Joseph Prince By interpreting Hebrews 10:26-27 Out of Context is Confirmed to be a Serial Hypocrite – By Rev George Ong (Dated 26 Sept 2022)
This is Part 1. Part 2 will be featured within a week’s time.
Note there are Appendix 1 & 2 at the end of this article.
Don’t miss Appendix 1 in which I have demolished Joseph Prince’s use of John 3:16 as a proof text for his unconditional security doctrine.
There are 3 videos on Joseph Prince spread throughout this article.
(This article was also sent to Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian, General Secretary, National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) office, and for the attention of the Executive Committee Members.)
In a weekly Sunday sermon aired on YouTube on 25 September 2022, yesterday, Joseph Prince said the following;
Please click here to view the 3-minute video:
“It’s important to remember one of the, the first complete translation of the Bible into English, was a man called Miles Coverdale. Not Tyndale. Tyndale translate the entire Old Testament together with Miles. Miles assisted him. And Tyndale is the main guy, of course, behind the top man who was martyred later on. But he translated the whole Old Testament. Tyndale did into English. But Miles Coverdale, the entire Bible into English. This was about 1500. And you know what he said. It will do you good to remember this. This is what he said:
‘It shall greatly help ye to understand the scriptures if thou mark not only what is spoken or written, but of whom and to whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering what goeth before and what followeth after.’
That means interpret it in the context.”
“So people interpret this like Miles Coverdale said, you must understand what goes before and what comes after. So you look at this, for example in Hebrews 10, verse 26. People are fearful of this. Why? They don’t see what came before or what comes after. They take this verse out of context.
‘For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.’ (Heb 10:26-27)
Wow! Sounds frightening. Right! So don’t sin willfully. There are people who takes this verse out of context, and (say) ‘Don’t sin willfully’.”
“And I ask people all the time, every sin that you commit, is it willful? Eh talk to me. Right. I allow you to talk to me now. Every sin that you commit, the last time you decide to show angry expressions on the road for example; you should not. Was it willful? It was willful. When you got angry with your wife. Was it willful? It was willful. You can shut up but you didn’t. You want to talk and talk and talk and got yourself angry, right or not. Amen. You can. You can move yourself away right. Amen.”
“Can you see the context – after we have received the knowledge of the truth? Is it talking about people who are really saved? People who are believers? No, these are people, they come to church, for example, even back then, they come to the service; they have the knowledge, they have not received the truth; they received the knowledge of the truth.”
“Context. Miles Coverdale say what? Look at what preceded before. I just showed you that. Context is king.”
Joseph Prince has once again confirmed himself as a serial hypocrite as he has not interpreted Hebrews 10:26-27 in context which he claimed.
Here is a related previous article on such blatant hypocrisy which you may be interested to read; please click below to view:
I am deliberately placing Hebrews 10:10-25, the preceding passage to Hebrews 10:26-27 consecutively (they are consecutive anyway) and Hebrews 10:28-31 the passage following after it for a reason (see below):
Hebrews 10:10-31 NIV
10 “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17 Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” 18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
In this sermon on 25 September 2022 and his other sermons and writings, Joseph Prince teaches that while Hebrews 10:10-25 was written to believers, Hebrews 10:26-31 (and specifically, Hebrews 10:26-27) was written to unbelievers.
By what rule of interpretation has Joseph Prince the right to declare that Hebrews 10:19-25 was written to believers, and then from the next consecutive verse, V26 onwards, in Hebrews 10:26-31, it was written to unbelievers?
I am deliberately placing Hebrews 10:10-25 (preceding passage) together with Hebrews 10:26-31 for a purpose.
If one were to read the whole passage as one continuous, unbroken flow, which it is anyway, one would never be slanted to Joseph Prince’s view, that while Hebrews 10:10-25 was written to believers, Hebrews 10:26-31 (especially V26-27) was written to a different group of people – the unbelievers.
Wouldn’t it be very confusing for the readers if the writer were to change the audience so abruptly within one continuous and unbroken passage without any warning?
How would one know that while one passage refers to one audience, the next consecutive passage refers to a different audience, especially if there aren’t any indicators to signal such a change, unless one like Joseph Prince deliberately reads into it?
