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Monday, June 12, 2023

Did Cyrus Scofield Teach Free Grace Theology?

 Scofield is one of the most famous dispensationalist authors, Scofield was also a friend of Lewis Sperry Chafer, who is known to have taught Free Grace theology.

And indeed, we can find statements made by Scofield that do agree with Free Grace theology.

Scofield held to the "change of mind" view of repentance, we find multiple references to this in his Reference Bible:

it is evident, from a study of all the passages, that the sacred writers use it in the sense of metanoia in the N.T.—a change of mind. See Mt. 3. 2; Acts 17. 30, note. As in the N.T., such change of mind is often accompanied by contrition and self-judgment. When applied to God the word is used phenomenally according to O.T. custom. God seems to change His mind. The phenomena are such as, in the case of a man, would indicate a change of mind.

Also saying:

This change of mind may, especially in the case of Christians who have fallen into sin, be preceded by sorrow (2 Cor. 7. 8-11), but sorrow for sin, though it may "work" repentance, is not repentance. 

Scofield also held to the rewards interpretation of many passages:

1 Corinthians 3:14. God, in the N.T. Scriptures, offers to the lost, salvation, and, for the faithful service of the saved, rewards. The passages are easily distinguished by remembering that salvation is invariably spoken of as a free gift (e.g. John 4:10; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8, 9); while rewards are earned by works (Mt. 10:42; Lk. 19:17; 1 Cor. 9:24, 25; 2 Tim. 4:7, 8; Rev. 2:10; 22:12). A further distinction is that salvation is a present possession (Lk. 7:50; John 3:36; 5:24; 6:47), while rewards are a future attainment, to be given at the coming of the Lord (Mt. 16:27; 2 Tim. 4:8; Rev. 22:12).

And on top of it, Scofield's view of assurance is in line with Free Grace theology:

Assurance is the believer's full conviction that, through the work of Christ alone, received by faith, he is in possession of a salvation in which he will be eternally kept. And this assurance rests only upon the Scripture promises to him who believes. (Scofield's Reference Notes)

Much more could be mentioned, however these major points point Scofield towards a more Free Grace view. 

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