The Spiritual Revolution of Jesus Christ

The Spiritual Revolution of Jesus Christ
and How the False Church
Opposes It (Pt. 2)

By William Handschumacher

A Rock of Offence Special Commentary

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This is part 2 of a six-part Bible study.
To access the other parts click on the
appropriate link below:

Part 1 ----- Part 3 ----- Part 4

Part 5 ----- Part 6

Return To Home Page

Return To Basics of Salvation Page
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Connecting the Dots

According to various church historians, the Galatian error (or the illegal practice of adding obedience to Old Testament Law as a requirement for receiving eternal life) initially started in the first century ... and was documented (and rejected) in Acts chapter 15. It was reworded and revised--then incorporated into Augustine's Catholic theology in the fourth century. Later, it was transferred to the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century through John Calvin ... and then eventually found its way into 'The Great Awakening Revival' in both England and the American colonies of the 1700's.

This was the environment
where various modern-day
mainline denominations
were born.

Yet, by this time, the Galatian error, or what some theologians choose to call either 'Galatian religion or legalism' - was included in the foundational doctrine of those who followed the Protestant teachings of John Calvin.

Important Note: Calvinism, which is a variant of Galatian religion, is often referred to by its modern-day supporters as "Historical Christianity" ... which is said to represent the original teachings of the first century church leadership. Yet, by closely examining God's warning in Acts chapter 15 and Paul's Epistle to the Galatians - we find that this claim is not only misleading, but also totally false. As with all heresies that operate within Christendom, Calvinism's brand of 'Galatian Religion' (which actually belongs to Augustine) is designed to replace the original New Testament Gospel of Christ with a spiritual counterfeit that looks and sounds “Biblical”. As a result, it can never represent what many choose to call; Historical Christianity.

When we closely examine this whole confusing story - some astounding facts come to the surface. A heretical first century doctrine is repeatedly embraced by various religious leaders over a span of approximately 1300 years - and continues today. This occurs despite the fact that it was firmly rejected and condemned by the original early church leadership, including Saint Paul. This tells us that a very powerful spiritual entity wanted the doctrine to survive ... and it wasn't God. It's no accident that the same first century theology that God warns about in Acts chapter 15--and later deceived the Galatian Church ... was now even more powerful and influential. As a result, it corrupted America's religious foundation at its birth ... when it was the most vulnerable. These things are important to understand because America later became the most powerful and influential nation on earth - especially in the area of world evangelism ... and 'Calvinistic Protestantism' was one of its most dominant religious influences.

Thankfully, the Protestant Reformation had a second prominent leader; Martin Luther. As previously stated, Luther's theology was based on the New Testament Epistles of Saint Paul - which caused him to not only oppose, but eventually reject Augustine's 'works plus grace' salvation doctrine.

During the 'Great Awakening Revival' we see the visible beginnings of the modern-day Evangelical Movement, which embraced Luther's (and Saint Paul's) 'free justification by faith alone' salvation doctrine (Romans 3:24-26). For this reason, we tend to think that the initial foundation for the Evangelical Movement was laid by Martin Luther during the Protestant Reformation ... rather than during the Great Awakening Revival, as many church historians claim.

The Evangelical Movement, commonly
called 'Evangelical Protestantism'
was generally established to
challenge the deceptive yet widely
accepted doctrines of both
Augustine's Roman Catholicism
and its Protestant counterpart
known as Calvinism. This greatly
intensified the internal war
within Christendom discussed in
this study.

Many notable individuals began to operate in the new “Evangelical movement”. To save time and space, we will only list a few such as; George Whitfield (1714–1770), Dwight L. Moody - or DL Moody (1837–1899), R.A Torey (1856-1928), Dr. Harry Ironside (1876-1951), T.L. Osborn (1923-2013), Gordon Lindsay (1906-1973), Jack Hayford (born 1934), Chuck Swindoll (born 1934), J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988) and William Franklin Graham, Jr. (1918-2018). Yet, it should be known that many others labored to bring Christ’s Gospel of unmerited and undeserved favor back to the forefront of true New Testament based evangelistic ministry.

Dr. Billy Graham (as he was more commonly known) was the most widely recognized. He recently died on February 21, 2018 at the age of 99 years. It is estimated that he preached the gospel to over 2.2 billion people in 185 countries ... in his crusades and through radio and television. The theme of his ministry was the hymn "Just As I Am" written by Charlotte Elliott in 1835.

Disinformation and Confusion

Various psychological tactics are used in any type of warfare - and the conflict taking place within Christendom is no different. It is common to see disinformation and 'bait and switch tactics' used to confuse inexperienced Christians, causing them to believe things about God and the Bible that are not true. This is why we see all sides in this doctrinal war claim to represent our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, this means that you cannot take anyone's word at face value ... since God, through the Scriptures, warns that many of these claims (but thankfully not all) are false. In order to discover the truth, we must ignore their claims and closely examine what each side is teaching.

The following is one example of
the damage that occurs as a
result of these tactics:

While examining a list of all Evangelical ministers, it becomes obvious that many Calvinists are included. Yet, true Evangelicalism opposes the erroneous conditional works-based salvation taught by Calvinism. In order to avoid an all-out war in the group, everyone ignores the discrepancy. This creates a serious problem, where those who claim to be an Evangelical - may only be masquarading as one to gain an advantage or to be part of a large influential movement. For years, one of the largest single group of Evangelicals was the Southern Baptist Convention. Yet recently, they have been infiltrated and essentially taken over by those who follow various expressions of Calvinist theology. As a result, the group's true Evangelicalism of "free justification by the Grace of Christ" (Romans 3:24-26) - has now shifted toward 'a new evangelicalism' based on Calvinism's brand of "justification through various works". What many in this group seem to ignore - is that God warns that He rejects this doctrine - which also means that He will now begin to set His face against this new brand of "Evangelicalism". This is the same kind of gradual incrementalism that troubled the Apostle Paul in the first century.

Unless true Evangelicals wake
up and confront the problem,
this 300-year-old Godly
movement is in danger of
disappearing.

A Deceptive Doctrine That
Crosses All Denominational
Boundaries

Galatian religion, through two of its more recent expressions of Augustinianism and Calvinism, operate from within both Roman Catholicism and Protestantism - which now covers over eighty per cent of the worldwide instituional Christian Church. These are two religious sectors of the church that historically oppose each other. Yet, the Galatian error (or Galatian religion) is actually nothing more than the ancient misguided practice of taking certain principles of Old Testament Law, such as obeying the Ten commandments ... and making them "additional requirements" to obtain God's free gift of eternal life. This practice is often referred to as 'mixing works and grace' - and is condemned in the New Testament (Specifically in Acts chapter 15). It is the theology of choice for all “wolves in sheep’s clothing” that both Jesus and Paul constantly warned us about.

This powerful multifaceted religious deception continues to be successful because inexperienced Christians find it nearly impossible to discern the counterfeit nature of its teachings - which is based on out-of-context Scripture. Many lack the spiritual tools and equipment to accomplish this difficult task of discernment.

When the Apostle Paul warned about those who “handle God’s Word deceitfully”, he was talking about those that preach this dangerous counterfeit Christian religion and its corresponding "different gospel" (2 Corinthians 4:1-2). The word “deceitful” means to fool or trick - and, when dealing with spiritual counterfeits, even the most highly educated among us can be deceived. It involves the practice of lifting Scripture from its intended context ... and reinserting it into a context of a church leader’s own design. This is done to subtly change its meaning into something that supports a particular teaching or church doctrine. Using this method, the Scriptures continue to read the same, but its intended meaning is altered due to the unnoticed change in its context. In the secular media, journalists have used this method of trickery for years on an unsuspecting public. Very few believers have trained themselves to discern this kind of covert attack on God’s Word, which is now rampant in modern Christendom. To the average church member, it all sounds like “good Bible teaching”. However, the Apostle Paul described it as “deceitful teaching” that originates, not from authentic ministers of the Gospel ... but from our enemy.

