Discovery Church or Ignorant Brethren and The F-Word (part 2)

This next section concerning the topic of "forgiveness" in the original post authored by the Pastor of Discovery Church is without a single doubt the root cause of the error in doctrinal understanding not only this church, but every church that fails to rightly divide the word of truth. Firstly, the Pastor states that for this series covering the topic of forgiveness, they are setting up "base camp" in Psalms 32. To base the teaching series on the Old Testament doctrines given to a nation under their covenant, under the law, before the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, before the dispensation of the grace of God, before the revelation of the mystery was known by anyone alive at that time......well, how can I say this without being hard? I'll just say it would be likened unto starting a race facing the wrong direction. It would be difficult if not impossible to end up in the right place. And as we continue, the direction never changes but stays exactly where it begins...in the doctrines associated and directed solely to the nation Israel under their covenant. To make this a little easier, I will re post this next section here for a quick reference.





That promise is available, but not guaranteed. This was by far the most troubling thought for many - that forgiveness is conditional. Look at Ephesians 4:32 where Paul writes "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" Our forgiveness of others (believers here) is to be modeled after God's forgiveness of us through Christ. Since that's the case, we know that all who call on the Lord will be saved, they'll be forgiven, but there are some who call, who won't repent, who won't believe and they won't be forgiven. Not because forgiveness wasn't offered, but because the conditions weren't met.





Did you see the conditions to be saved in that paragraph? Calling on the Lord, repenting, and believing. That all sounds good doesn't it? But is it right? Here lies the problems. First, No scripture directs us to "call on the Lord to be saved". Second, the word "repent" means to have a change of mind and does not speak to lifestyle modification as implied in the above paragraph. Third, "believe" is not specific, believe in what exactly? I would lean to the thinking the use of word "believe" would be referring to the belief in Jesus rather than believing, trusting and placing your faith in the Gospel of the grace of God wherein Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose the third day which constitutes the Gospel as set forth by the Apostle Paul in 1ST Corinthians 15:1-4. If the uses of the word "believe" in the original post does indeed refer to the Gospel, than, the Pastor is saying that the finished work of Christ is insufficient and there is a list of work we must do to seal the deal. Either way you look at it, it is disturbing, even to the point of preaching another gospel.

Since there is a great deal of material to cover from that paragraph, there is no way to handle it in just one response, therefore, let's look at the scripture which was quoted, Ephesians 4:32 and next time I will handle the scripture which was NOT quoted but was suggested in the saying "calling on the Lord" which is Romans 10:13 and we will wee how that works out.

• Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

So from this great verse, can you tell for what sake we are forgiven? Is it for YOUR sakes? Could it be for the sake that there was a confession? How about for the sake since there was a change in lifestyle? Do you forgive others for their sakes seeing they came and asked for forgiveness? If my English teachers were correct, and I think they were way back then, the verse clearly says, we forgive as God forgave us, for Christ's sake. Isn't that fairly simple? Why and how could you make it anymore than what it so plainly says, we forgive for Christ's sake. Did not Jesus die for the forgiveness of ALL of our sins? Does the blood shed on Calvary's cross have the efficiency to forgive ALL of our sins or was it insufficient?

• Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
• Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Where is the forgiveness of sins? Is it in asking for it? Is forgiveness found in repenting as it is commonly used to mean a change in direction or lifestyle? Could this mean forgiveness is settled when you call on the Lord, or as the Pastor seems to imply, when someone comes to you and asks for forgiveness? I think not! It's in the blood that was shed ONCE nearly 2000 years ago settling once and for all the issue of forgiveness, for Christ's sake.

• 2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Why does that verse say that God is not imputing trespasses unto us? Because God is not imputing trespasses unto us. God imputed them unto Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross. If I am not mistaken, that didn't happen yesterday or last week, it was nearly 2000 years ago and remains in effect unto this day. You certainly wouldn't expect Jesus to come back and die on the cross again and again and again would you? He did it once, for all. The reconciliation was put in place, you get in on that reconciliation when you place your trust and faith in what Christ did in His death, burial and resurrection. The issue is no sins, the issue is the Gospel of Christ, the power of God unto salvation. To tie this all together with where we started in Ephesians 4:32, our forgiveness of others is suppose to be based on the very fact that God forgave us for Christ's sake. So we are to also forgive others for Christ's sake. They do not have to earn our forgiveness , nor do we have to earn our forgiveness from God. If you hold to the belief system including turning from your sins to be saved, calling on the Lord, enduring unto the end, and whatever else you attach to the Gospel of the grace of God, the scripture is clear in Galatians 1:7 declaring that you are perverting the Gospel, in verses 8 and 9 declaring what you are doing is accursed. It is time to get it right, better yet, get it rightly divided and quit blending the doctrines of law and grace, prophecy and mystery, Israel's covenant doctrines with that given to Paul for usward, the doctrines of the grace of God in this present dispensation of the grace of God. We do not accept Christ, He makes us acceptable in the beloved by His grace.

• Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

I hope I have made my point. If not, I'll take another swing at it next time as I pick up in the same paragraph where the Pastor of Discovery Church says "we know that all who call upon the Lord will be saved" which is in Romans 10:13. If I keep taking swings at the material I am bound to make contact at some point and this will all make perfect sense to someone wherein they will respond saying "why didn't I see this sooner" Until next time, Grace and Peace!