Blog – Page 193 – Grace Evangelical Society

J. I. Packer and The Bondage of Tradition

May 28, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - bondage of the will, Free-will, J.I. Packer, Martin Luther, Total depravity

J. I. Packer, the famed Reformed Anglican theologian, has written more book forewords than anyone I know. It seems that every book published by a Calvinist either has a foreword or an endorsement written by Packer. Packer, along with O. R. Johnston, translated Martin Luther’s The Bondage of the Will (Westwood, NJ: Revell, 1957). They

Believing Moses, and the New Moses, Because of Signs

May 25, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Salvation, saving faith, Signs, The New Moses

Many have suggested that Moses was a type of Christ. That is, as he delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt, so the Lord Jesus will deliver Israel from bondage to Gentile domination. Of course, Jesus’ deliverance is both physical and spiritual. He will not only bring the kingdom for Israel, He gives everlasting life right

Chosen By God

May 24, 2018 by Ken Yates in Blog

Recently, the topic of predestination has been coming up. Both Shawn and Bob have written books that deal with the topic. In my different travels for GES the subject has been coming up as well fairly regularly. It was brought to my attention that many think that Eph 1:4 proves that God has chosen people

Splash Pad or Trash Pad?

May 23, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - common sense, discipline, Matthew 25:29, resources, Stewardship

I took my kids to a newly opened splash pad or “sprayground” in town. It opened on May 12th. I took them the next day, on May 13th. What is a splash pad? Think of a half-basketball court with different kinds of sprinklers. The water shoots from nozzles in the ground, pours down from buckets

Is Ephesians 2:8-9 Talking about Everlasting Life?

May 22, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Ephesians 2:8-9, Everlasting Life, Faith, Salvation, Saving

In 2013 I was one of the authors of a four-views book on the role of works at the final judgment. In that book I suggested that Eph 2:8-9 says that everlasting life is by grace through faith and apart from works (Four Views on the Role of Works at the Final Judgment, Zondervan, pp.

Tartarus — 2 Peter 2:4

May 21, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - annihilationism, conditionalism, ECT, eternal conscious torment, Fallen Angels, Hell, Tartarus

The Bible is much stranger than people allow. That’s where theology can go wrong—by trying to make it less strange than it is. I have been exploring the topic of “hell” in a series of blog posts, explaining the Biblical reasons that lead me to accept eternal conscious torment (ECT) over and against annihilationism and

Scot McKnight Explains What Faith Really Is

May 18, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Faith, Justification by faith alone, Soteriology

Justification by faith alone taken at face value means justification by faith alone. However, more and more today Evangelicals are saying that justification by faith alone means justification by submission and obedience. One of the leading Christian bloggers is New Testament scholar Dr. Scot McKnight. His blog is called Jesus Creed. McKnight published a commentary

John Wesley on Different Types of Salvation by Works

May 17, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Aldersgate, Assurance, John Wesley, legalism, works salvation

I’ve been reading through John Wesley’s journals and diaries for the years 1735-1738. They are fascinating. It’s interesting to read about his travels to America during this time; his impressions of Georgia, colony life, and the weather. I cringed a little to read his descriptions of the Native American tribes he hoped to witness

Commentaries Recognize Philippians 2:12 Is Not about Individual Salvation

May 16, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Phil 2:12, Salvation in Philippians, Sanctification, Soteriology

While working up my recommendations for various books of the Bible, I looked up how two commentators, Ralph Martin and Gordon Fee, handle Phil 2:12. While both men believe that perseverance is required to attain “final salvation,” neither sees Phil 2:12 as dealing with that. Fee says, Obedience in this case takes the form of

The Good and the Evil

May 15, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Believe, Daniel, Good, Resurrection

Q. Doesn’t John 5:28-29 show that doing good works is a condition of salvation? How do you understand it? A. Good question. Taken on its own, that can be a puzzling passage. You would think “the good” refers to good deeds, and “the evil” refers to sins. But is that right? There’s a theme