshadowed by the counterfeit, by error, it is diminished in its effectiveness to reach people and transform them.
Nothing new is under the sun. Grace has always been the Gospel. God's Love has always been unconditional and freely received. Receiving salvation and a new life has always been by Grace through Faith. Simply believing in Jesus has always been the way to the Father.
What else is not new is the erroneous concepts of universalism, inclusionism, and ultimate reconciliation. The enemy satan has always tried to subvert the Gospel. Legalism and works-driven messages were one way he had hidden the Gospel.
Works and performance-based theologies hinder evangelism because the lost believe the Christian life is too hard. They see their failures and know they can't measure up so why try they conclude. Still, mixed messaging has some success in reaching the lost.
The enemy conjured up a more sinister scheme. If he can convince the lost they aren't actually lost, they won't come to Christ and receive salvation. If he can convince the lost that there is postmortem salvation available he knows people will live a life never considering God and the Gospel.
Enter the ancient lies of inclusionism, trinitarian theology inclusionism, ultimate reconciliation, and universalism. Proponents of these errors point to early voices who proclaimed some of these sentiments as proof of their truth. Error spoken is still an error no matter how ancient it is.
Something to consider is that these views are not Christianity. Just as Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses claim portions of the Bible prove their views they also create their own source material and rely heavily on those, such as The Book of Mormon and the Jehovah's Witnesses' New World translation. So it is with the inclusion/universalist groups. They rely on the Mirror Bible, the writings from Grace Communion International, and various books and talks given by its proponents.
These views are not Christianity and they are promoting a different gospel. In truth, they are promoting a doctrine of devils. Twisting and misapplying Scripture and rewriting a portion of the Scriptures to fit a narrative is not the work of the Spirit.
These groups use subtle tactics to try to disprove the truth that mankind apart from Christ is lost. They go so far as to push the idea that no one was ever lost, that it was all a wrong belief mankind adopted. To promote this error, they misapply misinterpret, and misrepresent Colossians 1:21 from the KJV.
This passage is not claiming no one was ever lost. This passage indeed says the exact opposite;
This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Colossians 1:21 NLT
Because we were all lost and needed a Savior Christ came and paid the price for whosoever will receive. Because of the great need, God provided an even greater answer. He has provided a way to eternal life apart from works, performance, or behavior. He provided the way of Grace through Faith.
These groups also claim all humanity is saved or will be saved post-mortem. They say Jesus paying the price for all equates to Him redeeming and saving all. Redemption, salvation, and Righteousness are already purchased at Calvary. For one to be redeemed, saved, and be made Righteous, they must believe.
Salvation is not an invasion of the will. Salvation must be received. Look at what Grace really does;
We have cause to celebrate because the grace of God has appeared, offering the gift of salvation to all people. Titus 2:11 VOICE
Grace appears to all mankind and offers them new life in Christ. This is not "automatic." Romans 5 declares those who receive abundant Grace and the gift of Righteousness reign in life. Receive is the optimal word. We have to lay hold of it by Faith it is not "automatic."
The notion that all humanity is righteous but doesn't know it is contrary to clear Scripture. We are only Righteous by Faith. No one is righteous apart from Christ. There is no secret righteousness indwelling the lost unbelieving one. Those who say all are righteous apart from faith are echoing the spirit of error and not the spirit of truth.
to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:26 NKJV
For Christ is the end of the law, so now there is righteousness for everyone who believes. Romans 10:4 MOUNCE
We were not saved before we believed. Those proclaiming inclusion/universalism state believing is a work or some kind of legalistic ritual or performance. They twist words in Scripture and claim we are not saved by personal acceptance and trusting Christ alone but saved by Jesus' faith.
They believe God overrides free will, bypasses personal desire, invades the heart, and claims it as His own. This is not love in action. This is forced fellowship, compulsory relationship, and a seized spirit. Again none of this is voluntary. This is a non-consensual relationship with humanity. Somehow the proponents claim this is true grace and true love. Overriding one's decision, forcing oneself upon another, and seizing their heart is love in their mind. That sounds more like the work of the enemy and not a loving Father.
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36
Truly, truly I say to you, whoever believes in Me has eternal life. John 6:47 MEV
To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through · his name.” Acts 10:43 MOUNCE (Forgiveness needs to be received).
For with the heart a person believes and is made righteous, and with the mouth he confesses and is saved. Romans 10:10 MOUNCE
The Grace Gospel of Jesus is not a message that all are saved. It is not a message that all humanity is righteous, has the Holy Spirit indwelling them, is adopted into the Family, and is born again apart from believing and trusting in Jesus. The Grace message doesn't proclaim there is salvation after death. There is no Biblical passage promoting this.
The message of universalism, inclusion/trinitarian theology inclusion, and ultimate reconciliation is false teaching created by the enemy. It is not Christianity, it is not Biblical and in opposition to the Gospel. It is truly a doctrine of devils, and it comes to steal and kill and destroy. It robs people of hearing the Gospel and kills and destroys ministries and churches promoting this error.
Those following these doctrine of devils, also adhere to the notion there is no future judgment. That hell is non-existent or simply a fantasy in Christian's minds. Hell exists and those who reject the Gospel of Grace choose to go there. God doesn't send anyone to hell.
The lost are headed to an eternity separated from the Father. This is why the Grace Gospel must be proclaimed. Now judgment and eternal separation are not the Gospel message. They only serve to remind us of the urgency of the Gospel proclamation.
In summation, the real Radical Grace Gospel must be proclaimed error-free. The Gospel of Grace is the Good News. God is not mad and the price for the forgiveness of all sins, and redemption has been paid for by Jesus. Righteousness, forgiveness, and redemption are all received by Grace through Faith. Grace is the Gospel. Radical Grace is the error-free Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
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