(This is one of three articles exposing Antoine Holloway.  The other two can be found at the following links:

http://www.wordsoftruth.net/wordsoftruthbull03_14_2004.html

http://www.wordsoftruth.net/wordsoftruthbull03_21_2004.html

Please read all of the articles).

     Our last two bulletin articles have dealt with the false teachings of Antoine N. Holloway.  This bulletin article will be no different.  We will be addressing Antoine’s false teaching of “Unconditional Forgiveness” in this article.  (You should know also that the online version of this bulletin has all of the following quotes of Antoine’s linked to sound clips so that you can hear him say what I have quoted him as saying.)  Now we shall get to the point and expose yet another false doctrine of this misguided brother, let us see what Antoine taught on the fourteenth day of September, 2003 and then we shall refute his error with the Scriptures.  Antoine stated in his morning lesson of that day the following false doctrine: “On this morning I would like to draw upon the blackboards of your minds and preach from the subject Unconditional Forgiveness.  Unforgish – Unconditional Forgiveness.  Now when we’re dealing with the subject of forgiveness, individuals want to come up with rules and regulations as to why they should not have to forgive.  Individuals want to say certain things like ‘I will forgive this person if this person does first', makin it conditional.  However, I want to affirm on this morning that the conditional, that the condition of the Bible, that the condition of – that the position of the Bible is Unconditional Forgiveness.”  (HEAR THIS QUOTE [INCLUDING ITS CONTEXT] BY CLICKING HERE)

     Because of Antoine’s false teaching that morning, he was faced with some questions from a couple who recognized his false doctrine.  So, that evening Antoine decided to preach the same lesson again and make some clarifications.  His clarifications are easy to understand and make his errors very clear: “Now what's the difference between conditional forgiveness and unconditional forgiveness?  There, there, really is no difference because there is no such thing as conditional forgiveness.”  (HEAR THIS QUOTE BY CLICKING HERE)

     It should be noted that Antoine a month later decided to teach an open forum on this subject.  At that time he taught that conditional forgiveness was in the Bible.  He desired to clear up the congregations misunderstandings of the above statements (you can hear this online, it is too long to quote in this article - CLICK HERE TO HEAR IT NOW).  He has been willing to say that he had made linguistic mistakes in some of his statements.  Antoine has denied ever teaching error on this subject.  He places blame on the brethren for not being able to understand what he taught.  He told me on the phone (prior to me receiving the evidence on tape) that he never said anything that would even come close to teaching unconditional forgiveness.  Dear reader, the quotes above are abundantly clear and dishonesty is certainly a trait that many false teachers possess (II Peter 2:1-3).  Shifting blame and making “clarifications” that admit no wrong doing are not a 52nd cousin to repentance for teaching error.  Dividing a local church is not fruit meet for repentance (Matthew 3:8 and Acts 26:20), it is however evidence of a man’s desires to spread error.

     When considering what conditions one must meet (if any) we have to be very certain that the word of God is clearly understood for this is a subject that will affect the salvation of many.  Calvinism has had a great influence on the minds of denominational folks, and from recent teachings of brethren like Antoine Holloway, Calvinism has been taught among brethren as well.  Does God place conditions upon His forgiveness of our sins?  The word of God is really clear that God does require things of us prior to granting the forgiveness of our sins.  For example, the alien sinner must hear the Gospel (Romans 10:17), believe the Gospel (Mark 16:15-16), repent of their sins (Acts 3:19), confess Christ (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized unto the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38).  The Christian who has erred from the faith must repent of their sins (Luke 13:3; 5 and II Corinthians 7:9-10) and confess those faults to the Lord (I John 1:9).  All of the above are conditions that God requires to forgive sinners (one who transgresses the law of Christ – I John 3:4).

     As we focus in on some particulars we will see clearly that God’s forgiveness is conditional.  For example, John wrote the following through the inspiration of God: (I 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.”  You will note the term “if” begins the sentence quoted above (I have underlined and bolded it to bring it to the attention of anyone who is reading this article).  If this were the only verse in the entire sixty-six books we know as the Bible, on the subject matter of conditional forgiveness, the truth on this subject would be abundantly clear.  When John wrote to the seven churches in Revelation chapters two through three he addressed five of them as being sinful in the sight of God (Ephesus, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, and Laodicea).  All five of those congregations were shown that God would not unconditionally forgive them of their sins, for they had to repent (Revelation 2:5; 2:16; 2:22; 3:3; and 3:17-19).  As shown through just a brief examination of this subject matter, God does not unconditionally forgive men and women of their trespasses.  God is (II Peter 3:9) “…longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”  We need to be longsuffering also when sin is committed against us, but the Scriptures are clear in that we too are not to forgive unconditionally.

     On that same day we began our article talking about (September 14th, 2003), a sad day when Antoine Holloway taught error on God’s forgiveness being unconditional, he also taught the following false doctrine: “God forgives unconditionally.  God forgives unconditionally.  And because God forgives unconditionally, we as Christians must also forgive unconditionally.” (HEAR THIS QUOTE BY CLICKING HERE)   “Now I want to inform everybody up here on this morning that the forgiveness that we ought to give as Christians always has to be unconditional.”  (HEAR THIS QUOTE BY CLICKING HERE)  His stance was so clear that he said the following statement in his “invitation” that same day during his evening lesson: “Where are you tonight?  Do you still believe that in order for you to forgive somebody, they have to do something to you first, they have to ask you, they have to repent of their sins first in order to forgive you?  If that’s your condition tonight, you need to come forward on this night, on tonight, and ask God to give you the strength to carry out your Christian obligation in forgiving them whether they repent or not.”  (HEAR THIS QUOTE BY CLICKING HERE)  Now the question, are Christians supposed to forgive brethren of their trespasses unconditionally?  The Scriptures, as you will see, answers that with a clear – NO!

     When a brother or sister in Christ sins against another brother or sister in Christ, there are instructions on what MUST be done: (Matthew 18:15-17) “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.”  When Luke records the Lord’s instructions about forgiveness among brethren, he too makes forgiveness conditional based upon repentance.  Luke, like Matthew, also records a responsibility on the part of the one sinned against to take action.  Notice these things: (Luke 17:3-4) “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.  And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.”  How could God have been any clearer?  The Lord never instructed that if a brother or sister sins against another to just pardon them unconditionally of those sins.  His instruction is to have that person approached, addressed, and then that sin has to be repented of prior to forgiveness being granted.  Once repentance occurs (then and only then) you must forgive that individual.

     If we are to practice unconditional forgiveness how could a local church ever practice discipline as commanded (II Thessalonians 3:6; 14-15)?  If we are to practice unconditional forgiveness why did Paul write so negatively of Demas and Alexander the Coppersmith (II Timothy 4:10; 14-15)?  There is no answer to those questions for the person who teaches unconditional forgiveness, just as there is no Scripture that teaches unconditional forgiveness.

     It is unfortunate that articles such as these need to be written.  It is even more unfortunate that a local church has been divided with about two-thirds of the attendance leaving the church to follow an apostate teacher.  I shall express my disgust in the words of the Psalmist: (Psalms 119:104) “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.”  As a preacher of the Gospel of Christ and above all a Christian, I am truly disgusted by the teachings and actions of one whom I once called a friend, one whom I now see as an enemy of the cause of Christ.  For this reason I am prepared to “…earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”  Antoine has been unwilling to repent or even discuss these matters.  Thus, I am writing publicly and have sent the following debate propositions privately to Antoine Holloway, which have been worded based upon his public teachings:
 

Resolved: The word of God teaches “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” making God’s forgiveness conditional.
Affirm: Brian A. Yeager
Deny: Antoine N. Holloway

Resolved: The word of God teaches that God forgives sins unconditionally.
Affirm: Antoine N. Holloway
Deny: Brian A. Yeager

Resolved: The blood of Christ remits our sins at the point of baptism, meaning that God is letting them go as if they had never been committed.
Affirm: Brian A. Yeager
Deny: Antoine N. Holloway

Resolved: Since remission is “a medical term meaning it is still there, but I cannot find it”, when God remits our sins He is simply just covering them up.
Affirm: Antoine N. Holloway
Deny: Brian A. Yeager