Jerry Wragg

Jesus + Nothing = Everything God Promised - ow.ly/wPLnt

@JeffTaylorLR Thoughtful thread, Jeff

Most Reformed scholars can’t see the covenant conflict in Ruth — and Reformed Baptists can’t either — but for opposite architectural reasons. Reformed theologians flatten everything into the “covenant of grace,” so they can’t imagine the Mosaic covenant actually executing curse while the Abrahamic covenant simultaneously preserves the line. Their system won’t let the covenants act differently. Reformed Baptists flatten everything into a “covenant of works,” so they can’t see the Abrahamic covenant functioning as the living root of Israel’s future. Their system won’t let Abraham carry the line forward. But Ruth depends on both realities: the Mosaic covenant is actively judging Naomi’s house, and the Abrahamic covenant is actively rebuilding it. If you can’t hold those two covenants in tension, you can’t see the story. #MGKline

@RravenM @TerriGreenUSA Exactly

@TerriGreenUSA As he stands in front of thousands of faithful men.

“My wife always says if a man eating lion got loose in the United States of America it would starve to death because there aren’t any men to eat.” — Paul Washer

@Isaiah45_7 @Fred_Butler It’s why I wrote “Free To Be Holy”

Paul Washer shocked a generation with his youth sermon. He did it again at the Shepherds' Conference, but this time it was Reformed pastors whose flesh was exposed. Conflating the positional and conditional categories is a serious error. Paul Washer is not advancing a positional argument; rather, he is demonstrating genuine biblical love by faithfully addressing the conditional category. To correct this faulty presupposition and error, the two categories must be carefully distinguished. We must rightly understand how Scripture calls us to view and approach each: In the positional category (our standing before God in Christ—declared righteous by faith alone), we are not to presume upon grace or assume automatic perseverance without evidence. In the conditional category (our ongoing walk, assurance, and fellowship with God), we are to test ourselves earnestly (2 Corinthians 13:5), examine our fruit, and pursue holiness, knowing that true faith perseveres and bears evidence. This distinction honors both the freeness of justifying grace and the seriousness of the biblical call to self-examination and perseverance, avoiding both carnal presumption and legalistic fear.

Some neo-"Reformed" antinomians took issue to Paul Washer's words to John MacArthur. Why do they hate discussions of personal holiness? I wrote a response to a recent convert to neo-"Reformed" antinomianism here, hipandthigh.wordpress.com/2024/11/19/my-… hipandthigh.wordpress.com/2024/11/22/my-… hipandthigh.wordpress.com/2024/11/26/my-…

@Isaiah45_7 @Fred_Butler Spot on

I respond in two ways: (1) their burdened heart about their spiritual state IS evidence of the Spirit’s work within them; and (2) 2 Pet 1:3-11 is one of the most crucial texts for helping doubting believers. When assurance is elusive, Peter declares what we’ve been “granted” in Christ, and then he calls the doubter to tap into the power of the Spirit by moving forward in diligent faith. Peter assures us that when we press forward in faith, the Spirit produces the moral fruit that gives evidence that Christ has indeed granted life to us, and assurance is strengthened. In our ministry, this text has become a life-changer for so many. In today’s church culture, Peter would be labeled a discourager and law-preacher. But assurance IS NOT fortified MERELY by clinging to the cross. YES, our salvation IS Christ’s work from start to finish! We can trust that reality and be assured within us by faith. BUT the cross of Christ provides power over sin, which Peter says we should diligently access for strengthening assurance. “When these qualities are yours and are increasing” we become “fruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Spirit deepens assurance as He empowers us to Christlike holiness. Telling doubters over and over that Christ did it all for them while neglecting to help them access divine power by diligent faith is discouraging. They need to experience Christ’s power over their sin. He’s promised it. Help the doubter diagnose where their faith is least diligent and walk with them toward a greater trust in all that we’ve been granted. They will begin to experience an increasing Christlikeness, and their assurance will deepen. It will NEVER be perfect. Battling sin and striving for holiness IS our privilege in the power of Christ. And amazingly, our meager offerings of obedience never diminishes His love for us! But He’s promised His power. He’s granted it. We have THAT guarantee within us! So “we press on” in His power.

@RevSlardEBard @AKofiCup They would respond, “I don’t know. I think I have, but I am not sure.” Would you just repeat the question about looking to Christ? Or would you do something else?

I feel like folks are clouding what is a pretty clear issue: - Asking someone if they are reading the Word and prayer is not bad. - Making them the reason for assurance is the problem. It's fruit inspection instead of lifting people's eyes up towards heaven. Not hard.

@TomHicks2LCF Paul Shirley and I wrote Free To Be Holy 10 yrs ago to deal with this very issue. This is excellent!

