Below is a link to a summary of the Grace Message, some excerpts and my comments:
1. From the Article : "Beyond being unshackled by the heavy yoke of guilt and condemnation"
My Comment : [If you are set free from man-made regulations created by legalistic churches, good for you. But if you are living in Sin and see God's commandments as "heavy yoke of guilt and condemnation", then you are clearly not been set free. Repentance does include remorse and guilt for the sinner, how can we be set free from it? (Read 1 Corinthians Chapter 5 to see how Apostle Paul deals with an extreme sinner) ]
2. From the Article : "John 1:17 tell us, “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” The law was given through a servant; grace and truth came through the Son. The law talks about what man ought to be; grace reveals who God is. The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (see 2 Cor. 3:6). Under the law, God demands righteousness from sinfully bankrupt man. But under grace, God provides righteousness as a gift. All who believe in Jesus and acknowledge Him as their Lord and Savior are under the new covenant of grace."
My Comment : [Under the old covenant, what happens when an Israelite sins against God? He sacrifice an animal according to the Mosaic Covenant and gets Justification by works. Similarly under the New Covenant, what happens when a Christian sins against God? He has Jesus Christ as an advocate, as a perfect atonement for his sins. So does God provide righteousness under the old covenant? Does God demand righteousness under the New Covenant? ]
[Yes and yes.... under BOTH the old and new covenant, God DEMANDS Righteousness! And under BOTH the old and new covenant, God SUPPLIES Righteousness; the former by animal sacrifice, the latter by Jesus Christ! By this statement, Joseph Prince is downplaying the Old Covenant. ]
[Therefore, the expression in 2 Cor 3:6 does not refer to obeying the Moral Laws, it refers to the system of Justification by Works which depended on a human high priest in comparison to Justification by Faith which depends on a perfect heavenly High Priest.]
3. From the Article : "Yet, many believers today are still living in confusion. They get law and grace all mixed up by holding to some aspects of the law and some aspects of grace in their Christian walk. As such, they continue in defeat, rather than reign over the power of sin through the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness."
My Comment : [Make this distinction right, the Law DOES NOT cause men to Sin. Romans 7:7-20 is very clear that God gave the Law to show us what is Sin, and it is our Sinful nature that cause us to fall short of his perfect standards. No Prophets nor Apostles in their right mind will blame the Law (or so called mixture of Law and Grace) for our Sins. It is clear in Romans 7:21-25, that Paul DELIGHTS in God's Laws, and THANK GOD for Jesus Christ, so that by his justification, he is able to walk in it! If the Law causes Sin, and Paul delights in the Law after thanking God for Jesus Christ, does Paul delights in Sin?? This is the second time in this article that Joseph Prince has downplayed on the Law of God.]
4. From the Article : "Genuine grace teaches that believers in Christ are called to live holy, blameless, and above reproach. It teaches that sin always produces destructive consequences and that it is only through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ that one can be set free from the dominion of sin."
My Comment : ["Sin always produces destructive consequences". While it is true that sin always produces destructive consequences, did he mean just natural consequences? How about eternal consequences? Will he clarify on Heb 6:4-8? The seed that fell among thorns and remained fruitless (Matt 13:22)? The branch that produced no fruit and is cast into fire (John 15:6)? His statement does not qualify whether a Christian who continues to live in sin is merely "not under Grace", or will lose his Salvation]
5. From the Article : "Romans 6:14 states, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” If this person were truly living under grace, he would not be dominated by such a sin. And no one living in sin can legitimately use grace as an excuse to sin, because it is antithetical to God’s holy Scriptures."
My Comment : [Judging from point 2 and point 3, when he says, "If this person were truly living under grace, he would not be dominated by such a sin", is he trying to say that the person who sins is living "Under the Law"? So only "Law-abiding Christians" will live ungodly lives? Rom 6:14 is not talking about obedience to the moral Laws of God; similar to 2 Cor 3:6, it is comparing Justification by works (animal sacrifice) vs Justification by Faith (Jesus Christ).
6. From the Article : "The Ten Commandments are so perfect in its standard and so unbending in its holy requirements that Galatians 3:11 states that no man can be justified by the law in the sight of God. Justification before God can only come by faith in Christ. The Ten Commandments are glorious. The problem has never been the Ten Commandments or God’s perfect law."
My Comment : [Firstly, Gal 3:11 refers to the ornamental laws like Circumcision and Judaic practices. Again, Paul is comparing between JUSTIFICATION of the old and new covenants, not telling the Galatians to stop loving thy neighbor and honor their father and mother. In fact Paul ENFORCES the moral Law of God (Gal 5:13-15). The 10 Commandments was NOT given for our justification, it was given for our Obedience! And if one makes a mistake while following him, he is cleansed by the blood of Jesus as long as he repents (1 John 1:9).]
