Blog – Page 241 – Grace Evangelical Society

YouTube Videos

December 10, 2012 by Shawn Lazar in Blog

The Only Condition for Eternal Salvation A couple of months ago, Bob and I sat down to record a Q&A session. Lucas Kitchen filmed it, and edited our conversation into 30 or so 2-4 minute video clips. We hope that these videos will be used by God to reach a whole new audience with the

Pilgrims and Politics

November 7, 2012 by Shawn Lazar in Blog

In light of the recent election results I am reminded of how easy it is to have our loyalties, hopes, and ambitions tied to the princes and powers of this world. Peter’s exhortation in 1 Peter 2:9-17 reminds us that Christians are a people set apart by God’s mercy, for His service, called to live

Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire? J. D. Greear on Assurance

October 23, 2012 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Assurance, extra nos, Free Grace, J. D. Greear, Luther, lutheran, Soteriology

Assurance Lost In a recent article in Christianity Today (“Should We Stop Asking Jesus Into Our Hearts?” Posted 7/13/2012), pastor J.D. Greear writes about his struggle to attain assurance of salvation. Greear recounts how his assurance was lost after a Sunday school lesson on Matthew 7:21-23, that pointed to the possibility of false professors. The

The Enormity and Elusiveness of Repentance

October 15, 2012 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Doubt, monasticism, Orthodox, Repentance, Salvation, salvation by works, st sisoes

Whenever I hear it said that repentance is a condition of eternal salvation, I think of St. Sisoes the Great (d. 429). Sisoes was one of the first great monastics—St. Anthony’s successor—who lived deep in the Scetian Desert, in an area known today as Wadi El Natrun. I think of Sisoes because of the story

Extended Conference Abstract Deadline!

October 11, 2012 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - conference

We have extended the deadline for submitting abstracts for the GES National Conference to November 1st! The theme for the upcoming conference is Free Grace and Sanctification. Don’t be shy, everyone is encouraged to apply to do a presentation! We are also looking to give time for Free Grace ministries to present what they do

Faith Taken Captive

September 14, 2012 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - eternal life, gerhard forde, legalism, lutheran, Soteriology

“Faith itself has been taken captive by legalism.” ~Gerhard Forde Ever since Paul’s fiery denouncement of Judaistic law-keeping in Galatians and Romans, the Christian tradition has recognized, if only grudgingly, that legalism is the death-knell of faith in Christ. Even those churches most closely identified with deeply legalistic tendencies (I am thinking of Catholicism and

Don’t Be Shy, Apply! 2013 Conference

August 23, 2012 by Shawn Lazar in Blog

Preparations for the 2013 GES National Conference are underway, and we are looking for submissions for workshops and plenary sessions. The theme for the upcoming conference is Free Grace and Sanctification. Don’t be shy, everyone is encouraged to apply! Especially younger voices in the Free Grace movement. Submit an abstract of your proposed paper by

John 10 According to the BRV (Badly Revised Version)

August 20, 2012 by Shawn Lazar in Blog

Have you ever wondered how some Christians manage to misread Jesus’ clear promise that whoever believes in him for eternal life “shall never perish”? What do people do with those verses? What do they think they mean? Avoiding the clear meaning of Jesus’ promise requires some serious scripture twisting. I can imagine a conversation going

Watchman Nee on Eternal Life and Repentance

August 16, 2012 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Culture Wars, eternal life, Free Grace, Soteriology

I recently came across the following quote from Watchman Nee, the famous Chinese evangelist and martyr. It is taken from a lecture he gave in Shanghai, during the spring of 1937, translated in The Gospel of God Vol. 1 (Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1990). It is almost word for word what Zane, Bob, and

What’s Next, Temple Prostitution?

August 10, 2012 by Shawn Lazar in Blog

The ‘culture wars’ are raging all around us, and far too often it seems to be churches who are at the forefront of normalizing sin. For example, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America recently drank the kool-aid and decided to condone homosexual clergy and relationships. In reply, Pastor Peter Speckhard wrote this brilliant piece of