Unfortunately, doctrinal errors generally target the
easy-going, those willing to uncritically trust smooth-talking icons who tease
them with the rather exciting prospect of pushing at existing frontiers and status quo. Ironically, these are often
people who are desirous to please God above anything else – including the acceptance
of the larger society! With the devil
preying on the simple and vulnerable in this manner, he is shown vividly for
who he is: the utterly disgusting ultimate-pervert!
Whether it is Jehovah Witnesses (with their claims that
the Lord Jesus was indeed an upgrade version of the archangel Michael, and
therefore a created being like the rest of us); or Mormons (who imply the same
falsehood by averring that the Lord Jesus and Lucifer are brothers); or some of
the many New Age groups, now spanning virtually the entire spectrum and flavours
of the Christian faith, people caught in the web of doctrinal errors are
generally amiable, peace-loving folks.
This same basic character (plus a good dose of
arrogance!) is true even for the average OSAS adherent. Even when they catch the glimpse of the
tremendous havoc their teachings could cause in society, helping to further
Satan’s agenda and kingdom, they still shrug it off and insist they must stick
to the “revelation” they have received.
In other words, ostensibly, the driving motive is really a desire to
honour God’s words above natural senses. That could indeed sound noble!
The reality however is that one or more of the basic lusts
– of the eye, of the flesh, or the pride of life is usually at play, which Satan
deftly uses to bait the hook.
Fundamentally, doctrinal error is all a question of right
balance. Most of the time, in efforts to
quell one error, people drift into another – on the other side of the divide!
Hence historically, the OSAS/Eternal Security doctrine, springing up from
hyper-calvinism, was a response to doctrines on the other extreme, proclaiming
a man eternally dammed on inadvertent infringement of even a jot in the law.
Let’s consider the original error, the promise of godhood
to mankind. Mother Eve believed this at
her time. And so do multitudes of Mormons today, with their basic postulate: “As
He once was, so are we. As He is, so
shall we be”. Well, where really is the
error in this primary inspiration for the evolution theory? After all the Lord
Jesus Himself plainly cited the Scriptures in Psalm 82, which refers to God’s
people as “gods” (Psa 82:6, John 10:34).
Moreover, the bottom-line of the Christian message is that we need to
realize that Jesus has brought “many sons to glory” and “as He is, so are we in
this world” (Heb. 2:10, 1 Jhn 4:17).
Doctrinal error is all about the right balance. The
subtle error in this particular heresy is equating the only begotten Son of God with us adopted sons of God. In truth, there is one Son that is
pre-eminent among other sons. Just as
the Head is pre-eminent among the other members with which it forms just one
body. The normal Christian joyfully accepts
this position and reverences the Big Brother.
The heretic, like Satan before, considers equality with the Son something
to be grasped (Phil. 2:6, Isa. 14:12-14) and pushes his authority – not to
claim his rightful position in God’s creation, but with the Lord Himself!
Indeed this is the summary of the new age movement, where
every “god” that erstwhile humans have supposedly become, now live in the world
of their own creation, with little or no regard for the Laws and guidelines instituted
by the Almighty. The “Christianize”
version of this heresy boasts that “new creation realities” are under no bloody
law whatsoever! And so the chaos
continues.
It would appear as if the root of all evil and false
doctrines these end-times is the hypergrace concept. The other time on a social media group, war
almost broke out as the hypergrace faction vehemently opposed a call that
Nigerian Christians should repent and confess the national sins before
expecting the Lord to hear their pleas for a re-structured New Nigeria or provide
relief from the militia herdsmen!
The real culprit is the magic word “hypergrace”. In truth, no word could be more unbiblical. “Grace” is already in the superlative, and
trying to hype it, is totally meaningless!
For instance, is it possible to promote “God” to a “super God?”
Absolutely inconceivable and totally meaningless! There is only one God. And He is already the best He could be. He
has always been, and will ever so remain. That’s one of the attributes that
uniquely belong to God: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and
forever!
In like manner, Grace is already unfathomable. Yes, we can have it continually multiplied
unto us (2 Pet. 1:2), such that it becomes “great Grace” (Acts 4:33); nevertheless
Grace is Grace, and cannot be subordinated to some new concept. The dubious coinage “hypergrace” is not only
meaningless, it indeed goes overboard into the negative.
Let’s consider a physical example. The coldest
temperature conceivable (and it really is unattainable) is “zero” on the Kelvin
scale. It is called “absolute temperature.” In this sense, it is already a
superlative and cannot be “improved” on.
However, as with the “hypergrace” coinage, it is also possible to rant
about temperature numbers lower than “zero”, (that is negative numbers) on the
Kelvin scale. But such “hypo-absolute
temperature” would have no physical meaning, and rather than being calmer or colder
than the absolute temperature, would indeed be as raging hot as hell!
It is indeed true that we cannot “out-sin” grace, as it
enlarges to cover all sins. Grace, not
some “hypergrace”, enlarges to cover all sins conceivable. That’s an absolute! The critical question, which the Apostle
poignantly pointed out in Rom 6:1 is “Can we therefore CONTINUE in sin, knowing
grace would abound anyway?” (paraphrased).
And the answer is: how could anyone who has been so
wonderfully lifted above sin go back into it?
How can one continue to wallow in sin just because there is grace? The
only “grace” that answers for such insane deliberate wallowing in sin is
“hypergrace”. Hypergrace is nothing more than the modern word for lasciviousness.
It is a lure to develop a taste for sin, and defiantly wallow in it endlessly.
Godly balance can be obtained by diligent
study of the scriptures with open mind (Jhn 7:17), coupled with a careful study
of the history of that doctrine which seems to make sense only to the
“enlightened “ folks in your little group that is totally cut off from reality!
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