Chuck Smith (1927-2013) of Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California had 20,2000 families in his congregation. He also started over 1,000 Calvary Chapel churches throughout the USA and the world. His influence was staggering, but is that good? Chuck Smith taught the following about his version of righteousness and pleasing God.
(The following quotes are from Chuck Smith's book entitled, Why Grace Changes Everything, 1994 ed.):
God looks at you as righteous because of your believing in Jesus Christ. Apart from what you are doing or not doing, apart from keeping any code of ethics, God is imputing righteousness to your account because you believe upon Jesus Christ. (Page 33)
Chuck Smith also wrote:
To please God, we only need to believe in Him and trust Him. That is the gospel of grace. (Page 101)
Teaching like this is easily refuted by examining Revelation chapters 2 & 3. Among other things we see Jesus was not automatically pleased with those who had been born again just because they once had a moment of saving faith. In fact, Jesus actually held things against more than one church group.
Furthermore, nowhere in the New Testament does it say that one will perpetually remain righteous in God's sight, apart from what he is doing, just because he believes. Again, Rev. 2 & 3 as well as other Scriptures refute this idea:
Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil (1 John 3:7,8).
For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech . He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." (1 Peter 3:10-12)
Dear saint, don't let Chuck Smith or any eternal security teacher lead you astray about who is righteous. Take the Apostle John's warning to heart. Did you notice that Peter similarly described the righteous and portrayed such a person totally unlike Chuck Smith?
We are in apostasy. Trust no man. Get into the New Testament and believe what IT SAYS to do and do not do what it says not to do. False teachers are everywhere.
God Bless You.
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