The writer of Hebrews was not confused and did not contradict himself. Nor did his audience change from believers to unbelievers as Joseph Prince would arbitrarily teach.
Every document in the New Testament was written by believers for believers.
No document of the New Testament was written – even partially – to unbelievers, Gnostics, or substandard Christians.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones shares the same view as I do, and hence, contradicted Joseph Prince’s view.
In a book written by him, ‘Studies in the Sermon on the Mount’, Volume One, Pages 23-24, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, said:
“We always tend to forget that every New Testament letter was written to Christians and not to non-Christians; and the appeals in terms of ethics in every Epistle are always addressed only to those who are believers, to those who are new men and women in Christ Jesus. This Sermon on the Mount is exactly the same.”
No Christian should believe that the writers arbitrarily change audiences – from believers to unbelievers in their writings.
Despite Joseph Prince’s claim that he interprets verses in-context, the truth is – he will not accept a verse in its context if it disagrees with his theological system.
So Prince simply teaches that the author changed audiences, from believers in Hebrews 10:10-25 to unbelievers when he arrives at that passage in Hebrews 10:26-27 (and also in Hebrews 10:28-31).
If he doesn’t do it, his false grace theology stands the real danger of being exposed.
If he doesn’t arbitrarily change the audience from believers in Hebrews 10:10-25 to unbelievers in Hebrews 10:26-27, he would have to explain why believers can stand to lose their salvation in Hebrews 10:26-31.
Even though the author was writing to believers previously in Hebrews 10:10-25, Joseph Prince states that the author unexpectedly, and without comment or warning, suddenly changes audiences and proceeds writing to unbelievers in Hebrews 10:26-31.
This is a dangerous and deceptive way to disregard something that was written to believers only because it doesn’t fit into his theological system.
It conveniently allows a false teacher to reject a portion of a writing that does not fit into his theological system.
If a verse does not fit into a theological system, the theological system is wrong.
The verse is never wrong and always applies to believers when properly seen and understood in its context.
Theological systems must be adjusted in the light of what scripture teaches and not the other way round.
The writer of Hebrews is writing to believers in every verse.
He includes himself (and he is a believer) in Hebrews 10:26 by using the inclusive personal pronoun ‘we’.
The author writes:
“If we deliberately keep on sinning…”
Since the writer of Hebrews is a believer and he uses the personal pronoun ‘we’ in Hebrews 10:26, he clearly means,
“If believers, like you and I, go on sinning…”
All these verses, especially between V19-26, are full of inclusive personal pronouns:
Verse 19 uses ‘we’.
Verse 20 uses ‘us’.
Verse 21 uses ‘we’.
Verse 22 uses ‘us’.
Verse 23 uses ‘us’ and ‘we’.
Verse 24 uses ‘us’ and ‘we’.
Verse 26 (Heb 10:26) also uses ‘we’.
Tell me – are V22-25 (us and we) written to believers or unbelievers?
Hebrews 10:22-25 NIV
22 “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
There is not a doubt that they were written to believers.
If V22-25 were written to believers, to be logically consistent and to stay in context, the next consecutive verse, V26, must also be written to believers:
Hebrews 10:26 NIV
26 “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left.”
If all the ‘us’ and ‘we’ in V22-25 refer to believers, then the ‘we’ in verse 26 must also be referring to believers.
To be logical and to be true to context, the ‘we’ in V22-25 and the ‘we’ in V26 are all referring to the same audience – believers.
The same ‘we’ cannot be referring to one audience (believers) in V22-25 and to another audience (unbelievers) in V26.
This is what Joseph Prince has illogically claimed that the ‘we’ in V22-25 refer to believers, but the ‘we’ in V26 refer to unbelievers.
There is no reason whatsoever for the author to change the audience within the same passage and in the same chapter.
There was no change in audiences between these verses.
Writers of letters do not change audiences and, if they did, they certainly would not do it without warning or hint.
They would not include themselves by using a personal pronoun such as ‘we’ in Hebrews 10:26 if what they were saying didn’t apply to believers.
