"Free Grace" Theology E-Book

Wayne Grudem

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Seitenzahl: 214

Beschreibung

Must the gospel message include a call for people to repent of their sins? "No," say Free Grace advocates. Is evidence of a changed life an important indication of whether a person is truly born again? "No, again," these advocates say. But in this book, Wayne Grudem shows how the Bible answers "Yes" to both of these questions, arguing that the Free Grace movement contradicts both historic Protestant teaching and the New Testament itself. This important book explains the true nature of the Christian gospel and answers the question asked by so many people: "How can I know that I'm saved?"

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“With grace, patience, pastoral tenderness, and honesty, Wayne Grudem takes a careful look at biblical teaching on the gospel and evangelism as he critically examines the teaching of what is called Free Grace. As well intentioned as this position is, Grudem argues it falls short in five areas. He is fair, citing Free Grace materials in full and engaging biblical texts with care. I commend this book as one who has had similar discussions on these topics with people who hold this position, people whom I also respect as Grudem does.”

Darrell L. Bock, Executive Director of Cultural Engagement, Howard G. Hendricks Center; Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary

“Within evangelicalism, there is a kind of presentation of the Bible’s teaching on grace that actually diminishes what the Bible teaches about grace, while purporting to elaborate and emphasize it. Wayne Grudem carefully, charitably, wisely, and pastorally takes on that kind of teaching in this book. This is an issue that especially pastors and those preparing to be pastors need to think through clearly, because confusion in our teaching and preaching on this will harm the sheep and our witness.”

J. Ligon Duncan III, Chancellor and CEO, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson

“Ever so fair and irenic, New Testament scholar and trusted theologian Wayne Grudem gives no quarter to the purveyors of the so-called Free Grace gospel as he exposes their troubling pattern of selective reading of the standard Greek lexicons, as well as of famed theologians, to effect the illusion of support for their position. Grudem does more than demolish a house of cards as he pastorally lays out what the New Testament says about the nature of the gospel, repentance, faith, and assurance. Grudem’s critique is a gift of love to the church universal, and especially to those under the unfortunate thrall of errant teaching.”

R. Kent Hughes, Visiting Professor of Practical Theology, Westminster Theological Seminary

“The so-called ‘lordship controversy’ has been simmering for several decades now. I’m thankful for several fresh resources that deal with these matters accurately and succinctly. Wayne Grudem’s book in particular is an excellent and very useful digest of the main doctrinal and biblical issues under debate. He answers the questions with uncommon clarity and skill, always from Scripture.”

John MacArthur, Pastor, Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California; President, The Master’s University and Seminary

“Credence without commitment and assurance without action are the hallmarks of the so-called Free Grace version of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is, however, unbiblical, anti-evangelical, and sub-Christian, as Grudem’s patient and well-informed analysis clearly shows.”

J. I. Packer, Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology, Regent College

“Wayne Grudem’s book on Free Grace is the best I have read on the subject, and I commend it with enthusiasm for several reasons. First, it is biblically saturated, showing us again and again what the Scriptures say. Second, Grudem’s explanations are so clear that virtually any Christian can read and understand this book. Third, the book is amazingly kind, generous, and charitable. Grudem isn’t on the attack. He loves those with whom he disagrees, and that love shines through the book. Fourth, Grudem recognizes the issue is massively important since it has to do with the nature of the gospel we preach and proclaim. He argues convincingly that works are a necessary fruit of salvation, which doesn’t threaten free grace but upholds what the great Reformers taught about salvation.”

Thomas R. Schreiner, James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation and Associate Dean of the School of Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“This excellent and insightful book is much needed in the church today, especially in view of ever-increasing focus on the nature of the gospel. His analysis of the ill-named Free Grace movement is clear, thoroughly biblical, and entirely persuasive. He deals forthrightly yet charitably with the views of those who advocate this mistaken conception of the gospel of God’s grace in Jesus Christ. All Christians will benefit greatly from reading Grudem’s analysis. I cannot recommend this book too highly.”

Sam Storms, Lead Pastor for Preaching and Vision, Bridgeway Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

“This book is charitable yet rock-solid in its penetrating insights regarding the Free Grace movement. The soteriology of this movement is thoroughly consistent—and deeply flawed. Grudem has addressed a number of the key issues and texts in a gracious and gentle manner. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the Free Grace movement and its implications for the gospel.”

