THE GRACE EVANGELICAL SOCIETY CONTROVERSY

Compare the original GES statements/articles with the new GES statements/articles for a better understanding of what GES teaches today

GES ORIGINALLY HELD TO THE CLASSICAL FREE GRACE VIEW OF THE CONTENT OF SAVING FAITH

Examples of classical free grace statements (the content of saving faith, the use of the word, gospel) in the GES publication, "Grace in Focus"

 Not Everyone Who Says. "Lord, Lord" Will Enter the Kingdom by Bob Wilkin

"What would you say if you appeared before God and He said, "Why should I let you into My kingdom?" Matthew 7:22 is the wrong answer. The right answer is, "Lord, I am an unworthy sinner who has placed his complete trust upon what Jesus did for me upon the cross, and He promised that whoever believes in Him has eternal life" (Luke 18:13-14; John 3:16; Rom. 4:5; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)."

     from Grace in Focus - December 1988

 Repentance and Salvation: A Key Gospel Issue by Bob Wilkins

"Third, the Bible speaks of three things which people need to change their minds about in order to be saved: oneself, Jesus Christ, and idols. One must see himself as a sinner and not self-righteous. One must see Jesus Christ as his Sinbearer and his only hope of eternal salvation. And, those who trust in idols to give them eternal life (more of a problem in the first century world than it is today) must stop trusting their eternal destiny on idols and instead place all of their trust upon Jesus Christ. (N.B. Many around the world today trust in charms, amulets, magic, and astrology to give them safety, peace, and guidance here and now only. If people aren't looking to such things to give them eternal salvation, they do not need to change their minds about such thinking to be saved from hell as Acts 19:1-20 indicates. It is particularly important to recognize this since magic and superstition is rampant in the world today.)

May we clearly share with people what saving "repentance" is (i.e., a change of perspective) and what it is not (i.e., turning from sins). This is crucial if we are to make the gospel clear and keep good news and grace in it."

     from Grace in Focus - June-July 1988

 Is Forgiveness Available to All? by Bob Wilkin

"Second, I believe that while Christ died for the sins of all, that forgiveness is not actualized or realized until one believes in Christ alone as his sinbearer. John 8:24 clearly says that. Christ's death for our sins is available to all, intended for all, and powerful to save all; however, the potential of His shed blood is lost if a person rejects the gospel his entire life."

     from Grace in Focus - May 1988

 Are There False Professors? If So, How Can We Identify hem? by Bob Wilkin

"Rather, I feel there is one test we can utilize. Since belief is an understanding and acceptance of the Gospel, a false professor is one who claims to believe yet who either does not understand or does not accept the gospel. Therefore, I talk to people about the gospel. I ask them questions. Do they believe in eternal security? Are they sure they have eternal life? Why should God let them into heaven? How would they share the gospel with someone else? If they indicate that they are sinners who are eternally secure by grace because Jesus died and paid the penalty for all of their sins, I conclude that they are saved. If not, I am unsure as to whether they are a confused believer or whether they never were saved in the first place. In any case I then attempt to make sure that they now understand the gospel and accept it."

     from Grace in Focus - August 1989

Whoever Means Whoever John 3:16 by Bob Wilkin

One can share the gospel from a host of passages. There are over 100 verses in the Bible which say that whoever believes in Jesus Christ has everlasting life. John 3:16 is special in its brevity, beauty, and breadth--all spoken by the Lord Jesus well before His death and resurrection and the birth of the church.

Brevity

Beauty

Breadth

Bad news. Our sinfulness and separation from God is evident in this verse. Those who die without trusting in the Lord Jesus will perish eternally. The reference to perishing looks to eternal ruin, suffering, and condemnation (cf. 3:17-18, 36), not to annihilation. This is certainly bad news. Not only will unbelievers miss the joys of being with God forever, but, instead, they will suffer forever.

Good news. The good news of the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ is present in the reference to God giving His only begotten Son. The two preceding verses (John 3:14-15) refer to an incident in Israel's history when a serpent was lifted up on a pole that the nation of Israel might be healed of a deadly plague (Num. 21:4-9). In that context this reference to God giving His only begotten Son refers to Jesus' being lifting up on the cross that the world might be healed of the deadly sin problem (cf. John 12:32-33).

The condition. Jesus clearly indicated what one must do to obtain the benefit of His substitutionary death. He did not say "whoever does good works," "whoever surrenders all," "whoever denies himself," "whoever follows Him," or "whoever confesses Him." Rather He said, "whoever believes in Him." The sole condition of eternal salvation is clearly stated as believing in Jesus Christ and Him alone as one's only hope of heaven.

The result. Whoever believes will not perish but has everlasting life. Assurance and eternal security are evident here, especially when considered in light of the two verses which follow. Verse 18 in particular says that he who believes in Him is not condemned and he who believes not is condemned already. One moves from the state of condemnation to justification the moment he believes (cf. John 5:24). And, while one can stop being condemned by believing in Jesus Christ, there is no way to return to the former condemned state once one believes in Him.

Bearing

Be sure. Secondly, rest in your eternal life. Take God at His Word. Don't look to your fallible works for assurance. Look to your infallible Savior. As the old gospel hymn says, "Whosoever surely meaneth me." Once we trust in Jesus Christ we have eternal life. We don't get it when we die. We get it when we believe in Him.

Remember whoever. Thirdly, in your personal study of Scripture remember the four words of John 3:16,"whoever believes in Him," Whenever you read in a passage that someone believed in Jesus Christ vou can know that they have eternal salvation.

I am amazed how many commentators and Bible expositors will take a passage that clearly says that someone believed in Jesus Christ and say that the person didn't really believe. This is commonly done with Luke 8:13; John 2:23; 8:30-31; 12:42: and Acts 8:5,12-13. If the Scriptures say that someone believed in Jesus Christ then they did. Remember, John 3:16 says whoever. Unbelievers do not believe in Christ. Only believers believe.

Share it. Finally, share the message of John 3:16 with others-with neighbors, coworkers, relatives, schoolmates, and strangers. Tell them the wondrous story. Tell them that whoever means whoever.

I'm so glad it does.

     from Grace in Focus - February 1989

THE CONTENT OF SAVING FAITH HAS CHANGED IN RECENT YEARS FOR GES

Charlie Bing has stated the chief disagreement causing the controversy today, "GES does not hold that a person today must believe “that the finished work of Jesus Christ has delivered us from condemnation and guaranteed our eternal life.” This has been their very explicit and public position, especially in recent newsletters, most clearly May/June 2008 “Scavenger Hunt Salvation without a List.” To be clear, GES says that a person today does not need to believe in the death of Christ on the cross and in His resurrection from the dead. There are other things they would say a person does not need to believe in, but this is the main issue. The essence of the GES Gospel is that they are promoting believing in Christ’s promise only, which leads rapidly to excluding the Person and Work of Jesus Christ."

Compare the original GES Statement of Faith (1988) with the Revised 2005 statements for a better understanding of what GES teaches today

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CLASSICAL FREE GRACE THEOLOGY

The Gospel and Jody Dillow

“I believe that in order for one to be saved he has to believe that Jesus is the Christ (that is, the Lamb of God who takes away sin and the Messiah), the Son of God (that is, He is God), and in believing one can have eternal life through His name. One must trust in Christ’s forgiveness for sin wrought for him at Calvary as an essential element of saving faith.” -Jody Dillow

… a few days later he did say he wished he included the resurrection…FL

(Open Letter from Fred Lybrand: by permission, email correspondence, September 4, 2009)

The Cross as The Message

by Fred Lybrand

” For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-25, ESV)