No Such Thing as Christian Anti-Semitism

Dr. Michael Brown is a good friend of mine. He has been a long-time supporter of MassResistance, the pro-family organization I worked for for a number of a years. I have enjoyed joining his radio program from time-to-time as well. I really appreciate his outreach to Christians on all matters political, and I respect his support for the state of Israel as well as his Christian missionary outreach to Jews in the United States and around the world.

I must take exception, however, to the title of his latest article, in which he denounces “Christian Anti-Semitism.” With all due respect, there is no such thing. That’s like talking about Satanists for Christ, or Jews for Hitler. It makes no sense. There is religious anti-Semitism, certainly, but there is nothing Christian about Christians hating Jews or (justifiably) hating Israel. To his credit, Dr. Brown in his article was clearly denouncing the so-called “progressive” Christians of the so-called Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Still, the joining of “Christian” and “Anti-Semitism” is wrong.

This discussion is timely, for sure. Anti-Semitism is a catch-all smear used all too often against conservatives, when the Democratic Party has a long history of anti-Semitism (one that has barely abated, I might add). Furthermore, even some so-called nationalists and populists are embracing a total hatred of Israel and of Jews, as though support for Israel is anti-America First. It’s about time that we confronted this matter.

Again, I take exception with the title and the notion “Christian Anti-Semitism,” not with Brown’s criticism of the regressive church in South Africa that he was calling out. I must add that an estimable missionary movement, One For Israel Ministries, also talks about Christian Anti-Semitism, and I think that their use of that moniker is wrong, too.

For starters, what does the Bible say about Christians and their calling in relationship to the Jews? Paul the Apostle writes to the Romans: “For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” (Romans 9:3) He then writes: “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” (Romans 10:1)

Wanting Jewish people to be saved does not quite square with “The Jews should get the hell out of Palestine” or “Jews are going to hell, and I don’t care” or “Jews control everything, and we must stop them.” You cannot be a Christian and hate Jews. It makes no sense, just as someone who lives under the grace of God would have no compunction to go out and live in sin (cf. Romans 6:11-14).

Of course, the common retort from some critics is “The Jews killed Christ.”

Was it just “the Jews”? True, the Israelite religious leaders during Jesus’ earthly ministry plotted to destroy Him, and they corrupted the legal process to rush through an immediate execution of our Lord and Savior. There are numerous passages testifying to this throughout the Gospels. But let’s not forget that it was Roman leaders and soldiers along with a crowd of Jews and Gentiles which rejected Jesus before He was crucified. At this point, it’s necessary for us to embrace a humbling spiritual truth. If everyone of us had been in that crowd that day, standing before Pilate and the beaten, bleeding Christ, we all would have shouted “Away with this man! Crucify Him!” And why? Isaiah declares it so: “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isaiah 53:3)

Biblical Hebrew uses a number of words for “man”: adam, ish, enosh, gibbor, etc. In the Messianic verse above, “ish” is used in the passage “rejected of men.” There is no difference there among the different groups of men in the world. The verse does not discriminate between Jew and Gentile. Abandon this notion “Well, if I had been there, I would have called for His release!” No, you would not.

Furthermore, there were many Jews who believed on Jesus, before, during, and after His Crucifixtion! (John 11:45, John 12:11; Acts 17:12, 21:20). No, it was not “The Jews” who killed Christ.

Some scholars distort Scriptures show that we should fear and oppose Jews. Here’s one example: “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.” (John 20:19).

When you read the Bible, don’t discard your reason. The disciples in the upper room were Jews themselves! Were they afraid of themselves, too? The context alone bears out that the disciples were afraid of the Jewish leaders, since they were the ones trying to suppress the Gospel.

Even in the Catholic Church, if one follows the old-school Latin rite of the traditional Good Friday liturgy, there is a recitation in which the congregants pray for the conversion of the Jews: “Oremus et pro perfidies Judaeis,” i.e. “Let us pray for the unbelieving Jews.” That is not anti-Semitism. Why would anyone pray for anyone else to believe if they have a hatred towards them?!

Consider once again that prayer in the traditional Latin Mass: “Let us pray for the Jews who don’t believe,” which implies that there are Jews who DO believe! Of course there were, and there are (Michael Brown, among hundreds of thousands, if not millions around the world)!  Christianity would not exist but for those believing Jews, starting with the apostles and their adherents, who spread the Good News.

The Bible does not support anti-Semitism. True Christian faith is incommensurate with anti-Semitism, as well. Christian faith, revelation of God’s Word, Christ and Him Crucified does not teach let alone justify anti-Semitism. In fact, it outright rejects it (cf. Romans 11:18-21). Religious anti-Semitism, yes, but let’s stop calling it “Christian Anti-Semitism.”

