Martin Zender And Grace
Mike,
I have been listening to Martin Zender lately (I’ve enjoyed it) until I came across your website. I do have a question though, and I just can’t seem to get this straight because I keep hearing different verses and viewpoints. Is salvation secured by works or faith of Jesus which he gives to us?
If he provides the faith and the works for us to do, isn’t it all his doing??
Please explain in layman terms thanks 🙂
J____
Hi J____,
‘Martin Zender’ sees grace as a dead noun describing Christ’s favor bestowed upon those who He elects to bestow it upon. God’s total sovereignty is the one thing ‘Martin’ has down pat. God really is totally sovereign over all – the good and the evil.
What ‘Martin’ is blinded to is the fact that Paul informs us that “grace chastens us to forsake ungodliness and worldly lusts” (Tit 2:11-12).
Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching [Greek: paidueo, chastens] us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
We do nothing of ourselves, but a tree is known by its fruit, and if Christ is in us then he in us will “be careful to maintain good works.” If Christ is in us then Christ is what people who know us will see because, He in us will “be careful to maintain good works.” Here are the words of this same apostle Paul in this same epistle to Titus.
Tit 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Martin and the entire Concordant Publishing Concern are, on the other hand, ‘careful that they do not affirm that we should be careful to maintain good works.’ While they say that they are “concordant” and consistent in translating the Bible, the truth is that when James uses the Greek word ‘ergon’ (which means work) they are more than willing to properly translate that Greek word as ‘works’, but their ‘two administration’ false doctrine bias forbids them from being honest and consistent in translating this Greek word as ‘works’ whenever Paul uses that Greek word. After all, according to the false doctrine of two administrations, the Jews are required to produce good works, but those who are “of the uncircumcision” are saved by grace through faith, and through the glasses of that false two administrations doctrine, grace means works have no place at all, not even if we acknowledge that our works are not our own but Christ in us. According to this false and damning doctrine, Paul would not be caught dead telling any one to “be careful to maintain good works.” So with this doctrine, which in effect turns grace into lasciviousness, here is what the Concordant translators have done with Tit 3:8.
Tit 3:8 Faithful is the saying, and I am intending you to be insistent concerning these things, that those who have believed God may be concerned to preside for ideal acts. These things are ideal and beneficial for humanity.”
What an emasculated way of saying, “Be careful to maintain good works.” Such have they done in all of Paul’s epistles. The Greek word ‘ergon’ is forbidden to be translated as works unless it appears in the writings of the so-called circumcision apostles.
“Our righteousnesses are [indeed] as filthy rags” before God. But when we acknowledge that God is totally sovereign and that any good we do is Christ in us, that is not ‘filthy rags, but is rather a “living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is our reasonable service.”
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
The doctrine of two administrations is a damnable lie. Paul never taught that we were not to have good works. He taught the exact opposite:
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
And James never said that works excluded grace:
Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Truth is not to be found in pitting one of Christ apostles against all the other apostles, but that is exactly what ‘Martin Zender’ et. al. do. Truth is only to be found in “the sum of thy word.”
Psa 119:160 The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever.
‘Martin Zender’ is a student of A. E. Knoch’s Concordant Publishing Concern. Mr. Knoch teaches the false doctrine of two administrations; one administration for the physical Jews and one for the Gentiles. ‘Martin Zender’ simply does not believe that outward Jews are not really Jews. That is absolute foolishness to ‘Martin.’
Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
You ask:
If he provides the faith and the works for us to do.. isn’t it all his doing?
The answer to your question is a resounding, yes!!! It is all His doing. But “we are His workmanship,” in no way conflicts with James’s statement that “Faith without works is dead.”
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Anyone who is “living by the faith of the Son of God… will be careful to maintain good works.”
I have a personal acquaintanceship with ‘Martin Zender.’ He has been to my home on several occasions, and we have had this discussion. He simply cannot bring himself to “affirm constantly that we should be careful to maintain good works.” It is all of God, and I love them all. I simply cannot agree when their doctrine is not “the doctrine of Jesus Christ.”
I have already written many letters on this topic, so I hope that you understand that because I receive so many letters that I simply must refer you to what has already been written and is posted on iswasandwillbe.com. Listed below are all the articles on iswasandwillbe.com which deal with these verses of scripture. Please look at this list of letters and pick the ones you think will best answer your question. You might want to start with The Teachings of Paul Versus The Teachings of A. E. Knoch.
I hope this is “in layman’s terms.”
Your brother in Christ.
Mike
What Was Paul’s ‘Thorn In The Flesh?’
Why Serve Christ Now If All Will Be Saved Anyway?
The Teachings of Paul Versus The Teachings of A. E. Knoch
Another Jesus
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