(All scripture references are NASB unless otherwise noted.)
As usual, I was working on this idea (I promise, LOL) and Andrew Farley preached a message along the same theme.
Also as usual, he probably cuts to the chase better than me, (plus you can listen on your commute, etc.) So, even if you don't read this article, I recommend listening to his message about “God Says You are Safe”.
https://andrewfarley.org/videos/god-says-part-3/
Is Christianity actually a Belief System at its Core?
I realize the idea I am presenting today may be controversial for some, yet I believe it is crucial to understand. It is often at the root of the most destructive aspects of our spiritual communities.
The idea I am proposing today is the harmful mindset where Christianity is turned exclusively into a set of beliefs or even actions. This may or may not be something you have considered.
This mindset treats Christianity as just another religion: a founder, a book, a set of principles put in the book by the founder, and a group of people who follow the founder and gather at regular intervals to learn from the book.
If this is our primary idea of Christianity, then we miss the entire point. Sadly, I see this mindset so often even among those claiming to be Christians, much less in the world at large.
The idea that many unbelievers have where “Christians are those people that don't drink alcohol or this or that” flows from this concept. And they don't have this idea accidentally. The church often emulates it.
Many sermons are preached based on this mindset. I would suggest that all division in the church, so strongly warned against by the apostles, is based in this mindset.
There are really only two world views: one that accepts Christ as Lord, and one that doesn't. No matter the religious shell that may cover the 2nd view, it is still pagan.
At the same time, among those who claim Christ as Lord, everything else should be happy dinner table talk. Yet, for many it is not. Why is that?
Can You “Lose your Faith”?
You cannot lose your Christian ‘faith’ by changing your beliefs. At its core, Christianity is not a “belief system” (though it requires some specific believing (faith) to enter). But even faith is more than simply believing.
Over the last few years, there has been a rash of Christian 'celebrities': singers, well known pastors; and the like; who have publically declared they are abandoning their 'faith' because they no longer believe the same as before.
Anyone who says they are no longer a Christian because they changed their beliefs doesn't truly understand what being a Christian is.
If they really are not a Christian, then it is because they did not have a clue what being a Christian is, not because they changed some belief. Yet you can be a true believer and not understand what it really means.
I am writing this article because I'm not sure very many in our Christian communities truly understand it well either, or at least act as if they do, or consider the impact of it.
I know for more than 25 years of my life as a believer I did not. And the impact once I began to learn was astounding.
Maybe these celebrities never were a Christian and their beliefs are now lining up with their true identity; but having perfect beliefs or doctrine is not a requirement to be a Christian. If it was, there would be none.
Christ making you a new creation is all that is required to be a Christian.
Let me repeat that, because it is something I seldom hear and did not understand for much of my life.
Christ making you a new creation is all that is required to be a Christian.
Believing is certainly a part of that, but not the core. Many believe lots of ‘good’ things, yet never become “new creations”. Many believe lots of ‘bad’ things, yet do become “new creations”.
And every new creation has a different story of how they were changed. No story is more valid than another if becoming a new creation in Christ was the result. That is what matters.
Hmm…I think someone else wrote that. Galatians 6:15 - “For both circumcision and uncircumcision mean nothing; what matters instead is a new creation.” (HCSB)
How is Christianity Different?
“Christ in you” is the main thing that differentiates true Christianity from all the world religions. It is the only world view crazy enough to claim that the founder is not only still alive but, in a literal sense, living within His adherents, guiding and motivating.
Even Judaism doesn't have this. This makes it literally the most dangerous religion. It technically worships the true creator God, yet not in a way that enables Him to save. Romans 9-11 is dedicated to this topic.
Even religions that worship the one true God, yet without Christ, or substituting good works for faith, are still not Christianity.
(I will also do a post at some point on why Christianity is not a religion. What James 1 is describing when he uses the word translated ”religion” is not Christianity it is actually Judaism. But you will have to come back for that one - yet another controversial take).
Do You Pass the Test?
This assertion is not really off the wall or out in left field. In the last chapter of Paul's 2 letter to the Corinthians, he makes an interesting statement.
“5 - Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test? 6 - But I expect that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test.” (emphasis mine)
And that is truly the only “Christianity test” that matters. No other measuring stick, including the law, is needed.
“Is Christ in you?”
Are you in Christ? Are you a new creation? Are you indwelled by the Holy Spirit? These are all the same questions.
Earlier in the chapter, Paul indicates that even though these folks were struggling mightily with sin: “Christ…is not weak towards you, but mighty in you.”
There was no more fleshly church ever mentioned in scripture! These folks had more issues than a roller skater at a hockey rink. They had more words written to them than many other churches combined.
Yet Paul said Christ was mighty in them. Imagine!
The test is not have you kept the law perfectly, have you obeyed perfectly, how is your performance track record, or do you believe all the right stuff?
It is a simple question: is Christ in you?
New Covenant Commands - The Obedience of Faith
Paul readily knew that if Christ was in these Corinthians then they have already obeyed the first new covenant command: to believe in Christ.
Paul refers to this as the “obedience of faith”. This is the only obedience required under the new covenant. Paul starts and ends Romans with this concept.
Romans 1:5 - “through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles in behalf of His name”
Romans 16:25-27 - “25 - Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,
26 - but now has been disclosed, and through the Scriptures of the prophets, in accordance with the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to the obedience of faith;
27 - to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.”
The obedience of faith is the only obedience that matters. It will lead to many great things, but it is the root.
This is just as Christ said in John 6. When the Jews came and asked what they needed to do in order to do the 'works' of the Father, what was His response? (Note the change from plural.)
“Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” -John 6:29
Believe and Love - the Only New Covenant Commands
Later, John clarifies this further in his 1 John letter to the church at Ephesus:
“3:23 - This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.”
Paul well knew that by obeying the first new covenant command his audience would pass the test. They would be new creations, made alive in Christ and indwelled by the living Lord Jesus Christ.
Once that happens, only then can we obey the second new covenant command - love others. And these are the only two commands in the new covenant - a believer is no longer under the Torah. The old covenant has passed away for us.
(Note: I did not say Torah has passed away or they it is bad. The Torah has not died, but as believers, we have died to the Torah and are married to Christ. (Romans 7:1-6) This is a distinction with a huge difference.)
Yet, it is only gone because it has been replaced with something better. As Paul told the Corinthians: if Christ is in you, He cannot help but work mightily in you. But first you must pass the test.
This Is the Only Scriptural Test
By the way, this test works for everything in the Christian world.
Worried about “false teachers”? Well, does their teaching lead people away from or towards “Christ in you”? That is the only test. They may believe many other wacky things, but if they still point to Christ, they are not false teachers.
Worried about judgment? Do you have “Christ in you”? Take a look at 1 John 4:16b-17:
“16b- God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 17- In this way, love has been perfected among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment; for in this world we are just like Him.” (BSB)
Romans 8:1 - “Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
In this world (not in heaven only) we are just like Christ. Wow. This is “Christ in you”. No wonder there is no condemnation. Christ cannot condemn Himself.
Do you have a struggle with harmful attitudes and actions (i.e. sin)? Then look to Christ in you. Stop looking to rules and learn to let Christ rule. Paul promised the Corinthians He would work mightily in them. Believe it.
Romans 6:17-18: “17 - But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were entrusted, 18 - and after being freed from sin, you became slaves to righteousness.” (Emphasis mine.)
I could go on and on, but I hope I have made my point: “Christ in you” really is the only point. It is what makes Christianity what it is. Without that being the central mindset, everything else is pointless.
Believing is Important - Just Not the Core
I want to be clear and I hope I have. I just went through a whole section about how believing in Christ is the first command of the new covenant.
Obviously, Acts 16:31 (among other verses) says “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” So, yes, of course, there is “believing” required to become a child of God.
