WESTCOTT AND HORT HERESIES #9
by DR, D.A. WAITE, TH.D., PH.D.
Heresies in Soteriology
In this general division of soteriology, there is usually taken up the subjects of the doctrines about salvation, and similar topics [cf. Chafer, Systematic Theology, Vol. III]. In this area, I noted the following items, in various degrees of heresy and/or error.
Westcott Holds to the Heresy That the "Redemptive
Efficacy of Christ's Work" Was to Be Found "in His Whole
Life" Rather Than in His Death
(John 1:29) (which taketh away the sin of the world) The parallel passage in the Epistle (i.e.) shews that the redemptive efficacy of Christ's work is to be found in His whole life (He was manifested) crowned by His Death.
—Westcott—John, op. cit., p. 20
The Bible is silent as to "His whole life" as forming any basis whatever for "the redemptive efficacy of Christ's work." It was as the "Lamb of God" that He could "take away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), and this "Lamb" was crucified and shed His precious blood (1 Peter 1:18-19) as the atonement and sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. "Without the shedding of blood is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22). To say that Christ's "whole life" had anything to do with the "redemptive efficacy of Christ's work" is to partake of the heresy of modernistic religious apostasy.
(WAIT IS FULLY WRONG ON THIS. HE IS GUILTY OF TUNNEL VISION READING OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. GUILTY OF PICKING VERSES TO THE NEGLECT OF OTHERS. A COMMON PRACTICE WITH MANY FUNDAMENTAL CHRISTIANS. PROOF: ROMANS 5:8-10. WE ARE JUSTIFIED (MADE AT ONE WITH GOD THROUGH CHRIST DEATH) BY HIS DEATH. RECONCILED TO GOD BY HIS DEATH, AND WE SHALL BE SAVED BY HIS LIFE! READ IT, MARK IT. THOSE VERSES HAVE BEEN THERE FOR 2,000 YEARS. TO BE SAVED CHRIST HAD TO LIVE A SINLESS LIFE; IF HE'D SINNED JUST ONCE, GAME OVER. AND FURTHER MORE HE HAD TO BE RESURRECTED TO LIFE TO BE OUR HIGH PRIEST IN HEAVEN, INTERCEDING FOR US TODAY. BOOK OF HEBREWS PROVED THAT. IT TAKES THE DEATH AND LIFE OF CHRIST TO SAVE US. WE ARE REDEEMED, BOUGHT, FORGIVE OUR SINS, UP TO THE POINT OF OUR REPENTANCE AND ACCEPTING CHRIST AS PERSONAL SAVIOR, BY HIS DEATH, AND BECAUSE JESUS LIVED A SINLESS LIFE, CAN BE OUR SAVIOR. BUT THEN SALVATION CONTINUES AS JESUS INTERCEDES FOR US AS HIGH PRIEST - SEE 1 JOHN 1:6 INTO 2:1. SALVATION AS SHOCKING AS IT IS FOR FUNDAMENTAL TEACHERS TO HEAR, IS A PROCESS - WE ARE JUSTIFIED, RECONCILED, TO GOD BY CHRIST'S DEATH, WE ARE SANCTIFIED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT; GOD THE FATHER AND CHRIST IN US; AND WE MOVE ALONG IN CHRISTIAN LIFE AND FORGIVENESS OF TODAY'S SINS BY JESUS INTERCEDING AS OUR HIGH PRIEST [BOOK OF HEBREWS AND 1 JOHN 1:6 TO 2:1]. IT TAKES NOT ONLY THE DEATH OF CHRIST TO SAVE US BUT ALSO HIS LIFE! READ ALSO 1 COR. 15:12-19. WITHOUT THE LIFE OF CHRIST WE HAVE NO SALVATION, OUR FAITH IS VAIN, WE YET IN OUR SINS.
OH THE SILLY READING OF THE NEW TESTAMENT BY FUNDAMENTAL TEACHERS WHO HAVE TUNNEL VISION - Keith Hunt)
Westcott Makes a Series of Statements That Teach the
Heresy of "Universalism" in Salvation,
Either Clearly, or by Implication
(John 3:12) Such was the full revelation of the Son, involving the redemption of the world and the reunion of man with God, which is indicated in the three following verses.
—Westcott—John, op. cit., p. 52
This seems to teach that "man" as such, including all men, is "reunited with God" automatically. This is universalism.
(THIS IS AGAIN READING SOMETHING INTO WESTCOTT THAT MAY NEVER HAVE BEEN INTENDED. THE BIBLE IS FULL OF "GENERAL STATEMENTS" AND WE ALSO IN OUR TALKING AND WRITING OFTEN USE GENERAL STATEMENTS.
