Compared against the Bible below is the "Moral Government" heresy that is taught at YWAM's Discipleship Training Schools and claims God can sin and is neither omniscient nor omnipotent, Jesus' death on the cross didn't pay the penalty for our sins, we can attain a state of sinlessness by our own efforts and attain heaven by our own righteousness. The quotes in blue are from some of the unbiblical literature distributed by YWAM.*
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| "The assertion that Jesus paid
for our sins has caused immeasurable damage to the Body of Christ."
- George Otis Jr., The God They Never Knew (Van Nuys: Bible Voice, 1978), p. 93. "The sacrifice of Christ is not the payment of a debt, nor is it a complete satisfaction of justice for sin." - Gordon Olson, Sharing Your Faith, Historical Opinions, p. 2. "One of the deceivers’ most damaging deceptions centers around - of all events - the atonement... The idea perpetrated here probably is derived from the words 'ransom' and 'redeem' and it is that Jesus paid for our sins." - George Otis Jr., The God They Never Knew (Van Nuys: Bible Voice, 1978), p. 26. |
Therefore take heed to yourselves
and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you
overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own
blood. (Acts 20:28) ... having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (Colossians 2:14) Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28) ... knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19) |
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| YWAM | BIBLE | |
| "The
theological doctrine of 'imputed righteousness' has been grossly
distorted in our day. We are told that God looks at us through the blood
of Christ - and sees us as righteous, regardless of our actual state.
Let’s stop kidding ourselves. God sees us exactly the way we are."
- George Otis Jr., The God They Never Knew (Van
Nuys: Bible Voice, 1978), p. 43. "The notion that God enjoys fellowship with those who are sinners by glancing at Christ’s righteousness beside Him is abstract, inconceivable, unrealistic and requires long writings to explain." - George Otis Jr., The God They Never Knew (Van Nuys: Bible Voice, 1978), p. 142. |
and be found in Him, not having
my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through
faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.
(Philippians 3:9) But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin." (Romans 4:5-8) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) |
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| YWAM | BIBLE | |
| "Many sincere men are saying, 'God gave us good laws to keep,' and in the next breath saying, 'we are actually unable to keep them!' If this is true, then God’s laws ARE NOT GOOD! No law is good that asks the impossible of its subjects. If God demands obedience to impossible laws then God is not just, for even men do not require obedience to impossible laws. IF God demands such obedience under penalty of DEATH, then God is not only unfair, but monstrous!" - Winkie Pratney, Youth Aflame (Minneapolis: Bethany Fellowship, 1983) p. 79. | for all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23-24) What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet." ... For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin... O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:7, 14, 24-25) Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. And whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. (Leviticus 24:15-16) |
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| YWAM | BIBLE | |
| "God does not require an exact payment for sin to satisfy retributive justice... ‘God is love’ and has completely subdued all thought of retaliation toward rebellious sinners." - Gordon C. Olson, Sharing Your Faith, Chicago, 1976, p.v-4. (training manual) | For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 6:23) And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22) |
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| YWAM | BIBLE | |
| "God is good because He chooses to be good. If we say that God is simply a 'blob' of good in the sky who can do nothing but good, because He is good, you then destroy the factor of choice... He only is able to do right who is able at the same time to do wrong." - H. Roy Elseth, Did God Know? (St. Paul: Calvary United Church, 1977), pp. 26-27, 30. | ... the Lord our God is holy.
(Psalm 99:9) ... God, who cannot lie, ... (Titus 1:2) that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. (Hebrews 6:18) |
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| "Freedom can be predicted, but not with certainty. Thus God may have predictions and theories as to what man will do, but He cannot know with certainty what man will do in areas where God has given man absolute freedom of choice.” - H. Roy Elseth, Did God Know? (St. Paul: Calvary United Church, 1977), p. 97. | Great is our Lord, and mighty in
power; His understanding is infinite. (Psalm 147:5) Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all. (Psalm 139:4) Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." (Matthew 26:34) |
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| "The ultimate end of this tragedy is that Christians begin to believe that God is satisfactorily working out His plan as He wants it in the world." - H. Roy Elseth, Did God Know? (St. Paul: Calvary United Church, 1977), p. 98. | Then Job answered the Lord and
said: "I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours
can be withheld from You." (Job 42:1-2) In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will. (Ephesians 1:11) |
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