Internationally Renowned Author and Evangelist Praises MassResistance, Interviews Organization Director

Internationally known evangelist and conservative commentator Dr. Michael Brown praises MassResistance in latest book

Features our efforts in successfully fighting—and winning—culture war battles against the LGBT agenda

Video: Dr. Brown’s exclusive interview with MassResistance national director Arthur Schaper

May 29, 2020

 Dr. Brown's show has been a prominent voice in the Evangelical Christian movement for many years.

For years, Dr. Michael Brown has been sharing the Gospel and speaking out against the abysmal culture malaise that has overrun the United States. He is an internationally recognized author and speaker, and has long hosted a popular daily radio show “Line of Fire,” heard on over 40 stations across the US and online.

Most important, unlike many conservative radio and talk show hosts, Dr. Brown has not been afraid to forthrightly discuss the LGBT agenda. His 2011 book, A Queer Thing Happened to America; and What a Long, Strange Trip It’s Been, documented the extraordinary impact that LGBT activism has had on American society.

But how can we effectively stop it? Finding common ground with an agenda that is completely based on lies can never succeed, he realized. The pro-family movement has tried that approach for 30 years, and it has failed.

In his latest book, Jezebel’s War with America, Brown not only confronts the militancy of the LGBT agenda – along with the other cultural horrors overrunning the country –he also gives special praise to MassResistance – that MassResistance’s hard-nosed, confrontational approach is what works.

Jezebel was the most wicked woman in the Bible. She was married to Israel’s wicked King Ahab. But her evil was far greater. She was determined to overwhelm the nation with idolatry, licentiousness, and utter moral destruction. She had the prophets killed, led Israel into paganism, and emasculated men.

In 21st-century America, Jezebel is not a person. But the spirit of Jezebel is alive again. The same demonic influences are felt in the massive increase of pornography, sexual immorality, abortion, radical feminism, and in the militant efforts to silence opposing voices. It plagues citizens, families, the churches, and society as a whole.

Is there any hope for stopping this?

In the final chapter of his new book, titled “How to Defeat Jezebel on a National Level,” Dr. Brown praises MassResistance for our growing victories around the world to stop the LGBT agenda:

There’s an organization that started in Massachusetts that is now going nationwide and worldwide. It’s called MassResistance, and it has been pushing back against radical activism since 1995 (and paying quite a price along the way). Not all of its members or leaders are Christians [some are Jewish], and not all Christians would be comfortable with everything they do. I don’t mean they are violent. Never! I mean they don’t mind shouting loudly if that’s the only way to be heard. But this much is clear: They’re getting results because they’re making an effort. They’re getting the truth out to local school communities. They’re exposing the darkness. And they’re winning hearts and minds.

In subsequent paragraphs, Brown lists several MassResistance articles and talks about how we stopped depraved “Drag Queen Story Hour” events across the country.

MassResistance’s Arthur Schaper Goes on Dr. Brown’s Radio show

This past week Dr. Brown asked Arthur Schaper, MassResistance’s national director, to come on the show and talk more about what we do and how we differ from the mainstream pro-family movement.

VIDEO: Dr. Michael Brown Interviews Arthur Schaper

Arthur described the successes MassResistance has been having over the last two years. Drag Queen Story Hour programs are getting shut down; reparative therapy bans have been stopped in key states; and MassResistance recently forced a school district to get rid of a graphic LGBT-based sex-ed curriculum—in the state of California, of all places!

Dr. Brown has been a vocal supporter of MassResistance, and a good friend of our executive director Brian Camenker for many years. His strong endorsement of our activism in his latest book is a great testament to the impact that our pro-family activism is having around the world!

 In 2015 Michael Brown (right) and Brian Camenker of MassResistance (center) were both featured speakers at the "Stand4Truth" Conference in Salt Lake City. At left is Sandy Rios, the moderator of the event.

   

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CPAC: Cowardly Political Action Committee Bans MassResistance from 2018 Convention

For five years, I have worked with and have reported on MassResistance, an assertive pro-family group which doesn’t run away from speaking the truth about the LGBT Movement. I even served as its California Director, since the Golden State has the most members in the larger MassResistance community.

Here are some of the inconvenient yet compelling truths that MassResistance stands by and shares:

1.       Homosexuality is not an innate genetic trait. There is no evidence to justify the argument that people are born gay. Even openly gay Milo Yiannopoulos has admitted as much.

2.       Transgenderism is a mental disorder. Extensive research into biology and genetics has affirmed that there are only two sexes. It’s not about how you feel or what you see.

3.       Same-sex conduct is medically and psychologically destructive.

4.       The political agenda promoting LGBT behaviors is undermining our natural rights.

Most people don’t hear this side of debate, much like the negative verities associated with illegal immigration. However, the consequences of allowing the LGBT movement to infiltrate the public sphere is upending our natural rights and individual liberties of our nation’s citizenry today. Cross-dressing drag queens lead story-time in public libraries, high schools are learning about “LGBT historical figures”, and little children are learning that gender is a mere social construction—and their parents cannot object to these lessons.

Are you triggered yet? Apparently, The Conservative Political Action Committee was. After promising to allow MassResistance a table to present their mission and activism, CPAC’s Executive Director Dan Schneider rescinded their approval at the last minute. What’s going on? I called CPAC’s parent institution, the American Conservative Union, for answers on this troubling development. One of the spokesmen informed me that they would reach out to Dan Schneider, the Executive Director, and he would get my message.

No one got back to me, so I contacted them again, and asked directly why MassResistance’s approval was taken away. The person who answered the phone informed me that they had rescinded the invite for MassResistance because the movement “neglected to use the language of common decency.” What language exactly? He did not give me any examples. There is nothing which MassResistance has published or said which had violated rules of decency or propriety.

 Camenker’s report on the sudden cancellation indicated that Schneider disinvited MassResistance simply because this pro-family group favors an aggressive approach to confronting the public officials who are imposing this agenda in our public schools. They target our children, after all.

This criticism is really hypocritical. After all, as a presidential candidate Donald Trump volleyed some of the most controversial, vitriolic statements at his primary opponents, then at Hillary Clinton.

He got elected, didn’t he? This country’s political culture needs tough rhetoric and clear-cut action, although critics have slammed his speech as indecent or unkind in the past. Moreover, President Trump is going to be one of CPAC’s keynote speakers. If MassResistance gets rejected because of their lack of “common decency”, should President Trump not be allowed to speak at CPAC? Give me a break! Conservatives need to wake up. We are fighting a culture war, and Republicans should have been aware of this fight since Pat Buchanan’s unlikely yet influential primary challenge to George Herbert Walker Bush in 1992.

Now CPAC wants to shy away from the pro-family fight?

I contacted Brian Camenker, the President of MassResistance, and he told me that news of CPAC’s cowardly move is spreading all over the country and the world. Camenker then informed me that the Log Cabin Republicans, a group of LGBT Republicans, are allowed to have a table at CPAC. They are building momentum to normalize gay marriage and transgenderism in the Republican Party platform, and they have fought for homosexual and transgenderism in the United States military. He believes that Schneider rebuffed MassResistance because they didn’t want to offend the Log Cabin group as well as to promote a more “’libertarian” ambiance to attract younger people.

These gestures are not wise. Conservatism as a movement and ideological force must defend natural marriage and the family. Former US Senator and Presidential candidate Rick Santorum authored the book It Takes a Family, stressing the role of Dads and Moms to transmit crucial values and principles on life, liberty, property, and the United States’ constitutional political culture. He has also reminded the public that the Republican Party was established not only to abolish slavery, but to end polygamy, a barbaric practice which devalues women and assaults the nuclear family.

So, Dan Schneider gave MassResistance a formal invite to have a table at CPAC, then they changed their minds. I asked to speak with Schneider, but my request was rebuffed since they are getting ready for the convention. Before hanging up, I let Josh know that when more people hear about this unjustified reversal, they might not have much of a convention to prepare for. I called a friend of mine, informing her to contact the American Conservative Union (or should I write “Conservative” in quotes at this point?) and demand that MassResistance have a table at the convention.

In another telling irony, a conservative association is silencing a pro-family group. Isn’t conservatism all about defending natural rights, including freedom of speech? And all of this is based on some vague standard of “common decency.”

I contacted Dr. Michael Brown, conservative Christian author and speaker, and he issued to me the following statement:

“It is absolutely outrageous that CPAC would ban the presence of MassResistance, one of the few organizations in the country actually doing something to resist the advance of aggressive LGBT activism, especially in our children's schools. This is even more outrageous when you realize that CPAC welcomes the presence and participation of a gay Republican organization like Log Cabin Republicans. CPAC needs to reverse itself immediately with an apology to MassResistance.”

I urge every reader to contact CPAC right now: (202) 347-9388. Tell them to keep their promise and let MassResistance have their table!

OUTRAGE! CPAC Reverses Commitment, Bans Pro-Family Groups' Table from CPAC 2018

Brian Camenker, the President of MassResistance, released this eblast about the double-dealing of CPAC Executive Director Dan Schneider.

First, they had received permission to present their booth, which features the dynamic activism to fight the destructive LGBT Agenda.

Then five days ago, Schneider called Brian and told him that he was cancelling the exhibit!

Unbelievable!

Here is the full report. More information will follow:

MassResistance table BANNED from CPAC – after having been accepted. Because of our 2015 comments about the “culture war”.

But LGBT group “Log Cabin Republicans” is allowed!

Is the “Conservative Political Action Conference” really conservative?

February 13, 2018

From CPAC's promotion video.

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), the oldest and largest annual “conservative” conference in America, has abruptly banned MassResistance from having an exhibit at its 2018 session. The conference begins next week, running Feb. 21-24. CPAC had officially approved MassResistance for a table on January 29, after an involved vetting process. 

But last week CPAC Executive Director Dan Schneider notified MassResistance that the decision has been reversed because of our Biblical approach to fighting the “culture war” (particularly the transgender agenda in public schools) as described in a 2015 speech by MassResistance president Brian Camenker. (See below.)

What is CPAC?

CPAC is huge. Every year it attracts thousands of people from across the US. Over the years, numerous major political figures and presidential candidates have spoken at CPAC, starting with Ronald Reagan.

CPAC goes to great lengths to present itself to the mainstream media as the gathering place for conservatism in America. CPAC and its parent group American Conservative Union (ACU), state that they are “America’s premier conservative voice” and that “ACU defines conservatism” (their emphasis).

But that is very deceiving. Similar to the direction of the GOP establishment, in recent years CPAC has become more libertarian-oriented and pro-LGBT – and hardly any pro-family groups have had exhibits or been sponsors. This seems to mesh with the attendees: approximately half are 18-24, and clearly products of modern culture.

For the past three years (including this year) the radical homosexual group Log Cabin Republicans (LCR) has been a sponsor and exhibitor at CPAC. (Prior to that, another homosexual group called GOProud was an official exhibitor in 2009 and 2010.)

LCR pushes hard to homosexualize the Republican Party and have LGBT officials and judges appointed. They fight for LGBT “anti-discrimination” laws that are used to punish Christian businesses. They’ve pushed hard to force open homosexuality – and recently transgenders – into the U.S. military. They placed an ad in USA Today to strongly denounce the 2016 GOP platform committee for supporting traditional marriage. They brag that they are “creating change.”

In 2016 and 2017 the group Atheist Voter had a table at CPAC. (In 2015, its parent organization, American Atheists, was granted a main stage speech.) The group pushes for God-less government policies, removal of “Christian ideology” from all government, repeal of religious exemptions from onerous LGBT laws, and more reporting requirements on churches. They also support the LGBT agenda, abortion “rights,” and are “fighting abstinence-only until marriage sex education.”

Many of the conference speakers, such as former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson (speaking this year) are pro-LGBT Libertarians. Marijuana legalizationgroups were CPAC exhibitors in 2015.

How groups get approved by CPAC – including MassResistance

MassResistance registered for a table at CPAC on January 8, six weeks before the conference. We were told that the “approval process” could take 5-7 working days, but to go ahead and make airline and hotel reservations, etc. anyway.

We waited two weeks with no answer. Then on Jan. 24 a conference call was set up to discuss “your organization and your plans for CPAC.” It was with CPAC’s events coordinator and Dan Schneider, the Executive Director. He said he had never heard of MassResistance.

We described the history of MassResistance and the kind of activism we do. We were very up-front about our plans for CPAC. We were going to promote our book, The Health Hazards of Homosexuality, and similar materials. We told Schneider we believe that CPAC’s large constituency of younger people had not been sufficiently exposed to the pro-family message, and he agreed. He said he would like pro-family groups to come to CPAC.

Schneider said that there are four criteria for a group to be approved:

1. The applicant organization must stand for at least one conservative/right-of-center proposition
2. The applicant organization must not exist primarily for a liberal purpose
3. The applicant organization must be legitimate (no overnight pop-ups, no funding by shadowy entities, staff and officers must be philosophically right of center)
4. The applicant organization cannot be disrespectful of either ACU or CPAC

We told him that it was hard to believe that the Log Cabin Republicans would pass this (in light of criterion #2) since they clearly exist to homosexualize the Republican Party and push the LGBT agenda in government and society. (Schneider answered that LCR's support for the Second Amendment was important in their being approved!)

He told us that there is a “CPAC Advisory Council” which includes Family Research Council (FRC) that decides whether a group passes. Schneider told us that Family Research Council had voted to approve Log Cabin Republicans because LRC passes all four criteria. Obviously, this shocked us, but that’s what we were told. He added that there are “gay” employees at both Family Research Council and the Heritage Foundation.