A WEAK ARGUMENT BY WAIT - Keith Hunt)
(John 10:16) (bring) This could only be by His death, which reunites man with God.. . .
—Westcott—John, op. cit., p. 155
Again, this is the heresy of universalism.
(Hebrews 2:8-9) The fruit of His work universal.
—Westcott—Hebrews, op. cit., p. 44
Again, here is a possible reference to the false heresy of universalism. This could imply that all men are saved because of the "fruit of His work," and this is false.
(AND IT COULD ALSO IMPLY JUST A GENERAL STATEMENT BY WESCOTT, WITH NO UNIVERSALISM IN MIND AT ALL. A WEAK ARGUMENT BY WAIT - Keith Hunt)
(Hebrews 2:9). The glory-which followed the death marked its universal efficacy. Thus Christ was, made lower than angels that He might accomplish this complete redemption.
—-Westcott—Hebrews, op. cit., p. 46
This could imply that everyone is redeemed automatically, which is universalism.
(NO, IT COULD IMPLY A "GENERAL STATEMENT" BY WESTCOTT, THAT ALL PEOPLES OF ALL NATIONS CAN BE SAVED THROUGH CHRIST, IF THEY REPENT AND ACCEPT JESUS AS PERSONAL SAVIOR. WAIT COULD WELL BE READING INTO A STATEMENT BY WESTCOTT, NOT INTENDED AT ALL BY WESTCOTT. WEAK AREGUMENT BY WAIT - Keith Hunt)
(1 John 1:1) That which we understand by the eternal purpose of God (Eph. 1.4), the relation of the Father to the Son (John xvii.5), the acceptance of man in the beloved (Eph. i.6), was already. . . .
—Westcott—1-3 John, op. cit., p. 4
This is pure heresy and is universalism. "Man" as such, is not "accepted in the beloved," but only those who are born-again by faith in Christ..
(AGAIN, THE BIBLE USES MANY GENERAL STATEMENTS; PROVERBS IS LOADED WITH THEM. WESTCOTT COULD WELL HAVE BEEN JUST USING A GENERAL STATEMENT. WEAK ARGUMENT BY WAIT - Keith Hunt)
(1 John 1:2) "Additional Note On 1. 2. The Fatherhood of God." The idea of the divine Fatherhood, answering to that of human sonship and childship (see Additional Note on iii. I), occupies an important place in the writings of St. John.
—Westcott—1-3 John, op. cit., p. 27
This certainly sounds like the heresy of the universal Fatherhood of God, and the universal brotherhood of man.
(SOUNDS TO ME LIKE NO SUCH THING AT ALL. WAIT IS READING INTO WESTCOTT HIS OWN IDEAS AS TO WHAT WESTCOTT WAS SAYING. WESTCOTT WAS ADDRESSING THE SUBJECT THAT GOD IS FATHER TO ALL HIS CHILDREN, JUST AS AN EARTHLY FATHER IS FATHER TO ALL HIS CHILDREN. VERY WEAK ARGUMENT BY WAIT - Keith Hunt)
(1 John 1:7) ... in Him all men find their true life.
—Westcott—1-3 John, op. cit.,.p. 35
This could imply that "all men" find "eternal life" in Christ, which is false and is heretical. Only those who have faith in Christ find "eternal life."
(WAIT PICKS OUT A PHRASE FROM WESTCOTT AND GIVES US NO CONTEXT. COULD BE WESTCOTT WAS TALKING IN "GENERAL STATEMENT" CONTEXT AND NOT IN UNIVERSALISM AT ALL. THE BIBLE USES GENERAL STATEMENT ALL OVER THE PLACE. WEAK ARGUMENT BY WAIT - Keith Hunt)
(1 John 2:2) Christ's advocacy of man is addressed to God in that relation of Fatherhood which has been fully revealed in the Son who has taken manhood to Himself. —Westcott—1-3 John, op. cit., p. 43
But Christ was not the "Advocate" of "man" as such—including all mankind. He is only the "Advocate" for the believer. Nor is every man the partaker of God's "Fatherhood," but only the believer in Christ
(AGAIN WAIT READS INTO WESTCOTT WHAT WAIT WANTS TO READ INTO WESTCOTT. COULD BE WESTCOTT WAS USING GENERAL STATEMENT HERE ONLY, AND WAS NOT TEACHING UNIVERSALISM AT ALL. WEAK ARGUMENT AGAIN BY WAIT - Keith Hunt)
(1 John 2:12) Forgiveness is granted to men because Christ is indeed what He is revealed to be and what His name expresses.
