Post on 17-Dec-2015
Grace-FellowshipHeresy
New Unity MovementGrace-Unity Movement
Grace-Fellowship Heresy“This is one of the doctrines of the
New Unity Movement. It is the theory that grace is extended to cover sins of weakness and ignorance, especially doctrinal ignorance, even though such sins are persisted in.”
Wayne Partain“The Grace-Fellowship Theory (1)”
Guardian of TruthXXX: 14, pp. 433-434, July 17, 1986
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RedefinRedefineses
Grace-Fellowship Heresy
•GraceGrace•FellowshiFellowshipp•GospelGospel•DoctrineDoctrine•BrethrenBrethren•SinSin
If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. (1 Peter 4:11)
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ONEONE
WORWORDD
FATHFATHER & ER & SONSON
Not the Not the unity of unity of Eph 4:1-Eph 4:1-
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Grace-Fellowship Heresy:A Plea for Unity
Not the Not the unity of unity of Jno 17:20-Jno 17:20-
2323
Not the Not the unity of unity of Jno 17:8, Jno 17:8,
1414
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History of Grace-Unity Movement
Original Original IntentIntentFellowship
all segments of the Restoration Movement(Panel discussion, Tampa, FL, 1972)[Ketcherside, Turner, Pickup, Jenkins, Owen]
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Disciples of Disciples of ChristChrist
Christian Christian ChurchesChurches
PremillennialPremillennialNo Class / One CupNo Class / One Cup
No Located PreacherNo Located Preacher
InstitutionalInstitutionalNon-Non-
institutionalinstitutional
Movement of the Movement
Fellowship Fellowship with with
DenominationsDenominationsCarl
KetchersideLeroy Garrett
F. LaGard Smith
Rubel ShellyMax Lucado
“Brothers in
Prospect”
“Anytime I find someone calling God
his Father, I’ve found a brother.”
“Good people in all churches”
Not Bible Unity and Fellowship! 2 Cor 6:14-17
FUNDAMENTAL ERRORSGrace-Fellowship Heresy
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Principle DefenseGospel – Doctrine Distinction
• Gospel: The Christ event, 1 Cor 15:1-4–Acceptance assures salvation–Fellowship should be extended to all
who accept the “core gospel”
• Doctrine: Made to mean all other New Testament teachings–Do not affect salvation and do not
determine fellowship8
Bible AnswerGospel – Doctrine Distinction
• What we obey is one and the same:–The faith, Rom 1:5–The truth, Rom 2:8–Doctrine, Rom 6:17–Gospel, Rom 10:16–The faith, Rom 16:26
• Sound doctrine is according to the gospel, 1 Tim 1:10-11 9
Bible AnswerGospel – Doctrine Distinction
• Sound doctrine is:–The faith, Rom 1:5–The truth, Rom 2:8–Pattern of doctrine, Rom 6:17–Gospel, Rom 10:16–The faith, Rom 16:26
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Principle AssaultAttack Confidence in Knowing and Conforming to the Truth
(Eph 3:3-5)• No Bible patterns (minimizes Bible
examples and eliminates necessary inferences)
• You must have perfect knowledge or you are arrogant and a hypocrite to be definitive about doctrine
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Principle AssaultAttack Confidence in Knowing and Conforming to the Truth
(Eph 3:3-5)• Be alert to:– “Do you have perfect knowledge?”– “You demand 100% doctrinal
conformity to your way of thinking.”– “You do not know everything!”• All these minimize doctrinal
accuracy, 2 Tim 3:10; 4:2; Jno 8:32; Eph 4:15 12
Bible AnswerAttack Confidence in Knowing and Conforming to the Truth
(Eph 3:3-5)• We can understand Paul’s knowledge• We can make applications like he did– Identify and rebuke hypocrisy, Gal 2:11-
14– Judge fornication in the church,
1 Cor 5:1-3 (4-5)–Avoid those who stray from the truth,
2 Tim 2:17-18 (Rom 16:17)13
Practical ResultUnity in Diversity
• Ongoing fellowship in spite of ongoing immorality and error, Gal 1:6-9 (2 Jno 9-11)– “We can disagree and still be in
fellowship,” he (Stender) said. “There’s a whole lot more that holds us in common than separates us.” (Jim Stender, Pastor, Our Saviour’s Lutheran
Church, Bellingham, WA)14
Practical ResultUnity in Diversity
• Why not apply the same rationale to:–The circumcision binders? Gal 2:4-5–The resurrection deniers? 1 Cor
15:12–The adultery condoners? Matt 19:9;
1 Cor 5:11 (2 Ths 3:6)
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Bible: No Fellowship with Sin (Error)
Eph 5:11; 2 Cor 6:14-17
Grace-Fellowship Heresy
• A “destructive heresy”, 2 Pet 2:1-2–Deceives souls–Disrupts the “unity of the Spirit”–Destroys fellowship with God and His people
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