Blog – Page 184 – Grace Evangelical Society

One Mediator, Two Directions

October 1, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - mediation, Mediator, Prayer, Salvation

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim 2:5). Jesus is the Mediator, and His mediation works in two directions. First, Jesus mediates God to you. You do not “see” the Father’s glory directly, but through Christ: And the Word became flesh, and dwelt

The Master’s University and Seminary Put on Academic Probation

September 28, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Probation at TMUS; Accreditation; John MacArthur; TMS; Lordship Salvation

At church yesterday a friend told me that The Master’s University and Seminary (= TMUS) has been put on academic probation by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (=WASC), TMUS’ regional accrediting agency. Then when I opened my email this morning, a friend sent me a link to a ninety minute video blog by

Free Grace Theology Is Really Important (Mark 4:13)

September 27, 2018 by Ken Yates in Blog - basics, four soils, Grace, Mark 4:1-20, Works

At the end of the Parable of the Four Soils in Mark 4, the disciples asked the Lord to explain the parable to them. He does so, but before explaining the parable, He asks them a couple of questions. “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?” (Mark 4:13).

I’m Interested in Everything

September 26, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Eternity, ruling, vocation, work

I’m interested in just about everything. There are several languages I want to learn really well—Modern Greek, Koine, Hebrew, Afrikaans, German, Swedish, and Spanish for starters. There are many instruments I’d love to learn to play well—the marimba, piano, ukulele, trumpet, and the Hammond B3 organ. I want to become a better painter and illustrator.

When Errors in the Bible Are Not Really Errors

September 25, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Blomberg, ETS, Historicity of the Gospels, inerrancy, Thucydides

Today I read the June 2018 issue of JETS, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. ETS was started in 1949 to promote the truth that the Bible has no errors in it. I graduated from seminary in 1982. At that time there were two views regarding errors in the Bible: 1) there are no errors

Murdering…the Poor? (James 4:2)

September 24, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - charity, James, murder, poverty

Did you know that James accused his readers of murder? Yes—murder! “You lust and do not have; so you commit murder” (James 4:2, emphasis added). Was he being literal or metaphorical? You might think he must be using “murder” metaphorically because believers cannot possibly commit murder. Actually, they can! King David is the prime example

Faith is the Sole Condition…Or Not: Thomas Oden on John Wesley

September 21, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - John Wesley, methodism, Methodist, Thomas Oden, Wesleyan

Thomas C. Oden was a leading Wesley scholar and Methodist theologian. If all you read are Calvinist authors, I think you would appreciate Oden. Many of us in the Free Grace movement are far closer to Wesleyan theology than we are to Calvinist theology. For example, we both believe that God loves everyone, Jesus died

What Is Ultra Dispensationalism?

September 20, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Baptism, Dispensationalism, evangelism, Lord’s Supper, Mid-Acts Dispensationalism, Ultra-Dispensationalism

I was taught Dispensationalism at Dallas Theological Seminary (1978-85). That is the view that there is a distinction between Israel and the Church, that the Church began in Acts 2, and that God has had different laws and expectations for people during the six dispensations until now (innocence, conscience, human government, promise, Law of Moses,

Carl F. Wisløff on Assurance

September 19, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Assurance, Carl F. Wisløff, lutheran, pietism

Carl F. Wisløff (1908-2004) was a Norwegian Lutheran theologian and preacher. I recently acquired a copy of his short systematic theology, I Know in Whom I Believe: Studies in Bible Doctrine (I ordered it from here). Here is what Wisløff writes about assurance of salvation: “In Romans 4:16, it is said of Abraham: “For this

Has My Evangelistic Message Changed?

September 18, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - assurance is of the essence of saving faith, The finished work of Christ, what we believe in Jesus for

One of the dangers of writing articles and books for over thirty years is that people notice if you contradict yourself. I plead guilty. I have not always been as clear as I wish I had been. Here is an email with a genuine concern about what I believe: I am fairly new to GES