Synoptic Discussion of "The Gonzo Journalism of Grace"

Book One - The Paradox of Law and Grace

* NET Bible translation

This work was created for anyone who is perhaps curious why Christianity is confusing. In
regard to this confusion, I would like first to introduce a candle:

For many years a fabulous union had planned to make a candle. They possessed
unlimited resources and the ability for continuity. An eternal flame that cast a perfect
light was the goal of this union. Their intent was to prove any competition and
innovation to be a futile endeavor. This candle was to be the first and last of its kind.

In due time, the prototype was fashioned, introduced, and successfully tested by an
organization1 they had developed. After 2000 years, this fabulous union, through a
second organization, continues to freely give this candle to whosoever desires the
beauty in the flame.

A confusing aspect of Christianity may be seen by the contrast between the Old Testament
(OT) saints, Abraham (who was not sinless, himself) and his nephew Lot. The New
Testament (NT) tells us that the nephew of Abraham was justified by faith - that he was
saved. Also, that he was grieved by the behavior he saw (2 Pet 2:7).

Lot, burdened by the wealth of huge flocks, left his uncle’s company and chose to
compromise with a wealthy, sexually oriented society. He sat at the gates of a magnificent
city in a position of financial power - more so than by any moral authority. Lot, though he
was saved and belonged to “a great house,” was a “vessel unto dishonor” (2 Tim 2:20). He
obviously was not grieved enough to leave this city before the moral destruction of his wife
and daughters. Lot did not come to saving belief nor did he mature spiritually while living in
Sodom. But, by the grace of God, he did escape the destruction of Sodom with his life
intact.

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Christian baptism is a great source of confusion. When the ancient poet, Homer, made use
of the word baptism (Gk. baptizo) in the Odyssey, he wrote of ships that had sunk or
burned in battle. Ships that had become completely immersed into and under the influence
of water or fire. As a phenomenon, these ships had been consumed by the water and
flames. The ships had been baptized because they disappeared into an elemental force.

A shipwreck was a different matter for the ancient poet. Any damaged ship not baptized
would float or drift onto the shallows. Valuable parts and cargo could be salvaged by anyone
willing to put forth the effort. Much like the ships in Homer’s poem, Christian faith can either
be baptized or shipwrecked.

The Christian with perfect church attendance, contented with reserved seating and
generations of family ties and, who is salvaging their salvation as a committed follower of
God should read no further. You stand on a fine moral platform shaped by the power of
your determination. You have freely chosen to practice righteousness. Should everyone do
likewise, the world would be a much better place to live in and depart from. Amen? This
would truly be praiseworthy if God agreed.

Even the unsaved are “ministers of righteousness” who have rejected the power of God.
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Tim
3:4) and “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God”
(1 Cor 2:5).
Because the goal of Christianity is salvation, the confusion within Protestantism may be
reduced to two wholly incompatible and logically self-excluding outlooks that result from
believing different messages (there are dozens), or gospels, about Jesus Christ, namely:

(1) *** The Asterisk Contract - salvation is a successful or failed salvage effort. Irrespective
of the message, there are those convinced by “common sense” that salvation cannot
become a permanent effect until after death. Also, this conviction is framed by the
conditional clause – only if God finds me worthy. Therefore, out of self-concern, one must
continue to salvage their salvation.

(2) The Unconditional Contract - salvation is the gift of eternal life. Because “God is not a
man that He can lie,” there are those who are worthless and know eternal life is a
permanent effect which comes through understanding and trusting “my word” for salvation
(Titus 1:3,4; 3:5).

Titus 1:3 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world
(age-times) began. But hath in due times (its own due season) manifested his word
through preaching [#2782, a proclamation, by implication the gospel itself], which is
committed unto me according to the commandment [obey the gospel] of God our Savior
(our Savior-God).

A chemical compound requires strict adherence to a formula to be safe and effective. There
is unlimited room for careless error when producing these compounds. In the same way,
there may exist many gospel messages that lead to error. However, fortunately or not, all
error leads to the same wrong, graceless salvation. The correct “formula” for salvation is
contained in Scripture. This excludes theory and common sense. Sincerity is worthy, but it
is not the measure of truth.