On January 29, MassResistance was officially notified by CPAC that we were approved. So we paid for our table and continued with our plans to attend.

CPAC changes its mind!

But on Thursday afternoon, Feb. 8, we got a phone call from Dan Schneider. He told us that he had decided to rescind our approval. He said it was because of remarks made by Brian Camenker, president of MassResistance, in a video posted in 2015.

The video is of a panel discussion at the Stand4Truth Conference in Salt Lake City in Nov. 2015. It’s titled, “The Truth About Adulterated Doctrine” – how flawed theology subverts the pro-family battles. It includes Dr. Michael Brown, Pastor Dave Welch, Stephen & Janice Graham, and Brian Camenker. It was moderated by Sandy Rios, American Family Association radio host and former president of Concerned Women for America.

In the discussion, Camenker describes the latest chilling horrors of the pro-transgender policies that school officials in Massachusetts are imposing on children, how parents are kept in the dark, and how anyone who disagrees will be punished. His discussion of the transgender agenda in schools continues later when there are questions from the audience.

One of the audience questions involved how we should treat our adversaries in this battle. This brings up a major division in the pro-family movement. How should we react to these school officials who are pushing this evil on innocent, vulnerable children, which could affect their lives forever? Or to a librarian who brings in a cross-dresser in order to confuse 4-year-olds? Or doctors who enthusiastically help confused and deluded teenagers “change” their sex?

Two of the panelists stated that we should only deal with those school officials and others “respectfully,” telling them the “truth in love.”

Camenker said that he disagrees with that. This is a culture war, he said, not a church service. If you want them to actually stop, you have to mean business, including being “insulting and degrading” to these sleazy people if necessary. “I think that we’re misguided in our approach sometimes,” Camenker said. Sandy Rios then interjected, agreeing with Camenker. “I actually think you’re right, Brian. I think that evangelicals have gotten a little bit soft and not understood warfare.”

In other words, we must choose between saving children and pandering to a terribly flawed theology which, according to many prominent Christians activists, masks a fear of confronting the LGBT movement.

(And as so many pro-family conservatives know, the kind of hateful, vulgar, profane vitriol – including death threats – that LGBT activists regularly use against us is something the LGBT movement has no problem with at all. And it’s something that pro-family moderates are afraid to talk about.)

VIDEO: Panel - The Truth about Adulterated Doctrine (2015)
See sections with Camenker:
On the transgender movement in schools: 28:00 – 42:30
More on transgender movement & discussion of theology: 1:02:00 – 1:09:45
(And it’s well worth watching the entire panel discussion!)

Length: 1:12:37

“I’m uncomfortable with that language,” Dan Schneider told MassResistance. (He may also have been upset with the straightforward language from Leviticus condemning homosexuality as an abomination, referenced by both Dr. Brown and Camenker.)

The truth is that it’s radical LGBT groups who are “uncomfortable” with the language, and they have whined about it ever since. Within days of that 2015 panel discussion, LGBT websites went ballistic. Introducing transgender issues to children is part of “LGBT rights” in their eyes, and Camenker was saying this should be confronted strongly.

How did Schneider even stumble upon that 2015 video? It’s only being publicized by radical LGBT and far-left groups. So who told the CPAC Executive Director? It wasn’t publicly known that we were registered. We hadn’t mentioned it publicly. One can only surmise that LGBT activists allied with CPAC (possibly even CPAC employees) brought it to their attention. It’s a very disturbing thought, to be sure.

More questions for CPAC

Camenker then asked Schneider if he was “uncomfortable” with the things that the Log Cabin Republicans are doing, and their goals for America. He was not.

His decision stands, he said. He added that CPAC would reimburse us for any money we lost by canceling our plans. In a bit of added insult, he invited us to pay the individual entrance fees and attend CPAC as regular attendees. We politely declined.

We asked him if any other pro-family groups were having tables at CPAC this year. He said that there weren’t right now, but that the Family Research Council was expected to get one soon. (This was about a week and a half before it starts.) Sure enough, within a few days Family Research Council (FRC) was suddenly listed as a sponsor with a table! This is very strange, because generally a major organization like FRC would sign on several months in advance, not just a few days before.

What does all this mean?

Nothing in Camenker’s comments is contrary to conservative principles!

It became very clear to us that CPAC does not want to offend their pro-LGBT constituency by allowing a group that insists we’re in a serious “culture war” (rather than a “political disagreement”) against those efforts to radically re-order society.

Is this really what conservatism in America has become? What group gets to claim it defines conservatism? Has FRC, whom we all have respected, caved in? Is MassResistance the only pro-family group that’s publicly standing up to powerful sexual-radical movement?

