THE GOSPEL OF JOHN TEACHES ANTINOMIANISM

ANTINOMIANS AND CHRISTIANS

The Catholic Church holds that you have to do good works to be saved from the everlasting torments of Hell and from sin and prepared to enjoy everlasting happiness in Heaven.
 
Failing to do them is to reject God and thus lose him for all eternity if one dies.
 
Protestantism teaches that if you believe that Jesus is the one who earned your salvation for you that you will be saved without having to do good works. Nevertheless, if you are really saved you will become a good holy person. So good works are the fruit of salvation but they do not cause it.
 
Antinomian means without law. The New Testament complains of false Christians who thought that as Jesus had saved them, they could sin and drink and fornicate all they wished.
 
The Antinomians believe that if you are saved you are not obligated to keep the moral law. You will be saved whether you keep the law of God or not.
 
They teach that all who believe that Jesus died to pay for their sins and get them off the hook will be saved. Even if they have never repented a sin in their life all that matters is that they believe.
 
Usually faith is seen as just the sign of predestination to salvation. It is not the cause of salvation.
 
St Paul rejected the notion that if we are saved and Jesus has done it all for us then it doesn't matter any more if we sin.
 
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN TEACHES ANTINOMIANISM
 
The Bible does not agree with itself. The Gospel of John teaches that we are saved by belief alone even if we choose to do nothing but sin. It teaches the doctrine that Paul rejected as heresy.
 
The John Gospel never links faith with good works. So when it says that belief in Jesus saves it means that belief is enough. The gospel claims to teach the essentials. Thus we must not start distorting it by reading it through the eyes of other New Testament books.
 
John 1:12. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."IF LOVE PAID ANY PART IN THIS IT WOULD BE MORE NATURAL TO SAY, THOSE WHO TRULY LOVED GOD COULD BECOME HIS SONS. WE ASSOCIATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOVE.
 
John 1:17. "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." THIS CLEARLY SAYS THAT THE LAW WAS GIVEN BY MOSES BUT JESUS HIMSELF HAD TO COME WITH THE FREE GIFT OF GRACE AND CAME WITH TRUTH. THIS IMPLIES THAT THE LAW OPPOSED GRACE AND TRUTH.
 
John 3:6. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." NOT RELEVANT.
 
John 3:16. "...That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."SAYS BELIEF IS ENOUGH.
 
John 3:18. "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."CATHOLICS SAY BELIEVING IN THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD MEANS BELIEVING IN HIS AUTHORITY OVER YOU. THEY SAY THIS VERSE DOES NOT SAY THAT BELIEF ALONE IS ENOUGH BUT THAT BELIEF IN TERMS OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS' AUTHORITY SAVES. THUS IT SEES A LINK MADE BETWEEN BELIEF AND OBEDIENCE. IT SAYS THIS VERSE REFUTES THE ANTINOMIAN POSITION. BUT THIS IS BASED ON THE NOTION THAT THE NAME OF JESUS REFERS TO THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS. IT MAY SIMPLY BE SAYING THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW INFORMATION ABOUT JESUS TO BE SAVED.

BELIEF IN THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS TO OBEY THE LAW FOR YOU IN YOUR PLACE SO THAT YOU CAN BREAK IT WITH IMPUNITY WOULD MEAN THE VERSE IS CAPABLE OF AN ANTINOMIAN INTERPRETATION.

John 3:27. "John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven."THIS DOES NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRE AN ANTINOMIAN POSITION - IT ONLY INDICATE THAT IT MAY BE MEANT.

John 3:33. "He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true." John 3:36. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."MERE BELIEF ENOUGH.
 
John 4:10. "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water."ASKING IS ONLY ENOUGH IF THE ASKING IS SINCERE. IT IS REALLY THE BELIEF BEHIND THAT ASKING THAT DOES THE TRICK.
 
John 4:14. "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
 
John 4:36. "And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together."SEEMS TO BE SAYING THAT WORKS ARE NEEDED FOR SALVATION.
 
John 5:24. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."YOU NEED TO KNOW THE GOSPEL AND BELIEF TO BE SAVED. IT SAYS THAT BELIEF SAVES AND DOES NO MENTION GOOD WORKS.
 
John 5:39-40. "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."THE SCRIPTURES ADVOCATED GOOD WORKS. JESUS TELLS THEM THAT THEY THINK THEY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE FROM DOING GOOD. HE SAYS THEY MUST COME TO HIM FOR SALVATION.

John 6:27. "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed." IN OTHER WORDS, WORKS LEAD ONLY TO PERISHING BUT BELIEF LEADS TO EVERLASTING LIFE.
 
John 6:29. "Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."MAKES IT CLEAR THAT ONLY BELIEF CAN SAVE . THE CONTEXT SHOWS JESUS IS DENYING THAT ANY WORK OR SACRAMENT CAN SAVE.
 
John 6:35. "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." IN OTHER WORDS THEY HAVE NO NEEDS IN RELATION TO SALVATION. IT IS ALL DONE FOR THEM.
 
John 6:37. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:40. "And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:47-51. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." John 6:54-58. "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever." John 6:63. "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 7:38-39. "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" John 8:24. "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins."ONLY BELIEF SAVES.
 
John 11:25-26. "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"THIS IS PARTLY SYMBOLIC. JESUS IS SPEAKING OF THE LIFE OF SALVATION. EVEN THE DEAD MAN WHO CANNOT DO ANY WORKS WILL BE SAVED IF HE MERELY BELIEVES. IT'S A STRONG WAY OF AFFIRMING THAT BARE BELIEF IS ENOUGH.
 
