Scavenger Hunt Salvation—Without a List!
Introduction Years ago I debated a Church of Christ pastor. He said to be born again a person must believe in Christ, repent of his sins, obey Christ, confess his sins, and be baptized for the remission of his sins. I asked him, “Is there a passage in the NT that lists all five of […]
Do You Know Our View of Assurance? Follow up Questions
Since the March-April 2008 article on our view of assurance, we’ve had a number of questions that indicate some didn’t understand exactly what was meant. The questions we’ve received concern the second of the two sentences which follow: “Assurance is of the essence of believing in Jesus for everlasting life. That is, as long as […]
We Believe Jesus Is Lord
Lordship Salvation Wrongly Calls the Grace Position “No-Lordship” Lordship Salvation is the view that in order to be born again one must do more than simply believe the facts of the gospel. John MacArthur writes, “The gospel call to faith presupposes that sinners must repent of their sin and yield to Christ’s authority. That, in […]
Do You Know Our View on Assurance of Salvation?
Pastor Fred Lybrand of Northeast Bible Church in San Antonio pointed out to me several years ago that our Affirmations did not accurately reflect what we believed on assurance (i.e., what we had strongly held and taught for years on assurance). I thanked him for calling that inconsistency to my attention and as a result […]
Voice from the Past: The Privilege of Suffering with Christ
By C. H. Mackintosh Shall we refuse to suffer from the hand of man with Him who suffered from the hand of God for us? That it is, in a certain sense, a question, is evident, from the Spirit’s constant use of the word if, in connection with it. “If we suffer with Him, we […]
Another Look at 1 Corinthians 15:3-11
I’ve heard many suggest that 1 Cor 15:3-11 is one of the clearest statements in the Bible of how one is born again. Many feel that Paul is here telling believers precisely what we should say in order to lead people to faith in the Lord Jesus for eternal life. It’s my contention that Paul […]
Now That’s Faith!
Luke 7:9 By Jeremy D. Myers There are two kinds of faith that amazed Jesus: great faith and little faith. In Luke 7:9, Jesus marveled at the great faith of a Gentile, a Roman centurion. He said, “I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” There were also times when the Lord […]
A Charge to Keep I Have If I My Trust Betray I Shall Forever Die! “Theology of Despair”
For about 8 years I was involved in a religious boy’s club. We played basketball, baseball, and tackle football. And we received religious instruction. My parents didn’t realize it, but this instruction was highly legalistic. I remember one song we used to sing often at camp. It is called A Charge to Keep I Have. […]
Evangelical Philosophy Professor Says Evidence Cannot Prove Anything, Including God’s Existence
Even Our Basic Beliefs Are Not Certain In a recent book entitled, Epistemology: Becoming Intellectually Virtuous, Wheaton University Professor of Philosophy Dr. Jay Wood makes this statement: “Modest foundationalists make no claims about the invincible certainty of one’s basic beliefs” (p. 98). The reason why Wood, himself a modest foundationalist, believes we cannot be certain […]
Remember the Bereans! (Acts 17:11)
The Principle Stated After a short ministry in Thessalonica, Paul moved on to Berea due to Jewish opposition. Again he went to the synagogues of the Jews. This time he was warmly received: “These [Jewish unbelievers in Berea] were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and […]