Jerry Shugart
Well-known member
Those in the Neo-MAD camp teach that those who lived under the Law could not be saved apart from works. The source of their error is found in Cornelius Stam's book Things that Differ. He wrote:
"We have no illusions as to man's utter inability to please God by works as such in any age. Man has always been saved essentially by the grace of God, through faith. There could be no other way to be saved " [emphasis added] (Stam, Things That Differ, [Berean Literature Foundation, Twelfth Printing, 1985], p.15).
Stam is right when he said that the only thing that is "essential" in order to be saved is faith. But then he says:
The word "require" means "to demand as necessary or essential" (Merriam-Webster Online).
Therefore Stam is saying that in other dispensations works were "essential" in order to be saved. That idea directly contradicts what he said earlier, that only "faith" is essential for salvation.
If "works" were essential for salvation during other dispensations then it cannot be said that salvation during those dispensations was "essentially by the grace of God through faith." That is because if "works" were essential then it is not of grace:
"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt" (Ro.4:4).
Stam himself recognized this principle, writing that "Grace is not grace if mingled with works. The two principles are mutually exclusive (Rom. 4:4,5)" (Stam, Commentary on the Epistle of Paul to the Romans, [Berean Literature Foundation, Second Printing, 1984], p.87).
Peter understood that he was saved by grace, the same way that the Gentiles are saved. He said:
"But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are" (Acts 15:11).
The idea that in other dispensations people could not be saved apart from works is easy to refute but even today those within the Neo-MAD camp still teach that in other dispensations no one could be saved apart from works.
The Neo-MAD camp is loaded with people who can best be described as "sheeple."
They are unable to think for themselves and continue in a failed attempt to prove that the Jews who lived under the law could not be saved apart from works DESPITE the fact that they were saved by grace through faith:
"Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all" (Ro.4:16).
Are there any people from the Neo-MAD community who want to defend their idea that the Jews who lived under the law could not be saved apart from works?
"We have no illusions as to man's utter inability to please God by works as such in any age. Man has always been saved essentially by the grace of God, through faith. There could be no other way to be saved " [emphasis added] (Stam, Things That Differ, [Berean Literature Foundation, Twelfth Printing, 1985], p.15).
Stam is right when he said that the only thing that is "essential" in order to be saved is faith. But then he says:
"Note carefully that while God refuses works for salvation today, He required them under other dispensations" [emphasis added] (Ibid., p.21).
The word "require" means "to demand as necessary or essential" (Merriam-Webster Online).
Therefore Stam is saying that in other dispensations works were "essential" in order to be saved. That idea directly contradicts what he said earlier, that only "faith" is essential for salvation.
If "works" were essential for salvation during other dispensations then it cannot be said that salvation during those dispensations was "essentially by the grace of God through faith." That is because if "works" were essential then it is not of grace:
"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt" (Ro.4:4).
Stam himself recognized this principle, writing that "Grace is not grace if mingled with works. The two principles are mutually exclusive (Rom. 4:4,5)" (Stam, Commentary on the Epistle of Paul to the Romans, [Berean Literature Foundation, Second Printing, 1984], p.87).
Peter understood that he was saved by grace, the same way that the Gentiles are saved. He said:
"But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are" (Acts 15:11).
The idea that in other dispensations people could not be saved apart from works is easy to refute but even today those within the Neo-MAD camp still teach that in other dispensations no one could be saved apart from works.
The Neo-MAD camp is loaded with people who can best be described as "sheeple."
They are unable to think for themselves and continue in a failed attempt to prove that the Jews who lived under the law could not be saved apart from works DESPITE the fact that they were saved by grace through faith:
"Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all" (Ro.4:16).
Are there any people from the Neo-MAD community who want to defend their idea that the Jews who lived under the law could not be saved apart from works?