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Turning God’s Grace into Lasciviousness (3)

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.  Jude 4.

In our last two articles we were discussing  an important question sent in by a reader concerning the passage in Jude 4.  I quote the entire question.  “Of course, this verse is one of the relatively few times the NT mentions reprobation.  My question is about the phrase, ‘turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness.’  I have seen this phrase used to teach that God’s sovereign grace is resistible when shown to the wicked reprobate.  I know that that explanation is in error.  But what does the phrase mean?  And why is the phrase used in a verse about the reprobate?  Were the false teachers antinomians who were perverting the truth of salvation by grace to excuse immoral behavior?  Does the ‘grace of our God’ refer to the grace God has shown to the Christians in the church, which the false teachers were distorting, rather than grace that was actually shown to the false teachers (since they received none)?”

We are ready now to turn to the main question: What is the meaning of the clause, "to turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness."

The one who sent in the question correctly writes that this expression has often been used to teach the error that God's grace is resistible.

Apparently, those who support this contention argue that it is God's will and purpose to save these wretched ungodly men, and God would indeed do this if He possibly could; but His grace is resisted and turned into lasciviousness.

Now we have already noticed that this interpretation is absolutely impossible.  The text quite clearly says that these ungodly men were ordained before for the purpose of creeping into the church to corrupt it.  And we noticed too that God's purpose in this is the good of the church; i.e., to purify the church from a wicked element which is always present.

But the meaning of the expression taken by itself cannot mean what the defenders of resistible grace want it to mean.  They argue that God's grace is shown to these ungodly men in God's desire to save them.  But that very grace is turned into lasciviousness.  That is impossible.  How can God's desire to save them be turned into lasciviousness?  Can they get a hold on God's desire?  Can they make God's desire their possession, and then corrupt it?  That interpretation just won't work.

The questioner quoted above strikes at the heart of the matter with the further question: "Were the false teachers antinomians who were perverting the truth of salvation by grace to excuse immoral behavior?"  That is precisely the point.  That some such people are referred to is evident from the fact that these men crept into the church unawares.  They professed to believe the truth.  They

claimed to agree with the doctrinal position of the church, especially that salvation is by grace alone.  But they came in under false colors, for their purpose is to corrupt the church.  And so, while they claim to hold to salvation by grace alone, they commit terrible sins, sins which are further described by Jude in such vss. as 7, 8, 10, 11.

And so the doctrine of salvation by grace alone is referred to in the text.  This doctrine they turn into lasciviousness.  It is important that we say a few more things about this.  But we shall have to wait until next time.

But let it now be underscored most emphatically that grace is always irresistible because grace is always particular.  A common grace is in its very nature resistible.  A grace shown to all men (in whatever form that may be) is a grace which is resistible and resisted.  Not all shown that "common" grace are saved, are they?  In their case that grace does not accomplish its intended purpose.  The sovereign and almighty grace of God is then shown to be, after all, in the case of many, weak and ineffective.  Man can and does resist it.

Who wants grace like that?  Not I.

Last modified on 27 March 2013
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Additional Info

  • Volume: 5
  • Issue: 6
Hanko, Herman

Prof. Herman Hanko (Wife: Wilma)

Ordained: October 1955

Pastorates: Hope, Walker, MI - 1955; Doon, IA - 1963; Professor to the Protestant Reformed Seminary - 1965

Emeritus: 2001

Website: www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?speakeronly=true&currsection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=Prof._Herman_Hanko

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