Conservative?? In 2016 the Log Cabin Republicans paid for this ad in USA Todayattacking the GOP's stand for traditional marriage. But CPAC and their "Advisory Council" don't have a problem with this.

Brown, Prince, and the Grace of God

Jewish Christian and Apologist Michael Brown finally me with radical grace preacher Joseph Prince of Singapore.

Brown has been a vocal concerted voice of concern regarding "hyper-grace", or the idea that preaching grace means that the hearers believe they can commit sins and not care.

Brown has further advocated for adherence to the Ten Commandments as a guide for living and that none of us should dispense with the Law.

Finally, they had a meeting together, long after Brown had engaged in criticizing a number of the words and comments found in Joseph Prince's teachings, preachings, and writings.

Here is the interview/meeting between Michael Brown and Joseph Prince:

On Friday, Jan. 20, while ministering in Singapore, I had the pleasure of spending two and a half hours with Pastor Joseph Prince, delving into the Scriptures in Hebrew and Greek, discussing the points on which we differed and highlighting the points on which we agreed. Without a doubt, the points on which we agreed far outnumbered and outweighed those on which we differed.

One verse comes to mind:

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1)

I notice that Pastor Prince and Pastor Brown met together on January 20th, the same day as President Donald Trump's official nomination.

When I wrote the book Hyper-Grace: Exposing the Dangers of the Modern Grace Movement, I reached out to the main authors I quoted in the book, asking them for permission to quote their writings if I went beyond the normal publishing guidelines, also asking them if they would like to reconsider any of their positions.

But I did not reach out to Pastor Prince, wrongly assuming he would not be interested in dialoguing with me based on my experience with some previous leaders who refused to interact. I apologized to him for my failure to do so, and he graciously received that apology.

OUCH!

A lot of the confusion about the Gospel of Grace comes from false assumptions and a resistance to meet and discuss issues. Isn't it interesting, then, that the full revelation of the Gospel comes to us because we simply allow God to invite us to Himself and allow Him to save us?

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18)

He also wanted to make clear that he strongly differed with the positions of some of the others I quoted in my book, and what grieved him was not that I misrepresented his position when citing him but rather that he was cited side-by-side with some others whose views he strongly rejected.

It's an issue of association.

Additionally, Pastor Prince felt that I have not accurately represented those who follow his Bible teachings regularly and how this has helped many around the world lead disciplined, holy, victorious and Christ-centered lives. He explained that his ministry office regularly receives testimonies from people who have been set free from the destructive bondage of sin, from those who have been liberated from the shackles of pornography and from those set free from severe drug addictions through his preaching of the gospel of grace.

"Christ-centered lives", and I can only indicate further: Christ Jesus is our life!

"When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:4)

Although I gladly acknowledged those testimonies and said I also heard similar stories from those who follow his teachings (because of the wonderful truths he delivered) I reiterated that I had also heard opposite stories from those who had become complacent and fleshly (because of what I believed were errors in his teaching).

Here we find the issue.

The errors are not in what Pastor Prince has shared, but what the hearers had chosen to believe or act on.

Pastor Prince maintains clearly that those who have become complacent and fleshly do not understand the gospel of grace, and he would be the first to warn them that they are not living under God's grace and to share with them Romans 6:14: "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law but under grace." He believes beyond a shadow of a doubt that people who have an accurate revelation of God's grace have the power to lead holy and victorious Christian lives. For Pastor Prince (and of course, for me as well), grace is not the license to sin; it is the power to break free from the bondage of sin.

Grace produces empowerment. God's favor actually does many things for us:

"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titu 2: 11-14)

If people say that they are under grace, but embrace inaction and sloth, they are lying!

It's just that simple.

Our principal area of disagreement remains his teaching that the moment we are saved, our future sins are already pronounced forgiven (in contrast with the idea that our future sins are paid for but sin is not pronounced forgiven until it is committed and brought to the Lord). But to repeat, our areas of strong and vibrant agreement are much greater than our areas of disagreement, and I want to shout out those areas of agreement to the world.

I would like to understand further why Brown believes this.

And how does he understand sin? Does he recognize the status as well as the actions?

First, we both agree that it's all about Jesus. He must be central. He must be the focus of our lives. We must draw all people to Him and His atoning work on the cross. Pastor Prince also said that, rather than just say, "Jesus, Jesus" all the time, we should get back to the biblical emphasis: Lord Jesus. And I say Amen to exalting Jesus as Lord.

Jesus is central. Period. Either you believe it, or you do not.