Daniel B. Wallace, Senior Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary

“With care and weighty biblical and historical argumentation, Grudem applies his clear-headed reasoning to show where the Free Grace view has gone wrong. Because this disagreement has to do with the very nature of the gospel, saving faith, and the basis of assurance, it is critical that Christians understand rightly what Scripture teaches on these matters. “Free Grace” Theology provides an excellent guide to understanding why the traditional Protestant and Reformed view of these matters accurately expresses biblical teaching and where the Free Grace view misleads. Every Christian can benefit from reading this book, to grow in clarity and conviction of understanding of what salvation by faith alone truly means.”

Bruce A. Ware, T. Rupert and Lucille Coleman Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“Free Grace” Theology

5 Ways It Diminishes the Gospel

Wayne Grudem

“Free Grace” Theology: 5 Ways It Diminishes the Gospel

Copyright © 2016 by Wayne A. Grudem

Published by Crossway1300 Crescent StreetWheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway® is a registered trademark in the United States of America.

Cover design: Jeff Miller, Faceout Studio

Cover image: Albina Glisic, Shutterstock.com

First printing 2016

Printed in the United States of America

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-5114-7ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-5117-8PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-5115-4Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-5116-1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Grudem, Wayne A., author.

Title: Free grace theology : 5 ways it diminishes the gospel / Wayne A. Grudem.

Description: Wheaton : Crossway, 2016. | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2015047231 (print) | LCCN 2016012961 (ebook) | ISBN 9781433551147 (pb) | ISBN 9781433551178 (epub) | ISBN 9781433551154 (pdf) | ISBN 9781433551161 (mobi)

Subjects: LCSH: Grace (Theology) | Salvation—Christianity.

Classification: LCC BT761.3 .G78 2016 (print) | LCC BT761.3 (ebook) | DDC 234—dc23

LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015047231

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

2020-11-20 04:15:03 PM

To

Darryl DelHousaye,

president of Phoenix Seminary,

supporter and advocate for all his faculty members,

tireless promoter of everything that advances the work of God’s kindom,

my pastor for many years,

and my friend.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable,

always abounding in the work of the Lord,

knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

(1 Cor. 15:58)

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

A.  What is the Free Grace gospel?

B.  Why I do not use the term Lordship Salvation.

Chapter 1 Not the “Faith Alone” of the Reformation

The Free Grace movement does not teach the Reformation doctrine of “justification by faith alone.”

A.  Protestant leaders throughout history have consistently disagreed with the Free Grace position.

1.  John Calvin

2.  Formula of Concord

3.  Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England

4.  Westminster Confession of Faith

5.  New Hampshire Baptist Confession

6.  John Wesley

7.  Assemblies of God Statement of Fundamental Truths

B.  Therefore, the Free Grace movement today is not upholding the Reformation doctrine of sola fide, or “justification by faith alone.”

C.  There is no logical difficulty in claiming this.

D.  Why is the proper meaning of “justification by faith alone” so important?

Chapter 2 No Call to Repent of Sins

Free Grace theology weakens the gospel message by avoiding any call to unbelievers to repent of their sins.

A.  Repentance from sin in the New Testament

1.  Repentance from sin in many key summaries of the gospel

2.  Repentance from sin in narrative examples of Jesus dealing with individuals

3.  Repentance from sin in Protestant confessions of faith

4.  Why is repentance not mentioned in John’s Gospel?

B.  Two different Free Grace explanations for the “repentance” verses

1.  A necessary “change of mind”

2.  An optional resolve to turn from sin

C.  However, saving faith does not include obedience.

D.  Conclusion: A weakened gospel

Chapter 3 False Assurance

Free Grace theology gives false assurance of eternal life to many people who profess faith in Christ but then show no evidence in their pattern of life.

A.  The result of the weakened Free Grace gospel is many unsaved people.

B.  New Testament epistles frequently warn churchgoers that some of them might not be saved.

C.  The Free Grace view says that people can become complete unbelievers and still be saved.

D.  Free Grace teaching about assurance makes a fundamental category mistake.

E.  The historic Protestant view does not say that assurance of salvation is impossible, but just the opposite.

Chapter 4 Underemphasis on Trust in the Person of Christ

Free Grace teaching overemphasizes agreement with facts and underemphasizes heartfelt trust in the person of Christ.

A.  Some Free Grace advocates say that faith equals mere intellectual assent.

B.  Other Free Grace advocates say that faith includes trust in the person of Christ.

C.  Both groups deemphasize the element of heartfelt trust in the living person of Christ.

D.  Saving faith requires trust in the person of Christ, and this means that mental agreement with facts about Christ without personal trust in Christ is not saving faith.

1.  Saving faith is pictured as coming to Christ.

2.  Saving faith is pictured as receiving Christ.

3.  Saving faith is pictured as believing something in your heart.

4.  Saving faith is portrayed as believing in a person.

E.  Free Grace misunderstandings of B. B. Warfield on the need to decide to trust in Christ personally

Chapter 5 Unlikely Interpretations

Free Grace advocates have to adopt numerous highly unlikely interpretations of the New Testament because of the need to defend their mistaken understanding of the word “alone” in the phrase “faith alone.”

A.  Some examples of unlikely interpretations

1.  Luke 16:30

2.  John 15:1–2

3.  John 15:6

4.  Acts 11:18

5.  Acts 17:30

6.  Acts 26:19–20

7.  Romans 10:9–13

8.  2 Corinthians 13:5

9.  James 2:14–17

10.  James 2:26

11.  James 5:19–20

Conclusion

A.  Summary of the argument of this book

B.  Topics not covered in this book

C.  What do I appreciate about the Free Grace movement?

D.  My hope for the future

Bibliography

General Index

Scripture Index

Acknowledgments

Many people helped me in the production of this book, and I want to express my appreciation here.

I particularly wish to thank Roger Fankhauser, president of the Free Grace Alliance, and others working with him, who sent me a detailed, courteous, and thoughtful interaction with an oral presentation that I made on this topic in March 2014 at Scottsdale Bible Church. They did not persuade me with their arguments, but I hope that their correspondence has made my representation of their position more precise.

In addition, I wish to express much appreciation to Fred Chay, for thirteen years a colleague of mine at Phoenix Seminary, for his patience with me in numerous extended discussions on these matters. Fred is a highly skilled, articulate, and thoughtful theologian, and though in the end we did not agree on the issues discussed in this book, we agreed on many, many other things, and I believe that we continue to count each other as valued friends and colleagues in the work of the kingdom of God. My excellent teaching assistant Jeff Phillips also helped to sharpen my thinking on these issues.

Others who do not hold a Free Grace position also helped me to clarify my thinking and to understand the Free Grace position better, including my president, Darryl DelHousaye; and my academic dean, Bing Hunter, at Phoenix Seminary; pastor Jamie Rasmussen at Scottsdale Bible Church; pastor Josh Vincent at Trinity Bible Church; and my teaching assistants John Paul Stepanian, Daniel Malakowsky, Jason Miller, and Joshua McCoy; as well as good friends Steve and Kitty Oman. Jenny Miller helped me at several points with typing and details of manuscript preparation. Librarians Doug Olbert and Mitch Miller helped me with finding resources in the library, and Don Baltzer helped with modifying the depiction of my seminary key ring (see p. 37). Greg Salazar helped me with some research at the Cambridge University Library, and Alice Jackson provided timely help in manuscript printing at the Tyndale House Library. Trent Poling rescued me from a near disaster when, nearing the end of my work, I accidentally gave Microsoft Word a command to “sort” all the paragraphs in the book alphabetically! My friend Dan Wallace gave me many helpful suggestions on an earlier form of this manuscript, and Mark Chapman provided me with historical materials on different views of the nature of conversion. Joshua McCoy compiled the bibliography and helped with proofreading. Jason Miller helped me solve several computer problems.

But my greatest help has come from my wife, Margaret, who continues to encourage me in my writing as she has done with many other books, delightfully caring for our home and nourishing me with wonderful meals as I write, cheering me up, praying for me, and supporting this writing ministry in so many ways.

Finally, I want to give the most thanks of all to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who (I believe) guided me to work on this project in spite of my resistance to the idea for several years and gave me strength to complete the project. I pray that he will continue to guide this book into the right hands and make it persuasive to others, but only to the extent that he deems it faithful to his Word, the Bible.