7. From the Article : "True grace teaching esteems the moral excellencies of the law, but it will also make clear to us that no man can be justified by keeping the Ten Commandments so that we see our need for Christ."
My Comment : [This statement makes the 10 Commandments some thing that is made for display only. Deut 6:1-9 clearly states that the 10 Commandments are meant for obedience, and our imperfections are covered by the atonement.]
8. From the Article : "In the 1,500 years that God’s people lived under the law, not a single man (apart from our Lord Jesus) could obey the Ten Commandments perfectly and be justified."
My Comment : [Israel was not judged because the 10 Commandments were too hard to follow; they had the Mosiac Covenant! Israel fell because they were rebellious, stiff necked and went into idolatry (2 Kings 17:7-23). Who says no man was Justified? How about men like David, Hezekiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel? Are they not justified by Faith (Hab 2:4, Heb 11) ? Did God not called them Righteous and gave the Justification by Faith even though they were born before Christ? ]
9. From the Article : "Under grace, when we experience the love of our Lord Jesus, we will end up fulfilling the law! Under true grace, we will end up being holy. Grace produces true holiness!"
My Comment : [So under Grace, we end up fulfilling the Law? He also said,]
["They get law and grace all mixed up by holding to some aspects of the law and some aspects of grace in their Christian walk. As such, they continue in defeat, rather than reign over the power of sin through the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness.". ]
[So if under Grace, we end up fulfilling the Law, then wouldn't that be mixing Law and Grace, does that not makes us continue in defeat rather than reign over the power of sin? Does that makes any sense at all? So under Grace, got Law or no Law?]
10. "So be wary of any counterfeit grace teaching that says behavior, discipline, correction, and right living are not important. The revelation of forgiveness does not detract from, nor is it at the expense of, right living. Instead, it is the fuel that makes right living happen."
My Comment : [So he agrees that "discipline, correction, and right living" are important? Doesn't it take effort and endurance to continue in these things (2 Tim 2:3-7)? So is sanctification God's effort or there is an element of human responsibility to it? Is Godly Living a breeze like taking a stroll in the garden? Or is it painful as God chastise those whom he called sons (Heb 12:11) ]
Please take time to fully digest before shooting your comments. Thanks.
1. From the Article : "Beyond being unshackled by the heavy yoke of guilt and condemnation"
My Comment : [If you are set free from man-made regulations created by legalistic churches, good for you. But if you are living in Sin and see God's commandments as "heavy yoke of guilt and condemnation", then you are clearly not been set free. Repentance does include remorse and guilt for the sinner, how can we be set free from it? (Read 1 Corinthians Chapter 5 to see how Apostle Paul deals with an extreme sinner) ]
2. From the Article : "John 1:17 tell us, “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” The law was given through a servant; grace and truth came through the Son. The law talks about what man ought to be; grace reveals who God is. The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (see 2 Cor. 3:6). Under the law, God demands righteousness from sinfully bankrupt man. But under grace, God provides righteousness as a gift. All who believe in Jesus and acknowledge Him as their Lord and Savior are under the new covenant of grace."
My Comment : [Under the old covenant, what happens when an Israelite sins against God? He sacrifice an animal according to the Mosaic Covenant and gets Justification by works. Similarly under the New Covenant, what happens when a Christian sins against God? He has Jesus Christ as an advocate, as a perfect atonement for his sins. So does God provide righteousness under the old covenant? Does God demand righteousness under the New Covenant? ]
[Yes and yes.... under BOTH the old and new covenant, God DEMANDS Righteousness! And under BOTH the old and new covenant, God SUPPLIES Righteousness; the former by animal sacrifice, the latter by Jesus Christ! By this statement, Joseph Prince is downplaying the Old Covenant. ]
[Therefore, the expression in 2 Cor 3:6 does not refer to obeying the Moral Laws, it refers to the system of Justification by Works which depended on a human high priest in comparison to Justification by Faith which depends on a perfect heavenly High Priest.]
3. From the Article : "Yet, many believers today are still living in confusion. They get law and grace all mixed up by holding to some aspects of the law and some aspects of grace in their Christian walk. As such, they continue in defeat, rather than reign over the power of sin through the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness."