John 11:40. "Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? John 12:46. "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." John 14:1. "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me."DON'T WORRY - I HAVE DONE IT ALL FOR YOU AND YOU ARE SAVED IF YOU BELIEVE. SO WORRY ABOUT NOTHING.
 
John 14:27. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 17:3. "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." John 17:20. "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;" John 20:29. "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." John 20:31. "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." 
 
EXAMPLES OF THE GOSPEL'S ANTINOMIANISM

John gives us a Jesus who himself breaks the moral law. This Jesus is a role model for us.
 
This Jesus turned water into wine to provide wine for a wedding party that was already drunk.

He put people and their animals out of the temple with a whip he made and he was violent. He threw over the stalls of the money changers.
 
The gospel simply says he broke the Sabbath (John 5:18).
 
He said that the law needs two witnesses for any legal claim. He said that he was his own witness and God his Father the other - that was cheating!
 
He lied to his brothers that he was not going to a Jewish feast and then went in secret.
 
He praised the woman who poured expensive ointment on his feet instead of selling it for the poor. He thought as Son of God he deserved this extravagance. But at that time he hadn't proved it so he was just being cocky.
 
He refused to walk away from his arrest.
 
PAUL SAYS THAT BELIEF IS ENOUGH.
 
The Gospel of John is not the only place where the doctrine is said to be taught. Here appears to be another example. It seems that Paul taught the doctrine.

Rom 3:27-28. "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." All this says is that faith is not your own work but the gift of God so you cannot boast about being a believer or understand it as something you have done to gain salvation.
 
CONTRAST JOHN AND LUKE
 
Not a single one of the supposedly antinomian texts selected from the Luke Gospel clearly teach antinomianism.
 
Luke 7:50. "And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace."
 
Luke 8:48. "And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace."
 
Luke 8:50. "But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole."
 
Luke 10:40-42. "But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
 
Luke 11:13. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"

Luke 17:19: "And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole."
 
Luke 23:42-43. "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."
 
OBJECTIONS:
 
It is said that those who really believe,
 
# Will follow Jesus (John 10:27),

BUT IT DOES NOT SAY THAT FOLLOWING JESUS MEANS KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS
 
# Love their brethren (1 John 3:14)

HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE REMAINS IN DEATH. THAT IS JUST A PSYCHOLOGICAL TRUTH, YOUR LIFE IS DEATH IF YOU ENDURE THE MISERY OF HATING EVERYBODY.
 
# Obey God’s commandments (1 John 2:3; John 15:14)

IT SAYS WE NEED TO KNOW GOD BY KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS. THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BEING SAVED.
 
#  1 John 5:3 tells us, “This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome.”

DOES NOT SAY WE NEED TO LOVE GOD TO BE SAVED. IT ONLY TELLS US THAT WE MUST RESPECT GOD'S AUTHORITY IF WE REALLY LOVE HIM. THE FACT THAT THE COMMANDS ARE DESCRIBED AS NOT BURDENSOME SUPPORTS THE ANTINOMIAN TEACHING THAT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT THAT HARD. WHAT IS MORE THAN HARD, IE IMPOSSIBLE IS TO KEEP THE FOLLOWING COMMANDMENTS, “Jesus said, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40). IF WE ARE EXEMPT FROM GOD'S BURDENSOME COMMANDS - AND JOHN SAYS WE ARE - THEN THAT IS ANTINOMIAN.
 
# Will forever believe in God’s Word (John 8:31)

IT SAYS THAT IF YOU ARE A DISCIPLE OF JESUS' YOU WILL CONTINUE IN HIS WORD. SAYS NOTHING ABOUT GOOD WORKS BEING NEEDED FOR SALVATION.
 
# John 15 has Jesus saying that he commands us to love one another and if we love him we will keep his commandments and those who keep them abide in his love.

BUT HE NEVER SAYS THAT ANY OF THIS IS NEEDED FOR SALVATION.
 
# And keep God’s Word (John 17:6)

BUT FOR AN ANTINOMIAN KEEPING GOD'S WORD MEANS JUST BELIEVING IN JESUS

There is no trace of the notion that good works are needed to be saved. There is no trace of the notion that the truly saved do good works. There is therefore no trace of the thought that people need to be moral to be accepted by God. Even repentance for sin as a condition for salvation is not mentioned anywhere in John's writings.
 
THE SINNER'S PRAYER

Evangelicals often teach that you must ask Jesus to save you by offering himself to God for your sins and to earn your salvation in Heaven forever.
 
The Bible says that it is not the prayer that saves but the trusting in Jesus. It does not forbid using the prayer to express trust but it is the trust that is expressed not the prayer that saves.
 
Advantages of Antinomianism
 
The only advantages would be :
 
That it gives the believer peace of mind.
 
The believer may not be a dangerous fanatic. As long as the believer believes in the atoning power of Jesus and his resurrection that is all he needs. He does not need to be religious.
 
The believer may eschew organised religion.
 
The believer may do good works without any thought of a reward.

The person who thinks that if God saves a person the person will do good works and show some evidence of a changed life. Though the Christian often says he is saved by faith alone without good works he will do good works as a sign that he has been saved. Paul says the Christian cannot boast of his works for they do not contribute towards salvation. Now a person may believe this and still do good works to get the reward of assurance that he is saved and good. Thus the faith alone idea as spelled out by Paul does not guarantee that one will not boast about his or her works! Indeed it infers they should boast!