The author of Hebrews would not have used ‘we’ if Hebrews was written to unbelievers.
It just doesn’t make logical and grammatical sense.
Those that love the truth must reject the faulty, twisted and out-of-context interpretation of Joseph Prince.
The truth is – V26 that is appropriately interpreted within its context does not fit into the theological system of Joseph Prince, as it contradicts his once saved, always saved position.
It contradicts his faulty idea that every sin for believers has been forgiven at the cross without the need for confession.
But the fact is, Hebrews 10:26 clearly states that believers can keep on sinning and their sins can have dire consequences:
Hebrews 10:26 NIV
26 “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left.”
As a result, Joseph Prince must find a way to ‘discard this verse’.
So he flippantly states that V26, in particular, and the entire passage of V26-31, were not written to believers, but unbelievers.
This is utterly unconvincing when this passage is studied in its context.
The writer of Hebrews is warning believers (and includes himself) about what will happen if a believer continues to sin deliberately or willfully.
So who are the ‘we’ in Hebrews 10:26?
The same ones who in the previous verses are unmistakably identified as God’s children, who are admonished to “hold unswervingly to the hope we profess” in Hebrews 10:23.
He is saying that the way to avoid deliberate and willful sinning (Heb 10:26) is for the believer to “hold unswervingly to the hope we profess” (Heb 10:23).
Hebrews 10:26 NIV
26 “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left.”
What V26 simply means is that whereas at one time they received the word eagerly and obeyed it diligently, some of them were now going against its teaching and sinning deliberately.
The sin in Hebrews 10:26 probably refers to the specific sin of apostasy as the Jewish believers were giving up their faith because of persecution.
But I believe it is not limited to that and it could also include other sins that are practised willfully.
Joseph Prince said,
“It’s important to remember one of the, the first complete translation of the Bible into English, was a man called Miles Coverdale. Not Tyndale. Tyndale translate the entire Old Testament together with Miles. Miles assisted him. And Tyndale is the main guy, of course, behind the top man who was martyred later on. But he translated the whole Old Testament. Tyndale did into English. But Miles Coverdale, the entire Bible into English. This was about 1500. And you know what he said. It will do you good to remember this. This is what he said:
‘It shall greatly help ye to understand the scriptures if thou mark not only what is spoken or written, but of whom and to whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering what goeth before and what followeth after.’
That means interpret it in the context.”
“So people interpret this like Miles Coverdale said, you must understand what goes before and what comes after.”
“Context. Miles Coverdale say what? Look at what preceded before. I just showed you that. Context is king.”
Joseph Prince alluded to Miles’ quote that to interpret a text in its context, one would have to consider what goes before and after the text.
Although Prince did try to explain passages before the said text of Hebrews 10:26-27 in the sermon, he failed to do so for verses after it in Hebrews 10:28-31.
This means he has followed only one half of what Miles had recommended.
Since Prince has only followed the first half of what Miles said and he failed to do for the second half, this means he has interpreted Hebrews 10:26-27 out of context.
Can you sense the irony?
Though Joseph Prince was the one who championed that we must follow Miles Coverdale’s principle of Bible interpretation, he himself didn’t apply the entire principle (only half, and half-truth is a lie) and it is me who had done it (as I will show you in a short while).
“The knowledge of the Truth” in V26 is the message of salvation, which had been preached to them (Heb 2:3-4).
But Joseph Prince tries to play around with words when he postured the view that the people spoken of in Hebrews 10:26 were unbelievers because although they
“had received ‘the knowledge of the truth’ but never received this truth (the Lord Jesus and His finished work) into their hearts” (in his book, ‘Grace Revolution’, Page 75).
In the 25 Sep 2022 sermon, Joseph Prince said,
“Can you see the context – after we have received the knowledge of the truth? Is it talking about people who are really saved? People who are believers? No, these are people, they come to church, for example, even back then, they come to the service; they have the knowledge, they have not received the truth; they received the knowledge of the truth.”
This is clearly calculated to deceive,
as the warning that was given to those who “have received the knowledge of the truth” in Hebrews 10:26,
were also the same people who had been “sanctified” by the blood of the covenant in Hebrews 10:29:
Hebrews 10:29 NIV
29 “How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?”
