Journal of the GES – Spring 2020
Discipleship and the Widow’s Mites (Mark 12:41-44)
Kenneth W. Yates Editor I. INTRODUCTION In Mark 8:22–10:52, the reader finds a long section that deals with the topic of discipleship. In it, the Lord teaches the disciples about the cost of following Him. It begins and ends with the Lord healing a blind man. The disciples are blind to these truths, and these
Testing Yourself Regarding God’s Approval and Disapproval (2 Corinthians 13:5-7)
Robert N. Wilkin Executive Director Grace Evangelical Society I. INTRODUCTION In the past, I wrote a short magazine article on this passage.1 There are several reasons why I felt it was important to write a longer article on these verses of Scripture. First, this passage is typically taken to mean that the believer must regularly
Crossing the Tiber: What’s Driving the Evangelical Exodus to Rome?
Philippe R. Sterling Pastor Vista Ridge Bible Fellowship Lewisville, TX I. INTRODUCTION A book released in February 2016 by the Roman Catholic Ignatius Press is entitled Evangelical Exodus: Evangelical Seminarians and Their Path to Rome.1 The back cover of the book states: Over the course of a single decade, dozens of students, alumni, and professors
Dallas Theological Seminary on Salvation: A Survey of Some Popular Professors Between 1965-1990
Shawn Lazar Associate Editor Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society I. INTRODUCTION What did Dallas Theological Seminary (hereafter, DTS) professors teach about eternal salvation (i.e., regeneration) to the general public? To answer that question, this article will survey books written by four DTS professors and published by mainstream presses between the years 1965 and 1990.The
Dispensationalism’s Refusal of the Social Gospel and the Effect of its Refusal on the Urgency of Evangelization
Yoonhee Oh Senior Pastor Saengsoo Church (Living Water Baptist Church) Sherwood, AR I. INTRODUCTION Modern missions cannot be discussed without also discussing eschatology. This is because how one sees eschatology—whatever system of eschatology to which he holds—will impact how he conducts missions.1 In the same light, one’s eschatology will also form one’s theory of missions.
Philippians: Pursuing Christ to Know Him—A Commentary
Philippians: Pursuing Christ to Know Him—A Commentary. By Thomas W. Finley. NP: NP, 2014. 135 pp. Paper, free. Thomas Finley wrote this commentary on Philippians and offers it free of charge (though it is listed for $6.33 on Amazon). On the copyright page Finley writes, “Permission is granted to copy, translate, reprint or distribute this
Asking the Right Questions: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible
Asking the Right Questions: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible. By Matthew S. Harmon. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017. 141 pp. Paper, $10.31. Harmon is a professor of NT studies at Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, IN. As the title suggests, the purpose of the book is to help the reader understand
Gospel Allegiance: What Faith in Jesus Misses for Salvation in Christ
Gospel Allegiance: What Faith in Jesus Misses for Salvation in Christ. By Matthew Bates. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2019. 269 pp. Paper, $17.99. This book is a follow up to Salvation by Allegiance Alone (SAA; cf. pp. 18-20). It is more of the same. The first book taught works salvation, but Bates did not
Eternity Is Now in Session: A Radical Rediscovery of What Jesus Really Taught about Salvation, Eternity, and Getting to the Good Place
Eternity Is Now in Session: A Radical Rediscovery of What Jesus Really Taught about Salvation, Eternity, and Getting to the Good Place. By John Ortberg. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale Momentum, 2018. 186 pp. Cloth, $17.99. The title and subtitle attracted my attention. When someone says he will say “what Jesus really taught,” I am skeptical.
A Metrical Psalter: The Book of Psalms Set to Meter for Singing
A Metrical Psalter: The Book of Psalms Set to Meter for Singing. By Julie and Timothy Tennant. Franklin, TN: Seedbed, 2017. 266 pp. Hardcover, $24.95. A recurring challenge for Free Grace churches is to find songs with good theology. Since most worship songs are written by proponents of Lordship Salvation, that salvation theology is reflected
The New Testament in Seven Sentences: A Small Introduction to a Vast Topic
The New Testament in Seven Sentences: A Small Introduction to a Vast Topic. By Gary M. Burge. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2019. 144 pp. Paper, $15.89. Gary Burge is the dean of the faculty and a professor at Calvin Theological Seminary. He wrote The New Testament in Seven Sentences to get a broad, bird’s
The Case for Jesus: The Biblical and Historical Evidence for Christ
The Case for Jesus: The Biblical and Historical Evidence for Christ. By Brant Pitre. New York, NY: Image, 2016. 256 pp. Hardcover, $23.00. Brant Pitre had a crisis of faith while studying theology at a liberal school (Vanderbilt). His teachers told him that the Gospels were anonymous, and that Jesus never claimed to be God.
Exalted Above the Heavens: The Risen and Ascended Christ
Exalted Above the Heavens: The Risen and Ascended Christ. By Peter C. Orr. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2018. 238 pp. Paper, $25.00. This book by Peter Orr is part of the New Studies in Biblical Theology (NSBT) series. The primary purpose of the book is to address something that is lacking in Christological studies.
Grace Intervention: Understanding God’s Beautiful Gift of Grace
Grace Intervention: Understanding God’s Beautiful Gift of Grace. By Bill Giovannetti. Uhrichsville, OH: Shiloh Run Press, 2015. 250 pp. Paper, $14.99. The title of this book caught my eye. Giovannetti is a pastor and has a heart for what is going on in Christian churches. He says that legalism is the biggest and most destructive
Questioning Evangelism: Engaging People’s Hearts the Way Jesus Did
Questioning Evangelism: Engaging People’s Hearts the Way Jesus Did. By Randy Newman. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2004, 2017. 267 pp. Paper, $18.99. Randy Newman was for a time on college campus staff with Campus Crusade for Christ. Newman’s purpose is not to explain what the saving message is. For the most part, he assumes that