Blog | Grace Evangelical Society

Does Romans 5:12-21 Teach Original Sin?

December 6, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Romans 5:12-21. Original Sin. Imputation of sin

At the recent Charlotte Regional Conference, I spoke on Rom 5:12-21. I suggested that original sin as it is normally understood is not taught by this passage or by any other. After my session a man asked me to explain further. This is what I told him. Calvinists, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and many others

The Good News About Evangelism

December 5, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - evangelism

Have you ever felt guilty for not evangelizing? Has evangelism ever been presented to you as a command that is impossible to fulfill? Here’s an example of the kind of pressure I mean. This is a testimony from the wife of a graduate of a fundamentalist college: “My poor husband got only 3 to 4

Imitate Love (3 John 11)

December 4, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - 3 John, Christian spirituality, imitation, love

The Christian life ought to be characterized by freedom, not rules and regulations. Other religions will give you long to-do lists of prayers and practices and menus and pilgrimages, and you have to follow them to be a member in good standing. Christians basically have one command: to love. Augustine famously summarized it this way:

Moldy Bread and Serving the Lord (Mark 5:19-20)

December 3, 2018 by Kenneth Yates in Blog - Decapolis; demons; service; Mark 5

Many years ago, Mohammed Ali was talking about the importance of education. He encouraged young people to stay in school and not lose heart. “After all,” he said, “if they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can make something out of you.” The point he was making is obvious. Sometimes we feel that

What about Verses Which Seem to Use Trust In Salvific Contexts?

November 30, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Matthew 12:21; Ephesians 1:12; Biblical hope; Biblical trust

In a recent blog entitled “Recording Radio Programs Has Been Fun and Challenging” (see here), I included a short discussion of something I had said on one of the shows about the difference between trusting and believing. That led to many comments. Two of the comments to that blog mentioned verses in which the word

Big Business, Little Service (Gal 5:14)

November 29, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Galatians, love, neighbors, spirituality

Religious superstition is a huge industry. Who knows how many billions of dollars are spent every year on amulets, statues, candles, medallions, icons, relics, special foods, holy water, special breathing techniques, anointed oil, prayer cloths, grave soaking, and pilgrimages? I’ve been watching Leah Remini’s documentary on Scientology, and I was shocked to find out how

What Type of Salvation Is James Talking About?

November 28, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Salvation in James; James 1:21; James 2:14; James 2:17; James 4:12; James 5:15; James 5:20

Earlier today I read a blog someone wrote criticizing GES and me for our stand on the Free Grace message. Among other things, the author said that our view that salvation in James refers to deliverance from temporal judgment is so ridiculous that by itself it repudiates our position. I’ve read books and articles which

Created and Re-Created Freely

November 27, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Creation, Martin Luther, Oswald Bayer

“Luther’s doctrine of justification has frequently been attacked for being monotonous, empty, and even obsessive.” So notes Oswald Bayer in his article, “Justification as the Basis and Boundary of Theology.” Sound familiar? GES’s emphasis on the promise of everlasting life has faced the same criticism. Bayer continues to explain that Emmanuel Swedenborg caricatured Lutherans in

Can We Be Sure That We Will Persevere in Faith and Good Works?

November 26, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Perseverance of the saints; Eternal security; Warning passages; Assurance

Recently I ran across a quote by a Calvinist. He said that he was sure he was born again and eternally secure “without a doubt.” He went on to say that he was sure he would persevere, going so far as to say that even if he tried to walk in rebellion against Christ, he

Are you a Joy or a Burden to Your Pastor? (Heb 13:17)

November 23, 2018 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - burden, Hebrews, pastoral theology

I belong to a Facebook group for small church pastors (see here). It includes pastors from every denomination. Theologically it is all over the place. But I still find it very helpful to see what other people are dealing with. I can tell you that, based on that group, there are many discouraged pastors out