The Apostle Paul didn't hesitate to call out false teachers by name. Neither should we. When the gospel is at stake, silence is not an option. As believers who love the truth of God’s Word, we are commanded to mark and avoid those who distort sound doctrine.
"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."
— Romans 16:17, KJV
This isn’t about petty disagreements or denominational differences. It’s about the core message of salvation. When someone undermines the gospel of grace, they must be called out.
No matter how popular, eloquent, or widely respected a preacher is, they are not above the Word of God. I will always exalt Scripture over the teachings of any man. And if someone, no matter how exalted among Christians, contradicts the gospel revealed in Scripture, I will push back. I will name names, if necessary, for the sake of clarity and warning.
Ray Comfort is one such teacher who distorts the gospel. While he is passionate about evangelism, his message is laced with confusion and subtle legalism.
He often says things like:
“If you willfully sin—if you plan it, enjoy it, and continue in it—you probably are not saved.”
It sounds spiritual and pious, but it’s fundamentally flawed. Let’s examine why.
Let’s be honest: most sin is intentional in the moment. Gossip, lust, pride, unforgiveness—these are not accidental. Even Paul, in Romans 7, admits to willful struggles: “The good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” (Romans 7:19)
Can anyone truly say they no longer sin willfully? Ray Comfort apparently believes he can. In a televised interview, he claimed to have turned from all sin. Does that make him better than Paul?
What about sins of omission? “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17)
Or our thoughts? With 70,000+ thoughts per day, how many are perfectly pure? Intentional or not, all fall short.
The truth is this: even born-again believers can and do sin willfully. That’s not the test of salvation.
This is the go-to verse for Lordship Salvationists like Comfort:
“For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.”
At face value, it sounds terrifying. But context matters.
Hebrews was written to Jewish believers being tempted to reject Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice and return to temple sacrifices. This was not about daily sins, but apostasy — turning from faith in Christ back to the Law (see Hebrews 10:29).
Free Grace scholars like Zane Hodges, Bob Wilkin, and Charles Ryrie have rightly pointed out: this passage concerns temporal judgment, not eternal condemnation.
Ray says:
“You're saved by grace...” But follows it up with: “...unless you sin willfully. Then you were never really saved.”
This makes assurance of salvation impossible. What counts as "willful" enough? One slip-up? A pattern? A day of doubt? Ray’s gospel keeps people in fear and self-examination, not resting in the finished work of Christ.
This is not the gospel.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
— John 6:47, KJV
“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.”
— John 6:40, KJV
No caveats. No fine print. Eternal life is given to all who believe in Jesus Christ. Willful sin doesn’t undo the new birth.
Ray Comfort’s message sounds holy, but it subtly replaces faith in Christ with faith in your performance. That is not the gospel.
Paul warned us about such distortions:
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel... let him be accursed.”
— Galatians 1:8, KJV
We are called to mark and avoid those who preach another gospel — no matter how sincere or popular they may be.
Let God be true, and every man a liar. (Romans 3:4)