Journal of the GES – Spring 1991
The Gospel and Water Baptism: A Study of Acts 22:16
Lanny Thomas Tanton* Prologue To best introduce the study of Acts 22:16, let me relate the following story. When I was in the Churches of Christ, I was told—and through experience was tempted to believe—that “evangelical Christians” would deny the necessity of baptism for salvation, even when they could not explain those passages which teach
A Voice from the Past: The Grace of Giving
This article was compiled from the author’s sermon notes after his death. It was originally published in The Evangelical Christian, a Canadian journal. None of Dr. Thomas’s own words have been changed, but the subdivisions with titles have been added for today’s visually-oriented readership. Biblical quotations have been updated from the King James to the
Grace in the Arts: Shakespeare, the Bible, and Grace
I. Introduction In college I had a dear, elderly literature teacher who tried to “save” as many of her favorite writers of English and American literature as she could. Since they had nearly all “gone on before,” it was only a salvation in her own mind (and in as many students’ minds as she convinced).
We Believe In: Rewards
I. Introduction Among the very last recorded words of our Lord Jesus Christ are these: “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Rev 22:12; italics added).1 This is a clear and definitive statement on the subject of rewards by the Lord
The Grace Awakening
The Grace Awakening. By Charles R. Swindoll. Dallas: Word Publishing, 1990. 311 pp. Cloth, $15.99. One of the primary frustrations of the Free Grace Movement has been the popularization of Lordship Salvation over the past decade. Though many high-profile evangelical leaders have voiced their personal concerns privately, none has been willing to risk alienating his
Eternal Security: Can You Be Sure?
Eternal Security: Can You Be Sure? By Charles Stanley. Nashville: Oliver Nelson, 1990. 195 pp. Cloth, $14.95. The year 1990 was a vintage literary year for the Free Grace Movement! In the previous review, Pastor Ed Underwood justly praises Dr. Charles Swindol for the clear stand he has taken in The Grace Awakening. But equally
Sanctity of Life: The Inescapable Issue
Sanctity of Life: The Inescapable Issue. By Charles R. Swindoll. Dallas: Word Publishing, 1990. 103 pp. Paper, $6.95. Written by one of the most popular and prolific preachers and writers in evangelicalism today, this little book is really a tract for one of the most crucial social issues of our time. As a pastor for
The NIV Reconsidered: A Fresh Look at a Popular Translation
The NIV Reconsidered: A Fresh Look at a Popular Translation. Earl Radmacher and Zane C. Hodges. Dallas: Redención Viva, 1990. 155 pp. Paper, $8.95. This is an important book on a major topic for English-speaking Christians. It is also long overdue. First of all this is neither a “chain saw” review nor a nit-picking one.
The Rise of Babylon: Sign of the End Times
The Rise of Babylon: Sign of the End Times. By Charles H. Dyer with Angela Elwell Hunt. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1991. 236 pp. Paper, $8.95. More and more in recent decades the world has been watching the Middle East. The Bible leads us to believe that more and more we will continue
Evangelical Catholics
Evangelical Catholics. By Keith A. Fournier. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. 223 pp. Cloth, $15.95. Two major events in the early 1960’s precipitated a large-scale paradigm shift within the Roman Catholic Church in America: the Second Vatican Council and the charismatic revival. As a result of these two historical phenomena, a movement has emerged within
The Biblical View of Self-Esteem, Self-Love, Self-Image
The Biblical View of Self-Esteem, Self-Love, and Self-Image. By Jay E. Adams. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1986. 143 pp. Paper, $6.95. One of the striking things about the self-esteem movement is its tremendous appeal to those both within and without the Church. Like their counterparts in the world, many Christian psychologists (and even many pastors,
Taking the Guesswork out of Applying the Bible
Taking the Guesswork out of Applying the Bible. By Jack Kuhatschek. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1990. 163 pp. Paper, $6.95. Many evangelical Christians recognize the need for applying the Bible to their daily lives. But until now, guidelines for application have been restricted mostly to the final chapter of books on the subject of
The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church
The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church. By Marvin Rosenthal. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990. 319 pp. Cloth, $10.95. Here is yet another book which claims to refute the pre-tribulation Rapture. But in this one there is a new twist. The author is neither mid nor post-tribulational. Instead, he holds to a new placement of the
We Believe In: The Lord’s Supper
I. Introduction Several years ago I was invited to a Saturday dinner that ended in a doctrinal debate. I have never liked religious arguments or debates, and I feared that the dramatis personae of this dinner—four members of our church and two active ultra-dispensationalist gentlemen1—could only lead to our locking horns. The hostess was the
Repentance and Salvation Part 6: How to Communicate the Doctrine of Repentance Clearly
Robert N. Wilkin* I. Introduction This is the final installment in a series on repentance and salvation. It has been a great challenge for me to write these six articles.1 The doctrine of repentance is a difficult subject. It is not that it is so hard to show what repentance is not; that is fairly