The Difference Between a Promise and a Law (Galatians 3:17-18)
The Galatians were being foolish. Or, more literally, they were not thinking things through. The whole province was slipping into legalism, but they should have known better. In Galatians 3, Paul listed some of the theological reasons why the Galatians should not have been deserting Christ and falling for a false gospel. One reason is […]
Missing the Boat on Faith
Truth Aflame is a Charismatic and Evangelical systematic theology written by Larry Hart, who is professor of theology at Oral Roberts University. I have the first edition. There is a second available here. I was skimming through what he wrote about faith. Hart starts off well: “It is through faith alone—faith plus nothing—that we are […]
Think Things Through (Galatians 3:1-14)
“O foolish Galatians!” (Galatians 3:1) Have you ever acted foolishly? What does it mean to be foolish, anyway? The Greek word translated “foolish” is anoētos. It means “non-thinking,” or “not thinking things through.” The Galatians were deserting Christ and accepting legalism and a salvation-by-works gospel. Paul charged them with not thinking things through. They were […]
Are You Usable? (Hebrews 5:12)
Have you ever prayed for God to use you? Maybe you shouldn’t. Maybe there’s something you need to be asking yourself first. As Samuel Brengle put it, “Instead of praying so much to be used, people should search themselves to know whether they are usable” (Helps to Holiness, p.69). Are you usable? The author of […]
Two Reasons to Hate Sola Fide
I have been preaching through Galatians. We just finished chapter 2. I was struck by v 16 and how emphatically Paul insisted that a man is not justified by works of the Law, but through faith in Christ: knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in […]
One Mediator, Two Directions
For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim 2:5). Jesus is the Mediator, and His mediation works in two directions. First, Jesus mediates God to you. You do not “see” the Father’s glory directly, but through Christ: And the Word became flesh, and dwelt […]
I’m Interested in Everything
I’m interested in just about everything. There are several languages I want to learn really well—Modern Greek, Koine, Hebrew, Afrikaans, German, Swedish, and Spanish for starters. There are many instruments I’d love to learn to play well—the marimba, piano, ukulele, trumpet, and the Hammond B3 organ. I want to become a better painter and illustrator. […]
Murdering…the Poor? (James 4:2)
Did you know that James accused his readers of murder? Yes—murder! “You lust and do not have; so you commit murder” (James 4:2, emphasis added). Was he being literal or metaphorical? You might think he must be using “murder” metaphorically because believers cannot possibly commit murder. Actually, they can! King David is the prime example […]
Faith is the Sole Condition…Or Not: Thomas Oden on John Wesley
Thomas C. Oden was a leading Wesley scholar and Methodist theologian. If all you read are Calvinist authors, I think you would appreciate Oden. Many of us in the Free Grace movement are far closer to Wesleyan theology than we are to Calvinist theology. For example, we both believe that God loves everyone, Jesus died […]
Carl F. Wisløff on Assurance
Carl F. Wisløff (1908-2004) was a Norwegian Lutheran theologian and preacher. I recently acquired a copy of his short systematic theology, I Know in Whom I Believe: Studies in Bible Doctrine (I ordered it from here). Here is what Wisløff writes about assurance of salvation: “In Romans 4:16, it is said of Abraham: “For this […]