I’m not saying believing is not required or not a part of the equation. Belief is an aspect of faith, and we continue to grow in faith.
I want to be clear I am not claiming “all roads lead to God” or any such nonsense. Christ is the “narrow gate” which requires faith to enter.
Further, what you believe greatly impacts your life, Christian or not. Truth is always required for goodness to thrive.
A believer has Christ by definition, but by believing lies can effectively ignore and grieve Him. I believe this will be difficult to do for very long, but it is possible and is warned of in scripture.
For believers, scripture indicates that the more truth you believe directly impacts how well you utilize your new creation status.
Believing truth is good for any human. There is a reason the enemy is known as the father of lies. Truth is invaluable to life, and he is the enemy of life.
But one of those truths you need to believe is understanding that the subject of this article can be twisted into becoming something harmful.
We can turn 'belief' into something that complicates our walk and growth.
The Idolatry of Belief
I like to call it the “Idolatry of Belief.”
We often worship what we believe about God more than God Himself. Our beliefs become such an immovable rock that even Christ Himself struggles to get us to change our mind.
This is chronic in our churches. It is subtle, I admit. It is a line that is crossed where doctrine is held up to more esteem than the people the doctrine is supposed to help.
This is in a twisted way actually self adulation. This is at the root of nearly all of the historical harms caused by the 'church' throughout history. And it continues to divide and harm today.
The implications of this are endless. The thousands of 'Christian' denominations exist today solely because of this. This is an idol human beings fervently cling to.
This is what causes the rejection in my own “non-denominational” community of a person who deeply desires and feels called by God to teach, yet because his background involves non-gospel related beliefs that don't agree, he was rejected. (No not me, at least not yet!)
I'm sure something similar happens all over. And every time, the Holy Spirit grieves. A church is so clinging to their own interpretation that not only can an alternative not be discussed, anyone who holds it cannot be a teacher from scripture for anything else.
Thankfully we no longer burn anyone at the stake, but sometimes it feels like some folks might if they could. And usually over inconsequential things.
Christ In You; Always the Answer
Yet again, “Christ in you” is the answer. If your faith and dependence is in Christ, rather than having perfect beliefs, then you are no longer afraid of others who disagree.
And you are no longer afraid for yourself. No longer is there going to be some undefined punishment for believing wrong (at least not from God; sadly humans will inflict it, that is my point.)
Once you realize that Christ has you, this opens up a freedom to recognize your own inabilities and reveals the true struggle finding truth is.
Once you are free to be wrong, then you are finally in a good spot to learn the truth.
Walk Humbly with your God
I heard that one theology professor started every class with this quote: “We all believe a thousand heresies; we must walk humbly before our God.”
Secure in Christ, the consequences of believing 'wrong' stuff are greatly reduced. They are no longer a cosmic tragedy, but life becomes God's classroom where you learn what beliefs strengthen your dependence on Christ in you, and what beliefs harm that reliance.
Once your very soul is taken off the list of consequences, then you are actually more free to discover truth. This process is called 'repentance' in scripture. The idea that we need “perfect beliefs” hinders repentance.
Repentance = “Change of Mind”.
Can you see that someone who struggles with belief idolatry would struggle to repent? How can you change your mind if your belief is what secures you instead of the living Christ?
If having perfect beliefs is at the core of your spiritual identity, then changing your mind is a scary prospect. You can see this in some spiritual leaders who cannot admit they are wrong even when presented with clear scripture indicating otherwise.
Repentance is far more than what has been traditionally taught, at least in my spiritual communities. I think I will have to write about it sometime. (So many topics, so little time. 😓)
But belief idolatry is the enemy of repentance by default.
Faith Opens the Door
Although believing is a sort of “kickstart” that demonstrates your faith in Christ - it is the mechanism through which you “open the door” to Christ - it is not the power that makes you a “Christian”.
The miracle that happens after you believe or call on the Lord is what makes you a child of God. It is only Christ's work, not your belief.
It is not a miracle we could ever perform in any way, pure beliefs or not. This is clear from scripture.
Yet, why do we act as if somehow we are maintaining it by our beliefs?
It is never about what we do (our belief or faith), it is about what Christ does to and in us after we believe. And it is about what He is continuing to do.
Christ is both the “author and perfecter” of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). He caused it to be and He continues helping us from within to grow.
If it was about our faith or perfect believing, then yes, of course, we could lose it if our faith slipped or we believed the wrong thing.
This is why, while faith is required to be saved, our salvation doesn't depend on anything that we must maintain or keep up. If our new creation status depended on us, we would be in deep trouble.
It is Christ's actions that matter. This holds true forever, even after our “new birth”. Our beliefs did not make us a new creation and they are not the power that enables a new creation life.
They may help us to utilize the power more effectively, but they are not the power in and of themselves. This is crucial to understand.
Who Causes Our New Birth?
This idea is not complex. It is the very basic premise of the gospel. It is described in all the gospel language like “born again”, etc.
Yet many miss this vital concept - it is aptly called the “new birth” - because we are born anew by the Spirit. Thus…is it your beliefs that cause the new birth, or is it the Spirit of Christ who does it?
This should be a 'duh' lightbulb type of moment. But I truly want to effectively emphasize this because so many seem to miss it.
Again, you can be a “child of God” and have some really abysmal beliefs, and you can be a pagan and believe all the “correct” things.
There are Catholic new creations, there are most likely Mormon new creations, just as there are Presbyterian, Baptist, or non-denominational new creations.
Name a group and you most likely will find a new creation there. They may not understand who they are very well, and thus miss out on a lot of true growth, but that doesn't change their status in Christ.
Being a “child of God” is your spiritual being or state - your identity. It was done by God through the finished work of Christ; it was not done by your “believing”.
God is love, and love does not coerce (1 Corinthians 13:5).
He was never going to force this upon you - but by believing, you opened the door to Christ.
In a strange way, you “allowed” Christ to do His work in you when you called on Him and chose to open the door.
He is always waiting, knocking, and choosing humanity, wanting to open the door, but we must respond and make a willful choice to open up to Him.
As Hebrews 3:7-8 says, “…don't harden your heart…” This is a choice every human faces.
Is Making A Choice “work”?
Some argue that someone who is “dead” in Adam cannot choose God.
They suggest that this choice would be an action on our part that suggests “works”. So, when Paul says it is “not of works” this precludes choosing.
By the way, Christ called believing in Him 'work' in the John 6 reference earlier. So, clearly it is a work of some type, but this is not what Paul means.
Even if you consider it work, Christ says it is an essential work to be saved. So, this must be reconciled in some way.
I won't get into it fully now, but Paul is saying what I am saying. He is not saying the choosing is work. His point is that the salvation that is allowed by the choosing is not of works. His entire focus is the salvation, not the choice.
Once again, even this idea, in a reverse way, is combining our beliefs with our identity. Again, it is not our belief that is the power to re-create us with an identity as “child of God”.
We cannot save ourselves. Again, it is Christ that saves, not our choices. The power is all Christ. And that is what Paul means. Nothing we can do will ever empower our transformation into a new creation in Christ.
Yet, by His very nature, an unchangeable nature that simply 'IS', (I AM that I AM), He cannot force us to be saved. Thus, we must make that choice. We must choose His love for it to have an impact on us.
This is a very long and complicated topic, which I will address sometime in a more detailed way, but I do not believe the idea we cannot choose is scriptural.
There are too many clear scripture passages that indicate human choice, including both references above.
We Do Not Have Free Will
I am not saying that we have “free will”. No human is free, we are either slaves of sin or slaves of Christ (Romans 6). Yet, clearly I am not affirming a strict Calvinist perspective where we don't have a choice in this.
The same principle that cancels “universal salvation”, where all are saved whether they choose or not, also cancels the idea that some are, whether they choose or not.
