The Effects of Anxiety, and Its Cure
Solomon wrote much of the book of Proverbs. For much of his life, he was the wisest man on earth. The book is full of that wisdom. But sometimes he says things that everybody with average intelligence already knows. Proverbs 12:25a is an example. Solomon says, “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression…” You […]
Bible Study Principles
The science of Bible interpretation is called hermeneutics. We are supposed to follow certain rules. Recently, I was reminded of some of those rules when I was studying a passage. In Luke 7:35, the Lord says, “Wisdom is justified by all her children.” If you are like me, your first reaction to this sentence is, […]
Maintaining a Thankfulness Response
Maintaining a Thankfulness Response By Bob Wilkin *This is an edited version of a blog from seven years ago. Paul said, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thess 5:18). Am I thankful all the time? Are you? Probably not. But we should be. I […]
Do the New Testament Epistles Warn Believers That They Might Be Eternally Condemned?
I’ve been using commentaries since I started at Dallas Seminary forty-two years ago. I’ve found this near–universal understanding of NT commentators regarding the NT Epistles: The epistles to churches are written to warn believers that if they fail to persevere, they will be eternally condemned. That is true of both Calvinist and Arminian commentators. Calvinist […]
When the Blind Can See
In Rom 1:18-32, Paul describes how the unbelieving world rejoices in their sinful activities. They choose moral darkness even though they know this leads to destruction and death. Three times Paul says that God gives them over to a depraved mind. We could say that God turns them over to the darkness they have chosen. […]
Muddy Mindsets
There are many areas of debate within the theological world. The study of end times, or eschatology, is particularly noted for its divisiveness. In fact, it has caused such deep division that many pastors avoid the topic altogether. The well-known preacher Charles Spurgeon went so far as to say the topic was mostly a waste […]
What Did the Lord Jesus Mean When He Said, “He Who Believes in Me”?
In a previous blog on believing in Jesus for everlasting life, I mentioned that some Free Grace people say that that is not necessary. All one needs to do to be born again is believe in Him. But what does that mean if it doesn’t mean believing in Him for what He promises: everlasting life […]
Where Are We Going to Eat? (Proverbs 9:1-18)
All of us have experienced an evening out on the town with friends and family and heard the question: “Where are we going to eat?” It can be a hard question to answer. Different people have different tastes. Who picked last time? How far away are the different restaurants? How busy are they? Who gets […]
Do We Need to Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ FOR Something?
GES promotes the view that to be born again a person must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for everlasting life that cannot be lost, or the equivalent (e.g., everlasting salvation, guaranteed home forever in Christ’s kingdom, permanent justification). Recently I’ve been seeing a lot of pushback from people within Free Grace circles. In the […]
You Don’t Have to Be a Hero (Rom 12:11-13)
We all love a hero. I have been associated with the military for a long time and have heard many, many stories about heroes. Some of the most popular movies and TV shows for children revolve around superheroes. There is a reason for that. Stories about heroes are inspiring. Even fictional stories are entertaining. The […]