The Intrepids are preaching the false gospel of UOJ again. This time Pastor Spencer is teaching, in complete harmony with the false teaching of UOJ, that Christ did not die for the sin of unbelief. He teaches that no one in the whole world will ever go to Hell because of their sin. They only go to Hell if they die guilty of the unforgivable sin of unbelief.
Intrepid Pastor Steven Spencer:
Christ's resurrection assures us of the truth of our religion in His victory over death, and it also assures us of the victory of our religion over this evil world. Christ is the savior of the world, that is, He has covered the sins of all people of all time, yes, even those who reject Him. No one goes to hell because of their sins. Those that go to hell do so because of their unbelief. This is why He commanded that His Gospel be preached to everyone everywhere until the end of time. There is no reason for anyone to be damned. All sins have been paid for. All can be saved. But the true and beautiful Gospel of Jesus Christ must touch them so that the Holy Spirit can do His work and turn their hearts to faith and salvation.
http://www.intrepidlutherans.com/2011/04/festival-of-christs-resurrection-sermon.html
There are clear and Scripturally faithful responses to the public false teaching of Pastor Spencer.
First, Pastor Spencer declares, "No one goes to hell because of their sins." In Scripture Christ rejects this teaching when He declares in John 8:24, "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." Romans 14:23, "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." And, here in Mark 4:12, "That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them." Contrary to the false gospel of UOJ those who do not have faith in Christ are not forgiven of their sin and dying in this condition they stand judged by God for their sins and are condemned to Hell.
Second, Pastor Spencer declares, "Those that go to hell do so because of their unbelief." So Intrepid UOJ Pastor Spencer teaches that Christ didn't pay for the sin of unbelief. He teaches that all other sins Christ died, paid for and forgave but not the sin of unbelief. Yet, the whole world, Pastor Spencer included, was born in unbelief! Outside of the Means of Grace working contrition and faith all men are guilty of the sin of unbelief. So is unbelief the unforgivable sin as UOJ teaches? No. Christ declares in Romans 11:23, "And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again." UOJ perverts the Scriptures and Christ's atonement, God's righteousness, man's sin and teaches another gospel.
In contrast to the false teaching of UOJ, Christ died and paid for the sins of the whole world, yet, He is only our propitiation through faith in His blood worked graciously by the Holy Ghost through the Means of Grace in Word and Sacrament. Through faith in Christ an individual instantaneously dies to sin, is raised as Christ was to live under God's grace, has Christ's righteousness and the forgiveness of all sins, including the sin of unbelief, is declared justified and has salvation that comes from the forgiveness of sins. All this He bestows to those He has called through righteousness of faith.
Yet, UOJ and it's advocates continue to teach that the whole world was justified, forgiven of all sins, before and without faith in Christ worked by the Means of Grace.
BOC: 6] Let any one of the adversaries come forth and tell us when remission of sins takes place. O good God, what darkness there is! They doubt whether it is in attrition or in contrition that remission of sins occurs. And if it occurs on account of contrition, what need is there of absolution, what does the power of the keys effect, if sins have been already remitted?…" http://www.bookofconcord.org/defense_10_repentance.php
Intrepid Pastor Steven Spencer:
Christ's resurrection assures us of the truth of our religion in His victory over death, and it also assures us of the victory of our religion over this evil world. Christ is the savior of the world, that is, He has covered the sins of all people of all time, yes, even those who reject Him. No one goes to hell because of their sins. Those that go to hell do so because of their unbelief. This is why He commanded that His Gospel be preached to everyone everywhere until the end of time. There is no reason for anyone to be damned. All sins have been paid for. All can be saved. But the true and beautiful Gospel of Jesus Christ must touch them so that the Holy Spirit can do His work and turn their hearts to faith and salvation.
http://www.intrepidlutherans.com/2011/04/festival-of-christs-resurrection-sermon.html
There are clear and Scripturally faithful responses to the public false teaching of Pastor Spencer.
First, Pastor Spencer declares, "No one goes to hell because of their sins." In Scripture Christ rejects this teaching when He declares in John 8:24, "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." Romans 14:23, "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." And, here in Mark 4:12, "That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them." Contrary to the false gospel of UOJ those who do not have faith in Christ are not forgiven of their sin and dying in this condition they stand judged by God for their sins and are condemned to Hell.
Second, Pastor Spencer declares, "Those that go to hell do so because of their unbelief." So Intrepid UOJ Pastor Spencer teaches that Christ didn't pay for the sin of unbelief. He teaches that all other sins Christ died, paid for and forgave but not the sin of unbelief. Yet, the whole world, Pastor Spencer included, was born in unbelief! Outside of the Means of Grace working contrition and faith all men are guilty of the sin of unbelief. So is unbelief the unforgivable sin as UOJ teaches? No. Christ declares in Romans 11:23, "And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again." UOJ perverts the Scriptures and Christ's atonement, God's righteousness, man's sin and teaches another gospel.
In contrast to the false teaching of UOJ, Christ died and paid for the sins of the whole world, yet, He is only our propitiation through faith in His blood worked graciously by the Holy Ghost through the Means of Grace in Word and Sacrament. Through faith in Christ an individual instantaneously dies to sin, is raised as Christ was to live under God's grace, has Christ's righteousness and the forgiveness of all sins, including the sin of unbelief, is declared justified and has salvation that comes from the forgiveness of sins. All this He bestows to those He has called through righteousness of faith.
Yet, UOJ and it's advocates continue to teach that the whole world was justified, forgiven of all sins, before and without faith in Christ worked by the Means of Grace.
BOC: 6] Let any one of the adversaries come forth and tell us when remission of sins takes place. O good God, what darkness there is! They doubt whether it is in attrition or in contrition that remission of sins occurs. And if it occurs on account of contrition, what need is there of absolution, what does the power of the keys effect, if sins have been already remitted?…" http://www.bookofconcord.org/defense_10_repentance.php
1 comments:
Context is always key...and remember, the end of verse 22 thru verse 23 is a parenthetical thought. Brackets are mine.
From Romans 3
10As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
13Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
14Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
15Their feet are swift to shed blood:
16Destruction and misery are in their ways:
17And the way of peace have they not known:
18There is no fear of God before their eyes.
19Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: [for there is no difference:
23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;]
24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
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