For Christians other than Lutherans and Calvinists, the four gospel slogans: "grace alone, Jesus Christ alone, faith alone, Scripture alone," might sound less than obvious. The third expression ("faith alone") sometimes even provokes a vigorous denial. But properly understood, the four Reformation mottos well summarize biblical teaching about our salvation. How would you complete each of the following sentences? * * * 1. God saves us as a matter of: (a) grace alone (wholly a gift)? (b) grace partially (somewhat a gift; somewhat merited)? or (c) grace not at all (wholly merited)? We … [Read more...]
Archives for February 2013
GRACE IS PERSONAL
"I hear much about the doctrine of grace," writes a gracEmail subscriber. "Can you give me a good definition of what it really means?" * * * We must never think of divine grace as some impersonal, abstract reality which can be defined and discussed apart from a relationship between two or more real living persons. Grace is nothing less than the undeserved mercy and kindness which the living God pours out freely on all who entrust themselves to him as known through his Son Jesus Christ, surrendering to the Father their sins, their merits and their lives for his disposition and … [Read more...]
THE GOOD NEWS
There is one God, who created all that exists. He is YHWH and Elohim of the Hebrew Scriptures -- the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. From the beginning, God made humankind for constant loving fellowship with himself. However, the first human being, Adam (both a proper name and the Hebrew word for humankind), chose autonomy over creaturely dependence and expressed that choice by disobeying. This act of human rebellion brought sin, death and ruin into the world, and our willingness to sin has given them a hospitable welcome. Our sins stand between us and the Creator, and we cannot remove them … [Read more...]
GOD’S LOVE IN SIX VIEWS – 2
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Perpetual love. The God who gave his only Son will not forsake us halfway to heaven. On this we have Jesus' own promise: "This is the will of him who sent me, that of all that he has given me, I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day" (John 6:39). Because God is faithful, we can be confident. Indeed, God's faithfulness is the only basis we ever have to be confident of our salvation. Jesus' own resurrection shines as an eternal … [Read more...]
GOD’S LOVE IN SIX VIEWS – 1
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Passionate love. God so loved that he gave his "one and only" Son. The Greek word behind this descriptive phrase literally means "unique" -- one of a kind. The lavishness of God's love is no less remarkable simply because we cannot understand the mystery it involves. God is the Great Initiator who loved us first. We can never get "one up" on him. The most we can ever do is to love God in return (1 John 4:9-10). Personal love. God so loved the … [Read more...]
ATONEMENT THEORIES – 3
Christians affirm that through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God forgives sinful human beings and restores them to right relationship with himself. However, when asked to explain exactly how this atonement occurred, they have offered a variety of theories. A gracEmail subscriber requests more detail concerning these different explanations. * * * The penal substitution explanation of Jesus' atonement rests on such scripture passages as Isaiah 53:4-6, Romans 3:23-26; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21 and 1 Peter 2:24, plus the Old Testament sacrificial system which Jesus fulfilled in … [Read more...]
ATONEMENT THEORIES – 2
Christians affirm that through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God forgives sinful human beings and restores them to right relationship with himself. However, when asked to explain exactly how this atonement occurred, they have offered a variety of theories. A gracEmail subscriber requests more detail concerning these different explanations. * * * Moral influence. This view was made popular by Peter Abelard, a French philosopher/theologian who offered it as an alternative to the satisfaction theory proposed by his older contemporary, Anselm of Canterbury, and to the … [Read more...]
ATONEMENT THEORIES – 1
Christians affirm that through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God forgives sinful human beings and restores them to right relationship with himself. However, when asked to explain exactly how this atonement occurred, they have offered a variety of theories. A gracEmail subscriber requests more detail concerning these different explanations. * * * New Testament writers do not try to explain the inner workings of God's accomplishments in Jesus. Instead, they tell the story of Jesus and call attention to the blessings, obligations and warnings that flow from it. Along the … [Read more...]
ATONEMENT: REALITY AND THEORIES
A gracEmail subscriber writes: "I recently came across some of C. S. Lewis’ comments concerning his denial of the 'penal, substitutionary' view of atonement. I have never heard atonement explained in any other way. This led me to research a former and greatly respected professor who also basically denies the 'penal substitutionary' view. Is this just a minor disagreement or does it involve an essential truth of the Christian faith?" * * * Christians everywhere proclaim that through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the holy God forgives sinful human beings and restores them to … [Read more...]
JESUS AND HUMAN SACRIFICE
A gracEmail subscriber in Korea asks, "How could God, who abhors human sacrifice, sacrifice his own Son? How could the murder of an innocent man (Jesus) be necessary to bring about our forgiveness by God?" * * * When speaking concerning divine mysteries such as the Atonement, we must speak hesitantly and with great reverence. However, we may be sure that God always behaves consistently with his own character. He would not condemn the slaughter of innocents with one breath, only to turn and do the very thing he had condemned. Remembering two truths here will help us avoid needless … [Read more...]
