Pentecostal Penance: Atonement for day-to-day sins?
Last September 2011, Sadhu Sundar Selvaraj urged churches to fast and pray for day-to-day individual sins that were not atoned for by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was a preparation meant coincide the Jewish Yom Kippur for the church to claim it’s glory in a so-called “Final Dispensation” expected to come by October 2011. To the disappointment of a very few, it didn’t come.
One of the churches that was led to fast and pray for their day-to-day sins was Christ the Living Stone Fellowship (CLSF) headed by Bishop Dan Balais, who is also of the Intercessors for the Philippines, Inc. (IFP). When?members wrote asking to bring Selvaraj into account for his failed prophecies, Bishop Balais’ response was less than cordial. He said he is receiving a high level prophetic revelation and thus have more important things to do than to?respond to doubters and scoffers. He also gave these doubters and scoffers freedom to leave his church.
Both the Old and New Testament scriptures warned believers to be wary of false prophets. It says in Deuteronomy 18:22:
“If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.”
Likewise in 1 John 4:1, it says:
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Who exactly is Sadhu Sundar Selvaraj that he is regarded by CLSF and IFP as their source of high level prophetic revelation compared to the Holy Scriptures? Why is he exempted by CLSF and IFP from being put to Scriptural test? Is he now the final authority for their faith relegating the Scriptures to second place?
Failed prophecies aside, his instructions to fast and pray for the atonement of one’s day-to-day sins is equally dangerous?because it is a step away from grace.?It’s a form of Roman Catholic penance that requires human effort to justify oneself from personal sins by doing good works. Here, Selvaraj instructed believers to perform the work of the law (by fasting for Yom Kippur) to atone for their sins. Galatians 2:16 says:
know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
Galatians 2:21?says:
I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!
We are justified freely by grace through faith in the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is apart from observing the law (or observing Yom Kippur fasting) so that we cannot boast (Romans 3:24-28). Let us therefore pray for CLSF and?the Intercessors For the Philippines; may?God enable them to see this Gospel truth.
Postscript: Bishop Dan Balais and the Intercessors For the Philippines continue to subscribe to this belief, as stated in the Eagle Christian Online, (last accessed March 14, 2012) “The Lord is giving us time and reprieve to deal with the sins of the nation through intensified prayers and intercessions humbling ourselves with fasting and supplications.”
Recent Comments