It is revealed that the perfect manhood of Christ was wholly subject to the will of His
Father. It is written of Him that, “when he cometh into the world, he saith, … Lo, I come
… to do thy will, O God” (Heb 10:5-7; cf. Ps 40:6-8). There could be no perfect humanity
or creaturehood which is not completely subject to the will of God; and the first step in

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 salvation on the part of those for whom redemption is provided is that they shall obey
the gospel (Acts 5:32; 2 Thess 1:8; Heb 5:9; 1 Pet 4:17). With this provision in view
there is no need that any should be lost who desire to be saved. (Systematic Theology,
Dr. Lewis Chafer, Vol 1, p 239)

The uncertainty between salvation by grace and salvation by faithful obedience, which is
more correctly termed “by the obedience of [saving] faith,” is clarified in Titus 3:5, where
baptism is by the “washing of regeneration” that occurs at the moment of saving faith.
Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “… If thou knewest the gift of God [eternal life], and who
it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest of asked him, and he would have
given thee living water [the Holy Spirit]” (John 4:10). Water of itself has no saving effect.
The power of God is in the blood of Christ.

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to his mercy
he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

There are over thirty verses completely void of “repent” that are listed in the Appendix of this
volume which establish obedience for salvation. This obedience is God’s only command to
the unsaved - “obey the gospel” and “his commandment is life everlasting.” This is the only
social gospel in the NT. Christianity aims to transform the destiny of one person at a time,
not reform society.

Successfully conforming to “authoritative advice” (#5219, 2 #3980) will be recognized by

God as saving faith. Therefore, “obeying the gospel,” “the obedience of faith,” repenting
(Gk. metanoia, a change of conviction, turning to trust from distrust, disbelief, etc., to
Christ from self-concern), or believing in what the union of God, Jesus, and the Word says
are all one in the same. This trust, or, full reliance in Christ for salvation must be recognized
by God before He gives the believer “life more abundantly.” Before He creates within the
believer eternal life, as in “reborn from above” (Gk. anothen, John 3:3):

John 5:24 Verily, verily, [a Greek phrase indicating creative divine will, uniquely used by
Jesus. God speaks and it happens before it happens (comes into being), as in the
Genesis translation of the Hebrew phrase rendered, “Let there be … and there was”] I
say unto you, He that heareth [#191=to hear in various senses,  understand] my word,
and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting [#166  eternal, for ever] life
[#2222, same life “in Jesus,” John 1:4], and shall not come into condemnation [the final
judgment and the biblical “second death”]; but is passed from [spiritual] death unto
[eternal] life [#2222].

Please note, a correct message that is undifferentiated from “my word” or “the gospel of
Christ” becomes vital in (2) for “understanding” and saving belief that releases grace -
which is “the power of God”: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the
power [#1411, dunamis, miraculous power], of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth …” (Rom 1:16). Altogether, God performs 33 works of power and grace (dunamis
and charis, miraculous gifts), for the believer at the moment of saving belief and 7 more
after they leave their natural bodies. 3 “But as many as received him, to them gave he
power [#1849, the ability, freedom, i.e. applied the value of the blood of Christ which
releases the graceful power of God] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe
on his name” (John 1:12).

In short, if the message is not the genuine Word of God, it has no power to save. Well may
a sincere desire to be a Christian result from a ingenuous message; but that person will not
have entered into a new state of being – Christianity. Paul said of the believers in Rome,

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“But God be thanked, that ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was
delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. …
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto
holiness (progressive sanctification), and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is
death; but the gift of God is eternal life through (in) Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 6: 17-18,
22-23).

For these reasons, it may be understood and observed that from the beginning, the outlook
resulting from “whatever” message was believed in (1), above, produced an incomplete
self-centered effort. While, in (2) the Christ-centered gift is an effortless new beginning. “…
Yea, he [the believer] shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand" (Rom 14:4).

Book Two - Glorious Grace!

Three tenets of Christianity are the hallmark of Pauline teaching in his Letters to seven
churches and three friends. Paul was used by God to explain the closure, or fulfillment, of
the Mosaic Law, justification by faith, and the mystical union of the Christian with Christ.
Four interrelated understandings will help the curious begin to separate the incompatible
and irreconcilable gospel messages, namely:

(1) Those “who are called out” (Gk. ekklesia, church) and put their trust in Christ are placed
by God into the Body of Christ. A body of believers who are the only past, present, and
future church in the New Testament. There are no recognized differences in this “church.”
We live in the NT Church Age not the OT Age of Mosaic Law. For this reason, the man-made
concept of denominations as acceptable differences in opinion is patently nonsense.

