In a recent article gaining a lot of traction on Charisma News, Dr. Michael Brown has taken issue with, as he would say, “hyper-grace”.
As I read the article I am struck by how his arguments attack a theology I don’t think actually exists (for the most part) in the “grace camp”.
Dr. Brown’s issue seems to rest with the assumption that those promoting “hyper- grace” ignore scripture demonstrating God’s displeasure with acts of sin which we still fall into. Even more specifically he states,
“One of the foundational doctrines of the hyper-grace message is that God does not see the sins of his children”
Let me start putting things in perspective.
Why Grace?
The renewed emphasis on Grace in the Body of Christ is in part a reaction to the “Reformed” view in Christianity which has been dominant in evangelicalism. Simply put, it’s the idea that God cannot tolerate sin; and as mankind is full of sin, he can’t tolerate us either. Because of his love for us though he sends his son Jesus to cleanse us of our sin through his sacrifice and our subsequent faith in him. The theology goes “that God no longer sees us, but Christ, so now he can fellowship with us again.” Christ appeases and absorbs the Father’s anger.
However the relationship of Good Cop (Jesus) calming down Bad Cop (The Father) doesn’t reflect the image of God Jesus came to reveal to us.
Grace comes in and says “in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith” Gal 3:26. God loves you and there is nothing you can do, including sin, that can separate you from Him.
So we can sin …right?
Dr. Brown’s concern is not new. As Paul the Apostle preached the Good News of Grace he was instantly confronted by those who were perplexed by it’s notions. Does God not care about sin anymore?
Or even more confusing, “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound…Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Rom 5:21,6:1 Meaning, “should we keep sinning on purpose so God’s grace can come?” Paul of course responded, “No, Heaven forbid!”
But if we are even asking the question, “With Grace am I still allowed to sin?” we are not fully understanding Grace because you are asking the wrong question? By God’s grace through Christ you are no longer a “sinner” but his child. You are not a hired hand who can be dismissed for poor performance but a family member with your own seat at the Lord’s Table. It’s not about what you can get away with, it’s about who you are!
God is NOT a cog in the machine!
In both views explained above though there is a danger of erroneously making God just a “cog” in the sin elimination process.
What do you mean by that Steve?
Well, if “Hyper-Grace” folk did truly believe that God “doesn’t see sin” in us anymore (as Dr. Brown contends) he wouldn’t be a very good father. I think the key difference is he no longer sees us as sinners! Our identity is in him, and through him.
If God now just “refuses” to see when we are not acting whole (holy) in keeping with our new identity, then he is no longer our Father but a “cog” or component in the redemption process.
Likewise, the idea that God can only love us if he is seeing Jesus and not us can give the impression that God is neutralized by the presence of sin. Listening to some of my “reformed” brothers you’d think sin is to God what kryptonite is to Superman. Jesus then becomes the lead box that allows God to be in the same room with us. As Paul would say, “God Forbid”. (I’m not suggesting this is Dr, Brown’s position)
Both these views challenge God’s role as a perfect Father who is transforming his children from “glory to glory” (2 Cor 3:18) and reduce him to being just another component in the sin elimination process. Even more worrisome, it makes consciousness to sin the primary way in which we relate to God.
Our relationship with God must center on life with him beyond behavior modification. Too many Christians even view “time spent with God” as just a time to ask for forgiveness. As a father myself I want to hear about my son’s day from his lips rather than, “Oops, I messed up again.”
Which camp are you in?
Grace Camp
I am a proponent of the Good News of Grace. Dr. Brown may even identify me (if he knew me) as messenger of “Hyper-Grace” but I am very careful not to draw hard and fast lines between us. I don’t want to be in the “grace camp” and see Dr. Brown outside the “grace camp”. One reading his article can’t come away from it without seeing he also loves God’s grace and wants to see it flourish in the Body of Christ. I am in his camp and he is in mine. We are in the Father’s camp and this side of eternity we wrestle through these issues together because they are so important to us. But we are one in Christ!
Conclusion
My thought is that articles like Dr. Brown’s are evidence that Grace is being preached correctly. If we are not being questioned about the possibility of grace being abused…it probably wasn’t grace to begin with. Paul the Apostle, who we can all agree had the commission to preach the Good News to the Gentiles, was constantly having to defend and explain grace to those who thought it could be used as an excuse for taking liberties. Using the template of the New Testament, if we are not having to defend and explain grace on a regular basis, we are probably adding a dose of “law” in to make it more palatable to the religious community.
Using Dr. Brown’s vernacular, I would suggest that Paul was a messenger of this “Hyper- Grace” he calls into question.
Come to think of it, can you even have “Hyper” grace? Can one go beyond Grace? It makes me wonder then if there is “Hyper Love” that goes beyond just love.
Or is “love” and “grace” sufficient… with God providing the only prefix that is needed!
andrew says:
I think it would be healthy for Christians to stop seeing themselves as Sinners. I always thought that point was overemphasized even when i was a believer, but now that am I an unbeliever….. it is striking how much the sin mentality of the average Christian stands out. Looking back, I see how much time Christianity spends talking about it, worrying about it, and obsessing about it in others.
Now that I am out, I see 98% of sin worry as completely contrived. So many believers define a major portion of their identity on their position as a sinner. Yet, when I stepped out of that thinking, I found I pretty much never “sin”. Odd to state your personal narrative according to something that takes up such a small sliver of your actions. On the other hand, most of my day is spent doing happy things, and spreading happiness to others. How much better a world where we see ourselves that way.
Admittedly, it is the more fundamental Christian who takes on the mindset, “Have you ever lied? Then you are a LIAR!” But I have found that even the lighter, more happy versions of Christianity, often carry an anchor of “sin mentality”. They will talk about the Joy of Jesus in one sentence, and then bemoan how often they let God down in the next.
I completely agree that people need to move past a life of focusing on behavior modification, but I think trying to do that within the context of religion is tricky indeed.
Holly says:
Thanks for explaining more about Grace. More and more I am seeing how important it is to embrace grace to really be free. As I was reading this, I was thinking wow.. we should really be beyond this foundational aspect in our walks, but I really think when you focus on Jesus and understand the parables, etc.. it is clear to see the love and grace he put forward and how the pharisees who thought they were so holy failed so badly. I find nothing more hurtful and rejecting as a judgmental christian (not saying this about Mr. Brown, just brothers and sister’s I’ve known).
It’s so funny because those of us who love Jesus all fall short.. we are all the same, we do fail from time to time but there are those that pick up the stones and there are those that forgive. Obviously the ones that forgive are the ones that make you want to be the best you can. The ones that pick up the stones only cause more hurt. I am so thankful that I a forgiven daughter of the Most High!
Steve says:
Andy: Yes, As a father yourself you know how good it feels when your kids are truly sorry for something wrong they have done, but you wouldn’t want that type of exchange to be the most time involved element of your relationship
Holly: Thanks for your comment! Yes, it is over the top amazing to be called a daughter or son of the Most High!
Paul Ellis says:
Steve,
I love your take on the “grace camp.” You are right. It is a bad idea to draw lines between Us and Them since we are all one in Christ. I have unthinkingly referred to the grace camp in the past. Never again. Labels diminish us.
Dr. Michael L Brown says:
Steve,
I just spotted a link to your site here and wanted to thank you for your desire to be irenic and recognize our greater unity in Jesus. I too speak as a brother to brothers! We have our differences, and hopefully we can sharpen each other in the Lord. Grace to you!
Steve says:
Thanks Paul! Appreciate your thoughts on that…
Steve says:
Dr. Brown,
Thanks for taking the time to comment. It’s not often I get input from the subject of the post
I do appreciate your kindness in a potentially divisive issue and although we probably disagree on some issues here and there, what unites us in Christ far outweighs that. It’s a privilege to co-labor with you…Steve
Chikirin says:
“But if we are even asking the question, “With Grace am I still allowed to sin?” we are not fully understanding Grace because you are asking the wrong question? By God’s grace through Christ you are no longer a “sinner” but his child. You are not a hired hand who can be dismissed for poor performance but a family member with your own seat at the Lord’s Table. It’s not about what you can get away with, it’s about who you are!”
With respect, that doesn’t really answer the question.
Steve says:
Chikirin,
I appreciate the comment but my response is that if someone is asking that question they are not “getting it”. It’s as if the boss’ son is starting his first day at work. The Chief of Staff is showing him his new office and all the wonderful privileges he will enjoy in addition to incredible authority and discretion he will have to expand his Father’s business. So then the son turns to the Chief of Staff and responds, “That cool, so what happens to me if I start abusing the employees…do I still get to be a son?”
I mean, what do you do with that? How do you respond? Is it even a question to be asked? I suppose the answer is “yes” however there may be other issues to deal with first
Jim says:
Hey Steve,
Great article. I have been a financial supporter of Dr Brown for a while now
and, he certainly puts the cat amust the pigeons.
Do I agree with everything he says? no, and certainly not in this case of ‘Hyper grace’ I think as Paul was teaching and preaching, this comes down to the difference between law and grace, old and new, before and now. John 1:17 draws a distinction between the law and (truth) grace. As you rightly point out grace is all about our positon in Christ. That position means God sees us in a completly different perspective. I think if we focus on how God sees us, in other words how much he loves us, the more would will love him. The less likely we are to sin against him. I don’t commit adultry because the law tells me its wrong. I don’t commit adulty because I love my wife.
Gace is a demonstration of God’s love towards us. That very love once received and understood teaches us not to sin. Titus 2:11-14
God bless you Steve.
Steve says:
Thanks Jim! Thanks for sharing your heart…
Cheers, Steve