"And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." (Colossians 1:17)

Second, we both agree that many (if not most) believers often struggle with guilty consciences, failing to realize the depth of God's love for them and failing to understand what Jesus did on their behalf, and so it is essential to ground them in grace. I also shared with Pastor Prince that whenever I teach on the errors of hyper-grace, I begin by extolling God's true grace, seeking first to open us that glorious revelation. And I told him that, at FIRE School of Ministry, in the first semester, we do our best to ground our students in the love of God and in their identity in Jesus.

Third, we both agree that God calls us to holiness, sin is terribly destructive, and true grace will be manifest in a holy life. Prior to our time together, he sent me a compilation of video clips in which he stated plainly that if a man in his congregation claims to be a believer and is living in adultery, he will tell that person plainly he is not living under grace (otherwise sin would not have dominion over him) and needs to repent, drop that other woman and go back to his wife. He said he would also question whether that man was a real believer, since a true believer may fall into sin but will not practice sin.

"Sin is destructive" -- no arguments here. Yet condemnation does not break people free!

In his own words (from a forthcoming chapter he wrote for a joint compilation on grace), "If you hear of any 'grace' teaching that tells you it is all right to sin, to live without any regard for the Lord, and that there are no consequences to sin, my advice to you is to flee from that teaching. You have just been exposed to counterfeit grace. Genuine grace teaches that believers in Christ are called to live holy, blameless and above reproach. It teaches that sin always produces destructive consequences and it is only through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ that one can be set free from the dominion of sin."

If you are under grace, your life will produce holy results!

He then asks, "So how do we know if someone is truly living under the grace of God?"

His answer: "We look at their lives."

"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" (Matthew 7:16)

and

"Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." (James 2:18)

And so, "If someone is leaving his wife for his secretary and tells you he is under 'grace,' tell this person that he is not under grace but under deception! ... Genuine grace doesn't compromise God's holy standards and condone sin; it is the answer that gives people power to live glorious lives zealous for good works."

Pastors Joseph Prince and Michael Brown

BAM! Could not say it better!

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)

Fourth, we both agree that sanctification is progressive, meaning the moment we are saved, we are forgiven, declared righteous, and set apart as holy, but now we must grow in holiness. To quote his own words again, "true grace does teach progressive sanctification," and, "As believers, we cannot become more righteous, but we can become more sanctified or holy in terms of how we live our lives. ... The more one grows in grace—the more one is washed again and again by the water of the word of God's grace—the more one grows in sanctification and holiness."

Yes, indeed!

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2)

and

"But ye have not so learned Christ; 21If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4: 20-24)

He rejected strongly the idea, put forth by another "grace teacher," that progressive sanctification is a "spiritually murderous lie."

Fifth, we both agree that the Lord corrects us, and even disciplines us, and we both agree that included in the preaching of grace is the calling to "exhort, and rebuke with all authority" (see Titus 2:15). We agree that true born-again believers will feel uncomfortable in their sins (because of their born-again spirits and because of the Holy Spirit) and will have a genuine desire to find a way out of sin. We agree that the only way out of sin is to point people to Jesus.

ABSOLUTELY!

Pastor Prince believes the primary role of the Holy Spirit is to remind us we are the righteousness of God in Christ (see 2 Cor. 5:21, John 16: 10) and that this understanding is critically important in helping people to turn from sin. While I also believe that this is an important role of the Spirit, I believe His primary role when we sin is to lovingly reprove and correct us, thereby pointing us back to the Father (see Rev. 3:19, 22). Obviously, these two emphases go hand in hand.

Pastor Brown believes that his view is in conflict with Pastor Prince's revelation.

They are not in conflict, but in concert.

To be convicted of our righteousness in Christ leads to conflict with sinful behavior or wrong beliefs, which in turn we reject as we grow in grace!

I'm sure Pastor Prince will come under attack for meeting with me and welcoming me warmly as a brother, and I'm sure I will come under attack for doing the same with him. And so, to each of you who find fault with us for having this dialogue in the Lord, I encourage you to pray for us and, more importantly, to ask yourself if you too agree with our points of agreement here. If so, join us in shouting them out to the rest of the church.

May God's true grace be exalted; may counterfeit grace be exposed.

Reflection

Where was the point of conflict, then, in Pastor Brown and Pastor Prince's understand of grace?

Our principal area of disagreement remains his teaching that the moment we are saved, our future sins are already pronounced forgiven (in contrast with the idea that our future sins are paid for but sin is not pronounced forgiven until it is committed and brought to the Lord). But to repeat, our areas of strong and vibrant agreement are much greater than our areas of disagreement, and I want to shout out those areas of agreement to the world.

First question:

Where were all our sins when Jesus died on the Cross?

They were ALL in the future!

Second question: Is Jesus' blood worth less than that of a bull or a goat?

