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Does the Great White Throne Judgment Show that Works Determine Destiny? (Rev 20:11-15) 

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I was one of four authors of a book titled, Four Views on the Role of Works in the Final Judgment, published by Zondervan. In response to my claim that John 5:24 proves believers will not be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment, Dr. Tom Schreiner wrote, “Revelation 20:11-15 [refers to] the judgment of all people” (p. 53, emphasis his). In his own article, Schreiner wrote, “A quick survey of
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The Non-Eternal Life Gospel (A Challenge) 

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I have spoken on behalf of GES for many years. Both verbally and in print, I and others like me have been labeled as “non-(fill in the blank) gospel” believers. We believe the unbeliever must believe in Jesus for eternal life in order to live with Him forever. Since it is eternal life, it cannot be lost. Most reject that. They say you don’t have to believe in Him for eternal life, but that you
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“Have I Shown You My Iron Cross?” 

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I recently heard a story that I’m pretty confident is true. Most of us have seen pictures of the warehouses at Auschwitz. The Nazis collected all the personal effects—shoes, clothes, jewelry, toys, etc.—of those who died in the gas chambers. There were warehouses full of these items.  I heard that the Auschwitz collection included a large box of German Iron Crosses. These crosses were one of the highest military honors a German
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What Is Eschatological Salvation, and Do You Have It? 

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I don’t remember hearing the expression eschatological salvation when I was studying at Dallas Theological Seminary. But over the past thirty years or so I’ve noticed that expression occurring increasingly in the commentary literature. Some pastors are using it as well.   So, what is eschatological salvation?  Most commentators and theologians would define the term as “a future salvation that will grant one access into Christ’s kingdom.” In this view, at the final judgment Christ will send some into
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Disunity: Not a Minor Problem 

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Israel was at war. The Midianites and their allies had severely afflicted the nation for seven years (Judg 6:1). However, God raised up Gideon to defeat those enemies and bring relief.  When Israel went to war during the time of the judges, the battles were only regional. They never involved the whole nation. In each case, some tribes went to war while
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What Is Open Theism and Why Is It Bad? 

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Ricky asks, “Can you write an answer to Open Theology? I’m looking to answer a friend who hold to this heresy.”   I prefer the term Open Theism. We are all to be like the Bereans of Acts 17:11 who searched the Scriptures daily to see if the teaching they were hearing from Paul was correct. If Open Theism meant being open to God’s
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Seek the Lord: He Will Find You 

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Most readers of this blog are familiar with Heb 11:6. It says that God rewards those who diligently seek Him. I was reading an OT passage recently that demonstrates the Lord’s grace in determining who it is that diligently seeks Him.  It’s likely that most of our readers are also familiar with the story of Gideon. During his day, the people of Israel were oppressed by the Midianites, a nomadic group
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When Sarcasm Fails 

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One of my many faults is that I’m sarcastic. I don’t think sarcasm is always wrong, but there have been many times when I’ve taken it too far. Even so, I love a good sarcastic remark.  We find an instance of this in Judg 6:13. The Angel of the Lord, the pre-Incarnate Christ, appears to Gideon while he is threshing wheat in a winepress. This was
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Thanksgiving 24/7/365 

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In everything [en panti] give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thess 5:18).   Some commentators suggest that the Greek words en panti in 1 Thess 5:18 should be always translated “always.” However, that expression means always in only three other NT occurrences.i That is why most translations render en panti as “in everything” (KJV, NKJV, NASB, NET, HCSB, LEB, ISV, DARBY) or “in all circumstances” (NIV, RSV, ESV, CEB) in
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