Blog – Page 179 – Grace Evangelical Society

The Role of Women in the Local Church

December 10, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Evangelical Feminism. 1 Corinthians 14:33-36. 1 Timothy 2:11-15. 1 Timothy 3:2. Ben Witherington. The Role of Women in the Church

Recently a friend pointed me to a blog (see here) at patheos.com. The blog is entitled, “Why Arguments Against Women in Ministry Aren’t Biblical.” The June 2, 2015, blog was written by leading NT scholar Ben Witherington. In this blog, Witherington argues that there is a bigger role for women in the local church than

Salvation in Romans and Hebrews

December 7, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Romans 5:9-10. Romans 8:24. Romans 10:1. Hebrews 7:25. The national salvation of Israel. Being Christ’s partners in the life to come.

A reader asks, “I heard Bob say that the word save never refers to eternal life or justification in Romans or Hebrews. However, the following texts seem very much to refer to spiritual salvation: Rom 5:9-10; 8:24; 10:1; Heb 7:25. What should we think about them?” Okay. Here is a brief explanation of each of

Does Romans 5:12-21 Teach Original Sin?

December 6, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Romans 5:12-21. Original Sin. Imputation of sin

At the recent Charlotte Regional Conference, I spoke on Rom 5:12-21. I suggested that original sin as it is normally understood is not taught by this passage or by any other. After my session a man asked me to explain further. This is what I told him. Calvinists, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and many others

The Good News About Evangelism

December 5, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - evangelism

Have you ever felt guilty for not evangelizing? Has evangelism ever been presented to you as a command that is impossible to fulfill? Here’s an example of the kind of pressure I mean. This is a testimony from the wife of a graduate of a fundamentalist college: “My poor husband got only 3 to 4

Imitate Love (3 John 11)

December 4, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - 3 John, Christian spirituality, imitation, love

The Christian life ought to be characterized by freedom, not rules and regulations. Other religions will give you long to-do lists of prayers and practices and menus and pilgrimages, and you have to follow them to be a member in good standing. Christians basically have one command: to love. Augustine famously summarized it this way:

Moldy Bread and Serving the Lord (Mark 5:19-20)

December 3, 2018 by Ken Yates in Blog - Decapolis; demons; service; Mark 5

Many years ago, Mohammed Ali was talking about the importance of education. He encouraged young people to stay in school and not lose heart. “After all,” he said, “if they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can make something out of you.” The point he was making is obvious. Sometimes we feel that

What about Verses Which Seem to Use Trust In Salvific Contexts?

November 30, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Matthew 12:21; Ephesians 1:12; Biblical hope; Biblical trust

In a recent blog entitled “Recording Radio Programs Has Been Fun and Challenging” (see here), I included a short discussion of something I had said on one of the shows about the difference between trusting and believing. That led to many comments. Two of the comments to that blog mentioned verses in which the word

Big Business, Little Service (Gal 5:14)

November 29, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Galatians, love, neighbors, spirituality

Religious superstition is a huge industry. Who knows how many billions of dollars are spent every year on amulets, statues, candles, medallions, icons, relics, special foods, holy water, special breathing techniques, anointed oil, prayer cloths, grave soaking, and pilgrimages? I’ve been watching Leah Remini’s documentary on Scientology, and I was shocked to find out how

What Type of Salvation Is James Talking About?

November 28, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Salvation in James; James 1:21; James 2:14; James 2:17; James 4:12; James 5:15; James 5:20

Earlier today I read a blog someone wrote criticizing GES and me for our stand on the Free Grace message. Among other things, the author said that our view that salvation in James refers to deliverance from temporal judgment is so ridiculous that by itself it repudiates our position. I’ve read books and articles which

Created and Re-Created Freely

November 27, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Creation, Martin Luther, Oswald Bayer

“Luther’s doctrine of justification has frequently been attacked for being monotonous, empty, and even obsessive.” So notes Oswald Bayer in his article, “Justification as the Basis and Boundary of Theology.” Sound familiar? GES’s emphasis on the promise of everlasting life has faced the same criticism. Bayer continues to explain that Emmanuel Swedenborg caricatured Lutherans in