8. Refutations

The preceding chapters have laid the groundwork for the following refutations of many modern misconceptions and errors. Accordingly, the below positions are refuted and rejected:

1. Misunderstandings about Sin and Human Nature:

  • We sin everyday in thought word and deed: The belief that sin is unavoidable in daily life.
  • Our human nature is not identical to the human nature of Christ, sin is part of our nature but not His: The incorrect view that our fundamental nature is different from Christ's. Such a view denies the true humanity of Jesus.
  • The physical body is intrinsically sinful: The false idea that our physical form is inherently evil. Jesus became identically human as us yet didn't sin, proving it not sinful.
  • Temptation is sin: The misconception that being tempted is itself sinful. Jesus was tempted yet without sin.
  • Desire is sin: The incorrect equating of natural desires with sin. Desire is what generates temptation but is not sin.
  • Thought is sin: The false belief that having certain thoughts is equivalent to sinning. Thoughts are the very method of temptation and was exactly how Jesus was tempted yet He resisted and overcame. Thinking is how we interface with the world. Our "person" stands apart from our mind through which thoughts flow, we can accept them or reject them accordingly - just as Jesus did. Note: Intentional directed thought can be sin as Jesus taught, he warned those who intentionally look to mentally lust commit adultery in their heart but this is not what I am addressing here.
  • Our future sins are forgiven: The erroneous idea that future sins are automatically pardoned before they are even committed. Ezekiel 33 warns against this presumption as does Hebrews 10 and Revelation 3.

Ezekiel 33:12-13 ESV
[12] “And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness when he sins. [13] Though I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, yet if he trusts in his righteousness and does injustice, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered, but in his injustice that he has done he shall die.

Hebrews 10:26-31 ESV
[26] For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, [27] but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. [28] Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. [29] How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? [30] For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” [31] It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Revelation 3:1-6 ESV
[1] “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. [2] Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. [3] Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. [4] Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. [5] The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. [6] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

  • When we sin the Father only sees Jesus: The misconception that God ignores or can't see our sin in that moment of committing it because of Christ. Scripture warns if Christians sin the Father will send painful disciple so we learn to fear and obey Him that we wouldn't perish at the judgement being trained in His holiness.

Hebrews 12:3-11 ESV
[3] Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. [4] In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. [5] And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. [6] For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” [7] It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? [8] If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. [9] Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? [10] For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. [11] For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

  • All sin is identical to God: This error has produced untold evil in Christianity making people view misspeaking equivalent to mass murder in Gods eyes who supposedly cant differentiate between the severity of sin. This comes from a misapplication of James 2 which is speaking of the identical nature of capital sins before God eg. Lieing is the same as adultery, which is the same as murder and hatred in Gods eyes, all worthy of death.

James 2:10-11 ESV
[10] For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. [11] For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

Those who live practicing these behaviours without putting off these behaviours in repentance (ceasing them permanently) during life will perish. These sins are listed as sins that lead to death in scripture.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV
[9] Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, [10] nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Revelation 21:8 ESV
[8] But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

John clearly states all wrongdoing is sin but there is sin that doesn't lead to death (Ie minor sin). This distinction was made clear in the law of Moses where not every sin was punishable by death.

1 John 5:17 ESV
[7] All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

  • Sin is impossible to commit as a genuine Christian: this is a rare position that agrees Christians can live loving righteous lives but asserts that God perfects them in such a way so they can't sin even if they wanted to. This denies human agency. The passage used to justify this stance is 1 john 3:9, yet this is not talking about the practical possibility of committing sin, rather its saying the Spirit generates in us loving holy desire so as to not want to commit sin - yet not removing human agency. A Christian can choose to sin and if they do scripture says God will discipline them like children through pain and affliction to teach them practical loving obedience that they may be saved in the end, being found spotless and blameless at the return of Christ or their own death.

1 John 3:9 ESV
[9] No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.

Hebrews 12:4-11 ESV
[4] In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. [5] And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. [6] For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” [7] It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? [8] If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. [9] Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? [10] For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. [11] For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

  • That if a genuine Christian sins, either accidentally or intentionally, they can't be forgiven: God desires none perish but that all forsake their sin and return to Him in obedience and faith. He loved us while we were open willful sinners(Romans 5), how much more will he be merciful to those that call on His name. He just asks people genuinely repent and turn back to Him, to actually live rightly in love, obeying all Jesus taught.

Ezekiel 33:11 ESV
[11] Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?

Ezekiel 33:14-16 ESV
[14] Again, though I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, [15] if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die. [16] None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he shall surely live.

2. Misinterpretations of Christian Experience:

  • People "struggle" with sin: Confusing the struggle against temptation and desire of this world with ongoing sin. Temptation is inevitable in this life, however sin is not - as proven by Jesus. People don't struggle with sin, they struggle with loving this world and what it offers more than Jesus (ie idolatry), and live lives of sin because of this.
  • Experience should be our theological guide: Prioritizing personal experience over scriptural truth.
  • Our righteousness is as filthy rags: Misapplying Isaiah 64:6 to believers' righteous acts in Christ through the Spirit. The context is hypocritical Israel living in open sin, it has nothing to do with the new covenant or Christians.
  • We won't be judged by our works: Ignoring biblical teachings on accountability for our actions and the judgement according to our works spoken of multiple times by Jesus and Paul.