Each local group of Christians enjoy much liberty within that which is not expressly
forbidden in the NT (the OT is a guide not the law for Christians). Most importantly, the
gospel message that encompasses all of redemption is authored by God not men. Man has
no authority to change God’s sacred offer. Any change makes it of “no effect.” The “legal”
statements that identify the NT church from the OT church are given in God’s Word.

The prime directive for believers is not the notion of mimicking the friendly act of a racial
outcast (a “Samaritan”) obeying every one of the Ten Commandments, or a “Golden Rule”
of do unto others as commonly repeated by the religious pundit. I won’t deny these truths
are exemplary and heart warming. I do deny they warm the heart of Christ. Who was the
undistinguished “naked man” the Samaritan rescued? “For he that is not against us is on
our part. For whosoever shall give you [any believer] a cup of water to drink in my name,
because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward” (Mark 9:41;
see also Mtw 10:42; 25:40; Heb 6:10; 2 Tim 1:16-18).

To give money to build beautiful buildings or to charities that “live off” feeding hungry
foreigners, while believers are in need, is worse than sin, it is worthless false obedience. I
can give much anecdotal and personal witness to the lack of “friendliness towards Christ”
exhibited by church pastors to the smallest unsolicited request from a mere nobody “in
Christ.”

The one insistent NT command for all believers is the emphatic, thrice repeated “my
commandment” of Christ to love your fellow believer, not charities that feed the unsaved or
grand buildings. And this, to the impossible extent that Jesus loves them. NT church “law”
for the unsaved and the saved is stated by one verse in the Bible, 1 John 3:23:

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 1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, that we believe on the name of his Son
Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

1 Pet 1:22-23 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit
unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye 4 love one another with a pure heart
fervently. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of
God, which liveth and abideth forever.

John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe
on him who he hath sent.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have
loved you, that ye also love one another.

John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another as I have loved you.

John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

2 John 1:5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment
unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we 1 love one another.
1
(v.5) Law (of Christ), Summary: The new “law of Christ” is the divine love, as wrought
into the renewed heart by the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5; Heb 10:16), and outflowing in the
energy of the Spirit, unforced and spontaneous, toward the objects of the divine love (2
Cor 5:14-20; 1 Thes 2:7, 8). It is, therefore, “the law of liberty” (Jas 1:25; 2:12), in
contrast with the external law of Moses. Moses’ law demands love (Lev 19:8; Duet 6:5;
Lk 10:27); Christ’s law is love (Rom 5:5; 1 John 4:7, 19, 20), and so takes the place of
the external law by fulfilling it (Rom 13:10; Gal 5:14). It is the “law written in the heart”
under the New Covenant (Heb 8:8 note).

(8:8) [ref. Isa 61:8 and Heb chapter 8] The New Covenant, Summary: (1) “Better” than
the Mosaic Covenant, not morally, but efficaciously (Heb 7:19; Rom 8:3, 4). (2)
Established on “better” (i.e. unconditional) promises. In the Mosaic Covenant God said,
“If ye will” (Ex 19:5); in the New Covenant He says , “I will” (Heb 8:10, 12). (3) Under
the Mosaic Covenant obedience sprang from fear (Heb 2:2; 12:25-27); under the New
from a willing heart and mind (v. 10). (4) The New Covenant secures the personal
revelation of the Lord to every believer (v. 11); (5) the complete oblivion of sins (v. 12;
Heb 10:17; Cf. Heb 10:3; (6) rests upon an accomplished redemption (Mt 26:27, 28; 1
Cor 11:25; Heb 9:11, 12, 18-23); (7) and secures the perpetuity, future conversion, and
blessing of Israel (Jer 31:31-40; see also “Kingdom (O.T.),” and 2 Sam 7:8-17. The New
Covenant is the eighth covenant, thus speaking of resurrection and of eternal
completeness. i

(2) Let me suggest that I seriously promised you were going to become “saved” by
believing a message that I would share with you. Would it not be reasonable to expect me
to offer you an explanation of “what and how” might cause that to happen? And, would not
the most important question of yours be: Why are you telling me? Why should I believe
your message? There would be a great difference in the overall “attitude” of my message
should I consider myself a commendable working example, as opposed to a suddenly
generous starving leper who has found more food than he can possibly eat.

