Calvinism – Grace Evangelical Society

Theology Permeates Everything

June 13, 2023 by Kenneth Yates in Blog - Calvinism, Grace, judging others

Sometimes we hear people say we shouldn’t worry about theological differences. Such differences aren’t important. But our theology impacts the way we see the world and the people in that world, even when we’re not aware of it. I was reminded of that recently while reading a Southern Baptist magazine. An article by a leader

Teaching at a Baptist Seminary in Costa Rica

November 16, 2022 by Kenneth 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

Three False Calvinist Assumptions

July 10, 2020 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Calvinism, Faith, Grace, work

I was explaining Free Grace theology to a Calvinist when he said that I really believed in salvation by works! That’s not something I’ve ever been accused of before, so I was curious why he thought that. During our conversation, it became clear to me that he was making three big assumptions that are worth

Five Differences Between Perseverance of the Saints and Eternal Security

April 2, 2020 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Calvinism, Eternal Security, OSAS, Perseverance of the Saints

Q. What’s the difference between eternal security, or OSAS (once saved, always saved), and perseverance of the saints (POTS)? Aren’t they the same thing? A. Well, they are often taken to be the same doctrine, but they shouldn’t be. I admit that some people use the terms interchangeably. But I think we should be more

A Free Grace Response to John Owen’s Conundrum

October 30, 2019 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Arminians, atonement, Calvinism, John Owen

This past spring was one of the wettest on record. That might be why we had tons of flies around the house. As the kids ran in and out of the house, flies would get in, so we set an electric bug zapper on a kitchen counter to deal with the problem. One day, my

Have We Misrepresented Calvinism?

August 29, 2019 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Calvinism, Gordon H. Clark, Salvation

Question Hello! I have listened to quite a few of your YouTube videos because I was curious about what your views are. After listening, I just wanted to lovingly point out that you are confusing works and Calvinist views and misrepresenting Calvinism in general. God causes the rebirth so that you love to obey His

If People Are Born Unable to Believe: Six Options

July 25, 2019 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Arminianism, Calvinism, Faith, inner light, Quaker, Total depravity, Wesleyanism

Are people born unable to believe? If so, how does anyone come to faith? As I work through these issues for an upcoming book examining “total depravity,” it might help to conceptualize the different answers given to explain how people who are born unable to believe can ever come to faith. Here are six options.

A Is for “Able to Believe”

June 18, 2019 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Arminianism, Calvinism, Total depravity, total inability

Bob and I wrote an article called “TULIP or ASSURE?” in which we briefly outlined what we thought was the Biblical alternative to the Five Points of Calvinism (and Arminianism). Our thinking has grown since then. Previously, we defined “A” as “All have sinned.” That was too general a statement. I now prefer “Able to

Amazed at What Is Now Normal Soteriological Terms in Evangelicalism

October 17, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Acts 16:14, Calvinism, Repentance, Repentant Faith, Soteriology, temporary spiritual life

Today I read a few articles in the July-September 2018 issue of Bibliotheca Sacra, the journal of Dallas Theological Seminary. It is celebrating its 175th anniversary (since DTS took over an already existing journal). Bibliotheca Sacra is one of the leading theological journals today. And it has been for a very long time. In this

Calvinism Has a Box of Mystery Verses

June 26, 2018 by Bob Wilkin in Blog - Assurance, Calvinism, Eternal Security, Perseverance, saving faith

I’m sitting on the plane awaiting takeoff from Dallas-Fort Worth to Orlando, FL for our June 8-9 regional conference on the theme “Is Calvinism Biblical?” I pull out my conference schedule and look it over. Then I begin to go over the message I was giving that night. Then something unusual happens. It has become