My Comment : [Make this distinction right, the Law DOES NOT cause men to Sin. Romans 7:7-20 is very clear that God gave the Law to show us what is Sin, and it is our Sinful nature that cause us to fall short of his perfect standards. No Prophets nor Apostles in their right mind will blame the Law (or so called mixture of Law and Grace) for our Sins. It is clear in Romans 7:21-25, that Paul DELIGHTS in God's Laws, and THANK GOD for Jesus Christ, so that by his justification, he is able to walk in it! If the Law causes Sin, and Paul delights in the Law after thanking God for Jesus Christ, does Paul delights in Sin?? This is the second time in this article that Joseph Prince has downplayed on the Law of God.]
4. From the Article : "Genuine grace teaches that believers in Christ are called to live holy, blameless, and above reproach. It teaches that sin always produces destructive consequences and that it is only through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ that one can be set free from the dominion of sin."
My Comment : ["Sin always produces destructive consequences". While it is true that sin always produces destructive consequences, did he mean just natural consequences? How about eternal consequences? Will he clarify on Heb 6:4-8? The seed that fell among thorns and remained fruitless (Matt 13:22)? The branch that produced no fruit and is cast into fire (John 15:6)? His statement does not qualify whether a Christian who continues to live in sin is merely "not under Grace", or will lose his Salvation]
5. From the Article : "Romans 6:14 states, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” If this person were truly living under grace, he would not be dominated by such a sin. And no one living in sin can legitimately use grace as an excuse to sin, because it is antithetical to God’s holy Scriptures."
My Comment : [Judging from point 2 and point 3, when he says, "If this person were truly living under grace, he would not be dominated by such a sin", is he trying to say that the person who sins is living "Under the Law"? So only "Law-abiding Christians" will live ungodly lives? Rom 6:14 is not talking about obedience to the moral Laws of God; similar to 2 Cor 3:6, it is comparing Justification by works (animal sacrifice) vs Justification by Faith (Jesus Christ).
6. From the Article : "The Ten Commandments are so perfect in its standard and so unbending in its holy requirements that Galatians 3:11 states that no man can be justified by the law in the sight of God. Justification before God can only come by faith in Christ. The Ten Commandments are glorious. The problem has never been the Ten Commandments or God’s perfect law."
My Comment : [Firstly, Gal 3:11 refers to the ornamental laws like Circumcision and Judaic practices. Again, Paul is comparing between JUSTIFICATION of the old and new covenants, not telling the Galatians to stop loving thy neighbor and honor their father and mother. In fact Paul ENFORCES the moral Law of God (Gal 5:13-15). The 10 Commandments was NOT given for our justification, it was given for our Obedience! And if one makes a mistake while following him, he is cleansed by the blood of Jesus as long as he repents (1 John 1:9).]
7. From the Article : "True grace teaching esteems the moral excellencies of the law, but it will also make clear to us that no man can be justified by keeping the Ten Commandments so that we see our need for Christ."
My Comment : [This statement makes the 10 Commandments some thing that is made for display only. Deut 6:1-9 clearly states that the 10 Commandments are meant for obedience, and our imperfections are covered by the atonement.]
8. From the Article : "In the 1,500 years that God’s people lived under the law, not a single man (apart from our Lord Jesus) could obey the Ten Commandments perfectly and be justified."
My Comment : [Israel was not judged because the 10 Commandments were too hard to follow; they had the Mosiac Covenant! Israel fell because they were rebellious, stiff necked and went into idolatry (2 Kings 17:7-23). Who says no man was Justified? How about men like David, Hezekiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel? Are they not justified by Faith (Hab 2:4, Heb 11) ? Did God not called them Righteous and gave the Justification by Faith even though they were born before Christ? ]
9. From the Article : "Under grace, when we experience the love of our Lord Jesus, we will end up fulfilling the law! Under true grace, we will end up being holy. Grace produces true holiness!"
My Comment : [So under Grace, we end up fulfilling the Law? He also said,]
["They get law and grace all mixed up by holding to some aspects of the law and some aspects of grace in their Christian walk. As such, they continue in defeat, rather than reign over the power of sin through the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness.". ]
[So if under Grace, we end up fulfilling the Law, then wouldn't that be mixing Law and Grace, does that not makes us continue in defeat rather than reign over the power of sin? Does that makes any sense at all? So under Grace, got Law or no Law?]
10. "So be wary of any counterfeit grace teaching that says behavior, discipline, correction, and right living are not important. The revelation of forgiveness does not detract from, nor is it at the expense of, right living. Instead, it is the fuel that makes right living happen."
My Comment : [So he agrees that "discipline, correction, and right living" are important? Doesn't it take effort and endurance to continue in these things (2 Tim 2:3-7)? So is sanctification God's effort or there is an element of human responsibility to it? Is Godly Living a breeze like taking a stroll in the garden? Or is it painful as God chastise those whom he called sons (Heb 12:11) ]
Please take time to fully digest before shooting your comments. Thanks.
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