Wayne Grudem

June 2015

Introduction

It is with some reluctance that I write this book. Many of the people who hold the Free Grace viewpoint that I disagree with in the pages that follow have been my friends for years, even decades. They strongly affirm the complete inerrancy of the Bible, the Trinity, the full deity of Christ, the substitutionary atonement of Christ for our sins, and dozens upon dozens of other important doctrinal convictions. Many of them lead exemplary Christian lives. They are genuine brothers and sisters in Christ, and I appreciate their friendship and their partnership in the work of God’s kingdom here on earth. Therefore I consider this book to be part of a serious, earnest discussion of a significant difference, but a difference that is still among friends.

Yet this book is about more than the Free Grace controversy. It is about the nature of the gospel that we proclaim in evangelism. The New Testament repeatedly emphasizes the need for repentance from sin (in the sense of an internal resolve to turn from sin) as a crucial part of genuine saving faith. As I worked on this book, I became increasingly concerned that much of modern evangelicalism has a tendency to avoid or water down any call for unbelievers to sincerely repent of their sins (not merely to “change their minds”) as part of coming to trust in Christ for forgiveness of those sins (see chapter 2).

This book also deals with assurance of salvation. How can I know if I’m really a born-again Christian, and how can I know that I will be saved for eternity? I’m concerned that there is considerable uncertainty about assurance in the evangelical world today, and therefore I have attempted to explain the New Testament material on assurance and also to treat sensitively the question of pastoral care for those who are wondering if they are truly saved (see chapter 3).

Finally, this book deals with the nature of saving faith in the New Testament, explaining that it is a fuller and richer concept than merely believing that what the Bible says is factually and historically true (though that is important). Saving faith involves coming into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, coming into his presence and deciding to place my trust in him as a living, divine person who sees and hears us every moment and who knows the deepest thoughts of my heart. I am concerned that this emphasis on placing our trust in the person of Christ is too often missing in our evangelism today (see chapter 4).

What I have found to be true in many previous theological disputes has also proven to be true in the dispute before us here: the Lord has several purposes in allowing a doctrinal controversy into his church. In particular, I suspect that the Lord would have us not only disagree graciously with those who hold the Free Grace position but also think carefully about our own understanding and practice regarding the nature of the gospel, repentance, saving faith, and assurance of salvation.

Many evangelicals today who have never heard of the Free Grace movement have unknowingly moved too far in the direction of Free Grace teaching anyway. They have become too timid about urging unbelievers to repent of their sins as they come to trust in Christ (in part because we live in a culture that would condemn any call for repentance as legalistic and judgmental), too vague about explaining what it is to trust in Christ personally, and too uncertain about how and when to give assurance of salvation to those who are part of our churches.

For all these reasons, I hope that this book will be useful for evangelical Christians today.

A. What is the Free Grace gospel?

The Free Grace position claims that we are justified by faithalone.1 I have no disagreement with that statement in itself—in fact, justification by faith alone has been a primary belief of Protestants since the time of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation.2

The problem comes when the Free Grace movement understands “alone,” in the phrase “justified by faith alone,” in a novel way. Protestants generally have taken “alone” to mean that nothing else helps or nothing else contributes in our obtaining justification from God. Our faith is the only thing that God requires of us—not good works, not offering some sacrifice, not performing some ritual or ceremony, not the use of some means of grace—just faith alone.

But Free Grace proponents have gone beyond the claim that God asks of us nothing more than faith when he justifies us. They have made an additional claim: that faith occurs by itself when a person is justified, in the sense that no other human actions necessarily accompany faith (such as repentance from sin or doing good works after we are justified).3

Then, because they argue that “nothing else must necessarily be present” with faith, the Free Grace movement teaches that it is wrong to say that:

repentance from sin must accompany faith

or

any other human activities necessarily result from faith, such as good works or continuing to believe.4

This Free Grace understanding of “justification by faith alone” leads to several significant pastoral practices, such as

Inevangelism. Evangelistic messages generally should not include any call to repentance, in the sense of an inward resolve to turn away from sin (this is said to be adding “works” to faith).

In giving assurance to people who deny their faith. People who accurately understood the gospel and sincerely said that they believed in Christ at some time in the past but now say that they no longer believe in Christ are likely to be still saved, and we can assure them that they are saved (because justifying faith is a one-time act).

Ingiving warnings to people who persist in sinful conduct. A professing Christian’s sinful conduct should not ordinarily be used as a basis for warning the person that he or she might not be saved (rather, we should say that the person is foolishly not living according to who he or she really is).

In giving assurance to people who continue to produce good works. A professing Christian’s righteous and godly conduct of life (“good works”) should not ordinarily be used as one basis for giving that person assurance of salvation.

Where did the modern Free Grace movement come from? As far as I can tell, it stems primarily from a minority view among the faculty members at Dallas Theological Seminary. More particularly, it stems from an aggressive promotion of the Free Grace viewpoint by Zane Hodges (1932–2008), who taught New Testament at Dallas Theological Seminary for twenty-seven years, from 1959 to 1986.

But that recent origin does not mean that the movement is insignificant. Although only a minority of Dallas Seminary professors held a Free Grace view, Zane Hodges was an exceptionally persuasive teacher, and every year some students adopted his view. Then, through these students, the Free Grace movement gained a remarkable worldwide influence, especially in discouraging Christians from including any explicit call to repentance in their presentations of the gospel. (I have been surprised how many Christian leaders in various parts of the world have said to me, “I’m glad you’re writing about this.”)

B. Why I do not use the term Lordship Salvation.

Some readers may wonder why I do not use the term Lordship Salvation in discussing this topic. In fact, the matters that I discuss here have in previous years often been referred to as the “Lordship Salvation controversy.”5 But as I researched this topic, it became increasingly apparent that the phrase Lordship Salvation was a decidedly misleading and unfortunate summary of the central issues involved.6 In brief, popular terms, the controversy was sometimes summarized as follows.

1) Some people believe that you can accept Jesus as Saviorbut not as Lord (the Free Grace position).

2) Other people believe that you have to accept Jesus as both Savior and Lord (those who do not hold the Free Grace position but rather what was termed the “Lordship Salvation” position)

The problem is that neither side will ever win or lose the argument when it is framed in those terms. The Free Grace supporters who hold the first position still affirm strongly that Jesus is in fact Lord over the entire universe and over all of our lives, even though we imperfectly submit to his lordship.7 And those on the non-Free Grace side, those who hold the second position, all agree that our submission to Christ’s lordship is imperfect in this life.8

So both sides agree that Jesus is Lord of our lives in some sense and is not fully Lord of our lives in another sense. Trying to define precisely how much Jesus has to be acknowledged as Lord for genuine saving faith becomes an increasingly muddled task, and it simply does not contribute much clarity to the discussion. Therefore I do not plan to discuss the question of the lordship of Christ in the rest of this book. I do not think that is the best way to focus the issue.

In addition, when Free Grace proponents refer to the position that disagrees with them as the “Lordship Salvation” position, they wrongly suggest that it is an unusual or minority view that seeks to add the idea of lordship to the ordinary idea of salvation. But, in fact, what the Free Grace movement calls the “Lordship Salvation” view has just been the ordinary, mainstream, evangelical Protestant view since the Reformation. It is not a novel or minority view at all, for it has been held by all the main branches of Protestantism (see chapter 1).

My own conclusion is that there are important differences concerning two other matters:

1) whether repentance from sin (in the sense of remorse for sin and an internal resolve to forsake it) is necessary for saving faith, and

2) whether good works and continuing to believe necessarily follow from saving faith.

The two positions clearly and explicitly disagree on the answers to those questions. And it is on those two questions that the debate should be focused. In my judgment, any further discussion that refers to this as the “Lordship Salvation controversy” will just muddy the waters. In the material that follows, I will simply refer to the two positions as the “Free Grace” position and the “historic Protestant” position (or, at times, the “non–Free Grace” position).

At this point someone might ask why I refer to the position I am opposing as the “Free Grace” position. After all, don’t all Protestants believe in free grace? My response is that, yes, all orthodox Protestants believe in free grace, but it is always courteous to refer to a position that you disagree with by a descriptive term that the other side would choose for itself, and the term “Free Grace” (capitalized) is commonly used by the two major organizations that promote this view, both the Free Grace Alliance9 and the Grace Evangelical Society.10

By the same token, I hope that no reviewer of this book will refer to my position as the “