OUR BELIEFS

Saved By Grace, Through Faith, For Good Works

Here is where that currently leaves us:

• BY Grace (alone),
• THROUGH Faith (alone),
• NOT Works (at all),
• BUT FOR every good work (since faith without works is dead).

That is basically Ephesians 2:8 (by grace, through faith), Ephesians 2:9 (not works, not works, not works, not works), and Ephesians 2:10 (for works). Most people stop reading at verse 9 and try to squeeze “works” into verse 8, which is heresy.

We get, and acknowledge, James 2, but we would point you to Romans 4, written 16 years later to clarify James 2.

The Fruit That Shows You Are His

Your salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, is evidenced by loving what God loves (unto good works), and hating what God hates (unto a turning from sin).

Works are not what save you. Works are the evidence of being saved — you will know them by their fruit — not the requirement to be saved.

Because God is perfectly holy, whatever He loves is good, and whatever He hates is evil. This is how Christians are to define “good and evil”: by God's nature and character. God's preference defines what is good and what is evil.

The tree of knowledge of good and evil caused humans to use our own preference to define good and evil. That effectively makes us god in our own minds, and misrepresents God's actual character and nature. Someone who claims to be saved but lacks this fruit actually hates what God loves and loves what God hates. In that case, they were never in the faith at all. These false Christians are called “False Converts” and will hear, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.”

Shuv Versus Metanoia

Most people who think you can lose your salvation don't understand the difference between confession and repentance, or between the Old Testament Hebrew word for repentance and the New Testament Greek word.

• Shuv (Hebrew): to change your mind and turn from sin. Basically justification through sanctification.
• Metanoia (Greek): to change your mind. “Meta” = change. “Noia” = mind. It has nothing to do with “turning from sin.” Turning in New Testament Greek is a separate word: Epistrepho.

In the Old Testament, Shuv meant both change your mind (justification by belief) and turn from sin (sanctification). In the New Testament — a “better covenant” according to Jeremiah — justification through faith alone (Metanoia) is intentionally distinct from sanctification (producing good works and turning from sin). That is the point of the temple veil being torn in two at the cross: it separated salvation from striving, since the Old Testament law didn't save anyone.

To solve the “pastor's predicament,” many pastors will insidiously define New Testament repentance (Metanoia — justification by grace alone, through faith alone) using the Old Testament definition of Shuv (justification through sanctification, which is perfectly obeying the law, which is impossible).

The Pastor's Predicament

“How do I get my congregation to show up, tithe, take their marriage and finances seriously, stop blatantly sinning and start doing some good works... if the Gospel tells them they are saved apart from their performance?”

Their solution is to subtly change the Gospel and tell people they will go to hell if they don't shape up. This turns into a salvation message of: “Once saved, always saved... as long as you STAY saved.” And that is a false Gospel that will take you to hell.

Using The Bible To Define The Bible

These folks also tend to define “sin” as a list of bad things not to do, whereas the Bible defines sin as “missing the mark” (an archery term) or falling short of God's glory, which all have done and continue to do. A list of rules is the Old Testament law, not New Testament grace.

Changing definitions is the Devil's game from the beginning. We use the Bible to define things:

• Sin: Falling short of God's glory.
• Belief: Accepting that God exists and the Bible is true. Belief alone is not faith. Even the demons believe and shudder.
• Faith: Above and beyond simple belief, saving faith means to truly trust in Christ as your only source and mechanism of salvation.
• Repentance (Old Testament Hebrew — Shuv): Change your mind (justification) and turn (sanctification).
• Repentance (New Testament Greek — Metanoia): Change your mind alone (justification apart from sanctification).

You Cannot Lose Your Salvation

Notice the order of salvation: BY = Grace, THROUGH = Faith, FOR = Works. If you switch the order at all, you get an instant heresy.

We are not saved “by faith.” We are not saved “through works.” We are not saved “for grace.” Grace is God loving you. Faith is you loving Him back. That is justification. That is salvation. That is relationship. You cannot lose this because you didn't earn it. You only love Him because He first loved you.

