TILL HE COMES Blog

In light of my previous post on Luther, and my opening post for this blog about being called a heretic, I thought I might comment on a recent article condemning myself and other Free Grace speakers and writers as people who are now teaching a crossless gospel.

The article, by a pastor who will go unnamed in this post, basically accuses me (and several others) of removing the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the biblical gospel.

Frankly, when I read the article, I was shocked to read what I (supposedly) believed. It was reported that I believed the cross was not central to the gospel. And yet, to the best of my knowledge, I have always believed and taught that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are central to the gospel. Without the death and resurrection of Jesus, there is no biblical gospel.  

The author quotes a few writings of mine as proof that I have ripped the cross out of the gospel, and all I can say is that he should have read the entire article. Anybody can be quoted out of context to get them to say the exact opposite of what they are actually saying. This tactic began in the garden when Satan misquoted God to Eve, and continued when he misquoted Scripture to Jesus. (Not that I am God or Scripture and my opponent is Satan, but the point is that people must be quoted in context.)

And I did some researching into the other fine men this author quotes, and discovered that the same tactic was used against them. In each instance I looked up, the quote was ripped from a context which says the exact opposite of what this author claims is being said. Each of these men the author attacks believes the cross is central to the gospel.

And so now, sadly, the unnamed author of that article is making himself look foolish because, for everybody who knows better, the view he is trying to refute doesn’t exist! Initially, when I read the article, I laughed in his general direction at the way he had so misrepresented my views. But now, I feel bad for him. I wish for his sake (and for those who are now confused by what he has written), that he would have run the article by myself and a few others he criticizes before going into print. As the article now stands, the only thing it does is reveal a lack of scholarship based on misquotes and straw man fallacies. And those who don’t do their homework by checking out his baseless claims will be led astray into confusion and false maligning of godly men.

The bottom line is that whatever this article claims I believe, I think I know better. I’ve said it in my writings and sermons: The cross of Jesus Christ is central to the gospel. Without the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, there would be no biblical gospel, no offer of eternal life, no hope of heaven, and no forgiveness of sins.

So away with this “Tragedy of the Crossless Gospel” travesty. I don’t believe in a crossless gospel, and don’t know anybody who does.

38 Comments »