—Westcott—1-3 John, op. cit., p. 59
This again is the heresy of universalism. "Forgiveness" is not "granted to men" of all sorts and of all kinds universally, but only to those who believe in Christ as their Savior.
(NO, I DO NOT READ IT AS UNIVERSALISM BY WESTCOTT, ONLY AS A GENERAL STATEMENT WE ALL USE AT TIMES. " BOSTON WON THE WORLD SERIES OF BASEBALL IN 2013; THEY ARE THE BEST TEAM" - A GENERAL STATEMENT ONLY, FOR BOSTON MAY HAVE ONLY FINISHED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEASON STANDINGS IN THE LEAGUE ..... THEY WERE THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD SERIES ONLY. WEAK ARGUMENT BY WAIT - Keith Hunt)
(1 John 2:18) The teaching of Antichrist leaves God and the world still ununited. The proclamation of the union is the message of the Gospel.
—Westcott—1-3 John, op. cit., p. 70
The "message of the Gospel" is not that there is now a "union" of "the world" with "God." There is only a "union" between God and the believer in Christ.
(THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL OF THE UNION OF THE WORLD TO GOD, IS A GENERAL STATEMENT. IT DOES NOT, AND IS NOT INTENDED TO TEACH UNIVERSALISM. GENERAL STATEMENT WE USE ALL THE TIME, SO DOES THE BIBLE. WEAK ARGUMENT BY WAIT - Keith Hunt)
(1 John 4:2-3) The Incarnate Savior is the pledge of the complete redemption and perfection of man....
—Westcott—1-3 John, op. cit. p. 140
The way this reads, the mere "incarnation" of Christ guarantees automatically the "complete redemption and perfection of man," which is heresy and universalism.
(NO WESTCOTT IS PROBABLY USING A GENERAL STATEMENT ONLY, AND MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TEACHING UNIVERSALISM. YOU WOULD NEED TO FIND A CLEAR AND PRECISE STATEMENT WHERE WESTCOTT TAUGHT THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT EVER LIVED WOULD BE SAVED. WAIT HAS NOT PRESENTED US WITH SUCH A STATEMENT FROM WESTCOTT. HE'S BEEN BUSY READING INTO WORDS OF WESTCOTT WHAT WAIT WANTS TO READ INTO THEM. A WEAK AND LOPSIDED VIEW OF READING WHAT PEOPLE WRITE. THAT IS ONE REASON I CALL "FUNDAMENTAL" TEACHERS "FUNNY-MENTAL." WEAK ARGUMENTS BY WAIT - Keith Hunt)
All of these above quotations tend to show very clearly that Westcott was a believer in the heresy of universalism in the area of salvation and redemption, thus believing that all men, whether they trust Christ as Savior or not, are saved and redeemed, and therefore possessors of eternal life, and forgiveness of sins, and therefore are going to heaven. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
(I READ NO SUCH THING INTO WESTCOTT'S WRITING AS QUOTED BY WAIT. I DO UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE AND US HUMANS DO USE GENERAL STATEMENTS OFTEN. WAIT HAS JUMPED THE TRACKS IN TRYING TO PROVE WESTCOTT A HERETIC. NOW WESTCOTT MAY HAVE SOME HERESIES, WE SHALL SEE. HE DID HAVE ONE AT THE BEGINNING OF THESE STUDIES, BUT TRYING TO PROVE HE HAD THEM ALL OVER THE PLACE.....VERY WEAK AND SILLY REASONING BY WAIT; MAKES HIM LOOK VERY UNBALANCED AND CERTAINLY UNEDUCATED FOR A MAN WITH HIS PhD. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT AN EXPERT IS: EX = UNKNOWN QUANTITY; SPERT = A DRIP UNDER PRESSURE; EXPERT OFTEN IS A DRIP UNDER PRESSURE! Keith Hunt)
Westcott Has an Erroneous View of "Eternal Life."
1. He thought a Christian never "is" but was "always ...becoming. Westcott wrote:
(John 15:8) (and so shall ye be [become] my disciple) A Christian never "is," but always "is becoming" a Christian.
—Westcott—John, op. cit., p. 219
This would mean that salvation was not a once-for-all transaction as in the new birth of John 3, but merely a process. This is heresy. When a person is born again by simple faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, he is a "Christian" and can never be any more a "Christian" than when he was first born a Christian. He can grow in the ways of the Christian faith, but he is not any less a Christian any more than your child is any less your child, whether at the moment of his birth, or at the moment of his death.