People will tell you that nothing can pluck you out of God's hands, but you can choose to walk out. The Bible says we are prisoners of Christ Jesus. A prisoner cannot choose to leave a prison. It says we are bought and paid for, and no longer our own. You would need to own yourself in order to choose to leave.

It says you are the holes in the hands of Christ. A hole cannot walk out of a hand. It says you are a bondservant to Jesus. A bondservant cannot choose to leave his contract. It says you are an ambassador (spirit) in chains (flesh). Someone in chains cannot choose to walk out of those chains. It says you are a soldier in an army. A soldier can't walk away from an army — that is called going AWOL. It says you pierce your ear with an awl to bond yourself to your Good Master. You can't unpierce your ear any more than Christ would unpierce His palms. It says you are a slave to righteousness. A slave cannot choose to walk off a plantation.

Can a prisoner lose its prison? Can a slave lose its plantation? Can an ambassador in chains lose its chains? Can a bondservant lose its master? The better question is: Will a prison lose a prisoner? Will a plantation lose a slave? Will the chains ever lose an ambassador in chains? Will the master ever lose a bondservant? If they do, in every case, they leave the rest and go and find the one, until it's found.

A prison doesn't magically kick a prisoner out because it's been a bad prisoner. A manhunt doesn't magically disappear because a prisoner has been gone too long. The worse they are, the longer their sentence gets. The more you sin, the more grace abounds. Should we abuse this fact? No, but it is a fact.

Salvation is not yours to lose. You are Christ's to keep. Christ has not lost one the Father gave Him. If you do leave, and you are not chased after, you were never in. Even if you could leave, which you can't, the Bible tells you what happens if you try: Jesus will leave the 99 and come and get you until you are found. To say that you can successfully walk out of Jesus's hand is to imply that Jesus fails the mission of coming to find you, which is a heretical false accusation against Christ.

Mapping Earthly Things To Heavenly Things

This whole thing is an issue of how you read Scripture. Name one intellectual in the Bible Jesus commends for his brilliance. There isn't one. But He made fun of Nicodemus for trying. Jesus told him he was failing to map physical things (of this world) to spiritual things (of heaven). That is the problem most people have with accepting grace.

The Bible hides its meaning from the wise and learned and reveals it to children. We all want a straight answer, and the people in Jesus's day asked Him for the same, and yet He answered in stories, because that is how children understand. For example:

• Jacob put on the clothing of Esau to approach Isaac. Once they found out he was a deceiver, the blessing could not be taken back.
• Leah put on the wedding dress of Rachel to approach Jacob. Once they found out she was a liar, the covenant could not be taken back.
• Tamar put on the clothing of a harlot to approach Judah. Once they found out she was lying, it could not be taken back.
• The Gibeonites put on torn clothing to approach Joshua. Once they found out they were lying, it could not be taken back.

Once you were given salvation, which is a one-time act, it could never be taken back. If you stumble in the desert, the angel of death is not coming back for a second time, and if he did, there would be no second sacrifice sufficient to save you from him.

Once truly saved, your salvation is no longer your own. It is not something you earned, it is not something you need to maintain, and it's not something that you can lose.

The evidence of salvation is fruit. Jesus first said, “You're not condemned” — then “Go and sin no more.” Saved-by-works heresy has changed it to “Go and sin no more... so you won't be condemned.”

The devil often tells us to do the right thing in the wrong season. The Bible says “flee,” “resist,” and “fight” in regards to sin. So which is it? Is God a liar?

• In Egypt you flee.
• In the desert you resist.
• In the Promised Land you fight.

Likewise:

• Egypt = Justified once and for all by the blood on the door (Christ on the cross).
• Desert = Being sanctified while wearing garments that will endure till the end.
• Promised Land = Will be glorified.

Again, if you stumble in the desert (sanctification), the angel of death (wages of sin) is not coming back a second time, because if it did, there would be no second sacrifice that could stop it. The first and only sacrifice (Christ) was sufficient, once and for all.

That is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And if you refuse to accept it, you will burn in hell for all eternity.

Church Is Eighth On The List

We believe that church is 8th down on the list of importance:

1. Your personal relationship with God.
2. Husband or Wife (between a man and woman only).
3. Children.
4. Family.
5. Friends.
6. Self-care (not the same as “self-love,” which is a lie from the pit of hell).
7. Your job or career.
8. Church (preferably in person first, then supplemented by online church/teachings).

We find that most church/leadership complaints come from people who have inappropriate expectations of what church is, or what role their pastor actually occupies in their life in the first place.

By Grace, Through Faith, For Works

Notice the order of salvation: BY = Grace, THROUGH = Faith, FOR = Works. If you switch the order at all, you get an instant heresy.

We are not saved “by faith.” We are not saved “through works.” We are not saved “for grace.”

• Grace = God loving you.
• Faith = you loving Him back.

That is justification. That is salvation. That is relationship. You cannot lose this because you did not earn it. You only love Him because He first loved you. This is permanent. You cannot lose your salvation.

You Are Christ's To Keep

People will tell you that nothing can pluck you out of God's hands, but you can choose to walk out. The Bible says we are prisoners of Christ Jesus. A prisoner cannot choose to leave a prison. It says we are bought and paid for, and no longer our own. You would need to own yourself in order to choose to leave.

It says you are a hole in the hand of Christ. A hole cannot walk out of a hand. It says you are a bondservant to Jesus. A bondservant cannot choose to leave his contract. It says you are an ambassador in chains. Someone in chains cannot choose to walk out of those chains. It says you are a soldier in an army. A soldier cannot walk away from an army — that is called going AWOL. It says you pierce your ear with an awl to bond yourself to your Good Master. You cannot unpierce your ear any more than Christ would unpierce His palms. It says you are a slave to righteousness. A slave cannot choose to walk off a plantation.

Can a prisoner lose its prison? Can a slave lose its plantation? Can an ambassador in chains lose their chains? Can a bondservant lose his master?

The better question is:

• Will a prison lose a prisoner?
• Will a plantation lose a slave?
• Will the chains ever lose an ambassador in chains?
• Will the master ever lose a bondservant?

If they do, in every case, they leave the rest and go and find the one, until it is found.

A prison does not magically kick a prisoner out because it has been a bad prisoner. A manhunt does not magically disappear because a prisoner has been gone too long. The worse they are, the longer their sentence gets.

The more you sin, the more grace abounds. Should we abuse this fact? No, but it is a fact.

Salvation is not yours to lose. You are Christ's to keep. Christ has not lost one the Father gave Him.

If you do leave, and you are not chased after, you were never in. Even if you could leave, which you cannot, the Bible tells you what happens if you try: Jesus will leave the 99 and come and get you until you are found. To say that you can successfully walk out of Jesus' hand is to infer that Jesus fails the mission of coming to find you, which is a heretical false accusation against Christ.

A Blessing That Cannot Be Revoked

• Jacob put on the clothing of Esau to approach Isaac. Once they found out he was a deceiver, the blessing could not be taken back.
• Leah put on the wedding dress of Rachel to approach Jacob. Once they found out she was a liar, the covenant could not be taken back.
• Tamar put on the clothing of a harlot to approach Judah. Once they found out she was lying, it could not be taken back.
• The Gibeonites put on torn clothing to approach Joshua. Once they found out they were lying, it could not be taken back.

Once you were given salvation, which is a one-time act, it could never be taken back. If you stumble in the desert, the angel of death is not coming back for a second time, and if he did, there would be no second sacrifice sufficient to save you from him.

Once truly saved, your salvation is no longer your own. It is not something you earned, it is not something you need to maintain, and it is not something that you can lose.

The evidence of salvation is fruit. Jesus first said, “You're not condemned” — then “Go and sin no more.” Saved-by-works heresy has changed it to “Go and sin no more... so you won't be condemned.”

