Works Salvation and the New Birth, Part 1
Back in 2006, a Free Grace theologian presented a message at a conference in which he argued that believing in Jesus for the promise of irrevocable everlasting life cannot be a requirement for the new birth since no one believed that between AD 100 and AD 1500. That article was published in the Spring 2008 […]
The Lord’s Supper As It Was
Here is the eminently readable William Barclay describing how the Lord’s Supper was originally celebrated: It is not in doubt that the Lord’s Supper began as a family meal or a meal of friends in a private house…It was like the Jewish Passover which is a family festival and at which the father and the […]
Traditionalism or Biblicism?
It takes a certain kind of temperament to be a Biblicist. Not everyone is up to it. It’s much easier to go with what is traditional or common or whatever the majority believes. But the Biblicist—or anyone interested in the truth of any subject—knows that he or she will sometimes have to go against the […]
Saved Through Childbearing? A Second Option (1 Timothy 2:15)
In 1 Timothy, Paul wrote: Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control (1 Tim 2:15). Was Paul denying justification by faith apart from works? Do women have two conditions to be eternally saved, i.e., faith plus having children? That can’t be. Scripture is too clear […]
How to Remember All Ten Commandments in Order
Last week Shawn and I had lunch with one of my former seminary professors, Dr. Craig Glickman. We have been friends since I first met him in 1980. In the course of the conversation, Craig said that studies show that most pastors and most Christians cannot name the Ten Commandments in order. He figured out […]
Jesus is the Event (John 11:23-26)
God hates death. Even so, in Christ, God transformed death to make it part of His ministry. This quote from Andy Root struck me: “The movement through death to life is the very shape of God’s ministry” (Root, Christopraxis, p. 105). How has the movement from death to life become the shape of God’s ministry? […]
Assurance Cannot Be Upgraded to Full Assurance
It is quite common among people who hold to Lordship Salvation to speak of two types of assurance of everlasting life. The first kind of assurance is simply called assurance. What is meant by assurance is that one has reason to believe that he may be born again. Typically, the reason for this level-1 assurance […]
How Do You Know If You Are Spiritually Mature?
How do you know if you are spiritually mature? Assurance of eternal salvation comes from believing Jesus’ promise of everlasting life (John 3:16). But knowing if you are spiritual mature is a different issue. It is not something you can easily decide for yourself, and maybe you shouldn’t decide for yourself. Instead, that seems to […]
Jesus Is Our Loving Shepherd Who Cares for Us (Mark 6:30-44)
For the most part, the Synoptic Gospels do not cover the same material as John’s Gospel. However, the feeding of the 5,000 is an exception. The feeding of the 5,000 is found in all four Gospels. In fact, the feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle of Jesus recorded in all four Gospels, other […]
Saved by Grace, Devoted to Good Works (Titus 3:1-8)
If the new birth depends on believing, not working, then where do good works fit into the Christian life? I think Paul’s letter to Titus summarizes the “grace” attitude to good works. Consider this passage: Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak […]