Free at Last! Freedom in Jesus’ Footsteps (John 8:30-32)
John H. Niemelä1 President Message of Life Ministries I. INTRODUCTION As Jesus taught, some retorted in John 8:33 with their own question: They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free?’”2 (NKJV) Knowing who asked this question is vital. Did […]
The Gospel of John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture
The Gospel of John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. By Francis Martin and William M. Wright IV. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2015. 366 pp. Paper, $24.99. The average Free Grace believer may see no reason for acquiring this book. However, knowing how Catholic priests are likely to explain John’s Gospel can be quite helpful. […]
Believe to Live: Luther, Paul, and Habakkuk 2:4
By John H. Niemelä The-just-by-faith shall live (Hab 2:4, Author’s Translation). A Controversy Paul’s use of Hab 2:4 in Rom 1:17 is controversial today. What did Paul mean? What did Habakkuk mean? Did Paul quote Habakkuk out of context? Traditionally, many Evangelicals have followed Martin Luther’s interpretation. Luther argued that Paul was right to quote […]
John’s Gospel: Evangelistic or Not?
By John H. Niemelä1 Believe it or not, there are rumblings against the idea that John’s Gospel is evangelistic. What does John 20:30-31 say? Thus Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. But these signs have been written so you may believe that Jesus […]
Revelation 3:10 and the Rapture: A New Departure
I. INTRODUCTION Revelation 3:10 in the New King James Version reads: “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” This article argues for a change in punctuation. Misplaced periods and […]
Character Studies in the Fourth Gospel: Narrative Approaches to Seventy Figures in John
Character Studies in the Fourth Gospel: Narrative Approaches to Seventy Figures in John. Edited by Steven A. Hunt, D. Francois Tolmie, and Ruben Zimmermann. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2013. 724 pp. Hardcover, $219.00. Most JOTGES readers will experience sticker-shock at a $219.00 price tag. However, this book is a gold mine. You may (as I did) […]
So You May Come (Or Continue?) To Believe (John 20:31)
I. INTRODUCTION John 15:16 should be seen as a multi-generational evangelismfocused Great Commission verse, anticipating the purpose statement. This verse aligns with the evangelistic purpose of the book as a whole (John 20:30-31). Jesus says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go forth and bear a […]
“Father, Take This Cup”
Many Christians find our Lord’s Gethsemane prayers perplexing, even downright troubling. Seemingly, Jesus tries to convince the Father into allowing Him to avoid crucifixion. How could that be? The Cross Was Unavoidable Jesus’ repeated predictions of the cross and resurrection—starting with John 2:19—prove that He knew that His death on the cross was unavoidable. Note […]
Was the Gospel Lost Until the Reformation?
Conventional wisdom claims that clear presentations of Jesus’ message of life ceased soon after the last apostle died. The following assertion by David Anderson is typical of that claim: [W]e have no written record of anyone from AD 100 to AD 1500 teaching forgiveness of post-baptismal sins once and for all at the point of […]
We Know That John’s Testimony Is True (John 21:24b)
A Date for John’s Gospel before AD 70 Is Suggested by John 5:2 Within conservative Evangelical circles, John’s Gospel is commonly dated around 95-96 AD, with a few dating it three decades earlier. A date before AD 70 is actually required because John 5:2 says, “Now a pool is by the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem […]