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The Danger of Hyper-Grace Teaching and the Call to True Grace
Contending for the Word Q&A,
Question, What is the danger of hyper-grace teaching?
One of the most subtle yet serious distortions of the gospel is hyper-grace teaching,
it sounds comforting, it claims that grace covers everything without the need for ongoing repentance,
it minimizes obedience, it reframes holiness as optional, but it often presents grace as permission,
the Bible presents grace very differently, and Christians need clarity on this issue.
What Hyper-Grace Teaches
- Downplays sin and its seriousness,
- Denies or minimizes the ongoing need for confession and repentance,
- Treats obedience and holiness as optional or as legalism,
- Reduces grace to a license to sin rather than the power to obey,
In short, it emphasizes God’s forgiveness while ignoring God’s call to holiness.
A Biblical Response
Scripture presents grace as saving and training grace,
“the grace of God has appeared and trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions”
(Titus 2:11-12). Grace does not permit sin, “shall we continue in sin that grace may abound, by no means”
(Romans 6:1-2). Grace leads to holiness, “God chose us in Christ that we should be holy and blameless”
(Ephesians 1:4). True grace is empowering, “God’s grace is sufficient in weakness and produces spiritual fruit”
(2 Corinthians 12:9, Galatians 5:22-23).
Hyper-grace is dangerous because it separates God’s forgiveness from God’s transforming power.
How Christians Should Respond
- Cling to the whole gospel, grace forgives and grace changes us, justification and sanctification belong together.
- Keep repentance central, the Christian life begins and continues with repentance (Mark 1:15, 1 John 1:9).
- Pursue holiness with joy, obedience is not legalism, it is love for Christ (John 14:15).
- Warn with compassion, many drawn to hyper-grace want relief from guilt, so point them to the cross where grace heals, frees, and transforms.
- Stand on God’s Word, grace without truth is not biblical grace, teach both together (John 1:14).
Conclusion
The danger of hyper-grace teaching is that it promises freedom and delivers bondage. It says do not worry about sin, but the gospel says Christ has freed you from sin to live for Him. True grace is amazing because it saves us, forgives us, and transforms us into the image of Christ, anything less is not the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.