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Saved_n_kept said:
Mr. Potts,
In order that those of us who agree with Pilgrim might be clear what you meant when you wrote:
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I believe there IS one truth, there IS one true Gospel, and any other is a false gospel. What I have set forth in this thread is the truth. Your Antinomian mixture of law and grace is another gospel. Whatever names and writers you can run to for support in your views won't help one bit to make them true. Error is error, whoever teaches it.
Does this mean that you would see the following as applying to us?
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Why do you folk keep seeking to raise the temperature of this discussion? Why do you keep seeking out statements which I make that you can leap on and claim “Aha! That’s what he thinks! Aha!”, as if they are so shocking, so damning?

The fact is that both sides hold to what they believe is the truth very strongly, and both believe the other to hold error. What I have said about your ‘gospel’ is no stronger than what has been said about mine. As Wes and others have said:-

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“As far as your Antinomian views are concerned the Bible condemns it. The apostles condemn it. Jesus Christ condemns it. Antinomianism is a heresy that must be rejected.”

“Antinomian bias strikes at the nature of the gospel. It says, in effect, let us continue in sin.”

“Thus, Ian, what you are advocating, lawlessness, is nothing other than sin, for the two are made equivalent here by the Apostle John.”

Now, if what I teach is as you claim ‘Antinomianism’ and is a heresy, then what of my gospel? Is it THE Gospel, but with a heresy in it? Or is it another gospel? Am I a brother, or should I be accursed?

If I advocate ‘lawlessness’ which is ‘nothing other than sin’ am I preaching a false gospel?

You decide.

If I am not, but simply preach the gospel, but with an error, then I can say the same about you. You preach the gospel (justification by faith alone) but with an error on sanctification.

But if you believe that my error is actually heresy and that my gospel is another gospel, a false gospel, then I ask you the same question:

Does this mean that you would see the following as applying to me?

“As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:9

Indeed if I preach heresy am I a heretic? Do you apply the following to me?

“A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.”
Titus 3:10-11

I implore you, by the grace of God, stop acting with self-righteous indignation, as though you and yours have not said equally strong words about my position. If you believe me to be in error then deal with the subject and try to answer the scriptural passages I have given in defence of what I believe, and declare to be the truth, the Gospel of Christ.

Much better to give me answers to what I have said about such passages as Romans 6:14, Romans 7:4, Galatians 5, 2 Corinthians 3, which clearly teach that the GOSPEL is the believer’s rule of life, not the LAW, than to waste time trying to trap me in my words, much as the Pharisees sought to do with Christ. You share the same legal spirit I fear.

Finally I ask you - have I come here cursing you, damning you, rejecting you? I have not. I have come here preaching the Gospel of Christ unto you, amidst much opposition, out of loving concern to shine light upon God's word, that you might know the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. I have not left you alone in your error, but have sought to bring the truth to you. I may bring strong medicine at times, which is unpleasant to your taste, but I truly believe that should the Spirit of God apply these truths to your hearts then one day you will thank God for bringing this word unto your ears and into your understanding.

In Grace,
Ian Potts