WesleyGospel Ministries

This is a very well done documentary on the Wesleyan-Arminian perspective of conditional security, pitted over and against the popular Calvinist view known as “once saved, always saved,” eternal security, or perseverance of the saints. I can’t help but think that my recordings “Don’t Lose Your Salvation!” and “Aspects of Biblical Holiness” were viewed while making this film, because I coincidentally spoke in almost exactly the same way. I agree with 95% of this documentary; and would only hope and pray that viewers would take its message to heart.

I would however like to provide a warning against “sinless perfection” and “angelism,” as Wesley once called it. I agree with Joe Schimmel starting around 1:07:15 where he says:

We always fall short of God’s glory. That’s one thing to say, “You know what, I’m not perfectly like Jesus yet. It grieves my heart. Help me to be more loving and more like Christ.” Its another thing to be living a life in rebellion to God, purposely committing adultery and drunkenness and theft and lying and hating on people and not really repenting, but saying, “Hey, I’m sorry Lord,” but continue to walk down that road. That’s not true repentance…Repentance is turning to Jesus Christ in faith, a change of heart, a change of mind, which leads to a change of lifestyle…It is no longer running down that broad road that leads to destruction that Jesus said many people are on. But its having a change of heart, a change of mind, whereby you turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, who’s the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He’s the narrow road.

Its absolutely essential that we don’t entertain perfectionistic or even angelic views about the nature of repentance. It is a change of heart and mind, a bent of the will to hate sin and love Biblical obedience, a turning away from the world, the flesh, and the devil, and towards Jesus as best we can. But even with all of this, we must bear in mind that “the flesh lusteth against the Spirit” (Galatians 5:17, KJV). That we are in a pilgrim’s progress, with the whole armor of God and a sword (Eph. 6), and are to go onward as Christian soldiers marching as to war against sin. With that, comes a spiritual combat against the world, the flesh, and the devil; and with that combat, a realistic view of the nature of sin and temptation coming from those three sources of evil. While it is certainly possible to gain victory over fleshly addictions through addiction to the Bible, worship, and prayer, especially in the areas of porn addiction, drug addiction (including tobacco), and alcohol addiction–three powerful areas where the flesh of the body is magnetically drawn–we still have to maintain an attitude that says, “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall,” and then when you do, for you probably will now and again–if not physically then mentally–then that’s when you lean into this: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 Corinthians 10:12, KJV; 1 John 1:9, NIV).

But it would be a Pelagian heresy to assume that you can walk in Bible holiness so much, or be so focused on the Holy Spirit, that you don’t need to take heed of falling, or don’t need to confess or repent of sin in your life ever again. Absurd! Such an idea goes against practically the entire theme of the Bible. This is from the Lord’s Prayer: “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us” (Matthew 6:12, NMB). And it is unfortunate that in this documentary, there is the reference made that because the Gnostics believed in a sinful nature, that this somehow means it is a false doctrine. David Bercot says that the Gnostics “believed that our flesh was inherently corrupt” (3:41). If this was the case, then the Gnostics were correct about this, because the Apostle Paul agreed with them, as did Jesus, on this single point: “the flesh lusteth against the Spirit” (Galatians 5:17, KJV); “I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members” (Romans 7:23, NIV); “out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person” (Matthew 15:19-20, NIV). Jesus said this last statement. The Bible, the Gospel, and the Holy Spirit are God’s solution to these problems created by our sinful flesh nature. But it is complete hogwash to assume either 1. that our flesh does not sinfully lust, or that we never have evil thoughts or feelings as born again Spirit-filled believers, and 2. that the Bible, the Gospel, and the Holy Spirit can so sanctify us to the point that we have no more need to engage in spiritual warfare, repentance, or confession.

Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
going on before!
Christ, the royal Master,
leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
see his banner go!

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

O precious is the flow
that makes me white as snow;
no other fount I know;
nothing but the blood of Jesus.

I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses;
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear,
The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own,
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing;
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

I’d stay in the garden with Him
Tho’ the night around me be falling;
But He bids me go; thro’ the voice of woe,
His voice to me is calling.

ROMANS 3-8

Andrew Strom, The Sinner’s Prayer: Fact or Fiction? (2012).

Paul Washer, The Gospel’s Power and Message (Reformation Heritage Books, 2012).

The Gospel of Jesus Christ (my e-book, and book) (Kingsley Press, 2015). I take my doctrinal lead from Harper, Collins, Lindstrom, Morgan, and Edwards. But I was inspired and influenced initially by Andrew Strom’s sermon “We’ve Lost the Gospel!” and Paul Washer’s “Shocking Youth Message.”

John MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus (Zondervan, 1989). This is the main soteriology (gospel theology) book on the Calvinist-lordship side.

—. Ashamed of the Gospel. Explains that the majority of pastors are consciously avoiding preaching about Hell and the Gospel in their churches. Over 300 pages long.

Harald Lindstrom, Wesley and Sanctification (Zondervan, 1984). This is the main soteriology (gospel theology) book on the Wesleyan-lordship side.

Kenneth J. Collins, Wesley on Salvation (Zondervan, 1989). This was based on Lindstrom; and was probably published as a Wesleyan-lordship alternative to John MacArthur’s The Gospel According to Jesus (Zondervan, 1989).

Steve Harper, The Way to Heaven: The Gospel According to John Wesley (Zondervan, 1983, 2003). The easiest to understand and the simplest to read Gospel presentation from a Wesleyan-lordship point of view.

Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans (Kregel, 1982).

John Gerstner, Jonathan Edwards: A Mini-Theology (Tyndale House, 1987).

Jonathan Edwards, The Wrath of Almighty God. Entire hour-long sermons on Hell.

Christopher Morgan, Hell Under Fire (Zondervan, 2004).

—. Is Hell for Real or Does Everyone Go to Heaven? (Zondervan, 2011).

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.” –Jesus in Mark 16:15

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ROMANS 3-8

The Gospel of Jesus Christ (my e-book, and book).

John MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus (Zondervan, 1989). This is the main soteriology (gospel theology) book on the Calvinist-lordship side.

Harald Lindstrom, Wesley and Sanctification (Zondervan, 1984). This is the main soteriology (gospel theology) book on the Wesleyan-lordship side.

Paul Washer, The Gospel’s Power and Message.

Joseph Alleine, A Sure Guide to Heaven.

Richard Baxter, A Call to the Unconverted.

Charles Finney, So Great Salvation (Kregel, 1975).

The Works of John Wesley (sermons).

Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans.

John Gerstner, Steps to Salvation: The Evangelistic Message of Jonathan Edwards.

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LIST NUMBER 2

Harald Lindstrom, Wesley and Sanctification (Zondervan, 1984). This is the main soteriology (gospel theology) book on the Wesleyan-lordship side.

Kenneth J. Collins, Wesley on Salvation (Zondervan, 1989). This was based on Lindstrom; and was probably published as a Wesleyan-lordship alternative to John MacArthur’s The Gospel According to Jesus (Zondervan, 1989).

Steve Harper, The Way to Heaven: The Gospel According to John Wesley (Zondervan, 1983, 2003).

Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans (Kregel, 1982).

John Gerstner, Jonathan Edwards: A Mini-Theology (Tyndale House, 1987).

Paul Washer, The Gospel’s Power and Message.

Andrew Strom, The Sinner’s Prayer: Fact or Fiction?