John 5:27-29 ESV (Jesus Speaking)
[27] And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. [28] Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice [29] and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Romans 2:6-13 ESV
[6] He will render to each one according to his works: [7] to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; [8] but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. [9] There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, [10] but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. [11] For God shows no partiality. [12] For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. [13] For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

  • At the judgment we will be judged by Christs perfect life record put to our account, not by the deeds we personally have committed: This is an erroneous protestant tradition that has no historical nor scriptural precedent. Scripture teaches clearly we will account for all we have done in the body, good and bad (2 Cor 5:10) - though at the judgment we are shown mercy for our sins (and thus be graciously counted as righteous per Romans 3 and 4) due to Christs work on the cross if we are found in Him by repentant faith, having forsaken our old sinful ways of life obeying all Jesus taught us. (2 Cor 5:10, Rom 2:6-8, and Rev 20:12-13, Ezekiel 33:10-20)

    1 Peter 4:17-18 ESV
    [17] For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? [18] And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

Peter is talking about practical righteousness. We can know this for certain because 2 sentences prior he says this regarding practical righteousness:

1 Peter 4:15 ESV
[15] But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.

3. Misconceptions about Sanctification and Christian Living:

  • Progressive sanctification: The belief that overcoming sin is always a slow, gradual process. While it is true we grow in virtues over our entire life, repentance means an immediately forsaking of sin for good. It isn't progressively done over the course of ones life. By progressive sanctification people often mean you gradually sin less and less and it takes an entire lifetime. This isn't true. It takes a surrendered life, one dead to this world. We grow in love and virtues, like a light can grow in its brilliance, a candle can grow into a blaze, but there is no darkness in either of these lights. So too Christians grow in love and virtue in magnitude over their life, but sin (darkness) isn't necessary to this growth but it is a possibility as previously discussed.
  • Once saved always saved: The idea that salvation cannot be lost regardless of one's actions. Scripture talks very clearly about the types of sins that if continued in will keep even professed Christians from entering heaven.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV
[9] Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, [10] nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. [11] And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Galatians 5:19-24 ESV
[19] Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, [20] idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, [21] envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. [24] And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 6:7-8 ESV
[7] Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. [8] For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Romans 8:12-14 ESV
[12] So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. [13] For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. [14] For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

  • Asceticism: The extreme practice of self-denial, viewing pleasure as inherently sinful. We should receive God's earthly gifts of enjoyment with thanksgiving unto Him as this brings Him glory. Refuted by Jesus' being human and not being an ascetic (he ate and drank wine), also refuted directly by Paul in Colossians 2:18-23
  • The concept that walking in love and righteousness leads to pride: The false idea that godly living promotes arrogance. Refuted by Jesus' being human walking in love and not being proud.
  • That sin is essential to humility: The misconception that ongoing sin is necessary for maintaining humility. Likewise refuted by Jesus being human and sinless and humble.
  • That practical righteousness in a Christian is self-righteousness: Confusing Spirit-led obedience (love) with legalism. Thinking obedience to Christs teachings (which explain divine love) is "legalism". This perspective is oblivious to God's righteousness produced in us by His Spirit and due to this lack of understanding they twist many scriptures.

4. Theological and Philosophical Errors:

  • Fatalism in God: The belief that God's nature forced him to create or act. Denying the genuine Personhood and agency of the Trinity in all their acts - creation, incarnation, salvation etc. These were free acts of Gods love.
  • Fatalism in man: The idea that humans have to sin or act on their desires even pre-conversion. Like God, man has actual agency and even if they walk in darkness which all non Christians do, when people sin they could always sin less or act differently. Humans are not devoid of conscience or reason or agency. God doesn't override human agency but works with it through His Spirits influence via intervention or abstinence, leaving men to their own sinful devices. Man is enslaved to sin apart from Jesus though, Jesus taught this but said he sets men free from sin.
  • Following tradition blindly: Prioritizing human traditions eg commentaries and systematic theologies over biblical teaching. Reading scripture through manmade frameworks rather than seeking the Holy Spirits guidance. Giving more authority to later traditions rather than the immediate disciples of the disciples in understanding how to interpret scripture. (Their focus was living like Christ by the Spirits power, being reconciled to God through faith in His death and resurrection)
  • Gnosticism: The heresy that salvation comes through secret knowledge rather than faith in Christ. It asserts the physical flesh is innately evil so sin is inevitable and salvation can only come by assenting to right knowledge about Jesus. People shouldn't expect to change how they live for its actually impossible to live like Jesus (normally holds to a Docetic or Apollinarian view of Jesus)
    • Note: It's worth noting that some elements of what I've described as gnostic doctrine bear striking similarities to certain theological positions held by some contemporary Christians, including those within Protestant traditions. These parallels are particularly evident in views about the inevitability of sin, the perceived impossibility of Christ-like living, and an emphasis on having correct knowledge over practical righteousness. This observation underscores the importance of critically examining our theological assumptions in light of scripture and the historical teachings of the church. Understand this, a good tree brings forth good fruit and doesn't bear bad fruit, good theology results in actual persistent godly loving and righteous lives. Where this is lacking, the person has errant theology.
  • Impeccability of Christ's humanity: The denial of Christ's ability to be genuinely tempted and sin. Again, part of being human is having the ability to sin, the possibility but not making sin inevitable. To deny Christ in His human nature had the capacity to sin is a direct denial of His humanity - confounding His divinity with His humanity (which is a rejection of orthodox Chalcedonian Christology). Christ had the ability to sin in His humanity, but didn't - showing the magnificence of His person, abiding in His Father and the Spirit, and subjecting His Human nature to His Divine Nature. Demonstrating in His person how we are to live, abiding in Christ, subjecting ourselves to the direction of the indwelling eternal Holy Spirit by whom we participate in and subject ourselves to the uncreated Divine nature. (2 Peter 1, John 15)

