Blog – Page 2 – Grace Evangelical Society

Morally Blackmailed

November 21, 2025 by Ken Yates in Blog - doctrine, Forgiveness, guilt, Jude 3

Political figures are sometimes morally blackmailed by handlers who attempt to force them to renounce an ally who has offended part of the electorate. These handlers try to guilt the politician into doing what they say. They tell them that they no longer want their political organization to be associated with the former ally. If

Does the Third Soil in Luke 8:14 Represent Persevering Believers?

November 20, 2025 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Luke 8:11-15, Parable of the Four Soils

I’ve been interacting with a friend about who the third soil in Luke 8:14 represents. We both agree that it represents believers. But we disagree on whether the believers in view represent believers who persevere or believers who fail to endure. My friend thinks that the third soil represents believers who lay up treasure in heaven

At the Feet of the Lord

November 19, 2025 by Ken Yates in Blog - Discipleship, John 11:32, john 12:3, Luke 10:39, Mark 14:8-9, rewards, Rom 8:23

Mary, the sister of Martha, is mentioned three times in the NT. Each time, the Scriptures say she is at the feet of the Lord. The first mention is in Luke 10:39. The Lord had come to Martha’s home and was teaching. Luke says that Mary “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.” While

Have You Saved Any Wandering Sinners Lately? James 5:19-20

November 18, 2025 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - James 5:19-20, John 11:26, Repentance, Salvation

Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. Jesus saves those who believe in Him. That is a bedrock principle in the

Words to Live By

November 17, 2025 by Ken Yates in Blog - 1 Cor 12:7, Gal 6:10, Luke 10:30-37, Rev 22:20, rewards, Rom 5:8, Samaritan

In the Gospel of Luke, the Lord presents the Parable of the Good Samaritani (Luke 10:30–37). In that story, a man lies dying on the side of the road. He represents the unbelieving lawyer to whom Jesus is speaking (v 25). The man needs to be saved. He needs eternal life. He is helpless on

Seven Reasons Why We Cannot Be Saved By Opening the Door to Our Life— Revelation 3:20 Reconsidered

November 14, 2025 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Fellowship, receiving Christ, Revelation 3:20, Salvation

I was surprised. I went on YouTube looking for videos that presented Rev 3:20 as an evangelistic verse. Many, if not most, of the videos said it wasn’t an evangelistic verse. Then I went online looking for articles suggesting that Rev 3:20 is an invitation to everlasting life. Again, most of the articles indicated that

Theological Big Brothers

November 13, 2025 by Ken Yates in Blog - 1 John 5:13, Assurance, John 11:25-26, John 4:1-14, sound doctrine

There is a quote attributed to George Orwell. Many say there is no evidence that he said these exact words, but the ideas expressed in them are found in his famous book, 1984. The quote says, “The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it hates those who speak it.” 1984 describes the

Was Paul Talking about Sanctification When He Wrote about Salvation in 1 Corinthians?

November 12, 2025 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - 1 Corinthians 15:2, 1 Corinthians 3:15, 1 Corinthians 5:5

Paul uses the word save (sōzō) nine times in 1 Corinthians (1:18, 21; 3:15; 5:5; 7:16 twice; 9:22; 10:33; 15:2). He does not use the noun salvation (sōtēria) at all in the epistle. Commentators are not in agreement as to what save means in 3:15; 5:5; and 15:2. I believe, along with some commentators, that

The Rise and Fall of Evil

November 11, 2025 by Ken Yates in Blog - Christ’s return, evil, Heb 1:13, Kingdom, Psalm 110:1

William Shirer authored a book entitled The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. As a reporter, he attended the Nuremberg rally in 1934, soon after Hitler came to power. He wrote about the spectacular sights and sounds. The rally was an impressive display of Hitler’s control of the country and of Nazi military might. Hitler towered over the large group of soldiers in

Is Jesus the Ransom for Many or for All? Matthew 20:28

November 10, 2025 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - lutron, Ransom, Redemption

…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (Matt 20:28; Mark 10:45). After two blogs on Jesus’ shed blood, I received an email question from Sam: In Matthew 20:28 Jesus said that He “did not come to be served, but to serve,