Free Grace Deception: No conviction, No Godly Sorrow, No Love!

I. Introduction

Jesus told a story to a self righteous Pharisee called Simon who was watching in disgust as a sinful woman was kneeling at the Lord’s feet and wiping her tears with her hair. Jesus’ message was simple and profound. ‘He who is forgiven much, loves much’. (Luke 7:36-50)

If we have never been convicted by the Spirit of God, we will just compare our sins with other people, as the Pharisee did, rather than with the perfect life of Christ. If we have never seen our sin as God sees it, we will not hate sin as God hates it and there will be no godly sorrow, and no plea for forgiveness. And as Jesus explained, we will love Christ with the same depth to which we believe we have been forgiven.

Free grace adherents do everything they can do ensure that seekers are never convicted of sin and the result is counterfeit converts who have no love for Christ. Free grace theologians insist that turning from sin is unnecessary, confession of sin is unnecessary, godly sorrow is unnecessary, asking forgiveness is unnecessary, therefore they never preach about sin to the unsaved. Is it any wonder then that their converts have the same depth of love for the Lord as Simon the Pharisee? 

I consider free-grace theology to be a counterfeit form of Christianity which undermines the very possibility of a real relationship with Jesus Christ grounded in holy love. In this article we will examine the connections between conviction, godly sorrow, forgiveness and love, understanding that loving God is the greatest commandment and very reason we were created in the first place.

II. Conviction.

Scripture declares that unbelievers are enemies of God (Colossians 2:21) because of their evil behavior. The root of sin is in demanding to rule our own lives, to set our own standards of morality, to live in rebellion to God’s standards. Such people are blind to their sin and follow the pattern of the world to their own destruction. Understanding the root of sin is an essential part of preaching the gospel and explained here. https://youtu.be/tFVvNRU-8Vo

One of the primary roles of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin and judgment regarding unbelief (John 16:8-11). Free-grace teachers claim that ‘all they have to do is believe’. Believe what exactly? Free-gracers never define what ‘believe’ means except ‘just believe Jesus can save you from hell and live any way you like’. That is a theology from hell. A person must believe that their sin and rebellion stands as a wall between them and God, that sin leads to death, that Christ died a horrific death taking their sins upon Himself, that He was crushed for their sins. If we do not preach about sin we are not preaching the gospel, for the gospel is about God saving us from our sin!

How then does the Holy Spirit convict? 

Firstly, In Romans 10:14-15 Paul writes about preaching the gospel and asks, how can they hear unless someone preaches to them? Preaching is one of the fundamental ways in which the Holy Spirit speaks to unbelievers, but if we are not preaching about sin because our theology says turning from sin, repentance from sin, and confession of sin are not necessary, then there will be no conviction of sin. And if there is no conviction, there will be no godly sorrow, no seeking forgiveness, and no love or gratitude for receiving forgiveness. 

Secondly, we can also encourage a seeker to come humbly before God and invite Him to reveal their sin. I often tell a seeker to take Jesus’ advice in Matthew 6:6, to go into a secret, quiet place alone, get on their knees in humility and pray. I tell them to ask the Lord to show them what their sin looks like to Him. As mentioned earlier, unbelievers are blind to their own fate, a veil covers their hearts. 2 Corinthians 3:16 states that when a person turns to the Lord, this veil is taken away. Verse 17 says that the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Paul then again writes of preaching and how the god of this world, Satan, has blinded the minds of unbelievers (1 Corinthians 4:1-6), therefore, Paul states, we preach Jesus Christ as Lord. 

In summary, only the Spirit of God can lift the veil and open the blinded eyes of unbelievers so that they can repent and know the true freedom which is found in forgiveness, and love with the depth they have been forgiven. Free grace adherents refuse to preach of the eternal consequences of sin to seekers, therefore, they deny the Holy Spirit the opportunity to convict unbelievers, ultimately, denying them true salvation.

III. Godly Sorrow

What is godly sorrow? In short, godly sorrow is the fruit of conviction. Godly sorrow occurs as a response to the Spirit revealing our sin to us as God sees our sin. Godly sorrow manifests as a form of self loathing, a hatred for sin, a recognition that our sin necessitated the horrific death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Godly sorrow is a desire to be set free from the sin that enslaves us, a desire to deny self, to take up our cross and follow the One who gave His life in our place. Like the people who heard Peter’s first sermon in Acts 2, conviction is to be ‘cut to the heart’ and in godly sorrow to cry out, ‘what must I do’? (Acts 2:37)

In other words, godly sorrow is another term for genuine repentance, not just a change of mind, but a fervent desire to change one’s life through trusting in Jesus Christ by faith, to surrender our self rule and receive Christ as Lord (Colossians 2:6). Conviction reveals the depth to which we have fallen, it takes away the masks we have used to hide our sinful desires and actions, and godly sorrow displays a heart which can no longer live with the shame and guilt we are experiencing in that moment. Like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we feel naked and ashamed, and like every truly repentant sinner, our greatest desire is forgiveness and mercy, and the power to live a godly life. Such a person is ready for their sinful self to be crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6).

