ENDTIME ISSUES NEWSLETTER No. 193

LEGALISM AND “RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH”

Part one of a two-parts series

Roy E. Gane, Ph.D.

Prof. of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Languages

Director of Ph.D. in Religion, Th.D., and M.Th. Programs

Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

Andrews University

INDEX OF TOPICS OF THIS NEWSLETTER

* Update on Recent Developments

* How to contact the Center for Cancer Care that treated my

my terminal liver cancer.

*POPULAR BELIEFS: ARE THEY BIBLICAL? AN UPDATE

Pre-publication prices.

*SABBATH SEMINAR WITH WORDS & SONGS

New DVD album with Cristina and myself.

LEGALISM AND RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH

Part one of a two-part series

Roy E. Gane, Ph.D.

*This is the Essay of this Newsletter

ANNOUNCEMENTS OF SERVICES AND PRODUCTS

* SPECIAL HOLIDAY OFFER on all the books & recordings,

including Cristina Piccardi’s CD and DVD Albums.

* UPCOMING SEMINARS for the months of February and March

* INCREDIBLE OFFER on the new Hitachi Projectors

* REMOTE PRESENTER: The Smallest and most Powerful

* DA-LITE SCREENS at 30% discount

* BED AND BREAKFAST IN LONDON, ENGLAND

HOW TO CONTACT THE CENTER FOR CANCER CARE IN GOSHEN, INDIANA TRAT TREATED MY CANCER

Two days following my 69th birthday, I learned that I had advanced-stage colon cancer requiring immediate surgery. Later I was told that the cancer had spread to the liver, infesting 90% of the organ and making its prognosis bleak. Several oncologists that I consulted, confirmed that I had Stage 4 terminal liver cancer, with only a few months to live. All what they could do was to prolong my life with chemotherapy for a few months or a year at best. No Cancer Center, including Loma Linda Cancer Center, had a clinical trial program for liver cancer. The impression I received is that nothing could be done to heal my cancer: I was doomed to die in a few months, at most a year.

Driven by my faith in God and optimistic attitude, I sought another opinion at the Goshen Center for Cancer Care in Goshen, Indiana, which is located only one hour away from Andrews University, where I live. Following a two-hour consultation with Dr. Seza Gulec, a pioneer in the field of nuclear oncology, I learned that my cancer was terminal but treatable with a combined strategy of chemotherapy and microsphere embolization – a treatment unavailable at other cancer centers. Within one month, the innovative treatment reduced the presence of liver cancer by almost 80% and decreased total tumor volume from 2435cc to 680cc. Within two months, two more treatments reduced my cancer by 95%.

Today I feel like a new man with a new lease on life. I feel like an old car with a decent body and a brand new motor. I have more energy than I have ever had in my life. I can only thank God for His providential leading to the right place and for using the latest research to restore my health.

Click here to see the pictures of the various stages of my cancer:

http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/goshen

Pushing Technology Further than Imagined

While at the Goshen Center for Cancer Care, I participated in an unprecedented clinical trial using the combined strategy to treat my colorectal cancer that had advanced to the liver. Placed directly into the cancerous area via catheter, the microspheres deliverered 40 times more radiation directly into the tumor than conventional therapy alone, eradicating it over a period of weeks. This targeted therapy aggressively attacked the tumors, quickly reducing their size, while normal liver tissue remained relatively unaffected.

The Goshen Center for Cancer Care is one of the few treatment facilities in the world to offer this breakthrough technology primarily due to the commitment of Dr. Gulec. A world-renowned physician, Dr. Gulec has dedicated years to research and develop the combination therapy, which greatly increases survival rates in those with advanced types of cancer. He has also authored landmark publications in lymphatic mapping, sentinel node biopsy, radioguided surgery and radionuclide therapy. Dr. Gulec currently leads the endocrine surgery, hepatic oncology, molecular imaging and positron emission tomography programs at the Goshen Center for Cancer Care.

