Hank Hanegraaff Addresses John MacArthur's Comments about the Eastern Orthodox Church

Mais, qu’est qu’il vient dire là ! Ce faux pasteur d’une fausse synagogue sans nom ? A-t-il vraiment lu sa mini-Bible ? Où a-t-il étudié la théologie ? Aucune études sérieuses pour dire pareilles bêtises ? Et, l’Epître de St Jacques dit clairement la foi sans les œuvres est MORTE ! La foi de ce McArthur est déjà morte depuis qu’il prêche ces insanités ! Il doit retourner à l’école apprendre à lire ! Il tord les Écritures, c’est un blasphème digne de l’enfer. C’est un hérétique de la pire espèce.

Dear Mr Hank,

John Macarthur is referring to Justification...by faith only.. Purely believing

Whereas James epistle is not referring to justification. Its referring to proof of having that faith, which is our living out faith during santification.

You got justification and sanctification mixed up. They are different but inseparable.

John MacArthur is a multi millionaire grifter who says those who take the mark of the beast can still be saved.

The mistake in the western view is an oversimplification of the term "justification." A building that has been justified has its walls standing up straight. A cart whose wheels have been justified rolls straight on the road. A just man stands upright (righteous) and walks the straight path. It is his nature...it is the nature of justification. The west only retains the legalistic sense of the term justification which means to be "straight" with the law, or the court. The court system is analogous to God's system, not a model for God's system. Justification in court is in the image of God's justification which is complete restoration of human nature. God's justice is not in the image of human court systems. God's justice is the archetype and as usual, the west sees fundamental reality as being in the image of earthly things, and sees the reality of the Church as merely symbolic (the Eucharist symbolizes the last supper for them instead of the Eucharist being the highest level of reality). They put God into human terms instead of seeing human terms in their relationship to God's archetypes. Justification is a complete transformation, not a statement of legal status. You can be set up straight, and put on the straight path, but if you sit down, or stand still or walk off the path you are not upright, nor on the straight (just) path. Justification is standing upright (righteousness) and walking the just path.

In Orthodoxy, Christ's death and resurrection created a Passover from death back to life for mortal flesh. He shared our human condition (took out place) died (took the place that we were bound to) went to the place of the dead (the place which was OUR place bound by fallen human nature caused by sin, not punishment FOR sin). Descending into Hades through the cross, that He might fill all things with Himself, He loosed the bonds of death. He rose on the third day, having opened a path for all flesh to the resurrection from the dead, since it was not possible that the Author of life would be dominated by corruption. So He became the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep, the first born of the dead, that He might be Himself the first in all things. He took our place as an incarnate human, but he didn't replace us, he made a Passover for FLESH by becoming flesh. IT is the true Passover that the Passover of old prefigured. Being human, he went to death, but being divine he connected death to life, and restored human nature to enable the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Hank is significantly and astoundingly off here on the soteriological position of the Orthodox. What Rome sees as a multi-step justification where the human will cooperates albeit meekly, with grace; those works help obtain salvation. The Catholic life of sanctification is quite literally part of that which obtains eternal life. In Orthodoxy, theosis, which is quite similar to this is the act of non-ontological divination...viewed for all its nuanced differences as accomplishing the same goal. I know this video is 6yrs old but wow, for Hank to equivocate the Orthodox position to James' position on work TESTIFYING to faith, is alarming.

In regards to Hank discussing Epistle of James, Ephesians clears James up pretty well. Saving faith comes first, works come afterward. Notice verse 10 in Ephesians 2.
Ephesians 2
 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Hank did a great video about Christian Zionism.
Evangelical Christians have been brainwashed by jhon Darvy, charles parham, William Seymour .

Hank did a great video about Christian Zionism.
Evangelical Christians have been brainwashed by jhon Darvy, charles parham, William Seymour .

Only fake faith doesn’t require good deeds.

Do EO's pray to Mary or Saints? Do they believe in Transubstantiation? Do they use icons?

Please Hank can you annswer me this. If grace is a gift given not according to us in anyway, then does that mean that all will be saved, or that God has decided not to give it to some, or we have to do something ( from ourselves) to receive it.
Thanks

I don’t understand why nobody quotes Jesus to explain the mistake of “faith alone”.

Hank is not dealing thoroughly with Decree 13. The author of Decree 13 goes way beyond James' words. Decree 13 says that the works he refers to are more than just "witnesses" (which is what James is actually saying), and that they are "meritorious" ..when it comes to salvation. Thus, orthodoxy's Decree 13 is clearly another gospel.

The point is, Eastern Orthodoxy is not Christianity, and is thus heretical.