The fact that these people had the blood of the covenant (which refers to the blood of Jesus) that sanctified (past tense, already happened) them, is indisputable proof that they were believers.
Before some of them had rejected the truth and were sinning deliberately, they were genuine believers in that they ‘have received the knowledge of the truth’ (Heb 10:26) because they had been sanctified (Heb 10:29).
But many have begun to reject the knowledge of God’s truth and turned their backs on Christ because of persecution.
These were Jews who had in earlier days made an open confession of faith in Christ but had not held it “firm to the end” (Heb 3:14).
Under the pressures of persecution as described a few verses later (Heb 10:32-34), they had abandoned their Christian Faith and slipped back into Judaism.
Therefore, Hebrews 10:26 unambiguously refers to believers who had received the knowledge of the truth, but who had turned away from God.
By now, you ought to understand that Joseph Prince’s move not to interpret Hebrews 10:26-27 in context by also covering the passage after it in Hebrews 10:28-31, and not just before it which he did, is a ploy to deceive.
Prince realised that if he were to cover Hebrews 10:28-31, especially V29, his false grace theology would be exposed in V26:
Hebrews 10:26 NIV
26 “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left.”
Hebrews 10:29 NIV
29 “How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?”
Prince would not be able to explain that
those who “have received the knowledge of the truth” in Hebrews 10:26,
were also the same people who had been “sanctified” by the blood of the covenant in Hebrews 10:29.
When one has been sanctified, this simply means he is a believer.
In the 25 Sep 2022 sermon, Joseph Prince also said;
Please click here to view the 15-second video:
“Okay, by that will. By Jesus performing ‘that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ – how long? – once and for all.’ (Heb 10:9-10). You know you are sanctified to God once and for all. Once and for all.”
The other reason why Prince avoids covering Hebrews 10:28-31, the part following the said text of Hebrews 10:26-27 is that what he said about believers being sanctified in Hebrews 10:10 (see above video) must also be applied to Hebrews 10:29 about the same believers who had been sanctified by the blood of the covenant:
Hebrews 10:29 NIV
29 “How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?”
This shows that those who are sanctified in Hebrews 10:10 and Hebrews 10:29 belong to the same group of believers.
And if Hebrews 10:29 is referring to believers, those in Hebrews 10:26 must also be referring to the same group of believers.
Furthermore,
Hebrews 10:29-31 NIV
29 “How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people. 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
The people who are mentioned in Hebrews 10:29-31, clearly refer to believers.
How can one be said to have trampled the Son of God underfoot when he doesn’t even belong to Him (Heb 10:29)?
How can one be said to have insulted the Spirit of grace when he hasn’t even placed himself under the Spirit (Heb 10:29)?
Can unbelievers be those who can be described as those who are already sanctified by the blood of the covenant (blood of Jesus) (Heb 10:29)?
Translated “sanctified” the Greek word (hagiazō) is never used to speak of unbelievers, with the exception of an unbeliever being “sanctified” by a believing spouse in 1 Corinthians 7:14.
On the contrary, the word, “sanctified” is used to describe believers:
See Jn 17:17,19; Acts 20:32; 26:18; Rom 15:16; 1 Cor 1:2, 6:11; Eph 5:26; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Tim 2:21; Heb 2:11; 10:10,14,29; 13:12; Jude 1:1.
I want you to know that even under the Old Covenant, there was no sacrifice for deliberate and willful sins (Ex 21:12-14; Num 15:27-31; Deut 17:1-7).
Exodus 21:12-14 NIV
12 “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death. 13 However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate. 14 But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately, that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.
(Exodus 21:14 ESV
14 But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.
Besides ESV, there are 13 other Bible translations that used the word ‘willfully’ in Exodus 21:14. These include AMPC, CSB, CJB, ESVUK, HCSB, MEV, NET, NRSVA, NRSVACE, NRSVCE, NRSVUE, RSV, RSVCE, in place of ‘deliberately’ in NIV.)