Truly I can say that I believe that the Lord providentially placed me in contact with Dr. Gulec, who has done for me what appeared to be impossible. The Lord has used Dr. Gulec to give me a new lease on life. He is so proud of my recovery that he uses me as a show case at international nuclear oncological conferences. Now I feel like a new man energized to serve the Lord in a greater way in the sunset years of my life. Somehow I feel that I have more energy now than I had at 25 years of age.

Patient Oriented Center for Cancer Care

The Goshen Center for Cancer Care is home to some of the world’s most sought after cancer specialists who use ground-breaking research, state-of-the-art technology and patient-specific clinical trials to offer the most advanced treatments available anywhere. Incorporating conventional and alternative medicine, our multidisciplinary, integrated team of physicians, surgeons and specialists work together every day to provide unmatched care all under one roof.

What has impressed me about the Goshen Center for Cancer Care is their patient-oriented focus. Among other things they provide very comfortable free guest rooms facilities. They offer our a holistic approach to healing which addresses the emotional, spiritual, mental, as well as physical aspects of cancer. From relentlessly recruiting some of the brightest minds in cancer to pushing current treatments further than ever imagined, everything they do is for the betterment of their patients.

To find our more about the GOSHEN CENTER FOR CANCER CARE, click at these links:

CONTACT: http://www.cancermidwest.com/contact/contact.asp

WEBSITE: http://www.cancermidwest.com/

MORE ABOUT DR. GULEC: http://www.cancermidwest.com/main.asp?id=217

POPULAR BELIEFS: ARE THEY BIBLICAL? AN UPDATE

The research and writing of the new book Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical? is proceeding well. In the last newsletter last part of chapter 7 on “Mariology.” Currently I am working on chapter 8, “SPEAKING IN TONGUES.” This is an incredible phenomenon of the past century that is contributing to an unprecended church growth among Pentecostal and a host of charismatic churches.

According to Wikipedia, “Pentecostalism was estimated to number around 115 million followers worldwide in 2000. “The size of Pentecostalism in the U.S. is estimated to be more than 20 million,” that is 20 times larger than the Adventist Church. The Pentecostal/Charismatic movement is growing more than four times faster that the Adventist Church.

Most Pentecostals believe that a person needs to repent and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and then receive the Holy Spirit. Receiving the Holy Spirit is necessary for salvation and is accompanied by speaking in tongues. In view of the fundamental importance attached to speaking in tongues, as a proof of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, I decided to include this chapter in the forthcoming book Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical?

Fortunately I found excellent research done by Adventist and no-Adventist scholars. The book that I highly recommend is Speaking in Tongues: Biblical Speaking in Tongues and Contemnporary Glossolalia, by Gerhard F. Hasel (1935-1994). In my view he was the most outstanding Adventist scholar and prolific writer our Adventist Church has ever produced. He wrote over 20 books and scores of scholarly articles. Several of his books are still used as standard text-books in numerous thological seminaries.

The ground-breaking research by Hazel and other scholars, will facilitate enormously the writing of my chapter on “The Speaking in Tongues.” By God’s grace I am aiming at completing this chapter within the next two weeks. The final two chapters most likely will deal with the popular beliefs of ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED and PAPAL PRIMACY.

My goal is complete this project by the end of March. I am devoting every spare moment to researching and writing the remaining chapters. Your encouragement has meant a lot to me. Two months ago I suggested that I may shelf the project for a time, especially because the new ministry I started with Cristina Piccardi, took a lot of my time in processing all the invitations we are receiving from across the USA and overseas.

But your letters caused me to reconsider my priorities. Some have reminded me that our Adventist Church desperately need Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? to witness to people who want to know why their beliefs are unbiblical and our Adventist beliefs are biblical. The many pre-publical orders I have already received, have strengthen my determination to complete this project by the end of March 2008.

PRE-PUBLICATION OFFER OF POPULAR BELIEFS: ARE THEY BIBLICAL

Having completed 7 of the 10 chapters of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical, I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. By God’s grace, I plan to complete the remaining three chapters by the end of March. They will deal with SPEAKING IN TONGUES, ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED, and PAPAL PRIMACY. These chapters will NOT be posted in our Endtime Issues newsletters. The reason is obvious. Posting all the chapters, diminishes the interest to buy the book when it comes out.