The devil often tells us to do the right thing in the wrong season. The Bible says “flee,” “resist,” and “fight” in regards to sin. So which is it? Is God a liar?

• In Egypt you flee.
• In the desert you resist.
• In the Promised Land you fight.

Likewise:

• Egypt = Justified once and for all by the blood on the door (Christ on the cross).
• Desert = Being sanctified while wearing garments that will endure till the end.
• Promised Land = Will be glorified.

If you stumble in the desert (sanctification), the angel of death (wages of sin) is not coming back a second time, because if it did, there would be no second sacrifice that could stop it. The first and only sacrifice (Christ) was sufficient, once and for all.

That is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And if you refuse to accept it, you will burn in hell for all eternity.

Be Generous, Not Under Compulsion

Regarding tithing, we do not believe tithing is mandatory in the New Testament. We believe the standard now is “be generous,” which might be more than 10% or less — that is between you and God.

We follow the George Müller method. Like Paul in 1 Corinthians 9, we do not make use of our right to “ask for carnal things from you” just because we have “sown spiritual things among you.”

We also do not criticize other churches who do make use of this right, unless they do it to the point of “hindering the Gospel” as Paul warns.

We do not pass the plate or shake the congregation down. We also ask that you speak with God about what it means to “be generous” and support the ministry where you get your meat.

The Right Thing In The Wrong Season

The prosperity gospel is dressing Egypt up like the Promised Land, so you do not have to go through the desert. But the Bible says it is granted to us to share in the suffering of Christ, which produces in us character building (fruit of the Spirit), perseverance, and hope.

But once you get to the actual Promised Land (once suffering through the desert has had its full effect), the prosperity gospel makes you feel awkward about prospering in the Promised Land, which is equally as evil as refusing to suffer in the desert.

Once you reach the Promised Land, if you still listen to desert-minded people, they will tell you that you sound just like those heretics in Egypt who told you not to enter the desert.

And if you hearken unto this Stockholm syndrome to desert suffering (depravity signaling), you will get sent into exile.

Again, we see the devil tells you to do the right thing in the wrong season.

At ALTARED, we focus on Promised Land principles because we are a Promised Land ministry. And in the Promised Land, desert principles (like gathering daily manna) no longer apply.

Be careful. Prosperity-gospel heretics in Egypt say the same things. But much like the pigs sleeping in the beds in Orwell's “Animal Farm,” their fruit will find them out in time.

The Map And The Compass

We believe the Bible hides its meaning from the wise and learned and reveals it to those who read it humbly like children. “Bible thinking” (brain) is no more fruitful than “Bible feeling.” The Bible says not to lean on your own understanding or trust your heart.

The Holy Spirit is the interpreter, such that you do not even need a human teacher. Let God be true and every man a liar. The heart must be submitted to the mind, and the mind to the spirit, and your spirit to the Holy Spirit.

The Bible is the map and the Holy Spirit is the compass. If you keep one and throw out the other, you will never escape the desert.

Who The Father Says You Are

Identity in Christ means to believe who the Father says you are (Esau), despite who you see in the mirror (Jacob). The difference between those two things, that fills the gap, is called faith.

This is what we mean when we say we are “truth seekers” here at ALTARED. These are fantastic arguments, straight out of Scripture, for what we believe. We have had these conversations enough to know the quality of our research and revelation.

Yet despite this, rather than be moved, or consider they might be wrong, or tolerate even a moment of temporary cognitive dissonance, many people out there will argue in endless contention about details, with the sole intention of upholding their own preconceived systematic theology that some other flawed human invented and regurgitated to them.

If that is you, you are not welcome here at ALTARED. Take what you think you know and go elsewhere. We are here to seek truth together, not tolerate heresy while you ignore extremely biblical theological explanations, only to flood us with your stale, regurgitated talking points.

If you are a truth seeker and humble enough to admit you might not know everything and still have things to learn, as we all do, welcome to ALTARED.

In Love & Truth,

Pastor Michael Cocchini MD, MBA