A follow up to the Yancey post on Grace
Posted by appolus on January 15, 2026
I want to respond to some objections raised against my initial piece on Yancey, though in truth it was never really about Yancey at all. It was about grace, what it is, how Scripture defines it, and why it matters. If the Body of Christ is ever to walk in true holiness and righteousness, so that a dying world can genuinely contrast us with itself, then grace must be taught and held in its proper biblical place. We have not been called to soothe the conscience of the saint, nor to dull the edge of God’s holiness, but to bear faithful witness to a God who is righteous, holy, and not to be treated lightly.
Philip Yancey presents a grace-first theology in which God’s mercy precedes human response, repentance is real but functions relationally rather than judicially, and the fear of God is redefined primarily as reverence and relational grief rather than warning or dread.
In this framework, repentance restores fellowship but does not place salvation genuinely at risk, and passages that warn of falling away are treated pastorally rather than with the full weight that tge words carry.. Yet Scripture speaks of those who were “once enlightened,” who “shared in the Holy Spirit,” and still “fell away,” and of judgment that is described as “a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Jesus Himself warned that not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom, and that “the one who endures to the end will be saved.” The tension lies in whether these words are allowed to carry their full weight.
“Those once enlightened… who shared in the Holy Spirit… and then fell away.”
Hebrews and the warnings of Jesus present a gospel in which grace and holy fear coexist without contradiction.
Grace initiates salvation, yet believers are repeatedly urged to “hold fast,” to “take care lest there be an evil, unbelieving heart,” and to remember that “our God is a consuming fire.” This fear is not terror for the weak or the repentant, but sober awareness that holiness is real, covenant is serious, and perseverance matters. Scripture never pits love against Godly fear, but assumes they walk together in a proper union.
“Take care… lest there be an evil, unbelieving heart… for our God is a consuming fire.”
This tension is made unmistakable in the account of Ananias and Sapphira.
They were not outsiders but members of the church, and God judged deliberate hypocrisy in such a way that “great fear came upon the whole church.” The text offers no apology and no softening. The early believers learned, in a single moment, that the God who pours out grace also disciplines His people, and that His presence is not merely comforting but holy.
“Great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard these things.”
Throughout Scripture, promises are consistently attached to endurance and overcoming.
Life is promised to “the one who overcomes,” rest to those who “do not draw back,” and reigning with Christ to those who “remain faithful.” The other side of that promise is never hidden: hardening the heart, refusing to repent, or presuming upon grace carries consequence. These warnings are not written to frighten the faithful, but to awaken the complacent.
“To the one who overcomes… do not draw back… hold fast.”
This is why a softened, purely pastoral presentation of grace is ultimately dangerous.
Grace was never meant to remove fear altogether, but to place it rightly. When grace is framed mainly to comfort, it risks producing peace without perseverance and assurance without obedience. There has always been a market for teachers who tell people what they want to hear, but Scripture was not written to soothe the unwatchful — it was written to form a people who endure, overcome, and remain faithful to the end.
“They will not endure sound teaching… turning aside to what they want to hear.”
A Call To The Remnant 
wondrousdc722748f6 said
The word of God is a double edged sword…cuts to the marrow. It shows us His holiness , His righteousness … His justice. It shows us His love, His compassion and mercy. Scripture tells us to be holy for He is holy. It warns of Satan’s snares which begin with our own desires. There are many ‘ifs’ in God’s Holy Word. We must endure to the end… some only start well but it calls us to be steadfast until the end.
Paul called out , by name, a man who chose to go back into the world. Paul spoke of wolves in sheep’s clothing. Jesus warns to be sober and to watch…to prepare to meet him.
There have been more than a few men and women ” of the cloth” who have fallen away. There have been and are many false prophets and teachers who have ” tickled” the ears but I’m ever so thankful for the Word, and His Holy Spirit which perks up my ears to discern the truth. I’m thankful for His leaders that risk worldly reputations to speak up to warn and to expose them. I’m grateful . ( Rebecca)
appolus said
Amen sister, His word Indeed is a double edged sword, and we have certainly been called to holiness. We are to seek first His righteousness. Men and women who have raised themselves up, or have allowed themselves to be raised up, using the name of our Lord, are in particular danger in the day when the Lord says “enough.”………bro Frank
BT said
“And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.”
Jeremiah 32;40
BT
appolus said
The fear of the Lord. He is an all consuming fire…….Frank
Anonymous said
Yes – amen.
“By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.”
Blessings
BT
A follow up to the Yancey post on Grace – Online Answers said
[…] fear of God, Frank McEleny, grace of god. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own […]
Anonymous said
Very well said. It burns into the ears instead of tickling them.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. Proverbs 1:7. By that definition we must be ignorant if we do not experience the fear of God, and consequently behave like over indulged children, where the LORD is treated almost solely as a benefactor than the Highest, most glorious God, Creator, Father that He is, and worthy of our very best efforts to love, obey and serve Him.
Jen
appolus said
Amen!!! We have been called to be sons and daughters, not petulant children…….bro Frank
Anonymous said
It is time that “great fear” falls upon us again.
appolus said
Indeed!!! The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom……..bro Frank