The book, consisting of about 400 pages with a nice four colors, laminated cover. At this time I would like to offer our readers the opportunity to place an order at the special pre-publication price by mailing your order by check postdated March 31, 2008. If you prefer to pay by credit card, feel free to email me your name, address, and credit card number, with the instruction: do not process until the mailing of the book

PLEASE NOTE THAT NO CHECK OR CREDIT CARD WILL BE PROCESSED UNTIL THE SHIPMENT OF THE BOOK EXPECTED FOR THE BEGINNING OF APRIL. This means that your check or credit card information will be placed in a special folder, awaiting the release of the book. As soon as the book is out your check will be deposited and your credit card will be processed.

Your advanced order will offer me, not only the encouragement needed to complete this very demanding project, but also an approximate idea of how many copies we should print. Thank you for your encouragement and support.

SPECIAL PRE-PUBLICATION PRICES FOR QUANTITY ORDERS OF POPULAR BELIEFS: ARE THEY BIBLICAL?

1 copy of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? at $30.00 per copy, AIRMAIL postage paid to any overseas destination.

10 copies of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? at $10.00 per copy, postage paid, instead of the regular price of $30.00. ($100.00 for 10 copies). Add $40.00 for AIRMAIL shipment overseas.

30 copies (one case) of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? at $5.00 per copy, postage paid. ($150.00 for 30 copies). Add $80.00 for AIRMAIL shipment overseas.

100 copies of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? at $4.00 per copy, postage paid. ($400.00 for 100 copies). Add $160.00 for AIRMAIL shipment overseas.

NOTE: The US Postal Service no longer offers overseas surface mail, which took several months delivery. All overseas shipments are now done by airmail, which is expensive, but fast and reliable.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT

Many of you emailed me very encouraging messages which rekindled my enthusiasm to complete this project as soon as possible. You urged me to proceed without delay because this book Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? is urgently needed to help many sincere believers to understand why their popular beliefs are unbiblical and why the Adventist beliefs are biblical.

Some of you have sent in contributions toward this project, which will make it possible to discount substantially the price of the book for quantity orders. If the Lord impresses you to contribute to this project, I am pleased to inform you that now we can offer you a tax deductible receipt, because our son, Daniel, an Architect, has just received a non-profit status for his MASTER’S BUILDERS INC. He has established this organization to channel funds to build churches and schools in developing countries. Your contribution should be sent to this mail and address:

MASTER’S BUILDERS INC.

4990 APPIAN WAY

BERRIEN SPRINGS, MICHIGAN 49103

Your prayers and financial support for this new book is greatly appreciated. If sufficient funds come in to cover the cost of printing it, our plan is to charge only for the cost of mailing. Note, however, that the cost of mailing a 400 pages book by Priority Mail is $4.95. This means that the special pre-publication prices for quantity orders are already incredibly low.

THE SABBATH SEMINAR WITH WORDS AND SONGS

After weeks of preparation, the SABBATH SEMINAR WITH WORDS AND SONGS was presented and recorded on November 16-17, 2007, at the Avon Park SDA Church, a 900 members congregation near Orlando, Florida. The church was packed with visitors from the surrounding churches. The response surpassed our fondest expectations.

In the past I presented my Sabbath, Advent, and Lifestyle Seminars by myself with my broken Italian accent. But now, providentially the Lord has brought to my ministry a most gifted Brazilian lady, Cristina Piccardi, who touches the hearts of people with her powerful and passionate singing.

During the past five Sabbaths, Cristina has sung at rallies in Avon Park (near Orlando), Loma Linda, Hinsdale (Chicago), San Antonio, (Texas), and Lexington (Kentucky). In Lexington we ministered to about 400 non-SDA sabbatarians, who came from different parts of the USA and Canada. Everywhere our seminars with words and songs, were warmly received.

This is what Pastor Paul Boling, the Senior Pastor of the Avon Park SDA Church, wrote about our SABBATH SEMINAR WITH WORDS AND SONGS, that was recorded at his church on November 16-17, 2007.

“November 18-2007

Over the past years I have had the privilege of inviting Dr. Samuele Bacchiocchi to speak at 2 churches that I have pastored. So, I was eager to again host his seminar in the Avon Park SDA Church, of Florida Conference. 

However, the weekend visit of November 16-17, 2007 was slated to be different, because he was bringing his own guest singer, Cristina Piccardi. This gifted vocalist added immeasurably to Dr. Bacchiocchis timely lectures. She is extremely well trained, and she graciously brought to our congregation the most beautiful music we have ever heard, coupled with her love for God. Our congregation was so overjoyed with her concert, and they want the team of Bacchiocchi and Piccardi to return soon!”

Pastor Paul Boling

Senior Pastor

Avon Park Seventh-day Adventist Church

Who is Cristina Piccardi?

Truly I can say that Cristina is by far the best Adventist soprano I have heard in my life. Surprisingly she is a slim, only 118 pounds, 5.6 feet high—not the typical heavy-set soprano. When my wife asked her: “How can you project such a powerful voice when you are so slim?” She replied: “It is God’s gift.”

Cristina was born in Brazil 26 years ago and came to Andrews University two years ago to accompany her husband who is studying at the seminary. She has earned degrees in voice performance both in Brazil and at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA, where she received full scholarship during the two years of her studies, graduating in December of 2005.

In the same year she performed in a leading role with symphonic orchestras in the USA and overseas. At the annual 2005 International Competition for Opera Singers she won the first prize as the best soprano singer of the year. Now that Pavarotti has passed away, it is encouraging to know that one of the best soprano in the world belongs to the Adventist Church.

I officially met Cristina on October 6, 2007 at Andrews University Pioneer Memorial Church. I was spellbound by the three sacred songs she sung during the communion service led by Pastor Dwight Nelson. When we met after the communion service, we both immediately felt that the Lord was bringing us together in a providential way to proclaim with words and songs our timely Adventist Message. She told me that after singing for five years in a leading role with various symphonic orchestras, she felt the call of God to leave glitzy world of the opera stage, in order to dedicate the gift of her voice to sing sacred music. This means that now we are presenting together with words and songs my powerpoint seminars on the SABBATH, SECOND ADVENT, and CHRISTIAN LIFE STYLE.

You can enjoy a preview of Cristina’s outstanding singing by clicking at this link:  http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/cristina/ She sings the first stanza of THE HOLY CITY.

SPECIAL OFFER of the New DVD Album on the SABBATH WITH WORDS AND SONGS

To make it possible for many fellow believers and especially small churches, to benefit from the newly released DVD Album on the SABBATH WITH WORDS AND SONGS recorded on November 16-17, 2007, we are pleased to offer you the Album for only $30.00, instead of the regular price of $100.00. The price is valid until January 31, 2008, and includes the airmail cost to any oversea destination.

The DVD Album consists of 3 DVD disks containing a total of 6 hours of recording, that is, the Cristina singing and my preaching done on Friday evening, Sabbath morning, and Sabbath afternoon.

The Friday evening program begins with Cristina’s mini Sacred Concert, and is followed by my testimony entitled “My Search for the Sabbath at a Vatican University. This is a gripping testimony delivered with 100 powerpoint slides. I share how the Lord opened the door for me to research and publish my dissertation From Sabbath to Sunday at a Vatican University in Rome and since then to share the message of the Sabbath in many countries.

On Sabbath morning Cristina leads the Praise Songs and then she sings “The Lord’s Prayer” before my sermon. My powerpoint sermon “The Sabbath as a Time for Service,” offers practical principles on how to keep the Sabbath to gain a greater blessing out of it.

The Sabbath afternoon program is divided into two parts. In the first part Cristina offers a sacred concert and in the second part I deliver my final lecture entitled “The Sabbath Under Crossfire.” This lecture offers an update report on the latest Sabbath/Sunday developments.

You can enjoy this informative and inspiring 6 hours seminar in the privacy of your home or church, without having to travel long distances or investing money to fly us in.

How to Order the New DVD Album on THE SABBATH WITH WORDS AND SONGS at the SPECIAL HOLIDAY OFFER of only $30.00 (instead of $100.00) until December 31, 2007.

(1) Online by clicking here: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/cart/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=26&products_id=104

(2) By calling us at (269) 471-2915

(3) By emailing us your address and credit card information

(4) By mailing a check for $30.00 to BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES, 4990 Appian Way, Berrien Springs, Michigan 4990, USA.

We guarantee to AIRMAIL the DVD album immediately to ensure that it will reach you without delay

WOULD YOU LIKE US TO PRESENT A SEMINAR WITH WORDS AND SONGS AT YOUR CHURCH?

Would you like us to present a SABBATH, or ADVENT, or LIFESTYLE SEMINAR with WORDS AND SONGS at your church? Every weekend is already taken until the end of May 2008, but we have openings in the latter part of the year.

Last Sabbath, January 18-19, 2008, we presented our LIFESTYLE SEMINAR with WORDS and SONGS at the Loma Linda Indonesian SDA Church. The interest was such that 5 other churches in the Loma Linday area, have already extended to us an official invitation to present one of our SABBATH, or ADVENT or LIFESTYLE SEMINARS with WORDS and SONGS at their church.

If you are interested to invite Cristina Piccardi and myself for a special seminar with Words and Songs, feel free to contact us by email <sbacchiocchi@biblicalperspectives.com> or by phone (269) 471-2915. We will be glad to give you the details and the open dates.

EDITORIAL INTRODUCTION TO ROY GANE’S ESSAY

The essay that you are about to read, appeared in the January issue of MINISTRY, the monthy magazine for our Adventist pastors. The author is Roy E. Gane, Ph. D. Prof. of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Languages, at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Andrews University. It is reprinted with the permission of MINISTRY and the author.

Dr. Gane is respected by all as an outstanding Seminary professor. He has written a dozen of books and numerous scholarly articles. He is in the process of preparing a video recording of his sanctuary lectures. As soon as the recording is out I will be sure to inform you.

During the past 50 years several Adventist writers and popular preachers, have been engaged in a passionate campaign against the old Adventist legalism, promoting instead what is commonly called “Righteousness by Faith.” The result has been that the pendulum has swung from one end to the other, leaving our members divided on this issue. Many Adventists are confused and hardly understand the balanced role that faith and grace plays in their salvation.

Roy Gane presents with clarity and logic the dual challenge we face today. I would urge you to read this essay thoughtfully and prayerfully. It will help you underdand the important role that law and grace play in our salvation.

This essay represents only part I of a two parts article. The second part will be posted after its publication in MINISTRY.

For the sake of brevity the footnotes have been left out, since they are readily available in MINISTRY.

Samuele Bacchiocchi

Legalism and “Righteousness by Faith”

Part one of a two-part series

Roy E. Gane, Ph.D.

Prof. of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Languages

Director of Ph.D. in Religion, Th. D., and M.Th. Programs

Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

Andrews University

Biblical Righteousness by Faith Versus Legalism

Properly understood in biblical terms, “righteousness by faith” is the key to salvation. In Romans 3:21-26, Paul eloquently encapsulates this magnificent truth that God reveals his righteous/just character not only through his law, but also when he extends mercy by forgiving and justifying those who have broken the law if they accept his righteousness through faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice. Paul stresses the extreme importance of righteousness by faith by repeating, explaining, and illustrating it through much of his epistle to the Romans (for example, see 4:5, 9, 11, 13; 9:30; 10:6) and in other letters (Gal 5:5; Phil 3:9). For Paul, righteousness by faith is the heart of the Gospel (Rom 1:16-17).

In Romans 3:24, those who believe “are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (NRSV here and in subsequent biblical quotations). In other words, “by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9). Essential to saving grace is a “legal” declaration of acquittal, as attested by many inspired statements.

But saving grace includes more: Because the justifying gift of grace brings the transforming presence of Christ, it naturally provides power to bear the gift of fruit in the life (sanctification): “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind—just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you—so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 1:4-8).”

Because “all have sinned” (Rom 3:23) and no amount of good works can ever redeem anyone from past failure, law-keeping is completely ruled out as a means of salvation, which is only ever by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9; cf. Titus 3:5). This does not mean that there is something wrong with God’s law, which is holy, just, good, and spiritual (Rom 7:12, 14). It serves the crucial purpose of protecting us by revealing what is right and, by contrast, what is wrong (3:20; 7:7-13). God’s law is holy because it is based on love (Matt 22:37-40), the basic principle of his holy character (1 Jon 4:8). However, while keeping God’s law results in life in the sense that its principles of cause and effect are for our benefit and preservation (Lev 18:5; cf. Exod 20:12), the law is powerless to help anyone who has already broken it (Gal 3:10-12).

Legalism is Misuse of the Law

God’s law is not legalistic, and neither is true obedience to that law. Rather, such obedience is “faith working through love” (Gal 5:6). By freeing us from condemnation, Christ has set us free from the law of sin and death (Rom 8:1-3) “so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (v. 4). Because “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (5:5), we receive the basis of harmony with God’s law and character (namely, love) as a gift.

Legalism is misuse of the law for a purpose other than that for which it is intended. Legalism includes futile attempts to earn salvation by one’s own performance (e.g., Luk 18:9-14) and to gain assurance by achieving a minimum standard (Matt 19:16-22). Legalistic abuse of God’s law also includes using it, and human traditions added to it, to gain power over others (23:1-28). Rather than trying to protect people, whom the law is designed to protect, legalists hypocritically make a show of protecting the law itself, including their version of law, for which they claim divine authority (15:1-9). By laying down the standards to which others must adhere, legalists enhance their status, political clout, and even wealth. Such legalists end up violating God’s law by obscuring and ignoring the principles on which it is based (23:23-35). By taking the place of God, it could also be said that they commit a form of blasphemy.

Since we have thought of Satan as antinomian, which he is (cf. Jn 8:44; 1 Jn 3:8, 10), it may come as a surprise to find that he is the biggest legalist in the entire universe. This is not because he is divided against himself (cf. Matt 12:26), but because legalistic misuse of God’s law tears it down. Much more than ancient or modern Pharisees, Satan deceives people regarding God’s law, perverts it, and blasphemously uses his perverted version to gain power and to discourage people from victory over sin and salvation through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Then he turns around and hypocritically accuses God’s loyal people of being legalists because they are seeking to obey God! Because Satan tries to use God’s law against God’s loyal people to discourage, slander, and destroy them (Zech 3:1-5; Rev 12:10), he is a malicious false witness (Deut 19:16-19), which is one more reason for him to get a one-way ticket to hell.

Influence of Social Legalism

The kinds of legalism just described are alive and well in the Christian community today. For one thing, our society is so driven by performance that people have trouble switching gears when it comes to salvation. Because the Bible teaches that we are all judged by what we do and think (Eccl 12:14; Rom 2:16), many suppose that in order to be saved they must, by their own effort, keep from sinning. However, the Bible also teaches that true good works come from faith (Gal 5:6; cf. James 2:17-26), which means that not sinning is possible only as a gift from God (Jude 24). Our salvation is not based upon our performance, but upon Christ (1 Jn 5:11-13). Any good works that we do are only involved in receiving, not earning, his gift of salvation.

We are also painfully aware of another kind of legalism among us: the imbalance of Christians who latch onto things that are really nonessential, which they regard as essential to do and attempt to force on others. Whatever the chosen issue may be, the effects are elitism, criticism or condemnation of others, and polarization of the church community. Those who try to restore harmony through sound biblical evidence and reasoning are often baffled by their lack of success, which is due to the fact that the main problem resides outside the bounds of rationality in the realm of personalities and their drives for influence and power.

A So-Called “Righteousness by Faith” Based on a

Legalistic Assumption

There is another kind of widespread legalism, which is not generally recognized as such. This approach claims to be Gospel “righteousness by faith” because it emphasizes God’s free and gracious justification of sinners who believe in Christ and his once-for-all sacrifice as the only basis of their salvation. This much is biblical and resoundingly true, but it is skewed and skewered by being combined with the following system of concepts:

1. Not only are our mortal human natures tainted by sin so that we constantly need the covering atonement of Christ (which is true; cf. Num 28:1-8—daily sacrifice for all); beyond this, human moral depravity is so extreme that we commit sins all the time, including involuntarily.

