Romans 8:1 May Not Mean What You Think It Means, Part 2
Romans 8:1 is widely misunderstood for two reasons: first, katakrima, the word typically translated as condemnation, does not mean that. We discussed that in Part 1 of this blog. Second, the people being described as having no katakrima are not all who believe in Christ for everlasting life, but a particular type of believer. That […]
The Idolatry of Works Salvation (Galatians 4:8-9)
How serious is it to abandon the gospel of salvation by faith apart from works, for the gospel of salvation by faith plus works? Paul compared it to idolatry: But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods (Gal 4:8). Before the Galatians came to faith […]
Romans 8:1 May Not Mean What You Think It Means, Part 1
Romans 8:1 is widely misunderstood for two reasons: first, katakrima, the word typically translated as condemnation, does not mean that. That will be the subject of this blog. Second, the people being described as having no katakrima are not all who believe in Christ for everlasting life, but a particular type of believer. That will […]
What to Pray for Your Pastor (Eph 6:19)
Do you pray for your pastor? What do you ask for? Here’s what Paul requested prayer for: Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may […]
Can You Believe in the Lord’s Promise of Everlasting Life and Yet Still End Up Being Eternally Condemned?
A friend pointed me to a May 27, 2015, blog post by Dr. John Piper at desiringgod.org. The title of the post caught my attention: “You Can Believe the Promises of God and Be Lost.” You can see that blog here. I was hoping that Piper would say that it is possible to believe non-salvific […]
“We Go to Heaven by Obeying the Ten Commandments”
Don Matzat, a Lutheran pastor of fifty years, tells the following story of teaching a new church the doctrine of justification by faith apart from works: In one parish I served, after installation, I called every active member, inviting them to come to a Sunday morning Bible Class. I got a decent response so that […]
Will Your Spirit Be Saved on the Day of Christ Jesus?
Here is a good question I just received: I’ve been chewing on 1 Cor. 5:5 for these last days, and I can’t get assurance out of the final words “hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.” The […]
The Anglican Catechism Teaches Salvation by Works
I’ve been reading several Anglican writers recently who I think are Free Grace friendly. For example, did you know that Dallas Seminary was co-founded by an Anglican priest named W. H. Griffith Thomas? So I started poking around the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) website. The ACNA was formed in reaction to the liberalism, […]
A Crucial Reminder
“The cross reminds us that God is present, especially when it looks like he’s not” (David Zahl, Mockingbird Devotional, p. 62). What does Zahl mean here? When do you feel closest to God? Isn’t it when everything is going “right”? When everyone is healthy? When there’s money in the bank account? When the car or […]
Justification by Faith and Salvation by Works? — The Key to Understanding Romans 10:9-10
“…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10 is found in most gospel tracts. It is widely […]