Jack Hibbs & 2 Corinthians 13:5
I had a question about Jack Hibbs in my comments. It was regarding Pastor Hibbs and his take on 2 Corinthians 13:5 and a couple of other points. I thought it would make a decent enough article for those who hear these people and feel something is wrong and yet can’t quite put their finger on it.
Before any of you accuse me of saying he is not saved, or anything else, please read carefully and prayerfully. This is not what I’m saying, only God can see his heart. This is about encouraging the beloved to make wise choices about who you hear, and who you might refer others to (we can all make mistakes). I appreciate when pastors make a stand for God. But let’s tremble at His Word (Is 66:2) and be ever so careful with His gospel.
QUESTION ABOUT JACK HIBBS
This website has really been a blessing. Thank you!
I do have a question/article suggestion if you take them:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wRDPO9YWvwk
Is there any way you could address the message in this video?
This pastor (Jack Hibbs) made waves by openly announcing Jesus is the Son of God in congress. Which was really inspiring.
But upon further review, I fear his message has leaven. But he gives somewhat mixed messages. I haven’t figured him out.
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- He talks about “faith” and “believe” aren’t the same thing – which sounds ridiculous.
- He says salvation is at an instant. And we aren’t saved by works.
- Then he talks about leaving an old church because they didn’t talk about repentance.
Any insight would be appreciated!
Thank you and God bless you.
RESPONSE
If you have checks about someone, it is probable that there is a good reason.
Generally speaking, Jack Hibbs has had some bad associations with people we should be marking and avoiding (Romans 16:17). Could be he wants to grow his ministry or get into politics, neither wrong in of itself — unless he is allowing leaven.
He is inconsistent, possibly because he speaks too much of his own words and in doing so, we can all get into trouble.
A good way to listen to these videos is to examine the Scripture itself that someone is speaking about first. Back up to see what context is, sometimes a few verses, or sometimes several chapters. Or in some cases (like Job) it would certainly be the entire book. I like to turn on the closed captions so I can see as well as hear the words, easier catch something that they’re saying, can be missed with all their rambling (at times).
In the first 2 minutes he makes several serious mistakes that I just couldn’t understand a seasoned pastor making. He says “examine yourself to see if you be in the faith” is Paul’s admonition to Timothy (absolutely incorrect). He then adds that 1 and 2 Timothy is for all of us. However, this verse was not found in 1 or 2 Timothy and any Bible-based pastor should know that very well.
2 Corinthians 13:5 (examine yourself), was not to Timothy but to the carnal Corinthians who were challenging Paul and his apostleship. It was not a pop quiz to see if they were really saved, that is poor handling of that Scripture. These bratty believers are his defense. He is sarcastic with them, but he identifies that Jesus Christ is in them. He is really not needing their approval, but rebuking them so they will do what’s honorable for their sake, so that they might mature (be made complete).
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified. Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete. 2 Corinthians 13:5-9
He says it is for all believers. He’s incorrect, context has nothing to do with it being for all believers to somehow examine themselves to see if they are saved. Unfortunately, he uses this passage like Paul Washer does. This passage has absolutely nothing to do with anyone examining themselves to see if they’re ‘really saved’. Maybe this is just a side effect of him hanging out with all these false teachers, he is not one I have followed so I cannot be certain if he was always like this.
Paul knows these Corinthians are saved, he brought the gospel to them, and they believed. He identifies them as such, (believers, brethren, children — bratty children such as they were) — they are ‘betrothed to Christ’. He is afraid they are going to be led astray and put up with those who bring another gospel or another Jesus. In 2 Cor 11, there are others trying to say they are apostles and that Paul is not. But Paul is going to continue to do what he is doing to cut off their opportunity to somehow boast they are one of the apostles when they are not (2 Cor 11:3-15).
Paul has to again go through his list of credentials to the very ones he brought the gospel to and nurtured along as children. He speaks of where he came from, he is Jewish, he is a servant of Christ and was imprisoned for His cause. He’s been beaten by the Jews. He’s been stoned, shipwrecked, in peril in his journeys, let down the wall in a basket to escape death. He has seen visions and revelations, caught up to the third heaven, given a thorn in his flesh to keep him humble, (even though he pleaded 3 times for it to be taken from him), we know God’s grace is sufficient for us.
In chapter twelve he says, For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. 11b-12
It’s sad, he says he is ready to come to them a third time. He loves them like children, but says the more he loves them, the less he is loved by them. I can relate to that with some, and it is a sorrowful place to be.
2 Corinthians 13 vs. 3 makes the point of what 2 Corinthians 13:5 and ‘examine yourself’ is speaking of. They are seeking proof of Christ speaking in Paul. And he is using the literary device of sarcasm to tell them to examine themselves to prove it. He has already called them brethren and beloved, he does not doubt they are saved. He says they are sinning and this verse that all these pastors want to misuse to keep their flock somehow in line (not saying he doesn’t make it right later, I don’t know). Although I didn’t really listen to him, I’ve avoided Hibbs for some time for his inconsistencies and associations, so I didn’t listen to the whole video.
But this verse (2 Cor 13:5) is saying they are the proof that Christ is speaking in Him, he asks, “Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?” unless… (again the literary device of sarcasm).
I can only surmise that these pastors who misuse this to scare their congregation into behaving are either dishonest, are lacking knowledge (or even time in His Word), or they are wolves.
The problem with churches ‘talking about repentance’, is that so many get the actual meaning of the word wrong. There is for sure a reason to point people to walking in the Spirit vs. the lusts of the flesh. And many are carnal and do not care about their behavior. But I have left far too many churches because the repentance they did talk about was false.
Now back to Jack Hibbs. Right after the first couple of minutes, he then comments about ‘true believers’ and they are ones ‘living the life of faith’. I would disagree with him on whether they are ‘true’ believers. A ‘true’ believer is one who has believed on Christ for the free gift of eternal life. Now whether or not one is a student (disciple) or walking in the Spirit is another story. It is important that we cooperate for the benefit of ourselves and others. So, he goes along and gets some things right (like we can be backslidden in the heart) and he understands that John is preaching that the Kingdom of God is ready to appear (not the message of Christ’s death on the cross). The trouble is, he seems to feel that the word repent always needs to be used. But it’s never used in John once — the one book that is evangelical in purpose (John 20:31).
Although I ‘kind’ of get his believer vs. faith message, (as far as wanting to see people grow), he makes errors that the Bible does not make. He says Abraham was not a believer in Jesus Christ but had faith in Jesus Christ, making a distinction that the Bible doesn’t make in the realm of salvation from hell. He was both, and to say differently is to go against a number of Scriptures (this is around 10 min in the video). Forgive me if I don’t want to listen longer. Life is too short. It’s better to use Scripture.
We know some people say they believe in Him, yet their faith is not in Him alone, but in their works, church etc. If we make a differential, then that should be the way we do it. It should not be about testing the quality of their ‘faith’ (or looking at works for proof). I can see a poor child being beat up because he/she didn’t yet understand repentance. Aren’t we to have childlike faith?
I hope that helped somewhat. I think these pastors may start out ok, then start trying to draw followers after themselves at some point. And they start adding channels and do all the social media, (which can be good), until the expository Bible preaching is replaced by sensational titles on videos and the pastor starts doing all the talking vs. letting His Word speak.
Look at my recommendation page, maybe you’ll find some pastors who you’ll get some ‘strong meat’ from (Heb 5:12-14).
The issue with people like Jack Hibbs is that they may get some things right, but then they are confusing at best in other areas. And when concerning the gospel, I have to draw the line.
Second Response from Redeeming Moments
I meant to add this passage earlier, but I’ll let it stand alone, because the video played on, I heard more error. So, I wanted to add something to what he said about the Parable of the Sower later.
Hibbs says John’s message was, ‘I am a sinner and I need repentance’.
Not quite…Of course we would need to believe we are sinners, or we wouldn’t have a reason to believe we needed a Savior. He states you cannot have salvation without understanding what repentance is. I could agree with him if he was saying to tell people what it does or does not mean.
Having a change of mind doesn’t mean I need to understand what repentance (a change of mind) is. I’ve either had it (repentance) regarding the truth or I haven’t changed my mind. We can convolute things by going too far with our own words.
This is what the Bible says below in Acts 19:4 regarding the meaning of John’s repentance.
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
BTW, he seems to say a number of things that just aren’t ‘quite right’ or are just plain wrong. Repent wasn’t the “first word out of the mouth of Peter, Paul and the other disciples before the gospel.”
They spoke what the gospel itself was first. Not just John 3:16 (as Hibbs said the gospel was), but the message of the cross — who Jesus is, and what He did for all, including His resurrection from the dead. Then they ‘may’ (or may not) have used the word repent. Or they may not have used the word initially, but they might have explained what they needed to change their mind about and later used it (such as seen in Acts 17:22-31, ‘you ought not think’). Or again as in John, they may not have used it at all but the concept of different thinking in belieing in Jesus was there.
So back to the Parable of the Sower, maybe better related as the soils since it is mainly about readiness or fruitfulness. But if he wants to make a Kingdom Parable (see Matt 13) about whether one is a ‘true believer’ or not, he is making a mistake. In the parallel passage in Luke 8, vs. 12 makes it clear the ones saved are by belief.
‘Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved‘.
And the Bible said the ones that believed would be saved. The issue was that the cares of this world had them not ‘bringing fruit to perfection’ or ‘maturity’ in some translations (see Luke 8:14). Would Pastor Hibbs have said Nicodemus who labored in the gospel and was identified as such by the Spirit, (because he loved the world and went back into it), had never been saved? Or do we accept all who believed were saved?
It’s wise to look at all parallel passages when coming to conclusions. To examine the point of this parable — which is not to suggest they are not believers (as Jack Hibbs stated). Again, any that believed were saved (although 2 of the 3 who had believed were not fruitful).
I’d encourage you to keep being a Berean, examine all the passages, when you listen to some like these, once you know something is off (leaven), stay away. That was another point of Jesus’ ministry, ‘beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.’
God bless you.
As an aside, he is also now recommending the Bonhoeffer movie. Bonhoeffer’s beliefs were heretical. More here:
May we all be ‘zealous of good works’.
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Titus 2:11-13
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Thank you Holly. I thought it was the video and I refused to listen to him, so I am grateful for your response.
Thanks for commenting KC, I’m with you on that…
I have the same issue, once I know there are trouble with these people, I don’t like to hear them anymore either. He has called things ‘moves of God’ too that certainly were not. He’s got some other things to address, but it was enough just to address those errors. I truly was shocked that he said Paul addressed that to Timothy. It was a wow moment for me that a pastor wouldn’t know that by heart.
Hi Holly,
This was my question. Thank you for the response!
For clarity – in point #3 about repentance – I should have continued and said “he speaks of repentance in a way that implies you must change your works, not placing your faith in Jesus.” It sounded like he may have been preaching a lordship false gospel with that message.
You answered all my questions and more. This website continues to be a blessing. Thank you!
Matt, you were right. Others have confirmed he teaches also that turning from sin is repentance. And that he is lordship. I made some edits and additions (and spell correct) 🙂 to my comment in my article. You are a blessing too, may the Lord just bless you in your walk with Him. Keep up with being a Berean. Acts 17:11 and 1 Thess 5:21 are two important reminders for me always. Thank you for continuing to read here, Holly
Holly, I enjoy this site. But Facebook got too much for me so I have bailed from it at least for now. I would like to stay in touch. I am the one terrified of calvinism.
Mark, I know who you are 🙂
The way to not be terrified, is to just continue in His Word. Facebook should probably be a little bit of one’s day. It can be overwhelming, even depressing for many because of the multitude of false doctrine to be found there. Yes, definitely stay in touch here, and keep sticking with His Word and sound teachers. Love in Christ.
Thanks! I will add that I know that my brother’s ex and many at three megachurches are praying against me. Often, it is like I feel curses striking my body. They know the weaknesses to pray against. I wish God would intervene before I am destroyed.
I have spent my whole life paying for the wrongs of other people. They always got away with it. During my brother’s divorce, the ex tried to rob me. My life and health fell apart while I spent endless hours scanning documents. Such has been the story of my life. Now, because of the divorce, the covid era mask, and other bad people, I am exhausted physically and mentally. I have stress-induced asthma. I have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression. That further fans my worries of calvinism.
Mark, I’m so sorry for what you have gone through. If we dwell on the past, I don’t think we will grow stronger very quickly. I speak from one who has been in pain and sorrow. Phil 3:13-14 comes to mind for you.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:13-14
Remember, Christ answered Satan with ‘it is written’. Your greatest weapon against fear is the Word of God. The more you know it, the better you will do against fear. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7). I hope the group Christians Explaining the heresies didn’t cause you fear. Sometimes just seeing too much of that junk can. That’s why a limited amount of time with places like FB, but a Maximum amount of time in His Word is the best choice that will never be taken from us (Lk 10:38-42). Read through John again, then continue from there. When you get into Acts, notice any time the death, or resurrection is noted. The conditions for eternal life. It’s not always as easy to understand, as the Jews would have understood then repent to mean a different thinking than they previously thought, and towards the person and work of Christ. Acts 19:4 spells it out. Go through Romans but with the understanding that 9-11 is spoken of Israel mainly.
Have you listened to Northland Bible any? northlandchurch.com
Or Spokane Bible? They have through the books classes.
Also there is Grace Global Radio, all the pastors on there are grace-based and not Calvinists.
https://www.graceglobalradio.org/
Praying for you Mark.
Every time I read a new post, I feel like I’ve learned something valuable or gained a new perspective. Thank you for consistently putting out such great content!
Thank you Enos for visiting. God bless you.
If you are truly born of the Spirit, you are predestined to be conformed unto Christ’s image,. The ongoing process of being conformed unto Christ’s image begins immediately after the gift of salvation (eternal life) is received by faith, which means right after you’re called to come UNTO Christ for salvation, you’re called to come AFTER Christ in discipleship. Both are not the same. Ongoing sanctification is an essential work of the Holy Spirit. Believers are to take up their crosses and follow Him. Believers may still sin, but they are a light that shines brighter and brighter until their adoption is complete at the resurrection when their bodies are changed.. Since they are new creations in Christ, they desire to be righteous rather than wicked. All believers who continue practicing a perticular sin will be chastized and dealt with as sons. God doesn’t just leave them alone. Those who He leaves alone are proving to be bastards and not sons. Sanctification is a process that God actively does in the lives of all believers and that ongoing process is not optional. One way or another, God does bring forth fruit in the lives of believers. The fruit can vary greatly, but all will have fruit.
In the parable of the unprofitable servant, the unprofitable servant did nothing and was condemned. I can biblically prove to you beyond a shadow of doubt that that unprofitable servant in the parable is connected to the lake of fire. The end result of all Christians who have no fruit and do not follow Christ will be eternal damnation.
Sean, you said, “If you are truly born of the Spirit, you are predestined to be conformed unto Christ’s image,.”
We will be when we die. Every person will be raised incorruptible. That is when we are conformed to His image. We are not glorified (continue into verse 30) but when we are glorified, we will be conformed to His image.
We are indeed called to discipleship (mathethes – pupil/student). We are to learn from Him. That’s why we are to continue in His Word if we want to be disciples (John 8:30-32).
Ongoing or experiential sanctification happens as we cooperate to walk in the Spirit vs. the lust of the flesh (Gal 5:16). When we’ve continued in His Word, we will be sanctified by it (John 17:17; Eph 5:26). Some did not do that, we see them in the incestuous adulterer whose flesh was given to Satan but soul would be saved (1 Cor 5). Those taking the communion unworthily whose live’s some ended early. If all these things were automatic we would not need much of the epistles. We are to shine a light, but some sin worse than the heathen (1 Cor 5:1).
I agree with you on the chastisement. And we are kept by His power, and finished by Him. I believe all have some fruit, which may or may not be visible to others. Fruit can be a prayer for another. A kindness done in discretion. A humble spirit towards God. But we judge the fruits of false teachers, not believers to judge salvation. I see that nowhere.
One thing you are missing where you say you can ‘biblically prove beyond a shadow of a doubt’, is the ‘unprofitable servant’ is unbelieving Israel in the end of the Tribulation. Israel is called God’s servant. And all of the Outer Darkness passages or weeping and gnashing of teeth passages (7 with parallels) speak to believers and unbelievers. Period. You cannot ‘prove it to me’.
Holly, you said:
“Israel is called God’s servant”
That’s a stretch to say the unprofitable servant represents Israel at the end of the tribulation. Especially when immediately following the parable, Christ speaks of those on His left hand who did not do His will and will be rejected by Him on Judgment Day. This is a literal account about what He will say to those who did not do His willl.
Matthew 7:21says:
(Matthew 7:21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
I know your response will be John 6:40, but if you notice, the WILL of God in view is about what HE does:
(John 6:40) And this is the WILL of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, MAY HAVE everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
But in Matthew 7:21, the will of God in view is about what BELIEVERS do:
(Matthew 7:21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that DOETH the WILL of my Father which is in heaven.
Two different wills of God.
Just a few verses later, we read:
(Matthew 7:24, 25) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and DOETH them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Those sayings are everything Christ had previously said going back to chapter 5..
So, you see, John 6:40 is not applicable. The will of God in view is completely different. One will is done by the Father, and the other will is done by the believers.
1 John 2:17 says:
(1John 2:17) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that DOETH the WILL of God abideth for ever.
1 John 3:10 says:
(1 John 3:10) In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever DOETH NOT righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
1 John 3:18, 19 says:
(1 John 3:17-19) But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in DEED and in truth. And hereby we KNOW that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
As you can see,, John chapter 7 does speak of believers doing the will of God in relation to works. The Strait Gate and Narrow Way is to follow Christ in word and deed. The false prophets did not follow Him, even though they will claim a spiritual relationship with Him by claiming to have done SUPERNATURAL works in His name. But He will claim that He NEVER knew them (no spiritual relationship).. They prophesied falsely and did not genuinely cast out devils. In Matthew 25, we see the works that the believers who know and follow Christ do. Works of charity…love. Those who do nothing (no love of God in them…no fruit of the Spirit) will be rejected by Him on that day.
I hope you carefully read what I shared. Everything i said is backed by scripture. May God bless,
Sean
Sean, I have spent much time with you over the years, as has expreacherman.com, and have found it is unprofitable to spend more when people don’t have a back and forth conversation, and there is only one sided listening.
This will be my last response, and the last time I’ll allow a comment from you to avoid the striving.
You make a distinction about ‘doing’… (this is not how we understand the meaning of how translation works. That somehow, an irregular verb used to tie other concepts together, mean only one thing), But here is an example.
John 6:28-29, the people ask what they must ‘do’ in order to ‘do’ the works of God. Again, He tells them what they can ‘do’ and that is to believe on Him.
The point is made in multiple places in His Word (about 150), that what He wants from us is to believe upon Him, as from the beginning Abraham did, and it was counted to Him for righteousness. If you add anything of your own Sean, it is counted as debt (Rom 4:4-5) and it is not grace.
You are mistaken on the sheep and Goat judgment — it is not Judgment day. It is the judgment of the nations after Daniel’s 70th week. It parallels the wheat and the tares which also is seen in Rev. 14, this happens at the end of the 7 years of Daniel’s 70th week. Israel is being dealt with here, the land is discussed, fleeing on the Sabbath is discussed, looking for a Messiah in the ‘inner chambers’ is discussed along with OT passages that speak to this very time.
The disciples asked the question in the Olivet Discourse passages, when shall these things be (speaking of the fall of the Temple He had just addressed) and what would be the ‘sign of His coming’ and the end of the age. Why? He had already come. Why were they asking about His second coming? What ‘end of the age’? (The Time of the Gentiles which coincides with the judgment of the nations). The Great White throne won’t happen for another 1000 years (after the Millennium).
Matt 24-25 addresses Daniel’s prophecy of the remaining 7 years (Jesus Himself said this was what was spoken of in Daniel’s prophecy), specifically the abomination of desolation (the AC in the >>Temple at the midpoint). His second coming happens after that. This is when He is on earth. We (the church) will not be there. And He will deal with those left, believer or nonbeliever.
In the Old Testament:
Israel is God’s Servant (both believing and unbelieving)
Israel is addressed as God’s firstborn Son (both believing and unbelieving).
Israel is addressed as the sons of the Kingdom (both believing and unbelieving). They were promised the Kingdom (2 Sam 7; 1 Chr 17).
Israel is addressed as sons of Abraham (both believing and unbelieving), but only those of faith we know are seen as sons of Abraham in the church.
James 3:1 to you my friend. You need to understand the whole counsel of His Word (Acts 20:25-32). That goes for all of us.
I’d continue with you on the rest (1 John), but I can see how you’re mishandling it. 1 John is not a test of whether you are saved, but whether believers are abiding in Him, or dwelling in Him, walking in the light, or walking in darkness. It is spoken to believers.
I realize it’s not wise to continue with one that hears only himself, and is here to try to promote a couple of websites with poor teaching. I can’t wish you well on that, but I do pray you’ll not teach what you don’t yet understand.
And the first thing is, if you died tonight Sean, where are you going? That’s not a question to answer to me, but to talk to Him about and to ask Him to show you in His Word. I’d start with the one book written for evangelical purposes — John (20:31). God bless you in that endeavor. Holly
Sean makes it sound like someone can lose his or her salvation, which is totally incorrect.
Mark, thank you, yes he does, but he’s wrong.
What a gem I’ve discovered! The thoroughness of your research combined with your engaging writing style makes this post exceptional. You’ve earned a new regular reader!
Thank you Ansel, have a blessed Christmas.