A Review of Pure Grace by Clark Whitten
The most important criticism of Clark Whitten’s book Pure Grace is that it cripples the Christian so that they cannot walk in righteousness. While there is much emphasis on God’s grace in justification and the “imputed righteousness” of Christ being counted to the believer, the book seriously twists and neglects the subsequent sanctification of Christians who actually practice righteousness when God regenerates them. Apart from this sanctification and regeneration, there can be no final justification and salvation.
Whitten’s book exchanges biblical grace for hyper-grace and turns biblical obedience into legalism. Whitten uses the word “law” very generally by taking New Testament verses about the Mosaic Law and applying it to any form of obedience or moral law. Whitten says,
“Can we agree that Christians are not under the law? . . . A gospel of law-keeping is no gospel at all. There simply is no “good news” associated with a life lived under the law. That is true before salvation and even more applicable after one is saved.” (Clark Whitten, Pure Grace (Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 2012), 59-60)
In context, there is no indication that Whitten has the Law of Moses in mind when he says “under the law” as Paul did when he said “under the law.” It’s easy to see how Christians who take the commandments of Christ seriously will be accused of being legalistic according to Whitten’s misuse of “law.” It is true that Christians are not under the Law of Moses. Certainly Paul rebuked what he called “another gospel” (Galatians 1:6) which caused the Galatians to “fall from grace” (Galatians 5:4). But this other Gospel was not obedience to Christ; it was seeking to be justified by observing the Law of Moses.
Paul said that not being under the Law was conditional based upon walking in the Spirit and obedience, not in the flesh. Paul says: “But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:18-23)
Again, Paul uses Whitten’s phrase “under the law” telling us that the true evidence of being under grace and not under the law is that sin has no power over you. “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14) On the contrary, if sin has power over you, then you are not under grace. Christ requires obedience and His grace gives us power to obey. But Whitten finds the “leaven of the law” in my previous statement and the following presentation of the Gospel:
“The Holy Spirit was given to you to empower you to act better and better and convict you of your sin when you stray. God is pleased when you act right. When you don’t, He will clean your clock! Fear God and keep His commandments.” (28).
Ironically, what Whitten finds to be “leaven of the law” in the previous presentations of the Gospel, the book of Revelation declares to be the “everlasting Gospel.” John wrote, “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him” (Revelation 14:6,7; See also Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:5).
What is most troubling is that Whitten finds the “leaven of the law” in a direct quotation of Scripture: “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Legalism is contrary to the Spirit of Christ, but Whitten is one among many false teachers who confuse the keeping of Christ’s commands with legalism and call it “law” by applying Scriptures about Mosaic Law. Whitten says,
“Religion and legalism have painted a portrait of God as a distant, severe, and joyless father who is almost impossible to please.” (65).
Perhaps Whitten’s above statement is true regardless of what he had in mind with his ideas of legalism. But whether or not his statement is true, God is severe. We ought to be cautious about making statements that portray the Lord contrary to Scripture. It is true that God is not a distant Father who is impossible to please, but He is severe. Saying that he is not severe can nullify Paul’s warning to believers about God’s severity: “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” (Romans 11:22) False teaching often presents an imbalance by over-emphasizing one truth of Scripture over another, i.e., God’s goodness and severity. The writer of Hebrews does not separate grace from godly fear and reverence toward God: “let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” (Hebrews 12:28)
Again, what Whitten describes as “leaven of the law” is presented all throughout the New Testament teachings of God’s grace in regeneration and sanctification of the Christian (See Matthew 5:48; John 14:15,21; 15:10; Romans 6:22; 7-8; 11:20-21; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 10:1-13,19-22; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 4:10-11,16; 5:2,10-11; 7:1; Ephesians 5:10,21; Philippians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Hebrews 6:1; 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15,16; 1 John 2:3-4, 5:3). But Whitten declares the doctrine of sanctification to be a lie when he says,
“I am already justified, and get this—I am already sanctified! Sanctification—having been made perfect—is a state of being, not a goal to be achieved or grow into. . . . (29)
“The old religious approach of “I am justified, I am being sanctified, and I will be glorified” is a lie.” (29,30).
“I am sanctified, and so are you if you are born again—whether you believe it or not!” (37).
Even Paul the Apostle said he had not already attained when he wrote the Philippians and he spoke with terrifying warning to those who were otherwise minded: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)” (Philippians 3:12-19)
Based on Whitten’s standards, Paul was way too conscious of sin and too unconscious of God’s grace. Whitten says,
“Christians are way too conscious of sin and way too unconscious of God’s grace. Listen, Jesus did not die to modify your behavior!” (19).
Is this true that Jesus did not die to modify your behavior? Granted, this was not the only reason for Jesus’s death or His ministry, but it is certainly a primary reason He came. Jesus said, “I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Matthew 9:13) One of the reasons Jesus came was to call sinners to repentance which includes behavior modification. Specifically speaking of Christ’s death, Paul says, “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” (2 Corinthians 5:15) Thus, Christ died so that our lives and behavior would resemble His life and behavior, so that we would no longer live for ourselves.
Speaking of grace, Christians actually prevent the grace of God being fulfilled in their lives if they continue to live for themselves in the flesh. We cannot practice righteousness on our own, but by faith we cooperate with God’s grace in our lives so that we might live for Him. While righteousness cannot be obtained by keeping the Mosaic Law, Christians are obligated to obey God’s moral law by faith and cooperation with God’s grace and power. But if we continue to live in the flesh, we thwart God’s grace from succeeding in our lives. Paul explains, “For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:19-20).
“Christians are not required to confess their sins to God in order to be forgiven, we already are forgiven. . . . How much time will that free up!” (20)
This statement directly contradicts 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” How does Whitten get around this clear command to believers? First, he diminishes its significance by saying it’s only mentioned once in Scripture. Secondly, he says that John was showing unbelievers how to be saved. He writes,
“There is only one verse in the whole New Testament that requires us to confess our sins to God to be forgiven. One! This one verse is the fulcrum verse that tips your life toward legalism or toward grace, toward religion or toward intimacy with God, toward a life of performance or toward a life of rest and security, toward bondage or toward freedom, toward law or toward love.” (91)
“Read the first eight verses in First John 1 and it will be clear to you that John is showing unbelievers how to be saved.” (94)
First of all, it is not significant that this is only mentioned once in Scripture. For instance, Whitten would not deny that God the Father loves Christians perfectly, even as He loves His only begotten sinless Son Jesus. But even this is only mentioned once in Scripture when Jesus prayed to the Father saying, “and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:23). One mention of this love does not diminish this precious and revolutionary truth. But its only mentioned once in Scripture!
Secondly, it is clear by John’s use of “we” and “us” all throughout his epistle that he is not writing to unbelievers but to fellow-Christians, specifically those who have eternal life (1 John 5:13).
The fact is forgiveness is conditional based upon our forgiveness of others (Matthew 6:12,14,15; 18:15; Mark 11:25,26) and confession of our sins (1 John 1:9). Personally, I have more rest and security in obeying what the John the Apostle commanded. Contrary to Whitten, the Bible joins law and love together: “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments.” (2 John 1:6) Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) This is not legalism or returning to the Mosaic Law, this is obedience to the law of Christ. Whitten’s teachings separate the union of love and obedience. For instance, he writes:
“I am convinced, Paul says, nothing can separate me from the love of God (see Rom. 8:39). You may have thought what you did separated you from God’s love, but it did not. Nothing can separate us from His love.” (22).
Notice that everything Paul mentions in Romans 8:38,39 that are unable to separate us from God’s love are external forces: death, life, angels, principalities, powers, things present, things to come, height, depth, or any creature. It’s important to note the Paul did not say nothing can separate us from God’s love. There is one thing conspicuously missing from the list Paul gives of that which cannot separate us: sin! Isaiah says, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2) Our sins do separate us from God despite how many false teachers have attempted to throw sin into Paul’s list. Whitten has given an occasion to sin by suggesting that it cannot separate us from God’s love.
While God demonstrated His love to all the world by sending His Son Jesus to die for our sins (John 3:16), God’s love and fellowship is conditional based upon obedience. Jesus said, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. . . If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:21,23). In other words, we will not be loved by the Father if we do not keep the commandments and words of Christ. Jesus exhorts us to abide in the Father’s love by our obedience even as He abode in the Father’s love by keeping His commandments. If we fail to do so, we no longer abide in His love. Jesus said, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. (John 15:10)
With all of Jesus’s emphasis on obedience to His words and commandments, you have to wonder why Whitten says,
“My bad works don’t move God any more than my good works move Him. He simply isn’t moved by ‘works’ of any kind. If you are motivated to do a great work for God, good luck!” (20).
Perhaps some do not see Whitten’s teachings of grace as turning the grace of God into a license to sin (Jude 1:4) because he does write about bearing fruit and righteous living. However, the natural implications of many of Whitten’s statements deny biblical grace and embolden Christians to sin and disobey God without condemnation. Whitten says,
“Christians are truly free. We are free to laugh or cry, read a novel or the Bible, eat meat offered to idols or avoid it, drink wine or water, smoke or chew, get fat or fit, attend church or stay at home, tithe or give nothing—all without condemnation from God. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (see Rom. 8:1) doesn’t mean no consequences or loss, but does mean no condemnation.” (22).
Rather than appealing to Christian liberty as an occasion to drink wine, smoke, chew, stay at home rather than fellowshipping with God’s people, etc. the Apostle Paul says, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13). Again, the promise of “no condemnation” which Whitten quotes from Romans 8:1 is conditional. Paul says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Furthermore, Paul clarifies, “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:12-14).
Biblical grace is unmerited but not unconditional. Not only does Whitten redefine biblical grace, but he is subsequently forced to redefine biblical righteousness. Whitten says,
“Righteousness is a state of being. I stand before God righteous, or right with Him, based on who I am, not what I have done or will do. It is a positional reality, not a performance reality. One is either righteous—in right standing with God—or unrighteous. There are only two categories of people on the planet—righteous or unrighteous. There are no gray areas concerning righteousness, no percentages of righteousness. You either are or you are not. You have either received the gift of righteousness or you have not. . . . (48).
“Let me ask you a question. Can a righteous person do an unrighteous deed? Absolutely, no doubt about it! Does the unrighteous deed that the righteous person did make him righteous? No. Absolutely not. Why? Righteousness is not based on deeds of any kind, but on faith. . . . (49).
“Righteous people do righteous deeds, but righteous deeds do not make people righteous! . . . I can reign in life by receiving this great gift of righteousness and knowing I have been made righteous because I believe, not because I act right.” (49).
As Whitten points out, there is much importance in justification by grace through faith as Paul says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3). However, this is just another denial of the practical righteousness that characterizes Christian living. The Bible speaks of righteousness not only as a positional reality, but also a performance reality. For instance, John describes righteousness as doing or practicing righteousness. John says, “If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.” (1 John 2:29) “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” (1 John 3:7)
But Whitten declares that apart from doing and practicing righteousness, God sees us as cleansed, holy and righteous. Whitten says,
“There is no filter or film of blood between God and me. When God looks at me, He doesn’t see me through the blood of Christ, He sees me—cleansed!” (53)
But what if we count that blood an unholy thing and sin against the grace of God? The writer of Hebrews says, “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:28,29) Whitten continues,
“Likewise, He sees us as holy and righteous. He sees us, and He loves what He sees!” (53).
Does God always love what He sees in Christians because of the blood of Christ? Does He always see us as cleansed, holy and righteous, even if our works are unrighteous? Consider what Jesus said to Christians in the churches of the book of Revelation chapters 2-3. For instance, to the church at Sardis, Jesus said, “I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” (Revelation 3:1) To the church at Laodicea, He said, “Thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:15-17). He didn’t say in spite of their dead works that they were holy, clean and righteous.
We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), not according to our works but according to God’s purpose and grace (2 Timothy 1:9). But Whitten’s Pure Grace stops at describing grace as unmerited favor rendering it unconditional and powerless. He does not persuade his readers of God’s favor being conditional by exhorting them as Paul “to continue in the grace of God” (Acts 13:43), not to “receive the grace of God in vain.” (2 Corinthians 6:1), not to “insult the Spirit of Grace” (Hebrews 10:29) so that no one “falls short of the grace of God” (Hebrews 12:5). Finally, the grace of God is enabling power.
- Grace gives ability and power to missionaries. (Acts 14:26)
- Grace gives power to reign over sin. (Romans 5:17; 6:14)
- Grace gives gifts for ministering, prophesying, teaching, exhortating, giving, ruling, showing mercy, etc. (Romans 12:6)
- Grace makes men to be wise builders in God’s kingdom. (1 Corinthians 3:10)
- Grace leads men to simplicity and godly sincerity. (2 Corinthians 1:12)
- Grace moves the poor to give liberally. (2 Corinthians 8:1)
- Grace moved Christ to live in voluntary poverty, to enrich us. (2 Corinthians 8:9)
- Grace makes good works abound in men. (2 Corinthians 9:8)