Joseph Prince’s Justification-Only Without Sanctification False Gospel – by Rev George Ong (Dated 12 Nov 2021)
(This article was also sent to Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian, General Secretary, NCCS office, and for the attention of the Executive Committee Members.)
The aim of this article is not only to expose Joseph Prince’s false interpretation of Hebrews 12:14, but more importantly, to unmask his justification-only false gospel, and to show that he contradicts both Jesus and Paul, whose doctrine of salvation is one that sees both justification and sanctification as essential for salvation.
In a weekly sermon aired on 7 November 2021 last Sunday, (another of those recycled old sermons), Joseph Prince said the following; please click to view excerpts in the 2-minute video:
“Alright back to this. Let’s go right now to a favourite phrase of this people when they come to talking about grace. And they’ll tell you, ‘Pursue peace with all (men) people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.’ (Heb 12:14) How many of you have heard that before?”
“You’re about to see what’s going to happen. The whole thing is in context. I love to preach in context. Okay, so there are people today telling people who believe in grace, which is supposed to be all believers, telling them, ‘Well, it says pursue peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.’ And when they say holiness, and the Greek there is ‘sanctification’. They are actually saying that you cannot be saved unless you are holy. Now we are on dangerous ground. We are telling people that they are saved or maintained their salvation by holiness. They are saved by holiness and they maintain their salvation by holiness. This is dangerous teaching. It is what Paul calls ‘Another gospel’. (Gal 1:6) What do you mean then Pastor Prince? ‘Holiness, without which, no one will see the Lord.’ It’s talking about revelation. Jesus himself said, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.’ (Matt 5:8) We saw that the gentiles in Cornelius’ house; their hearts were purified when they believe the good news; that their sins are forgiven through Jesus Christ. That’s how you get a pure heart. And the Bible tells us that we should live our life in such a way that we are hungry for a fresh revelation of the Lord every day.”
“And we want holiness, every day, so that through holiness we have a fresh revelation of the Lord. Not about going to heaven here. Nothing about going to heaven but seeing the Lord.”
“Anyway, church, I hope that you can answer anyone who tells you, ‘Well, without holiness, no one shall see the Lord.’ Tell them, ‘Would you like the context?’ Because you know what – any verse taken out of context; you take the text out of context, you have the con.”
Hebrews 12:14 NIV
14 “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”
Hebrews 12:14 NASB 1995
14 “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.”
Joseph Prince, by twisting Hebrews 12:14 to posture the view that to “see the Lord” means receiving a fresh revelation of the Lord Jesus, contradicts the view of most Bible scholars and commentators. Most Bible scholars and commentators would take the plain meaning of Hebrews 12:14 to mean sanctification (besides justification) or holiness is required for salvation.
Let’s examine the view of 7 commentators on Hebrews 12:14:
Adam Clarke’s Commentary on Hebrews,
“To see God, in the Hebrew phrase, is to enjoy him; and without holiness of heart and life this is impossible. No soul can be fit for heaven that has not suitable dispositions for the place.”
Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible,
“No one has ever been admitted to heaven in his sins… they who are expecting to be saved without holiness or religion, are destined to certain disappointment. Heaven and earth will pass away, but God will not admit one unrepenting and unpardoned sinner to heaven. How deeply affecting then is the inquiry whether we have that holiness which is indispensable to salvation! Let us not deceive ourselves. We may have many things else – many things which are in themselves desirable, but without this one thing we shall never see the Lord in peace. Never can we see God in peace without a holy heart; never can we be admitted into heaven without that religion which will identify us with the angels around the throne!”
F F Bruce, The New Testament Commentary on the New Testament: The Epistle to the Hebrews,
“The sanctification apart from which no one will see the Lord” is, as the words themselves make plain, no optional extra in the Christian life but something which belongs to its essence. It is the pure in heart, and none but they, who shall see God (Matt 5:8)… We are reminded of Paul’s words to the Thessalonians: “This is the will of God, your sanctification, that you abstain from fornication…” (1 Thess 4:3) — for the things which are unholy effectively debar those who practice them from inheriting the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9f).”
Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Hebrews,
“Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” The vision of God our Saviour in heaven is reserved as the reward of holiness, and the stress of our salvation is laid upon our holiness.”
