March 18, 2025

What Paul Washer Gets Wrong About God's Love | TCS Reacts

Show Notes

Does suffering prove God’s love? Does ease mean he’s abandoned you? In this reaction episode, we respond to a video from Paul Washer on hardship, holiness, and God’s love—and challenge some common theological misconceptions. We break down Washer’s claims, discuss the dangers of works-based faith, and explore why grace—not suffering or circumstances—defines our standing with God.

In this episode:

(00:00) – Intro
(02:26) – Paul Washer: Does God’s love mean hardship?
(04:10) – Truth or oversimplification? A flawed theology of suffering
(08:39) – The hidden Catholicism in reformed theology
(09:45) – Prosperity Gospel in reverse? When suffering becomes a badge of honor
(12:11) – What does God's correction look like?
(18:12) – Can you judge your faith by your circumstances?
(23:41) – Holiness and sanctification
(27:14) – Why some preachers use fear to keep you in line

Key Takeaways

God’s Love and Discipline Aren’t Measured by Circumstances: The idea that hardship is proof of God’s love or that ease is a sign of his absence is a misunderstanding. Scripture does speak of God disciplining His children, but it doesn’t mean suffering is always a sign of his active correction, nor that success means he is pleased. Looking at circumstances alone to gauge spiritual standing is a flawed approach.
The Danger of Over-Simplifying Theology: Taking a single biblical story—like Jacob’s struggles—and applying it as a universal principle is an example of eisegesis, imposing meaning onto the text rather than drawing truth from it. Oversimplifications like “God will beat the hell out of you to make you holy” distort the nature of grace and sanctification.
Christian Growth Is a Process, Not a Proof of Worthiness: True transformation in the Christian life is slow and often unseen, but it doesn’t earn us God’s favor. The Reformers emphasized positional righteousness—we are made righteous in Christ, even as we continue to struggle with sin. The Christian life isn’t about achieving prince-like holiness but trusting in Christ’s finished work.
Legalism and the Prosperity Gospel Are Two Sides of the Same Coin: Some evangelical teachings mirror prosperity gospel thinking, just in reverse—where suffering, rather than financial blessing, is treated as the measure of faithfulness. Both are flawed because they focus on external circumstances rather than the gospel’s core message: grace through Christ.
Guilt-Driven Preaching Misrepresents Grace: Preaching that heavily emphasizes fear and performance can cause people to constantly question their salvation rather than rest in Christ. Scripture calls Satan “the accuser,” and if preaching only leaves believers doubting rather than clinging to grace, it misrepresents the gospel.