IV. Forgiveness and Love

We do not know for certain who the sinful woman was who entered Simon the Pharisee’s house and wept on Jesus’ feet, but immediately after this story, Luke mentions Mary Magdalene who had been delivered of seven demons and travelled with Jesus and the twelve disciples with other women (Luke 7&8). It is very likely that the woman was indeed Mary Magdalene. We do know that Jesus had been preaching in the area and it is most likely she had heard Him speak and had come under deep conviction. She was obviously well-known, for Simon recognized her as being from that town, and she knew she would not be welcome in Simon’s house as he saw her as an enemy, but her desire to be free of sin compelled her. 

This is the power of conviction. Only the hardest of hearts can refuse to repent after the Spirit has convicted them, but for most there is an overwhelming compulsion to be free, for a person sees themselves as standing on the very precipice of hell itself. Mary, if that is who it was, walked into Simon’s house, a house full of guests (7:49) and perhaps even men who knew her from her profession. Jesus was reclining and she stood behind him at his feet weeping (Luke 7:38). As Jesus sat up Mary knelt at His feet and starting wiping away her tears. She did not confess her sin, indeed we are not told that she spoke a single word. But her actions spoke for her. She washed His feet with her tears of remorse, she continually kissed those feet and then poured perfume on them.

Simon watched on in disgust and Jesus spoke directly to him and said this:

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not pour oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven – as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” (Luke 7:44-47) 

Please note the following.

1. Jesus asked Simon, “do you see this woman?” Obviously Simon had seen her, but what Jesus was asking was, do you see her heart? Simon was a religious leader, but he despised this woman, even though her remorse and godly sorrow were displayed before him.

2. Jesus spoke of her actions, comparing them with Simons. The Lord was comparing their hearts, for our actions give testimony to what is in our hearts.

3. Jesus said her many sins had been forgiven, as her great love has shown. Mary knew she was forgiven and her display of great love was a testimony of the forgiveness she had received. In verse 48 Jesus confirmed her faith telling her, “your sins are forgiven” and in verse 50 told her, “your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Mary Magdalene was given the incredible privilege of being the first witness of the greatest event in all of human history, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe she was given this privilege because of her incredibly deep love for Christ, a love born out of conviction of her sin, witnessed in her deep godly sorrow, and faith she would be forgiven. Her story is incredibly important and inspired me to write my first novel entitled, Mary Magdalene: A Woman who Loved. https://stevecopland.com/mary-magdalene-book

There can be no doubt that Christ taught that the depth to which we recognize our sin is the depth to which we will seek forgiveness and mercy, and the depth to which we will fulfill the greatest commandment, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37).

V. In Summary

Let me ask you this: Which person do you identify with, Simon or Mary? Some of you may reply, I was not sinful as she was, I have never lived in that kind of immorality. Most people, when reading the story of Simon and Mary, apply human reason and believe that Mary was the greater sinner. Yet Scripture declares many times that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Do you see someone like Mary and say, ‘there but for the grace of God go I’, or pat yourself on the back. 

But the greater questions is, how deep is your love for Christ? This is the real and eternal question, a question which will determine, not only how you live this life, but where you will spend the next.

My issue with free-grace adherents is not just about being theologically correct, but about their leading people astray, deceiving them and denying the clear teachings of Scripture. If you teach that turning from sin, confession of sin, forgiveness from sin and obedience to Christ are unnecessary for salvation, you will not be preaching about sin to unbelievers. Therefore, there will be no conviction of sin, no godly sorrow, no plea for forgiveness, and no love for Christ.

Free-grace adherents state that, and I quote, ‘a person can just believe, live any way they like, and still go to heaven’. In my opinion, that is a doctrine straight from the pit of hell and those who teach and follow it will hear the words, ‘depart from me, I never knew you’.

If you have been deceived by this doctrine, if you have never allowed the Spirit of God to convict you and show you your sin, then go into a room, a secret place as Jesus said, humble yourself and ask the Lord to show you sin as He sees sin. Then you will be ready to deny self, take up your cross, and truly follow Christ.

I pray this article has been enlightening for you and that you will truly examine yourself as to whether or not you truly love Christ as your first love. Please share it with others who you believe may benefit from its message. 

God bless

Steve Copland