Kris Vallotton - Jesus Did Not Die on the Cross Just to Forgive Your Sins - By Anthony Wade

Excerpted from here. Our comments in bold.

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Rev. Wade is reliably incendiary and hyperbolic. He targets a variety of people - always charismatics - but he has some favorites whom he hammers constantly. One of those is Kris Vallotton.

We should say that we are not here to defend Vallotton. It is quite possible he has made questionable statements and thus should be under scrutiny. 

Also, it is worthy of note that Rev. Wade has more than 1300 words (not including quoted material), but is unable to make a point, and doesn't quote any Scriptures, other than 1Co. 14:3 at the top of his post. This is also typical for him; he seems to have an aversion to Scripture. 

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"At that time, I didn't know that when God speaks, He speaks to edify, exhort or comfort. Though there was power behind my experience with the spirit realm back in my freshman year of high school, it was only mimicking real power and was not actually the Lord speaking. There are often supernatural acts performed by new-age people that are identical to God's, but the source is still bent in deception because the thief is lurking with evil intent in the background." - Kris Vallotton

Kris is right that fortunetellers often are trafficking in demons. His answer however was to build his own demonic empire where no one will ever have a short lifeline on their palm again. (As we mentioned, Rev. Wade is his typical incendiary self. But we need to ask, regardless of the truth or accuracy of Rev. Wade's assertion, is it valuable? Do we gain from knowing what he writes? Is it in a spirit of gentleness and restoration [Ga. 6:1, 2Ti. 2:23-25]? Is it even a proper rebuke [Ac. 8:20, 2Ti. 4:2]? Does Rev. Wade's purpose to persuade his audience? No, no, no, no, and no. He's in attack mode, typical for him. 

And we frequently mention that these screeds are on his website and found under the topic of "devotionals." Why he would think these things are devotional material is beyond us.)

I started here however because of Vallotton's reference to the key verse for today. It is commonplace for false prophets to wrongly interpret 1Corinthians 14:3 to mean that prophecy today is warm and cuddly compared to those dark and gloomy Old Testament days. (Perhaps so. But Vallotton clearly states, He speaks to edify, exhort or comfort. The statement is directly from Rev. Wade's key verse. Which makes us wonder why Rev. Wade even brings it up.

And Rev. Wade makes another undiscussed assertion, that people believe the OT prophets were doom and gloom. Again Rev. Wade has an opportunity to instruct, but simply punts.)

Now, edification, exhortation and comfort can certainly provide us with a warm and fuzzy feeling but it also can be the opposite. (Does Vallotton contradict this somewhere?)

Edification is the building up of someone but how you get there is vastly more important to God. ("How you get there..." How you get where? How you get to the point of being edifying? How you get to the point of being edified? Rev. Wade's assertion doesn't make sense. 

Edification is an action or process. "How you get there" suggests the process of edification is more important than, what, the result? Or... ?

We will explain. Edification by the brethren is one way we increase in holiness and maturity of faith. It's the ministry of the Body one to another so as to build up in faith and maturity. Does Rev. Wade agree or disagree? We don't know what he thinks or why, or where his assertions are found in the Bible.

Further, it is presumptuous for Rev. Wade to claim to know what is important to God.)

Refinement in the bible is often compared to the refinement of precious metal. (Where does the Bible say this? It's not that we doubt it does, but again, this is supposed to be a devotional. If Rev. Wade says the Bible says something, we need to know where it says it. Crack it open, Reverend.)

It requires fire to burn off the dross. The first words of the ministry of Jesus Christ was, repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. (True, indeed. But what does repentance have to do with fire bringing about purity of faith [1Pe. 1:7]? These are all worthy topics, but Rev. Wade does not discuss them at all. His purpose is to impugn, not edify.)

Repentance is always the first step to being edified. (Undocumented assertion.)

Exhorting means encouraging (Well, no. Exhort is parakaleó, which means 

1. as in Greek authors, to admonish, exhort: absolutely, ...1 Timothy 2:1

The problem is, different Greek words are used for the two words. Sometimes the same Greek word is used for both. It's no wonder Rev. Wade is confused. He probably hasn't taken the time to do the research required to be a competent Bible teacher.)

but there is nothing encouraging about lying to someone about what God has said. (Yes, indeed again. But has Vallotton done this? When? Reference?)

The problem with false prophets like Kris Vallotton is that they only see comfort in carnal terms. (Undocumented assertion. Rev. Wade seems unable to reference his claims.)

"Are You Spiritually Intelligent? It is apparent that the world is searching for spiritual understanding and seeking supernatural significance. Even believers are haunted by the sense that there is more but don't know how to break through or, worse yet, have allowed fear surrounding deceptive spiritual experiences to limit the life that Christ paid for on the cross.

Jesus did not die on the cross just to forgive your sins but to give you access to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit changed everything; in an instant, we went from sinners to saints, Spiritless to Spirit-filled, from strangers to friends. We are supposed to be led by the Spirit John 3:5 says: "I tell you no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and of Spirit." What I am getting at is we were born by the Spirit but often the only thing we're feeding is our intellect." - Kris Vallotton

It is true that the world is seeking a supernatural sense of significance and spiritual understanding. That does it (sic) mean however that they are seeking God. (Vallotton did not make this claim.)

The bible assures us that they are not. (Quite true. But again, where does the Bible say this? And did Vallotton contradict this somewhere? Why does Rev. Wade bring up things that are not under discussion? When is he going to discuss the topic promised in the title?)

They will however seek out tarot card readings, yoga, or even fortune tellers. Along that same vein they will seek out places like Bethel and teachers like Vallotton who will feed them the supernatural lies they crave. (Sigh. He just keeps going on and on.)

The average fortune teller reading will assure you of something great and mighty in your future. How is that any different than an itinerant prophet "speaking over your life" at a church service? When the false prophet promises you promotion or expanding your territories how is that different from the psychic parlor tricks? It isn't. (This little diatribe contains nothing verified, documented or even anything of worth.)

The more horrifically bad teaching here is the notion that Jesus did not JUST die on the cross for your sins! (Finally, after hundreds of words, we get to the actual topic.)

Kris Vallotton took two biblical truths and claimed causation where he should not have. (He did? We hope that Rev. Wade will provide the scriptural documentation that demonstrates this supposed "horrific" doctrinal error.)

Yes, Jesus died on the cross and yes He gave us access to the Holy Spirit but He did not go to the cross for this reason. (Biblical reference?)

Nowhere does the bible remotely teach that God had a plan to deliver the Holy Spirit to us and needed the cross to do so. (Vallotton did not say this. We can read it for ourselves: Jesus did not die on the cross just to forgive your sins but to give you access to the Holy Spirit. He did not say the cross was avenue required in order to send the Holy Spirit.

But this is just doctrinal parsing. While it was necessary for Jesus to die as the sacrificial lamb to wash away our sins, it was also necessary for Him to rise from the dead.

1Co. 15:17-18 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.

The resurrection necessary because His victory over the grave resurrects us into a new creation:

Ph. 3:10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

We only are new creations when the Holy Spirit regenerates us:

John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

Jesus knew this and viewed His upcoming death as a necessary antecedent:

Jn. 16:7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

So in that sense, Vallotton is correct. Jesus clearly knew that His death ["going away"] was necessary and desirable, because the Holy Spirit will not come unless Jesus goes. 

Apparently Rev. Wade does not understand the plain statements of Scripture. He would prefer to scream heresy where there is none. In the process, it only makes him look like a bomb thrower.

Lastly, perhaps Rev. Wade might review our explanation. It contains Scripture, it follows a logical procession, and it speaks directly to the point raised. Rev. Wade should follow our example.)

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