Why Free Grace Theology Misses the Gospel: A Modern Antinomian Mirage
Posted on 05/08/2025 at The Curmudgeon’s Chronicle
What if someone told you that salvation requires nothing more than a mental nod to a set of ideas, with no change in behavior or heart? That’s the core of Free Grace Theology—a doctrine I believe is not only misguided but a rebranded version of the ancient Antinomian heresy. In this post, I’ll explore Free Grace Theology, expose its flaws through Scripture, and address the false dichotomy that you must choose between it and Lordship Salvation. Spoiler: neither fully captures the gospel.
What Is Free Grace Theology?
Free Grace Theology teaches that salvation comes from a one-time mental assent to certain truths about Jesus, with no strings attached. Its key claims include:
- Faith is merely agreeing with ideas, with no need for life change.
- Repentance is just a “change of mind,” not a change in behavior.
- Behavior doesn’t reflect salvation status.
- The object of faith is your assurance of salvation, so doubting your salvation is off-limits.
- There’s a difference between “entering the Kingdom” (salvation) and “inheriting the Kingdom” (reigning with Christ).
There’s one more point I’ll save for later, as it ties directly to Lordship Salvation. Let’s tackle these claims one by one, using Scripture to test their validity.
1. Faith Without Application?
Free Grace Theology insists that saving faith is just mental agreement, no action required. But Jesus disagrees. In Matthew 7:15-20, He warns:
“15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.”
Jesus says we’ll know true believers by their “fruits”—the visible outworking of faith. If faith doesn’t produce change, how can we identify false prophets, as Jesus instructs? A faith that bears no fruit contradicts His teaching. True faith is alive, active, and transformative.
2. Repentance Without Change?
Free Grace advocates claim repentance is merely a “change of mind” with no behavioral shift. Yet Scripture paints a different picture. In Acts 26:19-20, Paul describes his mission:
“19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.”
“Do works meet for repentance”? That sounds like action. John the Baptist echoes this in Luke 3:7-14, urging the crowd to “bring forth fruits worthy of repentance” through specific acts like sharing, honesty, and kindness. Repentance isn’t just mental—it’s a turning from sin to God, evidenced by changed behavior. This is where Free Grace Theology starts to smell like Antinomianism, a heresy that downplays obedience and sanctification.
3. Behavior Doesn’t Matter?
Free Grace Theology boldly claims there’s no link between behavior and salvation. This is peak Antinomianism, and the Apostle John dismantles it in 1 John 3:6-10:
“6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil… 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”
John’s logic is clear: those born of God show it through righteous living and love for others. While perfection isn’t expected (1 John 1:8-10), a life unchanged by salvation is unthinkable. Free Grace’s claim that behavior is irrelevant makes it impossible to distinguish God’s children from the devil’s, contradicting 1 John’s purpose of assuring believers through their actions (1 John 5:12-13).
4. Faith in Your Own Salvation?
Free Grace Theology turns faith inward, urging believers to trust in their salvation status without questioning it. But Paul says otherwise in 2 Corinthians 13:5:
“5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”
Faith in Christ, not in our salvation status, is the gospel’s call. 1 John 2:3 adds, “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.” Assurance comes from seeing Christ’s work in us, not from blindly assuming we’re saved. Free Grace’s prohibition on self-examination undermines biblical teaching.
5. Entering vs. Inheriting the Kingdom?
To dodge scriptures that tie behavior to salvation, Free Grace theologians distinguish “entering the Kingdom” (salvation) from “inheriting the Kingdom” (reigning with Christ). They claim verses like 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, which say the unrighteous “shall not inherit the kingdom of God,” only mean exclusion from millennial rule, not salvation. But the Bible uses terms like “inherit eternal life,” “enter the Kingdom,” and “be saved” interchangeably (Matthew 19:16-26; Mark 10:17-27; Luke 18:18-27). There’s no evidence “inheriting the Kingdom” is a separate category. This distinction is a theological sleight of hand, unsupported by Scripture’s consistent language.
The Hidden Point: Optional Lordship?
Here’s the final claim I held back: Free Grace Theology often treats accepting Jesus as Lord as optional, reducing faith to believing in Jesus as Savior alone. Some even argue that intending to obey Jesus is a “works-based” salvation. This is a false gospel. Jude 3-4 warns against those who deny “our Lord Jesus Christ,” and Matthew 7:21 clarifies:
“21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
Only those who do God’s will—acknowledging Jesus as Lord—enter the Kingdom. Romans 10:9 ties salvation to confessing “the Lord Jesus,” and Luke 6:46-49 equates ignoring Jesus’ lordship with destruction. Faith includes submitting to Christ’s authority, not as a work but as a natural response to His grace.
Free Grace vs. Lordship Salvation: A False Choice
Free Grace Theology says a one-time profession of faith secures salvation, no matter how you live. Lordship Salvation, on the other hand, insists you must make Jesus Lord before receiving grace. Both miss the mark.
The true gospel is this: We’re sinners, guilty before a holy God. By God’s gift of faith, we repent and trust in Christ’s cross for salvation. From this faith flows sanctification—not as a prerequisite but as an inevitable fruit, like smoke from fire. As 1 John 2:29 says, “every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.” Through the Holy Spirit, believers grow to love Christ’s lordship, not to earn salvation but because they’re united with Him.
Conclusion: The Antinomian Shadow
Free Grace Theology, with its divorce of faith from action, mirrors the Antinomian heresy that plagued the early church. By stripping repentance of transformation and salvation of fruit, it offers a hollow gospel. Scripture demands more: a living faith that bears fruit, a repentance that changes us, and a Savior who is also Lord. Let’s reject the false choice between Free Grace and Lordship Salvation and embrace the gospel that saves and transforms.
What do you think? Have you encountered Free Grace Theology or similar teachings? Share your thoughts below, and let’s dig deeper into the truth of God’s Word.