A Review of a Presentation by Bob Freund: “Doctrines of the Remnant” [Slides 28-33]

Introduction

In my last post in this review,  I reviewed the slides from a historical-theological presentation that Bob Freund did entitled “Doctrines of the Remnant” at the Kitchener Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean).

Interestingly enough, the Kitchener congregation is the church where I spent the earliest years of my life. I was not at this presentation, although I have been to one or two similar ones by Bob Freund in the past. In my previous post as well as this one, I want to make it clear that even though parts of my review are undoubtedly critical, I do not want people to interpret this as a person slight about brother Bob. I’m merely critiquing the content of these slides, which I believe to some degree are errant, lacking and misleading.

Of Eternal Security

On slide 28, Bob tackles the topic of “Eternal Security”,  stating that “The early church universally believed that works and obedience play an essential role in our salvation.”  Bob provides a quote by Clement of Rome: “Let us strive to be found in the number that wait for Him, in order that we may share in his promised reward. But how, beloved ones, shall we do this? By earnestly seeking the things that are pleasing and acceptable to Him. By doing those things that are in  harmony with his blameless will. And by following the way of truth, casting away from us all unrighteousness and Sin.”

Of Misleading, Selective Quoting Of Early Church Fathers

Now, it is very apparent that this quote from Clement neither proves Bob’s position (that a true believer can lose his salvation) nor contradicts the Reformed doctrine of perseverance of the saints. Interestingly enough, brother Bob neglected to mention another quote from Clement where Clement specifically repudiates what Bob is trying to say Clement believes. Clement of Rome says:

• “…And we, too, being called by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

But Bob’s selective quoting of Clement of Rome is further demonstrated by another quote, where Clement lays out the approximate opposite of Bob’s position on Eternal Security:

• “It is the will of God that all whom He loves should partake of repentance, and so not perish with the unbelieving and impenitent.  He has established it by His almighty will.  But if any of those whom God wills should partake of the grace of repentance, should afterwards perish, where is His almighty will?  And how is this matter settled and established by such a will of His?”

But the evidence of Bob’s problematic reading of Clement of Rome is further demonstrated by yet another quote:

• “”Such a soul [of a Christian] shall never at any time be separated from God…Faith, I say, is something divine, which cannot be pulled asunder by any other worldly friendship, nor be dissolved by present fear.”".

In slides 28, 29, 30, Bob also quotes Polycarp, Cyprian, Lactantius, and Tertullian.  Bob’s quote of Polycarp & Cyprian  seem to be best understood in the context of Philippians 2:12 – “Therefore, my beloved, fas you have always gobeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for hit is God who works in you, both to will and to work for ihis good pleasure.”  Good works are expected, but they are worked out in the believers by God and it doesn’t mean there is a causal relationship there (the works proceed from faith and regeneration).

In addition, Bob provided one quote from Tertullian, but failed to provide another one which would have been far less supportive of his point:

• “God forbid that we should believe that the soul of any saint should be drawn out by the devil…For what is of God is never extinguished.”

A Brief Response

In response to Bob’s selective quotes of early church fathers, and in addition to the quotes from Clement of Rome and Tertullian which contradict Bob’s assertions, let’s look at an alternate perspective on eternal security and works from early church sources (which totally contradicts Bob Freund’s position on eternal security and works):

• Jesus: “ But you refuse to believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them from my Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” (John 10:26-30)
• Jesus: ““No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God. Everyone who hears and learns from the Father comes to me.” (John 6:44-45)
• Apostle Peter: ““Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (I Peter 4:5)
• Apostle Paul:”Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.“ (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)
• Apostle John: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—sour faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (I John 5:4-5)
• Irenaeus (A.D. 198): “God hath completed the number which He before determined with Himself, all those who are written, or ordained unto eternal life…Being predestined indeed according to the love of the Father that we would belong to Him forever.”
• Pacian (A.D. 380): “Much more, He will not allow him that is redeemed to be destroyed, nor will He cast away those whom He has redeemed with a great price.”
• Irenaeus (A.D. 180): “Not of ourselves, but of God, is the blessing of our salvation…Man, who was before led captive, is taken out of the power of the possessor, according to the mercy of God the Father, and restoring it, gives salvation to it by the Word; that is, by Christ; that many may experimentally learn that not of himself, but by the gift of God, he receives immortality.”
• Cyprian (A.D. 250): “Whatsoever is grateful is to be ascribed not to man’s power, but to God’s gift.  It is God’s, I say, all is God’s that we can do.  Yea, that in nothing must we glory, since nothing is ours.”

My point here, though, is not to line up my Early Church Father quotes verses Bob’s. You can selectively make them say nearly whatever you want them to say. And that, to some extent, is what David Bercot and Bob Freund seem to be doing. But my ultimate point in this section is encapsulated in the following point:

1. Clear revelation of scripture refutes Bob’s position on “eternal security”.

2. The quotes Bob provides from the church fathers), as a general rule, either (a) do not prove what he is trying to say by their literal reading or (b) are contradicted by other clear quotations from the same source (showing that either Bob’s interpretation of the other text is wrong or the source doesn’t clearly communicate that at all times).

3. Even if an Early Church Father could be found who clear holds to Bob’s position, the scriptural revelation is so clear on this matter that we ought to reject it. The New Testament is the ULTIMATE early church source.

And with one consistent voice the scriptures affirm and reaffirm that all who are given by God the Father to Christ the Son and experience true salvation will never be lost (they can not be lost because they are kept by the power of God) and will persevere in their faith.

Of Baptismal Regeneration 

On slide 31, Bob asserts that the Early Church universally tied John’s being “born of water” with baptism He then states they believed that baptism cancels all past sins (he quotes Justin Martyr), causes the new birth (he Irenaeus), and causes spiritual illumination (he quotes Clement):

In order to prevent this review from becoming to long and drawn out, I will not review of Bob’s handling of the early church fathers on Baptism and a refutation of baptismal regeneration.  I do encourage anyone else who wishes to, to pick up the slack and review that in detail! So, here we stop at slide 33.

..To be continued..