13 March, 2012

Grace Is a Wonderful Thing... When Taught Correctly!

If you have been around me or even read some of my posts, you've seen where I have thrown down the gauntlet when it comes to a perversion of Grace that well known preacher Joseph Prince teaches. I won't rehash his teaching here, look it up for yourself. The reason I point it out this morning is that someone here in town "TRIED" to entrap me and in so doing, they established my case against Prince stronger than ever. I received an email in which the person asked me if they were correct in remembering that I had tremendous respect for David Wilkerson and his teaching. I responded that they were correct, that I was. They followed up with an email lashing out at me and telling me that another person in town had given them a link to a David Wilkerson teaching on The Gospel of Grace, and that he was a grace teacher himself. I told them that I too taught grace, just not the grace that Joseph Prince was teaching, and that I'd like to read this teaching for myself. The following email provided a link for me, which I will post here in just a minute. The sender of the email claimed that this substantiated Prince's teaching. All I can say is that they obviously did not read all of Wilkerson's teaching, but must have stopped at the first couple of paragraphs. For in this teaching of David Wilkerson, he cuts to ribbons the sloppy agape, watered down gospel message of Joseph Prince, Jimmy Swaggart and many others. I encourage all of you to read it for yourself. Take off the "filtered glasses" that Joseph Prince has put on your eyes and read it ALL!  Go down to the section entitled, "Beyond Legalism is the Perversion of the Gospel of Grace!" 

In the very first sentence of this section, Wilkerson writes, "Grace as it is preached in many churches today is producing a class of Christians who are still pleasure lovers, deeply involved in sin. Multitudes today live like the devil, yet claim, "I am the righteousness of Christ by faith!" Beloved, that is a lie from the pit of hell! They are deceived!"

Oops! They must have missed that part!

Further, Wilkerson writes, "Beloved, I preach without reservation that justification and righteousness come by faith alone. I am saved by faith, made righteous by faith and kept by faith in Christ's blood. That is the very foundation of the gospel and of true grace preaching. But not all faith is justifying faith! The Bible clearly speaks of two kinds of faith: one that justifies, and another that is of no value - a faith that even the devils exercise!
The book of Acts records that Simon the magician "believed" but his faith was not the justifying kind. "Simon himself believed also: and... he was baptized" (Acts 8:13). Simon offered the apostle Peter money to get the power of the Holy Ghost - but Peter answered, "I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity" (verse 23) He was saying, "Your heart is still bound by sin!" Peter told Simon that without repentance both he and his money would perish! Indeed, Simon believed - but he was not made the righteousness of God in Christ! His faith was not justifying faith - the kind that purifies the heart and brings the righteousness of Christ!

(Emphasis mine)


A little further, he writes, "For faith to be justifying, there has to be an accompanying desire to obey and be faithful to God! This kind of faith contains a vital force - a principle of everlasting obedience and love for God. Anything short of that is a dead, temporary faith. It does not produce the true benefits of grace - but instead it mocks grace!"

I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that the very person who is beating the Joseph Prince drum is the one who is sending this article to people, supposedly to support the new found freedom she has found in grace... but she has not read, or at least not understood that David Wilkerson SOUNDLY refutes the false teachings of Joseph Prince in this article!
I invite you all, read this article The Gospel of Grace and be SET FREE from the chains that Joseph Prince and his teaching are wrapping around you!  PLEASE! I beg you! READ IT!
Wilkerson reaches out from his grave and once more preaches the truth when he says that "Many "Grace" preachers do away with the Law before it can do it's work of convicting of sin!" Adam was given the gospel of grace - after his "eyes were opened" (see Genesis 3:7). It was only after he had seen his pitiful condition and the consequences of his sin that God brought to him the message of mercy and hope! This is why modern-day grace preaching is not changing sinful hearts: because it does not open the eyes of the sinful! There is no guilt, no shame, no sorrow for sin. Pardon for sin is being offered to people who do not even admit they are sinful! They are offered justification for sins they have never felt guilty of committing... deliverance when they don't even know they are bound... righteousness for which they do not hunger or thirst... freedom from a holy wrath they don't know rests upon them!" (Emphasis mine)

Again, I implore you, read it all. Compare what David Wilkerson said about grace to the pathetic version of grace that is being offered up by Prince and his followers. Turn away from this teaching! If someone else continues to embrace it and will not heed the truth, then turn away from them, for they will lead you down a path to destruction!

2 comments:

Jim Martin said...

The only way to combat bold lies is with even bolder truth. what is sad is when so many people choose to believe a lie because it's convenient to their lifestyle.

Anonymous said...

Thank you dear pastor for these words. I live in Singapore and am outcast for not subscribing to teaching of Prince. I know there is more and you provide it. Now pray for truth to others about real grace.