Consider that under the Old Covenant, the blood of bulls and goats covered the conscience, atoned for sin for one year -- or even an entire day.

It's about the blood, not about us!

What does the Bible say?

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Colossians 2:13)

Second question:

How does one define sin? Does Dr. Brown recognize sin as both a noun and a verb?

Sin as a noun speaks to the deep scar of being separated, dead and separated from our loving Father.

It's deeper than what we do, but who we are.

And that leads to a third question for Dr. Brown:

How does Dr. Brown respond to this verse:

"1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:1-2)

Notice that Jesus is our advocate when we sin - and He is forever the mercy seat just for our sins but the sins of the entire world!

Every person in the world has a High Priest Forever serving as their Mercy Seat.

But do they believe it?

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

What a key dynamic missing in this discussion?

That Jesus is our life!

Jesus did not just take care of our "sin" problem.

He took care of the "Dead' problem.

Man is dead in his trespasses. He needs life!

And Jesus is The Life!

By allowing Jesus to live in us and through us, His favor flows through us!

One more question:

Are we called to live by the 10 Commandments? Or do we allow His life to live and guide us?

Pastor Brown has suggested that God's law placed within us is ... the 10 Commandments.

Not true.

The 10 Commandments already exist within every person:

"Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another; " (Romans 2:15)

He places within our hearts the law of life, love, and faith!

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people." (Jeremiah 31:33)

Now this law is not the 10 Commandments necessarily, since God shared similar hope with Isaac and used his father Abraham as an example:

"Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." (Genesis 26:5)

How did Abraham obey God?

He believed on Him!

"And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." (Genesis 15:6)

Which bring us right back to what Jesus said to the Israelites of His day:

"This is the work of God -- believe on Him whom He has sent!"

Keep Preaching the New Covenant, Kevin Durant!

I like Michael Brown.

I appreciate his fervent advocacy for God’s Word against the secular, dying culture.

When it comes to distinguishing the Old Covenant from the New (2 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 8:10-12), Brown throws a brick.

He criticized Golden State Warriors Kevin Durant about his new faith in Christ.

Dr. Brown

Check out his stellar interview in Gentlemen’s Quarterly:

He was raised to think: "If I do something wrong, I’m going to hell." Then he met Carl Lentz, who ministers to Justin Bieber and sometimes leads prayers before Knicks games. Carl taught him God was about love. Before, "I felt like I had to follow the Ten Commandments. But we don’t live by that no more. We live by the blood of Jesus. That’s how I feel."

Durant has passed from death to life—“Don’t call me the Slim Reaper”.

This basketball star is learning that God is LOVE!

A three-pointer out of the Word:

“And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16)

Love does not mean that God accepts our sin, though!

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10)

Love means that God the Father has provided freedom from our sins and deliverance into His Life:

“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (1 John 5:12)

Dr. Brown faulted Durant’s “theology”, although he offered him the benefit of the doubt:

I truly hope  … that he wasn’t saying, “Because Jesus died for me, there’s nothing left for me to do, since God forgives me no matter what.”

Kevin Durant

Yet indeed, that is exactly what Jesus accomplished for us at the Cross:

 “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2: 13-15)

Many are shocked to hear the fullness of the Gospel. Paul the Apostle wrote to the Romans:

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:1-4)

Michael Brown dismisses Durant’s righteousness enthusiasm:

Unfortunately, for many professing Christians today, they have forgotten the words of Jesus who said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments,” and, “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me”.

What commandments was Jesus talking about?

Not the Big Ten handed down by Moses.

They contain the ministry of death:

“But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:” (2 Corinthians 3:7)

Trying to keep the law brings forth sin in us, the same way a spoon stirred in polluted water will manifest the dirt:

“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20)

These are the new commands which Jesus gave said to His disciples, and to all of us:

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

John—the disciple whom Jesus loved—affirmed:

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

Believe on me. Love one another.

Like many, well-meaning Christians, Brown believes that once we are saved, we live under the Ten Commandments.

Sorry Dr. Brown, but the basketball player scored a slam dunk on this one.

We do not—cannot—live by the Ten Commandments.

Ever read over Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount?

“If you get angry without a cause, you have committed murder.” (Matt 5:21-22)

“If you lust in your heart, you have committed adultery.” (Matthew 5:27-28)

These absolute standards expose our need not just for behavior modification, but for heart transformation, a new life!

We receive that through the perfect blood of Jesus, in that all our sins are put away – forever!

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

“And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 8: 10-12)

Sorry, Dr. Brown, but Kevin Durant is right.

We no longer live under law, but under grace. (Romans 6:14)

We live by His life, which we receive by His blood:

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22)

So I say to Kevin Durant: Keep preaching the New Covenant!