It’s a dangerous theology
that makes God appear to
say things - that He does
not say.

In this study, we show how the "doctrine of the believing Pharisees", condemned by the Apostolic Leadership of the early Church in Acts chapter 15 (also referred to by various modern-day Bible scholars as "Galatian religion") - is the 'Master Template' for many of the aberrant systems of theology we now see in the modern church. This includes both Augustine's Roman Catholicism--and the Protestant doctrine of Calvinism (along with all of its denominational expressions). As a result, when speaking about the theology of either Augustine or John Calvin - we are effectively connecting both to the root error of Galatian religion from which they are derived.

A Popular Bible Scholar
Speaks A Sober Warning
To The Church

We discovered a commentary from C.I. Scofield, who produced the popular “Scofield Reference Bible” and speaks a sober warning to the entire institutional Christian Church. We are not necessarily students of Scofield. Yet, we find that his writings reinforce the subject of this commentary.

In contrast to Reformed theology is Dispensationalism. Dispensationalism says that to find the believer’s rule of life you must go not to Mount Sinai, but to Mount Calvary. Mount Sinai is powerless to justify a person and Mount Sinai is also powerless to sanctify a person. The law is not the believer’s rule of life. Something else is. The Scofield Bible states this position very clearly: "The test of the gospel is grace. If the message excludes Grace, or mingles Law with Grace as the means of justification or sanctification, or denies the fact or guilt of sin which alone gives Grace its occasion and opportunity, it is 'another' gospel, and the preacher of it is under the anathema of God."

[From "Footnote #6" in the Scofield Reference Bible under Galatians 1:6--Emphasis Added.]

Most of us have been reared and now live under the influence of Galatianism. Protestant theology is for the most part thoroughly Galatianized, in that neither the law or grace is given its distinct and separate place as in the counsels of God, but they are mingled together in one incoherent system. The law is no longer, as in the divine intent, a ministration of death (2 Cor. 3:7), of cursing (Gal. 3:10), or conviction (Rom. 3:19), because we are taught that we must try to keep it, and that by divine help we may. Nor does grace, on the other hand, bring us blessed deliverance from the dominion of sin, for we are kept under the law as a rule of life despite the plain declaration of Romans 6:14.--C.I. SCOFIELD

[Cited in the Complete Green Letters under footnote #10 by Miles Stanford (p. 265)--Emphasis Added]

What concerns us the most is Scofield's use of the word "anathema" when referring to those who preach this popular gospel (and theology) that mixes Old Testament Law and New Testament Grace. Yet, Scofield is only repeating Saint Paul's New Testament warning - when he uses the word "accursed" to describe the spiritual consequences that result from preaching this corrupt doctrine. Both words (anathema and accursed) suggest a type of "Divine rejection" that falls upon these unsuspecting ministers and their followers - without their knowledge. This is a most serious issue that is never properly addressed in a church service because it causes fierce controversy and angry disagreements. Yet, this subject should never be treated as just "a disagreement involving a difference of opinion". Scripture warns that God doesn't respect the opinions of man - and that many opinions, regardless of how well-intended - are wrong.

In his previous quotations, Scofield uses the theological term “dispensationalism”, which essentially carries the same meaning and mindset as Saint Paul's command to “rightly divide God's Word” (2 Timothy 2:15). Both of these terms warn that we must respect the context of Scripture, otherwise a wrong interpretation of God's Word will be the result. Teaching the Bible “undivided” (or by rejecting the dispensational and divided design of God’s Word) is what empowers the deception found in the Galatian error. It represents one of the most serious threats to the true Gospel of Christ.

As we repeatedly warn in some of our commentaries - this influence is not some “fringe” sect or movement. It is “mainstream” within the world-wide Christian Church and has countless expressions. The Galatian Error produces a “false faith in Christ” that is based on a counterfeit Jesus. This is why the Apostle Paul practically got on his knees and, in tears, begged the early Church (and all professing Christians today) to constantly "test themselves" in order to make absolutely sure that they are walking in the true New Covenant faith of Christ - and not in the difficult-to-discern false faith that comes from the counterfeit Jesus of Galatianism (2 Corinthians 13:5).