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The primary sin of the race is the answer to the question of - Why? All men were
condemned before they were born because of Adam’s sin. Man cannot be made over from
what they are – cursed, sinful, and headed for hell on a non-stop conveyor that takes them
from the “age of responsibility” to the grave. Any “responsible” person who remains
descended from Adam and not born into Christ will remain on this conveyor of
condemnation.

The much unpublished truth is that a forgiven sinner is not saved. All men have their sins
canceled by the death of Christ. Thus, the premature death of small children is provided for
in the death of Christ. All men have been reconciled by God to Himself. Thereby, all men are
rendered deserving of salvation through faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ. The correct gospel
message is the power of God for salvation. The message of reconciliation is that men
reconcile themselves to God when they believe to receive His promise of eternal life.

Most gospels given today are a corruption of God’s message. The observable fact is the
people hearing these messages are offered nothing to believe. A simplified who, when, and
where is hardly news, definitely not “good news,” in today’s world. No valid explanation of
what and how is given. The only why that is ever offered is the wrong reason – personal
sinfulness. The unsaved are simply told they will become a Christian. Much like taking an
oath to join a club. Thus, the “power of God” to create a “new man” is omitted and a gospel
of grief, or some construction of a “Lordship” is substituted for “power.”

To reverse the gospel from accepting the graceful offer of believing in Jesus for salvation to
one where Jesus must accept an invitation to enter one’s heart and be the “Lord of their
life” is spiritual and biblical fraud. It is not without reason that these corrupted gospels
cannot be in accordance with God’s Word. Because God’s power of grace would destroy their
“theory” of salvaging salvation.

God’s power acting, freely and without obligation, in behalf of the believer is His grace which
satisfies His love. Consider the blood of the Paschal Lamb of the first Passover (of sin and
death) and the power (grace) needed to part the Red Sea. The death of Christ fulfilled the
symbol of the Lamb’s blood and “took away” sin that was only “covered or passed over”
before. God’s power (grace) for this age was the resurrection of His Son so that all who
trust in Him can never be condemned with the world for sin. This kind of forgiveness and
permanent redemption is a “hard thing” and “the offense of the cross” that staggers a
religious mind into disbelief and rejection.

The gospel is the message of what God has done. God has a perfect “message of
reconciliation.” Reconciliation guarantees the “righteousness of God” will become a reality
for the lost because Jesus Christ “became” sin when He died. He also became
“righteousness” for all who believe when the power of God raised Him from among the dead
to be glorified, never to die again. Salvation comes by “blood” and “power.”

1 Pet 1:2-5 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through
sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience [of faith] and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus
Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively
(living) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from (from among) the dead, To an
inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled; and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven
for you. Who are kept (guarded) by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready
to be revealed in the last time.

Blood. In His death the forensic imputation of righteousness is justification. “But one of the
soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water” (John

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19:34; see Eph 5:26= blood, then Titus 3:5=power). Whereby, all penalty for sin was
suffered by Christ. This graceful gift of forgiveness is justification. It is a legal act and like
the Mosaic Law - or any law - has no power to stop sin.

Power. The graceful gift of righteousness is the divine act of sanctification that becomes a
reality and an imparted possession of believers. It is the power of God to control sin.
Holiness, separation, setting apart unto God, or sanctification (not to be confused with
progressive spiritual maturity, experiential sanctification or personal righteousness) is
accomplished by the organic “impartation” of righteousness which comes by the indwelling
Holy Spirit and the divine act of being baptized “into” Christ, the Head of the Body.
Whereby, the righteousness of Christ is shared by all believers past, present, and future.
Believers have been so immersed into and completely influenced by Christ that they and He
become indistinguishable in the perfect eyes of God.

God has made salvation possible. Justification by faith is available. The sins of all men have
been redeemed. Men need only, “Be reconciled to God!” to become the “righteousness of
God” in Christ.