Excellent explanation of faith and works. THANK YOU! However, I was a Greek Orthodox and became an evangelical Christian 50 years ago, because the Evangelicals taught the Word of God and brought me out of the darkness. The Orthodox church did not preach the gospel effectively, and even now, when I visit, I understand little of what they say in the Orthodox church's liturgy, in spite of my more advanced Biblical knowledge. I feel that most Orthodox people going to church are in the dark- biblically speaking. Unfortunately the Evangelical churches are going into spiritual darkness for the most part, and most deliver a "performance" on a stage with little reverence for God. One day many will hear the worst words one can ever hear: "I never knew you". I think Christendom is going into a great Apostasy, and there is a strong drive for interfaith Ecumenism as you should see unfolding, and eventually will lead to the Man of Sin being revealed. God bless you my brother Hank.

Let's imagine you had a time machine and went back in time to the East-Roman area (around Jerusalem, Constantinople, and Athens) from today, first to the 1500s and then back before the Reformation, year by year. At which year would you join "the Main Church" of that particular town or county, instead of establishing a "True Biblical Christianity" church on your own, and realize: "Whew, this is when that darn Eastern Orthodox church got established. From now on, I don't need to establish my Evangelical ministries anymore with the intention of independently spreading the gospel and warning about the dangers of the Orthodoxy cult, but can join the very same Church that the folk of the New Testament also belonged to!"

I tried to answer such a thought experiment, but after reading Church history and the Apostolic Fathers of the first centuries, I soon realized there never was such a year or period, and I had every reason to join that same Church back in 2012. As a former evangelical Protestant, I can say this journey has only deepened my love and relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ. And yes, I do still consider myself evangelical. 😊

“By faith alone” is acceptable with “alone” as an adverb, not an adjective.

Thank you mister Hanegraaff

Hank tends to whitewash the teachings of the EO church when it’s compared to Catholicism, he says EO’s don’t accept purgatory, yet the EO’s believe in prayer for the dead, he says the EO’s don’t believe in the Immaculate Conception, yet the EO’s teach that Mary is sinless, he said that the EO’s don’t practice celibacy like Catholics, that may be true on the Priestly level, but the EO’s only pick their bishops from celibate priest, EO’s don’t accept transubstantiation, yet they believe that Jesus is truly present in the Holy Eucharist, the EO’s don’t believe the Pope is infallible yet they believe the canons and the decrees of a Ecumenical Council are infallible, so in my judgement, the EO’s are about 90% in unity with Catholicism, they just don’t agree with how we Catholic Church defines the faith.

I’d love to see Hank sit down with a Greek Catholic and discuss the faith.

It is always sad to hear the "professionals" misrepresenting what they cannot understand.
Of course, they imagine they are defending the truth and purity of the Gospel, which meaans they are self-deceived.
"Sola Fide" is a white sugar, white flour version of the truth.

Orthodox is Diet Coke version is Catholic paganism

sorry hank...eastern orthodoxy is the twin sister of romanism. full of rituals, icons and ceremonies foreign from biblical Christianity. John is right on target.

The question I have is , what if a person does all these works but hasn’t truly let Christ be his Lord? When judgment comes the Bible says that there will be many that say lord we did all these things in your name and He says leave for I never knew you. Which comes first? I would think faith and through true faith works follow. Can a death bed conversion truly take place? Someone in the last throws of life placing faith in Christ but not doing any “works”.

Defected

Mr Hanegraaf you are a true gentleman and seeker of the truth in the salvation through our
Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you. I do not know much about the Orthodox Church but respect your compassionate testimony and demeanor.

Amen . but I would add God does not honor traditions of men. Men likewise should not try to honor God BY MANS TRADITION.

Pray for John MacArthur and his flock 🙏☦️

Yeah. This whole video was just a silly deflection. You never say why you embraced Eastern Orthodoxy and you went on a rant about James and faith without works being dead. MacArthur himself has taught time and time again most of what you just said in hundreds of sermons. It's extremely disingenuous, but expected, to pretend graciousness and humility, simultaneously allowing the beatdown of MacArthur's character by fools here in the comments who know little about the man and little about theology, and also ignoring the definition of "justification" given in an official EO document... ignoring also an explanation as to what exactly you converted to.

This video was, quite honestly, mumbling about nothing and preaching things MacArthur has preached himself time and time again. Yet you leave the impression to others that he doesn't.

Doesn't seem like something a friend would do. ?