George H Guthrie, The NIV Application Commentary,
“The author makes it clear that holiness is indispensable for an authentic Christian life. The person who chooses to live an unholy life can be offered no assurance of ‘seeing the Lord.’ This probably refers to meeting the Lord joyfully upon his return (Heb 9:28; 1 John 3:2).”
Philip Edgcumbe Hughes, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews,
“Holiness is the essential requirement if we are to be admitted to his holy presence… ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’ (cf Lev 11:44f; 19:2; 20:7, 26; Mt 5:48).”
Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible,
“Without which no man shall see the Lord … These words show the vital necessity of the peaceable and holy lives of Christians. The holy life is not an elective or optional matter for Christians, but is demanded and required of all who hope to enter heaven. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8); none others need apply.”
The view as postured by these commentators (and many others), is simply to reiterate the doctrine that besides justification, sanctification (or holiness), is essential to salvation which contradicts Joseph Prince’s justification-only doctrine.
Jesus Himself taught that without sanctification, there is no salvation. This was featured in a previous article on this website, titled,
“Joseph Prince Teaches Against Jesus On The Requirement Of Sanctification For Salvation.”
This is a very key and important article you mustn’t missed. Please click here to read.
Thus, if our faith is not resulting in our sanctification (not perfect holiness but evidence of holiness), let us not think our faith is resulting in our justification (being declared guiltless before God) either. There is no such thing as justification that is not evidenced by sanctification. For this reason, scripture says, “Make every effort… to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Heb 12:14). In short, heaven is not for the unholy. There isn’t a heaven to claim without the evidence of holiness to show.
Joseph Prince said,
“Jesus himself said, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.’ (Matt 5:8) We saw that the gentiles in Cornelius’ house; their hearts were purified when they believe the good news; that their sins are forgiven through Jesus Christ. That’s how you get a pure heart.”
When Joseph Prince quoted Matthew 5:8 and linked it to Cornelius’ house in Acts chapter 10, he clearly and deliberately did it out of context with the hidden agenda of angling it to justification. But on the contrary and in context, Matthew 5:8, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God,’ was used by Jesus not to teach about justification but to impart that sanctification is required for salvation.
In Matthew 5:3-10, Jesus clearly states that those who acknowledge their spiritual poverty, mourn over their sins in repentance, are meek and have a hunger and thirst for righteousness, are merciful and pure in heart, make peace for others with God, and who rejoice in being persecuted – and to all these people (including the one who is pure in heart), theirs is the kingdom of heaven (V3, 10).
Matthew 5:3-10 NIV
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
In other words, Jesus teaches that only those who possess these character traits of holiness in Matthew 5:3-10, of which one of them was to be ‘pure in heart, for they will see God’, which comes under the category of sanctification, will inherit the kingdom of heaven.
It is precisely only those who are pure in heart will see God and who will inherit the Kingdom of heaven. Conversely, those who are not pure in heart will not see God and will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. So Matthew 5:8 is in consonance with Hebrews 12:14 that if one is impure (Matt 5:8), he will not see God, or if one is without holiness (Heb 12:14), he will not see the Lord – both having the meaning that without holiness (sanctification), one will not inherit God’s Kingdom.
Joseph Prince said,
“They are actually saying that you cannot be saved unless you are holy. Now we are on dangerous ground. We are telling people that they are saved or maintain their salvation by holiness. They are saved by holiness and they maintain their salvation by holiness. This is dangerous teaching. It is what Paul calls ‘Another gospel’. (Gal 1:6)”
Joseph Prince is slandering Paul as Paul didn’t teach that sanctification or holiness wasn’t essential for saving faith. On the contrary, he teaches the same salvation doctrine as that of Jesus – that sanctification is as much required as justification for salvation.
As proof of what I’ve just stated, let’s examine Ephesians 2:8 and 5:3-6:
Ephesians 2:8 NIV
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God –
Ephesians 5:3-6 NIV
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a person is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
While Paul stated that we are saved by faith (justification) in Ephesians 2:8, he also warned about the lack of sanctification or holiness in Ephesians 5:3-5 and obedience in Ephesians 5:6. To Paul, they are so important that if we don’t show the evidence of sanctification; if we are unholy and disobedient, we cannot inherit God’s kingdom (Eph 5:5) and God’s wrath comes on us (Eph 5:6).
Paul, who preached about salvation by grace through faith in Ephesians 2:8 (justification), also warned in the same book of Ephesians in Ephesians 5:3-6 that the disobedient and unholy (sanctification or the lack of it) will not inherit God’s kingdom.
Joseph Prince teaches the half gospel – the justification-only gospel, but Paul preaches the full gospel – one that must include both justification (faith or believing) and sanctification (holiness and obedience).
Paul is also sending this message to the Ephesians that their faith or right-believing (justification) in God in Ephesians 2:8, can only be validated as long as the Ephesian believers display right-behaviour (sanctification) in Ephesians 5:3-6.
Joseph Prince falsely teaches that right-believing (justification) is all that counts, and that right behaviour (sanctification) is only a side issue. But Paul teaches that besides right-believing (justification), you had better have right-behaviour (sanctification) as both are important. If one doesn’t display right-behaviour (sanctification) in their holy living in Ephesians 5:3-5 and obedience in Ephesians 5:6, one cannot enter God’s kingdom and His wrath comes on him.
Joseph Prince also falsely teaches that our standing (justification) can never affected by our state (sanctification). But Paul states that both are essential – that if our state (sanctification) is suspect in Ephesians 5:3-6, then there is no standing (justification) to begin with in Ephesians 2:8.
Joseph Prince always only quotes Ephesians 2:8 that salvation is by grace through faith because of his justification-only salvation doctrine. Why? Because he is using his half-truth deceptive strategy to dupe you again. But he never quotes the other half of the truth in Ephesians 5:3-6 because that would threaten his theology that sanctification is also needed for salvation.
Paul’s point was that if believers choose to walk in unholy living: sexual immorality, impurity, greed, coarse joking (Eph 3:3-5), and disobedience (Eph 3:6), they would not inherit the kingdom of God (Eph 5:5), and the wrath of God would be upon them (Eph 5:6).
We can declare to the whole world that we have believed in Jesus by saying the sinner’s prayer (justification). But if there is no evidence of holiness and obedience (sanctification) in our lives, our faith is nothing but a farce.
Furthermore, Paul didn’t teach that the gospel is only to be believed (justification), but he emphasised that it is also to be obeyed (sanctification):
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 NIV
8 “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the
Lord and from the glory of his might.”
He warned the Thessalonians that those who do not “obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus (not just those who do not believe) will be punished with everlasting destruction” because the gospel Is not only to be believed (justification) but also to be obeyed (sanctification).
Joseph Prince said,
“They are actually saying that you cannot be saved unless you are holy. Now we are on dangerous ground. We are telling people that they are saved or maintain their salvation by holiness. They are saved by holiness and they maintain their salvation by holiness. This is dangerous teaching. It is what Paul calls ‘Another gospel’. (Gal 1:6)”
Galatians 1:6 CEB
6 I’m amazed that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ to follow another gospel.
What is ‘another gospel’ in Galatians 1:6 that Paul was referring to? It was referring to the false gospel that the Galatians were preaching – that circumcision was needed to be added to faith – that if one wanted to be saved, besides faith in Christ, he must also be circumcised. Paul fought fiercely against such a heresy. But Joseph Prince went on to falsely say that not only was Paul fiercely against circumcision, he was also preaching against the Ten Commandments, holiness and obedience.
In ‘Destined To Reign’, Pages 260-262, Joseph Prince wrote,
“Paul had preached the gospel of grace to them, but after he left, some Judaizers came and told them lies like, ‘Yes, it is good that you are saved by grace, but it is not enough for you to just have Jesus. You must also know and abide by the law of Moses to be pleasing to God.’ … So they taught the Galatians things like the Ten Commandments and told them that they had to be circumcised… You will hear things like, ‘Yes, you are saved by grace, but now that you are saved, you had better not take it for granted. You have to start living a holy life by keeping the Ten Commandments.’ … They have reverted to the old system that was based on works and obedience, rather than trusting in the new system that is based on faith and believing.”
When Paul wrote to the Galatians, his chief purpose was to fiercely denounce the false gospel (‘another gospel’) they were preaching, which was Gospel plus Circumcision. The real issue was clearly over the ceremonial aspects of the law, which involved circumcision and the observance of religious dates. The issue was never over the moral aspects of the law regarding the Ten Commandments or about obedience or holiness. But the circumcision issue was capitalised on and twisted by Joseph Prince to ‘smuggle in’ these three additional issues into the fight.
