Bob often mentions the name of R. B. Thieme, a pastor from Houston, who had an unusually influential ministry. Bob considers Thieme one of the first Free Grace theologians.

Several Thieme-influenced churches, and many Thieme-influenced people, are very friendly to our ministry. So I thought it was about time for me to become familiar with his writings.

Thieme has numerous booklets and audio teaching available for free through his ministry’s website www.rbthieme.org. (Personally, I always send a donation for everything I request.) So far, I’ve enjoyed Thieme’s booklets immensely. The occasional times where I find myself in disagreement with him, or raising an eyebrow at something he writes, are far outnumbered by the times I’m nodding my head, or taking notes of a great insight.

For example, here’s the absolutely excellent opening paragraph from his book, Reversionism:

“Can a Christian immerse himself in sin and evil and still be a Christian? Throughout the Church Age pastors and theologians have struggled to explain this paradox. Some contend that perpetually carnal believers were never genuinely saved. But the Bible emphatically states that once a person expresses faith alone in Christ alone, he is eternally saved (John 3:16, 36). Others assert that believers who continually sin can lose their salvation. But since every believer has an irrevocable position “in Christ” (2 Cor 5:17), neither sin nor evil, not even God Himself, can separate the believer “from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:39). The believer is eternally secure, forever a son and heir of God (Gal 4:5-7).

“Although the believer can never lose his eternal life, he can be in danger of destroying his spiritual life and losing all the blessings that “God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9)” (Reversionism, p. 1).

That is about as clear a statement as you can possibly have of the Free Grace position on eternal security and the possibility of carnality and failure in the spiritual life.