Numbers 15:27-31 NIV
27 “‘But if just one person sins unintentionally, that person must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering. 28 The priest is to make atonement before the Lord for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made, that person will be forgiven. 29 One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you. 30 “‘But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or foreigner, blasphemes the Lord and must be cut off from the people of Israel. 31 Because they have despised the Lord’s word and broken his commands, they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.’”
Presumptuous sinners who despised Moses Law and broke it were executed (Deut 17:1-7):
Deuteronomy 17:1-7 NIV
1 “Do not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect or flaw in it, for that would be detestable to him. 2 If a man or woman living among you in one of the towns the Lord gives you is found doing evil in the eyes of the Lord your God in violation of his covenant, 3 and contrary to my command has worshiped other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or the moon or the stars in the sky, 4 and this has been brought to your attention, then you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, 5 take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death. 6 On the testimony of two or three witnesses a person is to be put to death, but no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. 7 The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting that person to death, and then the hands of all the people. You must purge the evil from among you.”
Under Old Covenant, the apostate was doomed to physical death (Deut 17:1-7; Heb 10:28).
Hebrews 10:26 states,
“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left.”
So if your sins are not covered by any sacrifice, what does it mean?
It means that the wrath of God is not appeased in your life, and the consequences would be – Heb 10:27,
“but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.”
Now, if this is not referring to eternal judgement and eternal death, I don’t know what it refers to.
There is no way you can get around the passage.
And if you are still not convinced, you need to read on in Hebrews 10:28-29.
Hebrews 10:28 states,
“Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
Hebrews 10:29 states,
“How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?”
In other words, what this means is that those Old Covenant people who rejected the Old Covenant in the Law of Moses were punished with physical death as mentioned in Hebrews 10:28 (see also Ex 21:12-14; Num 15:27-31 & Deut 17:1-7 that are reflected above).
How much more severely will New Covenant believers who rejected the New Covenant in Jesus in Hebrews 10:29 (through the sin of apostasy) be punished?
If rejection of the Law, the Tabernacle and the Old Testament sacrifices that were mere shadows and were passing away led to judgment and physical death, then how much more will we be punished, if we reject the reality, the substance of the New Covenant that has come in Jesus Christ?
How much more severe?
What could be more severe than physical death?
It has got to be spiritual death.
It is a very severe punishment because Hebrews 10:31 says,
“It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
It is bad enough to fall into the hands of the devil.
But it is many times worse if we fall into the hands of the living God.
Hebrews 10:29-31 states,
29 “How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people. 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Furthermore, God said he would judge His people (Heb 10:30) – referring to His own covenantal people, not to unbelievers.
Hebrews 10:29-31 states that God’s judgement could even be meted out on believers who could be banished to their eternal death.
The scripture in Hebrews 10:29-31 directly contradicts Joseph Prince’s teaching, that believers can no longer be punished and judged by God in every form even on earth, and they can never lose their eternal inheritance.
Who did the Old Testament prophets preach the message of repentance and judgement to?
– The Old Covenant people of God.
Who did Jesus preach the same message of repentance and judgement to?
– The New Covenant churches in Revelation.
And here comes Joseph Prince with the unholy daringness to declare that repentance (not Prince’s false repentance) and judgement are irrelevant for New Covenant believers (Rev 2:16, 21-23; 3:3).
Yes, God is love, kind, gentle, gracious, good, merciful, full of compassion, and longsuffering, but when His mercy is repeatedly spurned, ultimately, His judgement falls.
The New Testament unapologetically teaches that “it is a dreadful thing” (Heb 10:31 NIV) or a “terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb 10:31 NET).
The Apostle Paul himself wrote,
“Behold then the kindness and severity of God…” (Rom 11:22 NIV).
“Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off” (Rom 11:22 NASB).
“Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God—harshness toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off” (Rom 11:22 NET).
Does God actively discipline and judge sinful people (including believers)?
What does the Bible say?
“If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple” (1 Cor 3:17 NIV).
Did the verse say that the devil is the one who destroys that person?
Nothing is said about the devil destroying anyone.
Paul wrote,
“God will destroy that person” (1 Cor 3:17 NIV).
From the immediate and overall context, it is indisputable that that person who can be destroyed by God is a believer.
We know from other scriptures that God might destroy that person by allowing the devil to destroy him, but the point is that the destruction occurs because of God’s judgement.
For further evidence that the God of the New Testament actively judges: Acts 5:1-11, Acts 13:8-12; 2 Thess 1:6; 1 Tim 5:24; 2 Tim 4:14; Heb 13:4; 2 Pet 2:1-9 and Jude 5.
This is not to say that the devil cannot attack believers when they live in open sin.
The truth is, people who live in disobedience can open the door to God’s discipline or judgement, and God may use the devil to discipline or judge those persons.
God has used, is using, and will in the future use Satan to accomplish His own divine purposes.
He is indeed sovereign.
Fear Him!
Don’t fool around with Him because Hebrews 10:31 reminds us of the reason,
“It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb 10:31 NET).
Don’t be fooled by Joseph Prince’s false teachings that New Covenant people will never be judged by God and even be banished for their eternal destruction.
I believe I have proven from Hebrews 10:26-27 about the possible loss of salvation of believers and not unbelievers as asserted by Joseph Prince.
The writer had warned believers in Hebrews that they could lose their salvation if they were to let go of their faith in Christ.
Hence, Joseph Prince’s unconditional eternal security doctrine is decisively debunked.
Hebrews 10:26-27 is indisputably addressed to believers as a severe warning about the possibility of losing their salvation and their eventual destiny in hell.
Joseph Prince – by posturing that Hebrews 10:26-27 were addressed to unbelievers has literally removed these same sober warnings that were meant to warn believers about ending up in hell.
To remove a road warning sign:
“DANGER! Do not drive any further as there is a precipice ahead that is not obvious to the human eye because of the fog,”
that has been placed to warn drivers from proceeding any further is a horrendous and ‘unforgivable’ deed.
But what Joseph Prince has done – by ‘removing’ the warning from the passage in Hebrews 10:26-27 for believers is many times worse.
The many lives that would be lost from the evil deed of the prankster who removed the road warning sign pales into the shadows, as compared to the many souls that would be lost into a Christless eternity arising from the deceptive teachings of Joseph Prince.
That is why I have said time and again that the false teachings of Joseph Prince, instead of leading people to heaven, are clearly leading people to hell.
If Joseph Prince is leading people to hell, how can he not be a heretic?
Finally, if we are true believers, there is nothing to fear. If we continue in God’s kindness (Rom 11:22), there is nothing to worry.
No matter what sins we may have committed in the past or may commit in the future; if we repent, the matchless and bountiful grace of God is all sufficient to forgive us.
God can forgive the worst murderer and homosexual.
So my friends, there is no reason to fear as our God is a gracious and forgiving God.
The people who really need to fear are those who are not willing to repent or they practise a false repentance that is only of the mind as taught by Joseph Prince – it is these people who will really need to fear God’s judgment and fiery indignation on the Day of reckoning (Heb 10:27-30).
Rev George Ong
Appendix 1:
John 3:16 is not a Proof Text for Joseph Prince’s Unconditional Security Doctrine.
In a weekly Sunday sermon aired on YouTube on 25 September 2022, yesterday, Joseph Prince said the following;
Please click here to view the 30-second video:
“We’re talking about the sinning willfully (Heb 10:26) and how to translate that; we look at the verses before.
If something bothers you, always remember, when something bothers you, and there’s no joy, there’s no sweetness, alright, you know, always interpret obscure passages with clear passages, certain passages. Don’t interpret obscure with obscure.
For example, ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him should not perish.’ (Jn 3:16) If you are wondering one day you might perish ‘should not perish but have everlasting life’. Amen.”
John 3:16 is no proof text for the unconditional security doctrine of Joseph Prince that he tries to make it to be:
John 3:16 NIV
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Joseph Prince is the one who uses John 3:16 as a proof text to argue the case that since Jesus said whoever believes in him shall not perish, how then can anyone say we can perish?
John 3:16 did not say that whoever has believed (20 years ago) in Christ will not perish as Joseph Prince has made it out to be.
But whoever believes – present continuous tense for the word ‘believe,’
This present tense signifies a continual and current belief in Christ.
Joseph Prince has deliberately given a false impression that the passage says,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believed (one point in time, past tense, past event) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
This is not what the verse says or means.
The requirement for eternal life in John 3:16 is based on an on-going belief and not a past-belief or a one-time belief:
“For God so loved (past tense) the world that he gave (past tense) his one and only Son, that whoever believes (present continuous tense, meaning continue to believe) in him shall not perish but have (present tense) eternal life” (Jn 3:16).
Interestingly, the gospel writer uses the present tense for the word ‘believe’ in a passage that includes a few past tense verbs.
Therefore, this verse simply means that anyone who currently believes in Christ will have eternal life.
The passage does not say anything about the salvation of those who stop believing in Christ.
Hence, the use of this verse by Joseph Prince to support the once saved always saved doctrine
– that once you said the sinner’s prayer 10 years ago, you are forever saved, and your salvation is absolutely guaranteed
– is completely untenable.
Jesus promised only those who continue to believe in him the assurance that they shall not perish.
This verse does not cover others who just believe for a while and then fall away.
Though one can truly believe and receive spiritual life, this doesn’t mean he will always continue to believe afterwards.
The truth is, this passage offers salvation assurance only to those who presently are still believing in Jesus, and not one who has received Christ several years ago but has since now gone away from the Lord.
Hence, John 3:16 is not a verse that offers the unconditional assurance of salvation for every believer.
It is conditioned upon the continual belief of the believer.
This verse does not offer salvation assurance to people who once believed but no longer believe in Jesus.
Yes, you believed 30 years ago, but are you still believing, and are you still in the faith?
The author, John who wrote about the need to keep on believing in John 3:16,
is also the same author who wrote John 15:1-10 about the need to keep on remaining in Christ by obeying His commandments,
failing which, branches that fail to remain will be cut off and thrown into the fires to be burnt.
The Apostle John declared that we must have a present-tense possession of the Son to have eternal life.
We must have a present-tense belief in Jesus to know we have eternal life now.
This is the only real salvation assurance that exists, and not those false ones that are propounded by Joseph Prince.
So while salvation assurance does exist and one can have it now, it is only assurance for present-tense salvation because of a present-tense belief in Christ.
Joseph Prince wants you to see salvation only as a past event – I accepted Christ 30 years ago, so I am saved forever.
But more importantly, scriptures want you to see salvation in the present and as a present reality too.
Appendix 2:
Willfully Sinning
Joseph Prince said,
“And I ask people all the time, every sin that you commit, is it willful? Eh talk to me. Right. I allow you to talk to me now. Every sin that you commit, the last time you decide to show angry expressions on the road for example; you should not. Was it willful? It was willfull. When you got angry with your wife. Was it willful? It was willful. You can shut up but you didn’t. You want to talk and talk and talk and got yourself angry, right or not. Amen. You can. You can move yourself away right. Amen.”
Joseph Prince rejected the phrase ‘For if we sin willfully’ in Hebrews 10:26, as the sin that a believer can commit because of his argument that every sin that is committed by a believer is willful or out of his will.
He then goes to argue that such ‘willfull sins’ must be committed by unbelievers who reject Jesus.
But surely one can use the same argument that Prince uses; and argue that since every rejection of Jesus by unbelievers is also of the will (as there is no rejection of Jesus that isn’t willful or out of his will), it can also be ruled out that this passage refers to unbelievers.
Joseph Prince is effectively and illogically arguing that while unbelievers can sin willfully in their rejection of Jesus, believers cannot sin willfully in their actions against God.
Furthermore, why can’t this ‘sinning willfully’ be referring to believers?
If King David continues to sin willfully by committing adultery and murder (Heb 10:26) without ever repenting, he will certainly come under God’s judgment and fiery indignation (Heb 10:27).
If Apostle Peter continues to sin willfully by denying Jesus time and again without ever repenting, he will come under the same judgment and indignation as King David would.
If a believer continues to sin willfully by committing one adultery after another or is involved in homosexual relationship over and over again, without ever repenting (not the false repentance taught by Prince), he will not enter the kingdom of God (1 Cor 10:9-10):
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NIV
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.