Blog – Page 230 – Grace Evangelical Society

John Mueller on Works Salvation and Assurance

October 17, 2016 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Assurance of Salvation, Sanctification, Shawn Lazar, Works

By Shawn Lazar The Greatest Certainty I was recently referencing John Mueller’s Christian Dogmatics (St Louis, MO: Concordia, 1955), when I came across some excellent quotes on assurance being part of faith, and not something extra in addition to it. “Since saving faith is the believer’s trust in the perfect righteousness which Christ has secured

The Believer Who Draws Back (Heb 10:38-39)

October 14, 2016 by Ken Yates in Blog - A Wasted Life, Hebrews, Ken Yates, Reward

In the last two blogs, I have argued that in the book of Hebrews we see that a Christian cannot lose his eternal salvation. However, event though that is the case, a believer can sin against the Lord, evening a very serious way. Esau is an example of such spiritual failure. In 10:38-39, we see

The Subtle Redefinition of Faith via Trust

October 13, 2016 by GES Webmaster in Blog - Bob Wilkin, Faith, Reformed Theology, Trust, Wayne Grudem

by Bob Wilkin It was sometime in the 90s, maybe 1996. I was in downtown Dallas at the office of Zane Hodges. I mentioned something about trust to Zane. I think I may have asked, “Do you think that trust is a good synonym for believing in Jesus?” At the time, I thought it was.

One Great Commitment?

October 12, 2016 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Commitment, Everlasting Life, LifeWay, Salvation, Shawn Lazar

Sunday School Confusion As our little Sunday School class has been studying through LifeWay’s Bible Studies for Life: Unvarnished Truth: Life’s Greatest Story, this past week’s lesson was a disappointment. Previous lesson titles included, One Great Creator; One Great Problem; and One Great Savior. All were fine. But the title of this week’s lesson (Session

Born from Above

October 11, 2016 by GES Webmaster in Blog - Art Farstad, Born Again, Everlasting Life

by Art Farstad, originally published in a 1991 edition of The GES News Have you ever heard or had a conversation something like the following? “Are you a Christian?” “Well of course I’m a Christian! Do you think I’m a heathen? I’m an American!” “Well, I mean do you believe…” “I believe in God.” “But

Esau-An Example of a Believer (Hebrews 12:15-17)

October 10, 2016 by Ken Yates in Blog

by Ken Yates In Hebrews 12:15-17, the author gives Esau as an example to his readers. Here is what he says: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as

The Final Judgment

October 7, 2016 by GES Webmaster in Blog - Bob Wilkin, Final Judgment, Propitiation, Sin, Universal Atonement

by Zane Hodges In John’s well-known description of the Final Judgment in Revelation 20:11-14, we do not even find a reference to sins, much less a reference to unforgiven sins. Instead, we are told, “the dead were judged acording to theirworks, by the things which were written in the books” (Rev 20:12; italics added). To

Is Repentance the Flip Side of Faith?

October 6, 2016 by GES Webmaster in Blog - Faith, Repentance

by Bob Wilkin I heard it when I was on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ. I heard it in some of my classes at Dallas Theological Seminary. I’ve heard it a lot in the three decades since I graduated from seminary. It is often said that repentance is the flip side of faith. Imagine

Do Reformed Theologians Teach That Faith Is Obedience?

October 5, 2016 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Faith, Reformed Theology, Shawn Lazar

“I am aware of no recognized Calvinist or Reformed theologian who says that faith is obedience or that faith is perseverance.” So claimed Wayne Grudem in his “Free Grace” Theology: 5 Ways It Diminishes the Gospel (p. 74). But Grudem adds the caveat, “They will say that saving faith results in obedience and that faith

Future Salvation in the Book of Hebrews

October 4, 2016 by Ken Yates in Blog - Hebrews, Hermeneutics, Ken Yates

Recently, I was doing some studying in the book of Hebrews. The book has always interested me because it is often used by people to say that a believer can lose his eternal salvation. Others say the book focuses on the fact if you are “really” saved you would never commit really bad sins. The