Joseph Prince craftily took advantage of the circumcision issue in the ceremonial law which Paul was contending against the Galatians, and began to add to the word of God as he frequently does, by illegitimately extending the issue to include, not just the moral law in the Ten Commandments, but also holiness and obedience.
So Joseph Prince teaches that Paul was not only denouncing circumcision in the ceremonial law, but he was also denigrating the moral law in the Ten Commandments, holiness and obedience. Prince sneakily ‘smuggled in’ the moral laws – the Ten Commandments, obedience and holiness into the fight when what Paul was specifically addressing were the ceremonial laws – circumcision being the key bone of contention. To me, it is utterly disgusting that Joseph Prince would resort to such a deceptive ploy to justify his grace doctrine.
Let me prove to you from the various passages in Galatians that though circumcision was Paul’s main area of concern for the Galatians, the Ten Commandments, obedience and holiness were never his issues of contention at all:
Galatians 2:3-5 NIV
3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
Galatians 5:2-6 NIV
2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
Galatians 6:12-15 NIV
12 Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation.
After perusing the various Galatian texts, did Paul say the contending issues were about the Ten Commandments, holiness and obedience? No! The issue was clearly over circumcision. This is why we find the words: circumcision, uncircumcision, circumcised and uncircumcised, mentioned 17 times in the six chapters of Galatians (NIV) simply because it was the main issue of contention, and not the Ten Commandments, holiness or obedience.
So the “another gospel” which Paul alluded to in Galatians 1:6 has to do with circumcision and feast days (Gal 4:9-10), the externals of their Judaism:
Galatians 4:9-10 NIV
9 “…Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!”
But the correction of the gospel by Paul that justification and not circumcision is necessary for salvation, is being deceptively pounced upon by Joseph Prince to distort the gospel that sanctification or holiness is not required for salvation.
Next, the many Galatian passages, and in particular, Galatians 5:19-21, prove that while Paul was teaching that justification without circumcision is necessary for salvation, he wasn’t teaching that sanctification or holiness wasn’t necessary which Joseph Prince tries to distort:
Galatians 5:19-21 NIV
19 “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Paul was only trying to teach the Galatians that salvation cannot be earned by works, in particular, the ceremonial works of the law such as circumcision. But Paul wasn’t trying to teach them that holiness wasn’t essential for heaven. In fact, Paul said the opposite – that if you don’t exhibit holiness or if you display unholy behaviour in Galatians 5:19-21a, you will not inherit the Kingdom of God in Galatians 5:21b.
Paul, too, didn’t say to the Corinthians that besides circumcision, they don’t need to be holy. On the contrary, he said the opposite:
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NIV
9 “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Paul said that if they are involved in the various sins (sanctification or lack of it) in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10a, they will not enter God’s kingdom in 1 Corinthians 6:10b. In other words, unholy living or the lack of sanctification, not just circumcision, could also affect the salvation of the Galatians and the Corinthians and disqualify them from entering God’s kingdom. What this proves is that both justification and sanctification are necessary for salvation.
1 Corinthians 7:19 is a very important verse and clinches the argument:
1 Corinthians 7:18-19 ISV
18 Was anyone circumcised when he was called? He should not try to change that. Was anyone uncircumcised when he was called? He should not get circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but obeying God’s commandments is everything.
Though Paul denigrates the ceremonial law of circumcision, he clearly upholds obedience to God’s commandments in 1 Corinthians 7:19, when he said,
“Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but obeying God’s commandments is everything.”
If Joseph Prince’s argument that besides circumcision, the works of legalism would also include that of obedience to the Ten Commandments were true, then why would Paul say in 1 Corinthians 7:19,
“Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but obeying God’s commandments is everything.”
If Paul was, indeed, teaching against obedience to God’s commandments, as Joseph Prince would have us believe, then Paul would have contradicted himself in 1 Corinthians 7:19.
Next, many thought that ‘works’ in Ephesians 2:9 would include keeping the Ten Commandments, obedience and holiness:
Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
If that were so, why would Paul also write in the same book of Ephesians in Ephesians 5:5-6,
“5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a person is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.”
Paul stated categorically in Ephesians 5:5-6 that believers have to show proof of their holiness and obedience (sanctification). If they don’t, they have no inheritance in God’s kingdom as the wrath of God comes on them. So, Paul wasn’t against the Ten Commandments, holiness and obedience at all (Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:5-6; 1 Cor 6:9-10; 1 Cor 7:18-19). In fact, he clearly upholds them as necessary for salvation.
So I believe that ‘works’ mentioned in Ephesians 2:9 has to do specifically with circumcision, and not with the Ten Commandments, holiness and obedience per se. This is because circumcision is not just an issue that plagued the Galatian Church but also the Ephesian church and most of the churches that Paul had ministered in:
Ephesians 2:11 NIV
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)
Romans 4:9-12 NIV
9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
Philippians 3:2-3 NLT
2 Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. 3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort,
Colossians 3:11 NLT
11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
As you can see, circumcision was not just an issue with the Galatian Church but also in most of the churches, including the Church of Ephesus, Rome, Philippi and Colossae that Paul was related to.
In summary, Paul’s correction to the Galatians was that the true gospel is one that is without circumcision. The Galatians added circumcision to the salvation equation – that if you want to be saved, you must be circumcised, a heresy which Paul fought against.
Joseph Prince then went on to falsely accuse Paul that not only was Paul against circumcision, but he was also against the Ten Commandments, holiness and obedience, and that these are not required for salvation. This was a false allegation against Paul as Paul never denigrates these 3 issues but instead upheld them as requirements (sanctification) for salvation as much as faith (justification) does.
It depends on which angle one is looking at. Yes, from the angle of justification, nothing else is required but only the righteousness of God. But from the angle of sanctification, we had better show proof that we are obeying the Commandments, and that our life must be one that is characterised by holiness and obedience.
This goes to show that Paul’s salvation doctrine, which is similar with that of the Lord Jesus, isn’t a justification-only doctrine that Joseph Prince falsely believes in, but one that includes both justification and sanctification as essential for salvation.
Joseph Prince said,
“The whole thing is in context. I love to preach in context.”
“Anyway, church, I hope you can answer anyone who tells you, ‘Well, without holiness, no one shall see the Lord.’ Tell them, ‘Would you like the context?’ Because you know what – any verse taken out of context; you take the text out of context, you have the con.”
Joseph Prince has once again gone out of context by his interpretation of Matthew 5:8 and importing a foreign idea and interpretation into the text of Hebrews 12:14. (He had done this umpteen number of times.) Yet, he has the audacity to accuse others of committing the same error he is guilty of. Hence, I made no apologies for constantly calling him an unrepentant and a serial hypocrite and con man.
In conclusion, Joseph Prince who teaches a justification-only salvation doctrine, and a half and false gospel does not save. This is far removed from that of Jesus and Paul, who both taught that justification and sanctification are required for salvation. How can one who teaches against both Jesus and Paul on such a fundamental doctrine of salvation not be a heretic?
Let me leave you with the insightful writings of David Pawson for you to chew on,
“Next, the comparative (and I italicise that word) neglect of sanctification by faith. There has been so much emphasis on justification by faith, that there was a comparative neglect of sanctification by faith – in a word: holiness. John Wesley… said, “Methodism has been raised up to spread scriptural holiness throughout this land.” … He was the great preacher of sanctification by faith, not sanctification by works. For as Paul says, “The gospel is faith from beginning to end”. That is sanctification by faith.
Now I find that preachers today fall into two traps when it comes to holiness. On the one hand, preachers imply that holiness is not essential to go to heaven. It is almost taught in terms of: it is an optional extra for which there will be a bonus reward in heaven, but it is no longer considered essential or even part of the basic gospel. But in my New Testament, sanctification by faith is just as important, if not more important than justification by faith. For without holiness no one will see the Lord (Heb 12:14). In other words, we are to offer a gospel of sanctification.”
By what David Pawson, wrote,
“But in my New Testament, sanctification by faith is just as important, if not more important than justification by faith. For without holiness no one will see the Lord. In other words, we are to offer a gospel of sanctification,”
he clearly contradicts Joseph Prince’s heresy on Hebrew 12:14 that sanctification isn’t required for salvation. Who do you trust? David Pawson, the reliable and proven Bible teacher or Joseph Prince, the text-twister and one who is infamous for his out-of-context Bible interpretation?
Rev George Ong