(WHAT WESTCOTT WAS SAYING IS THAT THERE IS NO SUCH TEACHING IN THE BIBLE AS "ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED" AS TAUGHT BY FUNDAMENTALISM. THE TRUTH OF SALVATION I'VE GONE INTO DETAIL WITH, ON THIS WEBSITE. A CHRISTIAN MUST REMAIN A CHRISTIAN UNTO THE END. JESUS CLEARLY TAUGHT "HE THAT SHALL ENDURE TO THE END SHALL BE SAVED" - YOU'LL FIND THAT IN THE GOSPELS, IF YOU CARE TO LOOK. SO IN THAT SENSE WESTCOTT WAS CORRECT; YOU ARE ALWAYS BECOMING A CHRISTIAN - REMAINING A CHRISTIAN. BEING A CHRISTIAN IS NOT JUST A ONE DAY EXPERIENCE. AT CONVERSION YOU START ON THE ROAD TO BEING AND REMAINING A CHRISTIAN TO THE END OF YOUR LIFE. STUDIES ON THIS WEBSITE PROVE THE ERROR OF "ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED" IDEA OF FUNDAMENTALISTS. ON SALVATION THE FUNDAMENTALISTS ARE NOT ONLY "FUNNY" BUT ALSO "MENTAL" CASES; FUNNY-TWISTED-MENTAL CASES FROM MENTALISM HEAVEN; THEY HAVE NO CLUE ABOUT THE TRUTH OF SALVATION - Keith Hunt)
2. He had a false and phony conception of "eternal life."
Westcott wrote:
(1 John 3:14) "To enter into life"... In this largest sense "life".... is the fulfillment of the highest idea of being: perfect in truth in perfect action.
—Westcott—1-3 John , op. cit. p. 112
This simply is false and foreign to the clear teachings of the Bible.
(WESTCOTT GIVES IT AS THE "LARGEST SENSE" - AND IN THAT CONTEXT WHEN WE ARE IN THE LARGEST SENSE OF LIFE BECOMING PERFECT IN TRUTH AND ACTION. LOVING THE BRETHREN [CONTEXT] MEANS WE LOVE IN THE HIGHEST IDEA AND WITH PERFECT TRUTH AND ACTIONS TOWARDS THEM.
VERY WEAK AND SILLY ARGUMENT BY WAIT - Keith Hunt)
(1 John 5:20) Eternal life is the never-ending effort after this knowledge of God..
—-Westcott-—-1-3 John, op. cit., p. 196
This is pure heresy. "Eternal life" is under no circumstances an "effort" on the part of man. It is, on the contrary, the result of unmerited favor and grace of God';through a man's personal faith in Christ.
(WESTCOTT IS NOT SAYING WHAT WAIT SAYS HE'S SAYING. WHEN WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST [CONTEXT] WE WILL WANT, PUT FORTH THE EFFORT, HAVE THE MIND-SET, TO CONTINUALLY MOVE TOWARDS THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. AND THAT IS THE OVERALL TEACHING OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. WEAK AND SILLY ARGUMENT BY WAIT - Keith Hunt)
(1 John 5:20) The "life eternal" is essentially present, so far as it is the potential fulfillment of the idea of humanity....
—Westcott—1-3 John, op. cit., p. 217
Wrong. So far as being "present," it is present, but the "essential" nature of it is unending and eternal, and hence future as well. Both "-present" and "future" are present for the believer in Christ who possesses eternal life.
(WESTCOTT IS SAYING WE "HAVE THE EARNEST OF THE SPIRIT" - THE DOWN PAYMENT, OF WHAT IS YET AHEAD OF US; AS THE APOSTLE PAUL PUT IT "THE EARNEST OF THE SPIRIT" - LOOK IT UP. IT'S THERE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS BUT SOME OF THE GREATER THAT WE SHALL HAVE IN THE RESURRECTION, WHEN MADE IMMORTAL, WHEN FREE FROM EVEN THE THOUGHT OF SIN. WHEN WE ARE PERFECT AS GOD THE FATHER AND CHRIST ARE PERFECT. WE HAVE LIFE ETERNAL ABIDING IN US NOW THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW TODAY AND TOMORROW, TILL THE END OF OUR LIFE. BUT THE ULTIMATE POTENTIAL AND FULFILLMENT IS MUCH GREATER THAN WHAT HE HAVE NOW, OR TOMORROW IN THIS FLESH.
WEAK, WEAK, ARGUMENTS BY WAIT.
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TO BE CONTINUED