Scripture doesn't fully confirm either side in this debate, so neither can we. Consider that God might be powerful enough to allow His creation to choose certain things yet that does not mean they have a fully free will. We mess up by using “free will” to frame this issue.
The idea of free will vs. fate was a big philosophical debate even in advance of Christianity. Many have simply carried over human philosophy and tried to align scripture to that.
The very fact that we have the two sides once again points to the idea of “belief idolatry”. This is something to which we all can succumb. It is always OK to acknowledge the mystery sometimes.
Christ is Knocking; We Open
In Revelation 3 when John describes Christ as “knocking at the door”, He is not portrayed as knocking the door down. There is a faith response needed by the person on the other side of the door. It is not “works” to open the door to Christ, but it is a choice.
Yet, you may believe all sorts of horrible things and still make that choice. When you do, Christ comes in, completely transforming your spirit, birthing you as a new creation.
What Christ has Done, Can't be Undone by Us
I can't bash one side without pointing out unscriptural ideas by the other.
Christ joins His Spirit to your newly born spirit forever. His work cannot be undone. It is this work that we cannot accomplish, and since we don't do it, we can't undo it.
The new creation is a new reality. You have been changed by Christ into something new. By Christ.
We cannot undo it even by changing our beliefs.
While the validity and truth of your belief system will impact a lot of things, once this act is done by Christ, it will not impact your new creation status.
You cannot perform a “spiritual abortion” on yourself by having a poor belief system. It is just not possible.
You can certainly do a lot of earthly damage to yourself and your relationships though. The wages of sin is death; you reap what you sow.
Thus, Can a True Believer “Wreck their Faith”?
In the life of a Christian, this phrase is an oxymoron, it cannot be true, for many of the ‘new creation' reasons I have already covered.
Yes, I realize I will have to address 1 Timothy 1:19 where Paul discusses a “shipwreck” of the faith. This has often been twisted due to the phrasing of translations in English.
The key Greek word means “rejected” or “repulsed” the faith (the same word where we get apostasy). This is no simple set of wrong beliefs, this is an active full gospel rejection.
Also, Paul doesn't actually use “shipwreck” towards “faith”. In the Greek, faith is not connected to shipwreck directly.
NKJV gets is best: “having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,”
In the Greek the disassociation is even more pronounced. The shipwreck was caused by rejecting the faith, it was not their faith that was shipwrecked. Can you see the difference?
Also note that there are two people contrasted here. Those with faith and a good conscience, and those who rejected both of those.
Paul was not saying that in some way these folks were true believers, but then they messed it up. He is saying that because they were not believers, yet were in the church pretending, they were causing all sorts of trouble.
If you reject the faith, you are not a believer. The phrase “good conscience” is often used to describe the forgiveness we have in Christ for all sins, past, present, and future. These people have rejected that also. You cannot reject Christ's forgiveness and be a believer.
These people are not believers; they have rejected Christ. Yet they were in the church, so this rejection caused all sorts of turmoil and issues in the church and their personal life, which Paul calls shipwreck.
It is a vivid word picture of the destruction fakers in the church can cause. Yet, these are fakers and false teachers, they are not true believers.
Their teaching was leading people away from, not towards, Christ.
Identity vs. Walk
I want to state again, and be abundantly clear, that I am not in any way claiming that what we believe is not important as believers. Of course it is.
I write to help you believe more truth and gain scriptural perspectives that may have been neglected or overlooked.
Yet, once we have “Christ in us”, then our beliefs are no longer an identity question. Our identity is secure as children of God. It is as secure as the very life of Christ.
When we recognize this, it frees us to be wrong. It frees us to grow in grace and knowledge of Christ. It frees us to repent.
All of this pertains to our walk, not our identity. Too many are consumed with identity questions, which as believers should begin to be settled so we can focus on our walk.
Identity is the Key to Growth
I want to be careful because this is part of growth too. My intention is not to cause anyone to freak out because they might have a belief idol! The simple point is to allow truth to help you change your mind.
It is a sliding scale. The more secure your confidence in your identity as a child of God, the easier it is to repent and grow. And yet, the opposite is also true. Sadly many believers growth is stunted by the lack of emphasis on identity.
Most messages I hear are focused on the walk. To be fair, maybe some assume their congregation understands their own identity. But I have conversed with a few pastors who clearly don't understand it themselves!
And every person is in a different place. Identity should often be the primary focus. Even if it is review for some folks, it is a highly important emphasis.
Until a believer understands the basics of their identity, their security in Christ, they will struggle to walk.
I was in church for 40 years before I began to understand my identity, and that was only once I started searching on my own.
This is not as simple as guilting folks into reading and memorizing scripture. I read through the entire Bible more than a dozen times and never truly understood.
There must be an intentional focus on understanding our security in Christ.
Growth is a Variable Process
In the end, all children fall and skin their knees as they grow and learn to walk well. The basic point you should be confident in is a loving heavenly Father ready to pick you up and brush you off.
The more your grow; the more you relax in Christ. Yet, my hope is that this encourages you to consider when you might be taking your eyes off of Christ, and placing them on your own beliefs.
We are secure in Christ, period. We can have 100 idols, including our own beliefs, and yet we are still secure. That is my point. We must be confident in this truth above all truths.
Only when we have this confidence can we grow and walk properly.
Idols Do Matter
Yet, John ends his 1 John letter in this way for a reason: “5:21- Little children, guard yourselves from idols.”
The more we let go of this idol of our own beliefs, the more free we are to repent, and the easier our walk becomes. We are open to learning.
There are many benefits to letting go of idols. But your identity in Christ is secure even if you don't.
Idols and addiction go together. The only addiction we should have is to Christ! He is the only person, place, or thing that we literally cannot live without.
Yet, we all struggle with this in some way. I am simply pointing out a subtle idol or addiction where we place our identity in our beliefs. I believe it is an often overlooked, yet important one.
There are many folks who will point out that your golf game or sometimes even your family can be an idol. Yet, when Christ is your life, then He can be that life in all of those areas. Again, that is the only test.
If you are displaying the fruit of the Spirit as you are with your family or while playing golf, how can they be an idol? It is easy to get carried away by judging.
Thus, in no way do I want to join the many “idol seekers” out there. That is not my point. If you have an obsession that is harming yourself and others, learn to allow the Holy Spirit to help you stop. Whatever it might be.
But many who would condemn you for your golf idol most likely struggle with their own belief idol. So, the truth is that we are all in this together, learning and growing in grace and knowledge of Christ.
This has gotten really long, and I have some final thoughts to add, so I will make this into a two part series.
Thanks to those who have read this far, please come back and finish when you have the time and leading.
I hope this concept has been thought provoking and helps lead to repentance whether you completely agree or not.
GD,
Thank you for more details, shows you have some actual disagreements scripturally, and you are not just an internet troll or caught up in some cult of personality. Appreciated.
Thank you also for the resource recommendation. I am always looking for new perspectives, that is kind of the entire point of my article! If we are in Christ, then other perspectives are not fearful, whether we agree or not.
I have read or listened to dozens of not hundreds of resources. Every single one has ignored some aspect of scripture when making their point, Andrew Farley included. Whether this is deliberate or simply an oversight, I cannot judge. In most cases, it is probably simply being human. We all see through the glass darkly.
As to the specific concerns you mention, perhaps there is a misunderstanding for some of them. The two main judgment camps are 1) one judgment for all, or 2) two judgments, with a separate judgment for believers. Andrew clearly is in camp 1, as am I.
He has definitely mentioned the sheep and the goats before, and I believe Romans 9 also. I believe both passages you mention support #1. That little word 'ALL' causes no end of issues though, I admit. But perhaps you simply haven't heard all of his teaching on this. Seems like you would agree with #1 since you pointed out those passages.
As far as both convict and confess, there is scant evidence in scripture for the traditional perspective or emphasis on these. Conviction is tied directly to the Holy Spirit only once (John 16) and confession is tied to sin only once (1 John 1). Thus, these are emphasized much less in scripture than in most churches. Take that as you will, but I try my best to emphasize what scripture does.
Regardless, confession (homologéō) means to "agree with or consent". It is most often used in a positive way, i.e. "confess Christ is Lord", etc. Thus it means that you agree or consent that Christ is Lord. This is slightly different than in English, where it often means getting something off your chest, so to speak.
Once you understand it's meaning, you realize that confession should be a believers lifestyle, no matter the topic. You should agree with God that sin is harmful, destructive, and wrong. Sure. Just as you should also agree with God that you are forgiven of that very sin, past, present, and future. Again, agreeing with God should be a lifestyle. No question.
The main issue with the traditional meaning of confessing sin is it gets tied to forgiveness. This waters down our total forgiveness in Christ. Unless you tie it to forgiveness, I won't wrangle about it. Perhaps an over reliance on a confession ritual can be immature, but how you relate to God is between you and Him.
As far as convict, the issue there is the English translation (convict has a harsh English meaning, like convict a criminal) and the fact that scripture simply doesn't associate it with the Holy Spirit for believers. In John 16, Christ clearly explains that the 'conviction' of sin is for unbelievers. Believers are 'convicted' of their righteousness. He literally says the Holy Spirit 'convicts' those who "don't believe" of sin.
The word translated 'convict' is most often translated 'reprove'. I will quote from Strong's: "1651 elégxō – properly, to convince with solid, compelling evidence, especially to expose (prove wrong, connect)." It is a work that is done to help folks both confess (agree with) and repent (change their mind).
I do believe the Holy Spirit constantly works to convince believers of truth, so in that sense, yes, He reproves us of many things, both in a positive or negative sense. However, we must consider how scripture actually uses this word, not just our traditions.
As an unbeliever, if you are not convinced you have a sin problem, would you ever turn to Christ? Highly unlikely. Thus, the Holy Spirit works to convince you and expose the sin problem you have.
As believers, we have already acknowledged we have a sin problem by definition. According to Romans 6, we are now free from sin. But are you convinced of that? I know many times I am not. Thus, the Holy Spirit works to convince us we are truly free from sin because of His work. He convinces us of our righteousness.
You do have times like 1 Timothy 5:20 where this word is used where a church 'rebukes' an elder for open sin. But that is rare. Almost all instances are used for unbelievers (Jude 1:15 is an example).
Again, everything I have just written I have heard Andrew speak of in some form or another, so perhaps you misunderstood or did not hear all his teaching. But I am not here to defend any particular person, simply discuss my understanding of what scripture actually says. All of this is straight from scripture.
If Andrew or anyone else lines up with that great. If they don't, then that is why Romans 14 says we are all individually accountable to God. I don't have to answer for Andrew or anyone else.
But I have gone on far too long for a simple comment. If you would like to continue this discourse, please email me at my substack address: nuntiumvitae@substack.com. That way neither of us have to put our private email on a public forum.
Thank you for the discourse. Continue to walk in God's blessing and grow in grace and knowledge of Christ. Appreciated!
His books can be helpful in some ways, but he doesn't make solid arguments. He ignores texts that when it's convenient. When talking about how we won’t stand before God at the Great White Throne, he doesn't mention Matthew 25 due the fact that it took place before the Cross. Nor does he refer to Romans 14:9-12.
He also portrays those with whom he disagrees in the worst possible light. For example, he hones in on those who think we must confess our sins (post-conversion) and that the Spirit convicts us as thought God's children are condemned when in reality the word "convict" to make aware of one’s sinfulness and guilt.
I just think he could be more thorough in his arguments and more gracious in his presentation. There are more solid teachers out there. A book that may be of good use in understanding sanctification is Walter Marshall’s The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification.