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Not My Type - 5/30/2008 12:00:42 AM
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GraceBro
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"Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds."Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin." Hebrews 10:11-18
John MacArthur is one of the most respected Christian teachers within the Body of Christ. I don't doubt that he has brought many people to Christ and helped them mature in their faith. That is why I was disappointed to read the following statement regarding forgiveness from his website. "God forgives a Christian in a judicial sense whether he confesses his sin or not. Judicial forgiveness occurs when you are saved and God forgives all your sins...past, present, and future. But then, there is a daily relational kind of forgiveness, which opens up the loving fellowship and communion you desire to experience with God. Whereas the judicial kind of forgiveness is a once-for-all positional act of God, the relational forgiveness is that daily cleansing from God that just keeps the channel open. These two types of forgiveness are to be expressed among ourselves as well." This is double-talk at its best and is the type of teaching about forgiveness that forever keeps Christians in bondage to their sins and never able to approach God with confidence. How is this double-talk you ask? How can God forgive "all your sins... past, present, and future," as MacArthur admits, but yet require the believer to seek "daily cleansing" to keep the "channel open"? If all our sins are forgiven that means all our sins are forgiven; minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day, week to week, month to month, year to year, forever!
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." 1 John 4:18
How do you have fellowship with a God that says He loves you if you believe your sins can separate you from Him? This question has to be answered. Unfortunately, with the teaching of "judicial" and "relational" forgiveness, those holding this belief will be in fear of God their entire lives. They will never be able to approach God with confidence because they will be alienated from Him in their minds. Every day of their lives will be occupied with the nagging thought that there is some sin they've forgotten to ask God to forgive them for. Or, worse, some sin they don't believe God will forgive. Passages like Romans 8:35-38, and Hebrews 13:5, will never be a reality to them. Yes, they will attend church faithfully, witness to others and seem to be loving their walk with the Lord. While inwardly suffering as they believe the joy of salvation is only reserved for those select few who have been able to live a "clean" life.
"Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself." Hebrews 7:27
When you are trapped in the cycle of sin, forgiveness, sin forgiveness, you will be in the daily bondage of having to find new ways to get your sins forgiven. Who isn't familiar with confession booths, altar calls and keeping short accounts to name a few? And now we have "judicial" and "relational" forgiveness to add to the list. All of them are nothing more than sacrifices that can never take away sins no matter how well we religiously adhere to them. If they worked then there would be no need to keep performing them. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ was once for all. The reason He sat down at the right hand of God is because His work was completed. There is now no need for us to try and duplicate, in the energy of our own flesh, the work only He was qualified to do.
"If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God." Hebrews 10:26-27
There is no mention of "judicial" or "relational" forgiveness in Scripture. In fact, you would be hard pressed to even find the words used at all, regardless of context. When we continue to seek "daily cleansing" of our sins we are saying that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was not sufficient enough to take away our sins. We are, therefore, engaged in the deliberate sin of trying to find a sacrifice acceptable enough for God. And as Scripture says, there is "no sacrifice for sins" left that would satisfy God the way in which the shed blood of Christ has satisfied Him. The last words Jesus uttered before He died were "it is finished." His work had been accomplished. There is nothing left for us to do accept rest in His finished work and thank Him for it. When we sin, we don't look at it as a time to perform another unacceptable sacrifice to God in order to get more forgiveness.We look at it as a time to thank God for no longer counting our sins against us because we realize our sins deserve death and Christ is the only one who had a life worthy enough to die for our sins. There are not two types of forgiveness. There is only the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Amen!
Grace and Peace
_____________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GraceRest/
www.livinggodministries.net
http://360.yahoo.com/idog96
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RE: Not My Type - 5/31/2008 1:27:07 PM
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CherishedbyGod
Posts: 2721
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Very well written and a very needed article!
Thanks!
_____________________________
~For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ~
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RE: Not My Type - 6/1/2008 9:06:13 PM
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GraceBro
Posts: 354
Joined: 12/17/2005
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quote:
Very well written and a very needed article!
Thank you CBG... I know it may step on toes, but it has to be said.
Grace and Peace
_____________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GraceRest/
www.livinggodministries.net
http://360.yahoo.com/idog96
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RE: Not My Type - 6/1/2008 9:15:06 PM
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CherishedbyGod
Posts: 2721
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: GraceBro
quote:
Very well written and a very needed article!
Thank you CBG... I know it may step on toes, but it has to be said.
Grace and Peace
You are very welcome! I do believe, aside from doctrinal issues, that you have a gift for writing. You express yourself very well.
I hope you pursue/have pursued other venues for your writing...
_____________________________
~For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ~
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RE: Not My Type - 6/2/2008 11:26:37 PM
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GraceBro
Posts: 354
Joined: 12/17/2005
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Thank you again. I am just getting my feet wet, if you will. Just trying to find ways in which to present the Gospel in any way I can.
Grace and Peace
_____________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GraceRest/
www.livinggodministries.net
http://360.yahoo.com/idog96
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RE: Not My Type - 6/13/2008 10:59:22 PM
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Dancre
Posts: 1282
Joined: 4/12/2005
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I suggest you don't use John MacArthur's name (or any person's name for that matter) in this or any article. It makes your agrument seem petty and vindictive, a he said/she said thing. Instead focus on the statements, not the man. Plus it can make folks be on the defensive and destroy your argument. capise?
kim
< Message edited by Dancre -- 6/13/2008 11:05:31 PM >
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RE: Not My Type - 6/16/2008 1:13:22 AM
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GraceBro
Posts: 354
Joined: 12/17/2005
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Dancre, I understand your point and thank you for your input. However, I believe by using the actual facts and MacArthur's name shows that I am not using a straw argument in an effort to advance my point. Thus, it allows the reader to check the facts for themselves so they can come to their own conclusions. I only disagreed with MacArthur on the subject I wrote about and did not throw the man or his ministry "under the bus" so to speak. Thanks again...
Grace and Peace
_____________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GraceRest/
www.livinggodministries.net
http://360.yahoo.com/idog96
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