Arminianism and Antinomianism are Enemies of Biblical Preaching
There are two major threats of the Gospel. These are the doctrines of Arminiansm and Antinomianism. So how are they threats the Gospel? I will discuss both heresies to show how both DO NOT match up to the Word of God. As a young Calvinist (I have not embraced Calvinism until 2011), I would discuss these two major heresies.
Arminianism
The very doctrine of Arminius teaches that the believer may lose salvation every time they sin or that the believer won't endure to the end without his/her own effort. The heresy of Arminius teaches that if David died during the moment he committed sin with Bathsheba, he would have died eternally. Now this is the reality... Christians can sin but not as greatly as the rest of the world. There's no question Biblically that God's grace enables power against sin. However Arminianism teaches a very different doctrine.
The Arminian actually teaches a "faith plus works" salvation. That is initially you are saved then you must work like a dog. This is also known as the heresy of conditional security. That is you were saved without your merit but you must do good works to make it. Now here's the reality... to believe you can lose your salvation by shifting away from trusting Christ is NOT works salvation. It's only because the new believer is not yet aware of his/her true power to endure to the end but only by the grace of God. Romans 11:6 says that salvation is either by faith or by works, it cannot be both.
The very doctrine of Arminianism is quite consistent with the Catholic teaching of mortal and venial sin. A modern form of Arminianism is what I call as the heretical teaching of Cornerism. Its founder Daniel Corner has taught people can lose their salvation every time they sin. Roman Catholicism teaches that you lose your grace every time you commit a mortal sin like adultery and murder. It's no wonder why Reformed theology calls Arminianism the road back to Roman Catholicism.
Corneristic theology as a new form of Arminianism has attacked some good men of God like John F. Macarthur and Paul David Washer as teachers who give license to sin. Its heretical theology mixes good works with faith. If good works were necessary to keep salvation, then that salvation is still by works. Rather, good works are the result of salvation. Any work that precedes salvation is not good, it is dead even if it is morally good, it is not good before the eyes of God.
Antinomianism
The second heresy is Antinomianism. It is a great threat to the Gospel. The idea of Antonianism teaches that, "I no longer live under the law. I can sin all I please and hot dog, still enter Heaven." It is the very dangerous doctrine. Although it is an enemy of Arminianism, it is no less wicked and a path of Hell. If the practicing homosexual is the enemy of the chauvinist, both are still unsaved wretched sinners. Pastor Paul David Washer had warned several times of false conversion. To teach that a person can just say the sinner's prayer, live the way they want and then go to Heaven is as serious a heresy as Antinomianism. Does Washer teach works salvation? The answer is really a no... he teaches that salvation is evidenced by good works and endurance to the end. Ray Comfort of Living Waters stresses if you are truly converted, your life will show it.
Antinomianism is a great heresy that has infiltrated majority of Baptist and Protestant circles. Some have taken what Martin Luther had said out of context. Remember Luther was mocking Antinomianism when he said, "Be a sinner." Martin Luther the Great Reformer dared not to dream of a faith devoid of good works. Although he fought that salvation was by faith alone, it was never by a faith that is alone. Luther wrote, "It is impossible indeed to separate works from faith, just as it is impossible to separate heat and light from fire." Protestant writer Arthur Pink also wrote that divine grace was not given to free them from moral obligation, but rather to supply them with the power to fulfill God's obligation. The classical Protestant stand of Reformed theology was this, "We are saved by faith alone but this faith is never alone."
If we are to refer to Paul and James, both men spoke of faith that always resulted to works. Paul wrote in Romans 3:31 that the Law is not made void by faith, rather the Christians are no longer under the Law because they establish the Law. 1 Corinthians 6:11 teaches the doctrine of sanctification from a life of wickedness to a life of holiness. Titus 2:11-14 shows Christians are going to be zealous unto good works by God's grace. James 2:14-23 is clear on the matter. Although James did not teach salvation was by faith and by works, he stated that true faith results to works. If he did teach works salvation, he wouldn't mention James 2:10-11. What he was talking about was that works justify the believer in the sense, this justification is not just imputed righteousness but justifiable evidence of conversion. Hebrews 11 which was most likely Paul's anonymous letter shows that faith is not passive but active.
For historic Baptist theology, one of the best opponents against Antinomianism was Charles H. Spurgeon. Spurgeon had mentioned how he had despised the idea that man drinking whiskey in the bar was a Christian. As a preacher, Spurgeon always mentioned of the conquest of the soul for change. Repentance for salvation is not just merely repentance of unbelief. While it's true you can repent of your sins but not repent of your unbelief. However you cannot repent of your unbelief without repenting of your sins. Repentance or a turn from sin means to see yourself as a dirty sinner, turning unto Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Unless Christ is preached as Lord, He cannot be truly known as the Savior from sin. It's either you are saved or you are not. Those who claim to be Christians but fell back into the world soon after their supposed conversion were never saved to start with (1 John 2:19).