5. Christological Heresies (refer back to the axioms section for correct Christiology):

  • Docetism: The heresy that Christ only appeared to be human but wasn't truly flesh like us. He was only God. A spirit appearing human.
  • Ebionism / Adoptionism: The teaching that Jesus was merely human and was later "adopted" as God's Son.
  • Arianism: The heresy that denies Christ's full divinity, viewing Him as a created super being or demi-god but not of the same essence as the Father. A creation not the creator.
  • Nestorianism: The error of separating Christ's divine and human natures into two persons.
  • Apollinarianism: The heresy that denies Christ's full humanity, claiming He lacked a human mind or soul stating the divine Logos/Son took the place of the human mind/soul in Jesus.
  • Monophysitism/Eutychianism: The error of blending Christ's divine and human natures into one new unique nature, neither identical to God or Man.
  • Monotheletism: The heresy that Christ had only one will (divine). The correct view is that Jesus had both a human and the divine will, located in each of his natures respectively. Jesus had to subject His human will to the Father just like all of us as demonstrated in His temptations and prayers in Gethsemane.

6. Trinitarian Heresies:

  • Modalism: The false teaching that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are merely modes or manifestations of one person. This results from a misunderstanding of divine simplicity and ignores the distinctions in God scripture reveals, without confusion or opposition. It stems from not understanding the transcendence of person over nature (the who over the what). It says nature is person. This isn't correct and conflates the persons of the Trinity. It denies the eternal relationship within God between His persons. These concepts were sufficiently dealt with in the principles section of this work. If we applied this concept to humanity, people would say "one human nature therefore one person". This isn't true, we are many billions of persons in one human nature. Read on below to better understand how God differs from us.

  • Tritheism: Tritheism erroneously puts forth three separate gods with distinct unique limited natures, rather than the orthodox understanding of one God (one Divine Nature) in three persons. This misunderstanding stems from a failure to grasp the unique, infinite nature of the Divine.

    • Unlike humans or polytheistic deities, the Divine Nature possesses infinite attributes: omnipresence (present everywhere), omniscience (all-knowing), and omnibenevolence (all-loving). These infinite qualities are shared identically by all persons of the Trinity.

    • Humans, while sharing a common nature, differ in our limited qualities. Our knowledge is finite, our presence localized, and we have capacity for love or selfishness. These limitations prevent us from achieving the perfect unity seen in God.

    • In contrast, the Trinity exhibits no conflicting interests among its persons. They share omnipresence, omniscience, and omnibenevolence, united by one divine will. The only distinction in experience occurs through the incarnation, where Jesus takes on human nature.

    • Scripture affirms this in Colossians 2:9: "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily." Jesus alone became human, yet in doing so, He perfectly represents the Father. This reflects the concept of perichoresis - the mutual indwelling of the Trinity's persons while maintaining their distinctness.

    • The eternal relationships within the Trinity are:

      • The Spirit proceeds from the Father
      • The Father is the eternal source of both Son and Spirit
      • The Son is eternally begotten of the Father

    • These relationships highlight their distinctions without implying subordination. The Son and Spirit act as the Father's "hands" in creation and redemption, united in purpose and co-equal in glory. The persons of the Trinity are genuinely distinct yet operate in perfect harmony. They share a unique oneness, possessing infinite characteristics exclusive to the Godhead.

    • Through Christ's incarnation and by God's grace, we can bear the Holy Spirit and be conformed to Christ's image in His humanity - in love, righteousness, and as truly adopted children of God.

    • This understanding preserves the unity of God while acknowledging the distinct persons of the Trinity, avoiding both the error of Tritheism and an oversimplified view of God's nature.