Blog – Grace Evangelical Society

Degrees of Greatness in the Kingdom (Matthew 5:19)

October 22, 2020 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - greatness, Kingdom, Matthew, Michael Eaton, rewards

Does your church or tradition believe in the doctrine of eternal rewards? It is the key to so many subjects in theology and to so many passages of Scripture. For example, did you know that Jesus taught there would be different degrees of greatness in His kingdom? In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord

The Good in Nazareth (Luke 1:26)

October 21, 2020 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Luke, Nazareth

Although Theophilus had been instructed about Jesus, he needed certainty. That is, he needed a more stable understanding of who Jesus is and what He did (cf. Luke 1:4). For example, maybe Theophilus heard rumors about Jesus’ unusual birth. What really happened? Luke tells the story. Sometime after Gabriel’s appearance to Zacharias, he had a

What It Means to Believe in Jesus

October 20, 2020 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - believing in Jesus, John 3:16, what Jesus promises, who Jesus is

AF wrote to me wondering if I present two different and contradictory understandings of what it means to believe in Jesus: Youi wrote: So, what does it mean to “believe in Jesus”? Does it mean to believe that He existed? That He was born in Bethlehem? That He lives a sinless life? That He is

Mary’s Virginity in Messianic Prophecy (Luke 1:27)

October 19, 2020 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Isaiah, Luke, Mary, virgin, virgin birth

In Luke 1:27, we read that God sent Gabriel to a virgin named Mary. At this time, Mary was probably a teenager. But despite her young age, as was customary, she was betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph. Betrothal meant they were legally promised to each other in marriage, but the wedding ceremony itself,

Everlasting Life Reconsidered

October 16, 2020 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Everlasting Life, John 5:24, life for the age to come, zōē aiōnios

Dr. Charles Ryrie famously said, “If everlasting life could be lost, then it has the wrong name.” Everlasting life is ever-lasting life. Recently, however, I came across an article from a Free Grace friend arguing that there is no Greek expression for everlasting life. He says, “zōē aiōnios…is not endless life, but life pertaining to

Free Grace and Works Salvation

October 15, 2020 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Assurance, believing in Jesus, Eternal Security, promise of life, works salvation

The other day Shawn and I received the following email from BP who listens to our daily podcast: You said, “Well it is funny because I know some people in Free Grace circles who would say, ‘I know for sure I have everlasting life. It is simply by faith in Christ apart from works. I

Zacharias’ Disbelief and Divine Discipline (Luke 1:18-22)

October 14, 2020 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - discipline, Doubt, Luke, Zacharias

Did you know that even the oldest, godliest believers can doubt God…and be disciplined for it? If you were a member of the clergy, a priest of God, and a blameless man who had served the Lord for many decades, and an angel appeared to you announcing that God heard your prayer and would answer

John the Baptist’s Seven Spirit-Empowered Services (Luke 1:8-17)

October 13, 2020 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - John the Baptist, Luke

So it was, that Zacharias was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, when his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the Temple of the Lord. There were approximately 18,000-20,000 priests in Israel (Bock, Luke, p. 48; Swindoll, Luke, p. 33), who served in rotation. Even with the subdivisions,

God Will Send Them a Strong Delusion That They Should Believe the Lie (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12)

October 12, 2020 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12, Rapture, The strong delusion

And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thess 2:11-12). David asks this tough question: I listened to a sermon preached by Tiff Shuttlesworth on the Tribulation.  At the

Adam, Satan, the Garden, and God’s Intention

October 9, 2020 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Genesis 1:28, Genesis 3:15, God’s goodness, God’s Omniscience, The fall

Justin asks, “If God knew Adam was going to follow Satan, why did He allow Satan to do so? Doesn’t this make it a set up?” Yes, God knew that Adam was going to sin when He allowed the serpent to tempt Eve. But does that mean God set up Adam to fail? It depends