I am not talking about a specific Protestant church selling indulgence like the Roman Catholic church did/does.

Indulgence is a false assurance of salvation. This was one of the things Luther was very against, which led him to write the 95 theses. There were other factors that prompted him to write it. That was the start of the second reformation.

In the present age, the Protestant churches sell the indulgence in a different way. The Baptist churches use the ceremonial baptism. The Reformed also use the ceremonial baptism but interprets it differently. The Reformed believe the ceremonial baptism does not guarantee salvation but that is not what most of their people believe. A pastor from a Reformed church once said that the Reformed people think they inherit faith by birth. Another said that the Reformed people tried to increase the Kingdom size by having many children. This is because many people misinterpret Acts 16:31.

Acts 16:31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Basically, you do not inherit salvation just because your parents go to a church. The Reformed people then emphasize that they are true believers because they go to true church defined in the Confessions (e.g. The Belgic Confession, Article 29). Their parents strictly forbid their children to go to a different church because they think they are saved only when they are in their definition of a true church/denomination. They often uphold the Confessions more than God’s words. But against their Confessions, their theologians and ministers come up with ideas that can satisfy many like John Owen and A. Kuyper. It is not surprising they were politicians. I would call this false assurance a new form of indulgence. This promotes hypocrisy and corruption within churches because most of their people do not know God. Yet, they think they have the Holy Spirit and live according to God’s words. Even though one grows up in a Reformed church and learned the Confessions, he/she may not be a true believer.

A saint realized the existence of the only true God at some point in his/her life. Sometimes God let saints go wrong ways until His appointed time comes. Then He calls the person to live as a true Kingdom citizen. Only then, the person can produce good fruits by the Holy Spirit. This is regardless of the background of that person.

Some people in Protestant churches realized this (false) assurance is too weak and came up with a new idea such as how to receive the Holy Spirit, how to speak in tongues, etc. When I went to a Pentecostal church in my 20s, the youth group teacher (now he is a minister) prompted us to speak in strange sounds during prayer meetings because he believed that speaking in tongues proves the presence of the Holy Spirit and thus, the salvation. Emotional music was played, and he prompted us to make random sounds repeatedly. I stood up and took up my brother’s hand and we walked out. He and other people followed us to persuade us. I said, “No, we won’t do that.” I thought, “I won’t sin against the Holy Spirit by following what you say.”

In one way or the other, the Protestant churches are trying very hard to give their people a false sense of salvation. It is not surprising that most of them now reject “Only Grace” because the ministers themselves fear that they are not in the Book of Life. What they do not realize is that their actions are deemed abominable and faithless by God. They openly deny God’s absolute grace. Their actions and words are the proof of their rebellion.

There is one important question – The reformation: Is it from God or from men?

John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin? (Matt 21:25)

If anyone says it was from men, that person should go back to the Roman Catholic church. But many minister who do not accept TULIP stay in the Protestant denomination. Thus, their action speaks against themselves. Thus, the prophecy is fulfilled:

And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah. (Jer 3:11)

Furthermore, Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have multiplied your abominations beyond theirs, and all the abominations you have committed have made your sisters appear righteous. (Eze 16:51)