Blog – Page 85 – Grace Evangelical Society

Teaching at a Baptist Seminary in Costa Rica

November 16, 2022 by Ken Yates in Blog - Calvinism, Missions, Spanish

Recently, GES board member Bernie Hunsucker and I were able to conduct a Free Grace pastors’ conference in Costa Rica. Prior to our going, one of the pastors asked if I would teach at a Baptist seminary of which he was president. He explained that the students were heavily influenced by Calvinism. The president himself

Am I One of God’s Elect?

November 15, 2022 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Election to everlasting life, election to service, God’s chosen people

The Calvinist doctrine of unconditional election is meant to be a wonderful comfort to people. Back in 1978 I was on staff with Cru at NC State University. I remember hearing the Campus Director from the University of Carolina speak on the doctrine of election. I don’t recall having heard about it before then. He

Preaching in Costa Rica

November 14, 2022 by Ken Yates in Blog - Gospel, Missions, Spanish

In October, GES board member Bernie Hunsucker and I had the opportunity to conduct a two-day pastors’ conference in Costa Rica. I was also able to teach some classes at a Baptist seminary over another two-day period. In both cases, the goal was to introduce those in attendance to Free Grace Theology. Both at the

Am I Totally Depraved?

November 11, 2022 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Total depravity, total inability

In response to the teachings of Arminius, Calvinism developed five points that are known by the acrostic TULIP. The T in TULIP stands for total depravity. That expression sounds as if it refers to someone like Hitler, Stalin, Mao, or Pol Pot. It sounds as if it refers to someone who is just about as

Who Was Right, Erasmus or the Reformers?

November 10, 2022 by Ken Yates in Blog - Erasmus, Gospel, Luther, Reformation

I am not a church historian, but I do like reading about what happened in church history. There is a man I’ve read about who has always fascinated me. Erasmus, a contemporary of Martin Luther, produced the first printed edition the Greek NT, Novum Instrumentum omne (1516), which allowed many people to study the NT

Are You Guilty of Having a Non-Profit Religion? (James 2:14)

November 9, 2022 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - James 2:14, James 2:16, what does it profit?

James 2:14 begins with the three Greek words ti to ophelos. These three words are found only one other time in the NT. Guess where? James repeats them two verses later! These words are translated in four different, but related, ways in the leading English translations: What does it profit…? (NKJV, MEV, KJV, RSV, ASV).

How to Help People Evangelize Clearly

November 8, 2022 by Ken Yates in Blog - Assurance, crowds

Most of us are familiar with the Gideons. They are responsible for handing out millions and millions of Bibles. The people involved in this organization are laymen who devote their own time and resources to print and distribute the Word of God. When they give out these Bibles, they often engage in evangelism. They are

What’s Wrong with Believing in Limited Atonement?

November 7, 2022 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Assurance and limited atonement, particular redemption

And He Himself is the propitiation [satisfaction of God’s justice] for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 John 2:2). Calvinists believe that Christ died for the sins of only a small portion of humanity, called the elect. Since limited atonement sounds a bit negative, many Calvinists prefer

Can We Misinterpret Life Events?

November 4, 2022 by Ken Yates in Blog - combat, Joseph, leadership

One of the most interesting people in America’s Civil War was a man by the name of Leonidas Polk. There is an army post in Louisiana named after him. He illustrates a profound truth: People may look at something as a tragedy or, conversely, a happy occurrence while, in reality, the exact opposite is true.

That Is One Pathetic Group (Jeremiah 43:7)

November 3, 2022 by Ken Yates in Blog - Exodus, rebellion, Sin

In Jer 43:7, a group of Jews arrive in Egypt. They are a sad company. Running for their lives, they are fleeing their own country because they fear the Babylonian army will come and kill them. They have endured years of war. They have very little wealth and no power. One of the main reasons