Strange. Many many years ago, I remember a person calling into the Bible Answer Man program and quoting Paul's Letter to the Galatians 5:6: "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love (charity)." 
I remember distinctly Hank Hanegraaff rebuking the caller quipping, "Your defense is wrong regardless of diction." It seems to me that Hank remains romantically bonded to the vitriolic John MacArthur since they both share (still) a common rejection and poor reduction of Catholic Church teaching. Hank now feels (or should feel) John's vitriol. Nothing has changed. Double predestination still rules reform theology. Hank's response seems more charitable and yet as always, "At least I am not Catholic." Either way, somethings have changed and yet so much still remains the same. Either way, many holding to reform theology remain in a state of shock. But they should not be. So many Orthodox(s) retain the same degree of vitriol against the Catholic Church as John MacArthur.

It's just another way to live your faith Who cares 😅 please as long as you believe in Jesus Christ and what he did for us By Grace Through Faith in The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ 8

Just go into any Orthodox Church with all of their icons/ idols and you can instantly know this religion is not focused on the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is Jesus plus idols. Idols and idolatry have no place in the body of Christ.

Further, we are indeed saved by grace through faith and not of works lest any man boast. However, it is true that real faith in Jesus Christ will be worked out through love and will have works after one is saved. Faith without works is dead.

This guy, Hangraff, has departed from the true faith in Christ and he is now enticing people through persuasive teachings/false doctrine that there is another way other than through the cross of Christ Jesus to salvation. He is perpetuating another gospel that is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. Run for your life; he is the wolf in sheep’s clothing. Beware of false teachers. Stick with the word of God not the teachings of men, such as the “founding fathers”. You have One Father! Listen to Him. Stick with the euros of Jesus and the words of the original disciples who were with Jesus and trust the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth.
He is well able to lead you.

Hank looked like wheat until he grew to maturity, now his words show who he really is. One who has apostatize from the faith once delivered. Very sad. He will never be able to turn back. Not one person who has tasted the gift of Christ and has known the deep things of Jesus Christ who turns away will ever be able to turn back. They have trampled on the blood and will not find a place for repentance.

Do not follow these men who turn away from the truth of what the Word of God says and the truth of who Jesus is.

Little children keep yourselves from idols.

Look at their belief in the Eucharist and you will clearly see the idolatry they have made of a wafer made my men’s hands and saying it is Jesus coming back every week. And only a priest can “bring Christ down from heaven”. Jesus died once for all. Hebrews 10 makes it clear. He ascended to heaven is seated there now. He does not come down every week through the command of a priest. And there is no longer any mediator between us and our Father in heaven. Only Jesus. No priest can mediate for us. We don’t confess to any priest but Jesus.

Do not be fooled by this counterfeit way. Orthodoxy and RCC not the true way.

The bible passage says you are saved by faith alone. The original Greek does not have the word alone. Martin Luther added the word alone and did not care for St James epistle.

Orthodoxy is the TRUE church.

So, are you saying a person who comes to faith on their deathbed and have no works has no salvation?

We come to know God, and receive forgiveness of sin, from Faith in Christ work alone. We are justified by our works.

I think the Reformation has the best explanation of how James and Paul fit together.

People like John MacArthur are the proverbial clanging gongs of Christianity. I try not to listen to them, but they're so dang loud! 😢

I've always found John MacArthur to be extreme in his interpretations of scripture & at times often quite ungracious. Ironic.

Stay o topic sir, address the point, we don't need your sermon, when you not keen to debat john macarthur, you think? Is it faith alone? Or faith plus works? Can't that faith alone save him? You joking, show you? Or show God? Let God be judge.

Wrong, when you receive through faith, from your father God, you works will be good, not out of compulsion, but out of love, given to you, through faith by father god

So, not a rag on your head. A FANCY rag on your head.

Next step, After muslims, now Jews are targeting Christians. They are targeting different fraction Christians. Evangelicals are their puppets.

You are very gracious here, Hank. It is sad to me that in your choosing to embrace the Eastern Orthodox church, this resulted in
hurtful comments. There is no excuse for prejudice or ignorance. We are to contend for the gospel, not contend against each other. Jesus and Paul speaks repeatedly on this. Did those who repudiated Mr Hannegraaf's decision ever reach out to talk to him or ask questions?

I appreciate respectful comments re this issue. I have to say, then, that Jesus didn't found any church. Those that followed him would. I suggest reading the book of ACTS.

John M doesn’t know anything about Orthodoxy . He disappointed me

Hank, thank you dearly for this video. This was my first introduction to Orthodox Christianity. Next month will mark 4 years since I was received into the Orthodox Church.

Why are we still arguing these same points. The works James is referring to aren’t necessary in themselves but are necessary as a “proof” that the faith was real. We don’t produce good works to inherit salvation but we produce good works because we “have inherited” a great salvation! Those “good works” cannot come from the heart of an unbeliever for “none are good” Don’t get it twisted…. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. This is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast!