I am one of the teaching elders at Sanford Bible Church. We recently completed a series of messages titled, Answering Objections to Free Grace. Here are the 12 objections that we addressed:
- Objection #1: Free Grace does not teach that an unbeliever must turn from sins (repent) to be saved.
- Objection #2: Free Grace is easy believism.
- Objection #3: Free Grace cheapens grace by not requiring commitment and good works.
- Objection #4: Free Grace teaches that a person can reject Jesus as Lord but still be saved.
- Objection #5: Free Grace teaches that a saved person does not have to show evidence of good works.
- Objection #6: Free Grace leads to false assurance of salvation.
- Objection #7: Free Grace is a recent historical and theological aberration.
- Objection #8: Free Grace is an irrelevant minority movement.
- Objection #9: Free Grace leads to license.
- Objection #10: Free Grace is antinomian.
- Objection #11: Free Grace teaches that faith is merely mental assent.
- Objection #12: Free Grace teaches that a person can apostatize and still be saved.
If you are interested, those messages can be heard on the website for Sanford Bible Church: http://sanfordbiblechurch.org/messages.html.
I did quite a bit of research for the message dealing with the accusation that “free grace is a recent historical and theological aberration.” As a result, I wrote a paper titled A History of Free Grace: Tracing the Controversy. It was submitted to the Grace Research Room. After passing a peer review it was posted there: https://www.gracelife.org/resources/grr/.
As you might imagine, I am not letting the grass grow under my feet.
Blessings,
Bob
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Looking Unto Jesus
By C.H. Spurgeon
It is ever the Holy Spirit’s work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus; but Satan’s work is just the opposite of this, for he is constantly trying to make us regard ourselves instead of Christ. He insinuates, “Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough; you will never be able to continue to the end; you have not the joy of His children; you have such a wavering hold on Jesus.” All these are thoughts about self, and we will never find comfort or assurance by looking within. But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: He tells us that we are nothing, but that “Christ is all in all.” Remember, therefore, it is not your hold on Christ that saves you—it is Christ; it is not your joy in Christ that saves you—it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument—it is Christ’s blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to your hand with which you are grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to your hope, but to Jesus, the source of your hope; look not to your faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. We will never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by “looking unto Jesus.” Keep your eye simply on Him; let His death, His sufferings, His merits, His glories, His intercession, be fresh on your mind; when you wake in the morning look to Him; when you lie down at night look to Him. Oh! let not your hopes or fears come between you and Jesus; follow hard after Him, and He will never fail you.
