Reading the Bible: The Key to Interpretation
Sequential Reading A friend, Bob Swift, has been reading a powerful book on the prologue of John’s Gospel. He and I have discussed that book. Indeed Bob has shared it with me and I’ve skimmed it. One of the things that the author promotes is what he calls sequential reading. He points out that too […]
Steve McNair’s Story Is a Wake Up Call
By Bill Perkins Million Mighty Men As a football fan I was shocked by the murder of former NFL quarterback Steve McNair, allegedly by his 20-year-old waitress mistress. She apparently shot McNair four times, twice in the head and twice in the chest, and then turned the gun on herself, ending her life with a […]
Four Free Grace Views Corrections and Clarifications
In the last issue I pointed out that there have been two major issues in Free Grace theology, both concerning what a person must believe to be born again. Issue one is whether a person must believe that what he receives by believing in Christ is everlasting or not. Some say, Yes, he must believe […]
Four Free Grace Views Related to Two Issues: Assurance and the Five Essentials
Issue One: Assurance, Or, Must One Believe in the Eternality of the Gift? One question that has emerged is whether one needs to believe in Jesus for something that cannot be lost. Whether we call that something justification, salvation, heaven, or eternal life, the question is whether one must believe that what he receives by […]
The Call to Live in Light of the Coming World 2 Peter 3:10-13
Editor’s note: It has been my privilege to edit Zane’s commentary on Second Peter for publication in our one-volume NT commentary, which we expect to be released in November or December. The following struck me as especially powerful. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. 3:10. In the Greek text the word […]
God Wishes None Should Perish 2 Peter 3:9
9The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Peter’s point, of course, is that what seems long and short to men is not long or short to the Lord. Therefore, any seeming delay […]
The Promise of Life (2 Timothy 1:1)
Introduction There are at least seven books on the market today called The Promise, including ones by Pearl Buck, Danielle Steele, Hal Lindsay, and Jonathan Morris. There have been at least seven motion pictures bearing this title between 1969 and 2007, including productions by Americans, Germans, Chinese, Filipinos, and Belgians. There are many songs called […]
Consensus Theology Stinks
By Stephen R. Lewis The Consensus Model Shaped Theology and Exegesis Many today would listen to the text of Scripture through the history of exegesis and track its interpretation first back through the consensus (general agreement among members of a given group or community) of the magisterial Reformation tradition, then comparing that to the Fathers1 […]
Most Evangelicals Need Evangelizing
Evangelical Is a Very Broad Title The term Evangelical in theory means one who believes the NT evangel, or good news, and especially the message of justification by faith alone in Christ alone. However, in current usage it actually is a very elastic term that says very little about what a person believes. The term […]
What Is the Free-Grace Gospel?
By Ken Neff There Is a Debate Raging in the FG Community There has been debate raging in the Free Grace (FG) community for several years. And it concerns something surprising: the gospel. In 1999 Zane Hodges gave a two-part message at the GES National Conference entitled, “How to Lead a Person to Christ.” Those […]