There is no question that we live in an age of weak theology and casual Christianity. We have substituted intuition for truth, feeling for belief and immediate gratification for enduring hope. Evangelicalism desperately needs to return to the doctrines that once before reformed the world: radical depravity, unconditional election, particular redemption, efficacious grace and persevering grace.
James Boice and Philip Ryken not only provide a compelling exposition on these doctrines of grace, but also look briefly at their historical impact. The authors leave no doubt that the church suffers when these foundational truths are neglected and that she must return to a Christianity that is practical-minded, kind-hearted, and most importantly, biblically based.
“These doctrines are important because they take confidence away from any spiritual good that might be thought to reside in man and instead anchor it in the will and power of God alone.” (source)
“The real question concerns the design of the atonement; that is, what did God the Father actually intend to do in sending his Son to die for us? And did Jesus do it?” (source)
“However, the essence of evangelism does not lie in the results; it rests in the message itself—the good news of salvation in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is not to say that the gospel message does not demand a response. Of course it does. But that response is not the work of the evangelist; it is the work of God, and this is most clearly understood when the presentation of the gospel is grounded in the doctrines of grace.” (source)
“However, that is not the Bible’s view of sin. According to the Bible, to be a sinner is not merely to be morally imperfect or to be unable to achieve one’s full potential without God. It is rather a description of human beings in an utterly ruined state, a state from which we are unable to deliver ourselves and in which we might all have been left to perish, and justly so.” (source)
“2. We agree that there are benefits of the death of Jesus Christ for all people, benefits short of salvation.” (source)
7 ratings
Yohanan Kwee
10/10/2023
Erick Torrence
10/1/2023
Timothy Malvaso
9/24/2023
Kevin Lee
9/1/2023
Aaron Sauer
11/13/2022
Rev. Andre L. Pickens
6/14/2022