This is one of the most
serious warnings given in
the New Testament because
possessing salvation
literally depends on what
kind of faith we possess.

Yet, Paul's warnings are often ignored, glossed over or “redefined” by most church leaders who find them too uncomfortable or upsetting ... or represents a threat to their cherished doctrines and traditions. It also interferes with the popular “Christian Unity and Church Growth” movement, which is another reason these things are ignored.

Saint Paul provides us with
a unique way to separate
true and false churches and
denominations--along with
the professing Christians who
attend these organizations.

It is a frustrating task to examine all the different denominational beliefs to determine which ones actually agree with the Bible. Various theologians who are passionate about truth attempt to perform this task as a way to warn the Church about cults and heretical doctrines. Today, this effort is called 'Christian Apologetics'. However, in his New Testament epistles, the Apostle Paul provides an easier way to look at this extraordinarily complex and divisive problem.

All modern-day denominations can be boiled down into two groups of 'professing Christians' - where each is governed by a different set of Biblical laws.

THE FIRST GROUP consists
of those who embrace "the law
of sin and death", which is
another name for the Law of
Moses--or simply Old Testament
Law.

THE SECOND GROUP is much
smaller in size and consists of
those who embrace "the law of
the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus", which is another name
for "The New Covenant of Christ".

Every person, church, denomination or movement that claims to be “Christian” is in one of these two groups, but not in both. The names of these groups are taken from the following statement made by the Apostle Paul;

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulflled in us (or imputed to us) who do not walk according to the flesh (or trying to achieve salvation through works or religious performance) but according to the Spirit (or faith in the finished work of Christ apart from works and personal merit)." (Romans 8:1-4 – Emphasis and Comments Added)

Both groups insist that they are committed “Bible believing Christians”. However, the way each one believes and interprets the Bible is very different. After the cross, God accepts one, but rejects the other.

The Law of Sin and Death Group ... possesses an Old Testament mentality concerning sin which is then illegally mixed into the New Testament salvation of Christ. Before the cross, all sin had to be acknowledged, a deep introspection and repentance needed to take place ... and certain "works of the Law' (associated with "keeping the Law's commandments") had to be performed before salvation could be realized. As a result, this group continues to deal with the human sin problem according to the principles of the Mosaic Law given to Israel at Mount Sinai (often called 'the old covenant'). Their teaching insists (expressed in countless different ways) that sin continues to have the power to condemn believers ... and the New Covenant, initiated through the sacrificial death of Christ at the cross, is just an extension or continuation of the Old Testament program. As a result, they believe that salvation and its benefits are obtained the Old Testament way by doing righteous or good works ... which does not significantly change after the cross.

The Spirit of Life in Christ Group ... possesses a New Testament (or New Covenant) mentality concerning Christ’s life and righteousness - which is now freely imputed (or reckoned) to the Christian, through faith alone, after Jesus took all our sin away at the cross. As a result, sin no longer has the power to condemn, or keep anyone from obtaining and keeping salvation ... as it did before the cross under Old Testament Law. The blood of Jesus Christ stripped sin of this power by first, fulfilling the law - and then taking it completely out of the way. Since sin receives its power from the law ... the removal of the law takes away sin's power to condemn..

Paul said it this way ...

"And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of the requirements that was against us (Old Testament Law), which was contrary to us. And He (Jesus) has taken it (the Law) out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." (Colossians 2:13-14 - Emphasis Added)

"For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law." (Romans 5:13)

"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." (Romans 10:4)

"The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:56-57)

We will now discover why it's
important to understand the
difference between these two
groups, which have literally
been at war with each other
since the first century.

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This is part 2 of a six-part Bible study.
To access the other parts click on the
appropriate link below:

Part 1 ----- Part 3 ----- Part 4

Part 5 ----- Part 6

Return To Home Page

Return To Basics of Salvation Page
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