2 Cor 5:17-21 So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has
passed away—look, what is new has come! And all these things are from God who
reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of
reconciliation. In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not
counting (imputing KJV) people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the
message of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were
making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to
God!” God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would
become the righteousness of God.

(3) Contrary to popular religious assumptions, Jesus the unique God-man never called
himself an example. He did say: “I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me,
and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John
15:5) and Paul wrote: “Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus
Christ, unto the glory and praise of God” (Phil 1:11).

Jesus only said: “Follow [#190=union with the same road, go together] me.” Someone who
invites you to go where they go is not asking for an imitator, but a companion to share a
journey. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed” (Amos 3:3). The Apostle Peter in I
Peter does suggest that Christ is an example, not for our blessings or behavior, but for our
“momentary” suffering. The Apostle Paul correctly used himself as an example and said: “Be
a follower [#3402 and #4831=imitator, mimic] of me.”

An unregenerate soul may only mimic petty acts of morality; but has no “power” to imitate
the deeper spiritual realities of the “righteousness” possessed by Paul and all believers. The
unregenerate soul who only practices righteousness cannot truthfully accept the offer of
companionship by Jesus. They do not share in the righteousness of Christ because they
have never trusted in Him for the gift of eternal life, forgiveness, and righteousness as
explained above.

(4) A system of theology that denies, overlooks, never mentions, and is not centered in
propitiation is common to “another gospel.” God has no immutable righteous nature, no
grace to give, and no “message of reconciliation” for lost men without complete
satisfaction (propitiation) in the judgment of all sin. Without propitiation there is no such
thing as “good news.” There is only the temporary deception of a new self-concern, albeit
religious. This lie, that one must salvage their salvation, leads only to the horrible

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realization of the blasting truth revealed after death to every unsaved soul. Dr. Lewis
Chafer, writes:

The three [divine] imputations named above [(a) Adam’s sin to all men which makes all
men guilty at birth, (b) the sin of all men to Christ in which the whole gospel resides, and
(c) the “righteousness which is of God by faith” (Phil 3:9) that is the “justified” believer’s
perfect standing of “not guilty” before God] prove foundational to all that enters into
Christianity. They are wholly foreign to the Mosaic system and never mentioned in any
Scriptures related to the coming kingdom [Sermon on the Mount (the King’s Laws or Rule
of Life in His Future Kingdom) and the Olivet Discourse (the Kings Farewell Speech and
Promise to Return)]. This teaching, along with other foundational doctrines such as
propitiation [God’s completed satisfaction in the substitutionary, penal death of Christ
for the redemption of sin and the reconciliation of men. This is God’s plan for a
completed foundation upon which grace is available for the salvation of men.],
accordingly should be comprehended by every student at any cost [so they might
understand fully and correctly share the complete gospel of the grace of God as it is
revealed in the NT]. ii

So in closing this introduction, the curious should be told the bad news first. Christianity, by
and large, will become more and more hypocritical and confusing. Jesus predicted this
would happen in the seven mysteries of the kingdom of heaven found in Matthew 13 and
Revelation chapters 2 through 3. The Apostle Paul predicts, “But evil men and seducers
(juggling imposters) shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (2 Tim
3:13).

And lastly, the curious should be told that one must believe in order to receive the good
news. Ordinary common sense is useless. God’s grace is beyond the ordinary. The true
gospel of God’s grace is the “good news.”

1 organization - medieval Latin organizare "provide with bodily organs" < Latin organum (see organ)]
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved
2 All numbers represent NT Greek words from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, James Strong
3 The first biblical death - the ego, id-ego-super ego, self, mind-will-emotion, or self-consciousness
separated from the five senses that perceive the physical/material world. Or simply the separation of
the soul and spirit from the physical body. All are the same. Temporary heart death or partial brain
death? Who can say, except: it is unique to each case.
4 In the KJV translation, italicized words indicate they are “not” in the Greek manuscript. A good
practice is to read the verse by omitting these words. Many assume the italics are intended for
emphasis.
i Old Scofield Study System, Dr. C. I. Scofield, pp 1325, 1297
ii Systematic Theology, Dr. Lewis Chafer, Vol 7, p 194

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