MYTH #1. Grace means we or God are withholding judgment/justice.

“Anytime God withholds justice He is giving grace” – R.C. Sproul

How we know it is indeed myth: (B/C)…

1.1. It encourages the toleration of evil versus the pursuit of justice as the key to human flourishing.

1.2. It makes both grace and justice arbitrary and partial.

1.3. It infers that God had to compromise His throne, witness and gospel in order to fill heaven.

1.4. It teaches that a person’s moral behavior will not ultimately determine their eternal destiny at the final judgment.

1.5. It promotes the most sinister and popular false gospel identified in New Testament.

1.6. It creates an obstacle for the rest of the world in viewing the Christian religion as the truth.

MYTH #2: Grace is undeserved.

“Grace is getting what you don’t deserve.” – Stuart Briscoe

2.1. Names of several (other) well-known evangelicals who have propagated this particular myth:

2.1.1. Adrian Rogers

2.1.2. Skip Heitzig

2.1.3. A.W. Tozer –“Grace is the good pleasure of God that inclines him to bestow benefits on the undeserving.”

2.1.4. Matthew Henry – “Grace is the free underserved goodness and favor of God.”

2.2. Why this erroneous view of grace creates an obstacle for the Evangelical to accepting the biblical gospel of Christ•Covenant•Church (i.e. we gain salvation by faith in Christ, but must maintain it by faithfulness to His covenant laws and church) =

Like the previous point, this myth communicates that salvation (or Jesus’ saving grace) comes w/o conditions – including the condition of faithfulness. It teaches that the reason Jesus chooses to initially extend grace – or continue extending grace, is never based on that person’s behavior/character. Accordingly, all those receiving grace bear no distinction from those who don’t (since once more – no one deserves it). Texts used to support this view would include (Eph 2:8-9; this view is a corollary to the equally mythical belief/doctrine known as “unconditional election” – i.e., those God chooses to save is based on nothing He sees in them prior to His choice).

2.3. How we know this understanding of grace is also a myth: (B/C)…

2.3.1. The Bible teaches that grace is unmerited – but never undeserved.

Unmerited favor = favor given BY someone who is under no obligation to give it; e.g., a gift

Undeserved favor – favor given TO someone who was not eligible to receive it; e.g., recent college scam

2.3.2. Biblical grace always has conditions.