Consider some of the emphases in Antinomianism. Antinomians named by the Westminster divines included men like John Eaton, Tobias Crisp and Robert Towne, among others. It's important to understand that not all who taught antinomian forms of theology were consistently antinomian in their practice. But antinomian theologies often have the following problems, though not always all of them. Each of these problems undermine the law of God even more completely than legalism. First, antinomians emphasize the grace of the gospel of Christ far above the law of God. They may mention God's law in their teaching, but it is always in a subordinate place. They so emphasize the gospel that they imply God's grace does away with the need to exert effort and to strive to obey God's law. Their teaching often leads believers to conclude that the law does not really require perfection of them anymore and that grace essentially means God tolerates their sins. Notice the similarities here with the relaxed law of legalism. The problem is that the true grace of God never minimizes or relaxes God's law (Matt 5:19; Jude 4). Second, antinomians say it is wrong to obey God just because He commands obedience. Antinomians react strongly against the idea of obeying God's law as law. They undermine the moral obligation of the law, either by insisting that it has no commanding force at all, or by insisting that believers are only required to obey when their hearts are so captivated by the gospel of grace that they are freely and inwardly compelled to obey. The problem with this is that God's law does not come with conditions (Matt 5:17-19). It does not say, “You only have to obey when you are ready to obey.” It says, “You must obey, and you must obey right now perfectly, completely and for all the right reasons.” Third, antinomians collapse justification into sanctification. While legalists teach that you must be sanctified for your justification, antinomians teach that your justification is your sanctification. Justification by faith alone is the whole of salvation for antinomians. Sanctification is of far lesser importance, or is only attained by focusing exclusively on your justification, such that sanctification simply flows without the commanding authority of the law and without effort to put to death the deeds of the body. The problem here is that justification and sanctification are distinct blessings of union with Christ in the covenant of grace, both of which are necessary in our salvation (Rom 6:1-23). Fourth, antinomians are allergic to the idea that God rewards obedience. Antinomians think that to obey God for reward is a wrong motivation, that our obedience should only be motivated by the historic work of Christ on the cross and never by any future rewards promised by God. Scripture however, teaches, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Heb 11:6). Fifth, antinomians teachers minimize Christ. This is their greatest transgression. While claiming to exalt Christ, to love His grace and His salvation, they minimize two aspects of Christ. First, they minimize the person of Christ. Christ is true God and true man, united in one person. Christ obeyed the law of God according to His human nature, not only as our substitute, but also as our example of obedience to the law. 1 Peter 2:21 says, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” Second, they minimize the work of Christ. Christ not only died to purchase our justification, but He also died to purchase our obedience to the law by the power of the Spirit at work within us. Titus 2:14 says that Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

Especially when they regularly claim that assurance comes “only through Christ” without explaining the claim. What are we to make of the various warning passages (2 Cor 13:5; Col 1:22-23; Matt 24:13) that seem to indicate the potential of a true child of God apostatizing? Wouldn’t this approach tend to foster an unhealthy introspection, external performance, and ultimately weakened assurance? No! God has created us in Christ Jesus and prepared long ago that we should walk in good works, YET the ordained means by which He brings about our preservation is the manifold commands, admonitions, encouragements, and calls to faithfulness. We might look at the matter in this way: Eternal Security → Promises God’s faithfulness, Describes God’s securing power, Explains God’s sovereign purposes, Ascribes to God exclusive glory Assurance → Grows with Christian faithfulness, Manifested by increasing holiness, Shaken by a ravaged conscience, Fades with patterns of neglect and rebellion God will do what He promises, but we are warned to practice what He commands (Heb. 10:23). God’s warnings against unbelief are intended to forge an active and passionate growth in His grace, to prevent the self-deception of false security, to test levels of faithfulness, and to cause sober reflection on the dangers of unbelief. These warnings will have different impact, depending upon the maturity level of each believer: For the strong Christian– Warnings offer a reminder to press on all the more, and an abiding confidence that one has obeyed these cautions. For the weak but willing – Warnings provide a graphic deterrent to future patterns of sin. They display the specific care of God in pointing to dangers; They engender a greater dependence on grace. For the weak and stubborn – Warnings bring instant clarity to trouble (chastening); They bring greater conviction to the conscience; They expose unbelief as the source of all stubbornness. For the hardened – Warnings call for the justice of God, thereby upholding holiness; They confirm the traits of apostasy; They declare the absence of true conversion.

Those warning the church of law/gospel distinction & pietism/legalism are often the architects of a new legalism. One must listen to their musings to discover the new rules of orthodoxy.Spurgeon "Beware of saying things that make you wise among fools and a fools among the wise.”

@ConradMbewe Wonderful, brother. Congratulations!!

Yesterday, KBC clocked exactly 40 years. We have been kept true by the grace of God.

