Anne Graham Lotz: Still Foolish and Slow of Heart to Believe the Gospel

Anne Graham Lotz, the daughter of celebrated pastor and evangelist Billy Graham, has often declared that God is going to judge America. I have vehemently criticized this diminution of God’s grace, especially how she disregards the power of Jesus’ blood, which cleanses us of our sins forever (1 John 1:9). Lotz once claimed that God was hiding from us because of America’s many sins, and that judgment was coming! Click here for my full remarks on her warped, misplaced theology.

Why does Anne Lotz have lots of judgment coming out of her mouth and pen?       

Consider her latest blog post:

Evangelist Anne Graham Lotz said she is learning to forgive herself after dealing with guilt and self-blame stemming from the death of her husband, Danny, back in 2015.

This is a startling admission from an evangelist. God so loved—not condemned—the world, that He sent His Son (John 3:16-18).

Lotz needs a reminder of what the Gospel is!

Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38-39)

In Christ, we are justified from all things. We are forgiven from all our sins. There is a judgment to come, but it will be for those who did not believe on Jesus. It will have nothing to do with individual sin, since all sins have been paid for at the Cross.

Neditate on this profound yet still disputed truth about God’s grace—Jesus died for all sins for all time:

13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; (Colossians 2: 13-14)

Where were your and my trespasses when Jesus died on the Cross? They were all in the future!

Yes, the Blood of Jesus covers all sins, and to this day Jesus our High Priest Forever serves as our Mercy Seat (1 John 2: 1-2).

Paul identifies something else nailed to the Cross with Christ Jesus: “the handwriting of ordinances that was against us”, i.e. God’s law. God’s Law, the Ten Commandments, was not bad, but we are in that sin has fully corrupted us-and we need complete redemption (Hebrews 8:8; Galatians 3:13)

God provided us a death from God’s law through His Son Jesus:

4Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. (Romans 7: 4-6)

Following from Lotz’ misunderstanding of the Gospel, no wonder there are many Christians in the United States who still labor, mired in guilt. And for proof of this fatal misunderstanding, look no further than Anne Graham Lotz’ latest blog post:

Learning To Forgive Myself

…Forgive as the Lord forgave you.   Colossians 3:13

Guilt is our friend. If you are like me, it’s a friend you don’t want showing up on your doorstep.  But, more than likely, without it you and I would go on in wrongdoing until becoming dominated and defeated by it.

WHAT?! Guilt is NOT a friend!

Jesus did not die on the Cross for us to hold onto guilt or shame!

How many passages from the Old and New Testaments should I list to blast this evil lie?!

“Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.” (Isaiah 54:4)

And

“For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.” (Isaiah 61:7)

And

“There is now therefore no condemnation in Christ Jesus,” (Romans 8:1)

Lotz fails to quote Colossians properly:

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

As Christ—our anointed, glorified Savior—has forgiven us, so do we forgive others. We do not forgive ourselves. Our forgiveness has been paid for at the highest price: the blood of God’s own Son. We have great glory in the full gift of righteousness granted to us, which God our loving Father invites us to keep receiving (Romans 5:17).

What about Lotz’ charge that guilt keeps us from sinning? That is completely unbiblical:

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; (Titus 2:11-12)

And

“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Romans 2:4)

We should not be surprised that people preach condemnation when they in turn feel condemned.

Lotz’ misunderstanding of the Gospel is a travesty. Evangelists must declared the Gospel to its fullest, and not fear the reproach of men (Romans 1:16; 6: 1-3). At least we know why Anne Graham Lotz has preached condemnation and retribution, completely out of line with God’s Word: she is like many Christians, still “foolish and slow of heart to believe” (Luke 24:25) concerning God’s grace and truth.