Dr. James White examines Hank Hanegraaff’s recent explanations of his conversion to Eastern Orthodoxy, in the light of the gospel, Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, prayers to icons, theosis, and other Eastern Orthodox distinctives such as “sacred oral tradition in the liturgy”.
Addendum comments by me (Ken Temple) added on Feb. 10, 2018:
Dr. White demonstrates Hanegraaff’s inconsistency, because Eastern Orthodoxy believes in the Bible plus oral/ secret tradition, passed down through the liturgy in church history, and also in the infallibility of the first Seven Ecumenical Councils. So, they deny Sola Scriptura, that Scripture is the final authority and only infallible authority; and EO denies Sola Fide, that we are justified before God by faith alone in Christ alone to save us. The Eastern Orthodox’s rituals and prayers to icons and dead saints and believing that matter and relics can transmit grace to a person are also a big problem for consistent Protestant Evangelicals. The Bible Answer Man program, originally started by Walter Martin, was suppossed to be Protestant Program.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ. I am a sinner who has been saved by the grace of God alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), through faith alone (Galatians 2:16; Romans 3:28; 4:1-16), in Christ alone (John 14:6). But a true faith does not stay alone, it should result in change, fruit, good works, and deeper levels of repentance and hatred of my own sins of selfishness and pride.
I am not better than you! I still make mistakes and sin, but the Lord is working on me, conforming me to His character. (Romans 8:28-29; 2 Corinthians 3:16-18)
When I do sin, I hate the sin as it is an affront to God, and seek His forgiveness in repentance. (Mark 1:15; 2 Corinthians 7:7-10; Colossians 3:5-16 )
Praise God for His love for sinners (Romans 5:8), shown by the voluntary coming of Christ and His freely laying down His life for us (John 10:18), becoming flesh/human (John 1:1-5; 1:14; Philippians 2:5-8), dying for sins of people from all nations, tribes, and cultures (Revelation 5:9), on the cross, in history, rising from the dead (Romans 10:9-10; Matthew 28, Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24; John 20-21; 1 Corinthians chapter 15). His resurrection from the dead proved that Jesus is the Messiah, the eternal Son of God, the word of God from eternity past; and that He was all the gospels say He was and that He is truth and the life and the way to salvation. (John 14:6)
Apologetics and Agape 