2. Therefore, while the converted Christian life according to the Spirit (rather than according to the flesh) should manifest victory over sin in the process of sanctification as moral growth that accompanies justification, full obedience to God’s law, as revealed in the Old Testament, is impossible. This view has several corollaries:

a. Because moral transformation is limited, Christ’s work in believers and role as our example must be limited. All that matters is Christ’s substitutionary legal work for believers, which accounts them righteous at all times, no matter what level of moral/spiritual failure or victory they may be experiencing.

b. The Old Testament law is an unreasonable and therefore obsolete standard of righteousness, which is superseded by the higher New Testament/“new covenant” standard of love.

c. A judgment of the works of Christian believers according to the standards of God’s law is irrelevant because works have nothing to do with their salvation and they are already judged as saved in Christ. They certainly could not be judged according to standards presented in the Old Testament, which are not binding on New Testament Christians.

This approach is based on a misunderstanding of sin and a legalistic view of God’s Old Testament law, against which it reacts by a form of antinomianism masquerading as grace. Riddled as it is by unbiblical eisegesis and illogical non-sequiturs, it is remarkable that so many Christians have been deluded by this false assurance. Following are brief critiques of its notions regarding depravity, obedience, justification, Old Testament law, and judgment.

1. Depravity

The widely held assumption of extreme human depravity has deep historical roots in the teachings of some Protestant Reformers, who challenged the Roman Catholic doctrine that because people are partly unaffected by sin, they are capable of contributing to their salvation through their own meritorious works. It is true that according to the Bible, all human beings are pervasively perverted because of sin (e.g., Rom 3:10-18, 23; referring to Pss 5, 14, 36, 53; Isa 59) and this moral weakness inclines toward further sins (James 1:14-15). The fallen sinful body and its evil propensities remain until Christ’s Second Coming, when God’s faithful people will be changed and receive immortality (1 Cor 15:52-53). Any moral good that we have is from God, from outside of ourselves (Rom 7:18).

In the Bible, words for “sin” can refer either to fallen nature as a dynamic state of being, or to specific infractions of divine law. Examples of sin as nature/state are Ps 51:5 (Hebrew verse 7)—“in sin (ḥēṭ’) my mother conceived me”; Rom 7:17—“sin (hamartía) which dwells in me”; and 1 Jn 1:8, “If we say that we have no sin (hamartía), we are deceiving ourselves” (all NAS ’95 update). This concept explains why some Israelite animal sacrifices, prefiguring Christ’s sacrifice, were offered as expressions of joy when expiation/atonement (Pi’el of kpr) and forgiveness for specific sins was not needed (Lev 7:11-17—thanksgiving, votive, and freewill subcategories of well-being/peace offerings; cf. chap. 3): Even human praise is tainted by sin and needs the mediation of Christ’s sacrifice in order to be acceptable to God.

Other biblical passages speak of “sin” in the sense of specific violations of God’s law (i.e., “sins”): “sin (hamartía) is lawlessness” (1 Jn 3:4); “All wrongdoing [literally, “unrighteousness”] is sin” (5:17); “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17; NAS95); “whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (Rom 14:23). Sin in this sense can be a verb, for example: “If anyone of the ordinary people among you sins (Qal of ḥṭ’) unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the LORD’S commandments ought not to be done” (Lev 4:27); “No one who abides in him sins” (present tense of hamartáno 1 Jn 3:6). Sinning involves breach of one’s relationship with God because it is out of harmony with his character of love (1 Jn 4:8) and his law, which is based on love (Matt 22:37-40).

Sins can be actions or thoughts (Matt 5:21-30). They can be deliberate (Lev 6:2-3 [Hebrew 5:21-22]) or inadvertent/unintentional (Lev 4). But they are never simply automatic. In the ancient Israelite ritual