And what, I ask, would he know of Jesus at all apart from the Spirit of Truth’s living and active written revelation, “breathed out by God?” Answer: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Seeking some way to “choose Jesus” apart from His own inerrant word opens an immediate portal to lies from the evil one.

Among the many things he didn't learn in the Roman church, apparently he never heard that Jesus is the incarnate word. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. - Jn 1:14

@ScottRoberts Absolutely outstanding essay, Scott!

When the fear of God disappears, Christianity becomes casual. Holiness weakens, obedience softens, and worship loses its weight. Thomas Watson understood that reverent fear is not a threat to joy, but the foundation of a serious Christian life. Read Part 5 of my Thomas Watson series here: scottroberts.org/the-fear-of-go…

@ChrchCurmudgeon How about Keith Green: “Jesus rose from the grave, and you can’t even get out of bed!”

Long my imprisoned spirit lay Fast bound in sin and nature's night; Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray, I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free; I rose, went forth and followed Thee.

@ChrchCurmudgeon Sorry, saw your “one line” restriction after 🥴

@ChrchCurmudgeon “Could we with ink the ocean fill And were the skies of parchment made Were every stock on earth a quill And every men a scribe by trade To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry Nor could the scroll contain the whole Though stretched from sky to sky”

@Protestia Love this quote. I included it in a book on the grace-empowered effort in sanctification. Great reminder again.

This is Carson's best quote and it's not even close: "People do not drift toward Holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated."

@Phil_Johnson_ A devastating blow today. He was a cherished friend through the years. May the Lord pour out lavish grace upon his dear wife and family.

What an immeasurable loss! Darlene and I have followed & loved Jubilant Sykes since August of 1981--nearly 45 years. It's been a difficult day. nbclosangeles.com/video/news/loc…

@megbasham @djos24 Almost invariably the case. I’ve witnessed it for decades—misguided and even stubborn support of highly questionable icons and/or grossly errant ideologies, despite frequent, credible warnings. After the scandal, those with the most public influence take zero responsibility.

I didn’t mention Dever in my book because he was FAR from the worst offender and he seemed like someone being influenced by wokeness rather than someone doing the influencing. I would still listen to his sermons etc. But it was certainly more than a drop. And I just hate that now that the moment has passed, rather than humbly saying, you know, those who were raising the alarm at that time were not just the division causing, pot stirring dissidents who didn’t love their neighbors. They actually did have a point and I’m sorry I didn’t see it at the time. That would go so far to do so much healing. And yet they can’t do it. Instead, there’s this subtle denigration of the critics who were right!

Is Mark Dever Woke? #podcast #christian #bible

@AKofiCup A balanced critique, and needed clarity

It's rough and raw with little editing...but here is all 2000+ words worth of my thoughts about the Paul Washer clip going around: open.substack.com/pub/acupofkofi…

@spencer_askew @TheThirstyTheo A good long month in a Chinese communist prison should bring some perspective

There have been many dumb takes on this app. This is probably the dumbest I’ve ever seen, and it might hold the crown for the next century. Not only is this dumb, it’s also cruel. It mocks the 100,000,000+ dead at the hands of dirty, demonic communists.

@TomHicks2LCF Dead on.

One of the key distinctives of formal antinomianism (doctrinal lawlessness) is that it emphasizes Christ’s benefits over Christ Himself. It focuses on Christ’s blessings to you, His grace to you, especially justification by faith alone and objective assurance at the cross alone. The emphasis is all on your rest and comfort. Holiness and obedience are just supposed to “flow” automatically from this emphasis. But they do not. And this is not how the Bible sounds. Antinomianism is missing the centrality of Christ Himself, especially the greatness of Christ as King who rules over every part of our lives. There is no sense of holy awe in antinomianism, no sight of the infinitely glorious Christ of the Bible, who is worthy of our lives and all of our obedience. There is no fear of Christ in it. It does not tremble at the Word of Christ. Antinomianism at heart is very proud and self-righteous, though it sounds comforting. It very sneakily refuses Christ’s rule, is lax about sin, and minimizes and resists the necessity of practical obedience. Antinomians are self-willed (self-ruled, self-godding) because they don’t want to be commanded by Christ’s authoritative will. In the end, death works in antinomians. But as King, Christ gives us His good law, which motivates us by the gospel, which convinces us that God is good and His law is good for us. The law also partly motivates by virtue of its authoritative commanding nature (it is like a goad, this is the Reformed 3rd use), partly by the reverential fear of our sovereign God, partly by the blessings that come to those who obey His good law, including communion with Christ, joy in Him, and a desire to glorify His name to others

@Thatguyssseennn @TomHicks2LCF You’ll never hear them faithfully preach 2 Peter 1:5ff

Often wonder how the antinomian treats Romans 13: 8-10. Really that is the end of the argument. Romans 13:8–10 [8] Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. [9] For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” [10] Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (ESV)