Category Archives: Grace

Baptism/Amazing Grace: A Conversation Over Lunch, Part 7

A chosen people So you’ve persuaded me that Paul doesn’t really teach “available light,” and that “available light” creates insurmountable problems, but that leaves what is — to me — a massive problem. How can God choose to save some people … Continue reading

Posted in Amazing Grace, Available Light, Baptism, Uncategorized | 14 Comments

Baptism/Amazing Grace: A Conversation Over Lunch, Part 6.5

Maybe the Jews were subject to a stricter rule because they had God’s word. What about the pagan? Maybe N. T. Wright isn’t right, you know! Let’s turn back to — (Rom 2:6-8 ESV)  6 He will render to each … Continue reading

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Baptism/Amazing Grace: A Conversation Over Lunch, Part 6

Romans 2 But what about Romans 2? Doesn’t Paul say something there about the fate of those who never heard the gospel? He does. The discussion actually begins in chapter 1 —

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Baptism/Amazing Grace: A Conversation Over Lunch, Part 5

Available light And so those who’ve never even heard the gospel are punished? Surely not! Jesus certainly seems to say so here, doesn’t he? But we need to look deeper. We begin by noticing that ignorance lessens the punishment. A … Continue reading

Posted in Amazing Grace, Available Light, Baptism, Uncategorized | 27 Comments

Baptism/Amazing Grace: A Conversation Over Lunch, Part 4

Perpetual conscious torment Wouldn’t you agree that perpetual, conscious torment is a very, very harsh punishment for people who’ve never even heard the gospel? Or good people who just weren’t persuaded by a bad evangelist? I know the theory that … Continue reading

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Baptism/Amazing Grace: A Conversation Over Lunch, Part 3

Justice But what makes that good? How is it good that anyone is damned — for any reason? I agree that what God wants is, by definition, good, but shouldn’t we able to understand it? Why should God’s notion of … Continue reading

Posted in Amazing Grace, Available Light, Baptism, Uncategorized | 31 Comments

Baptism/Amazing Grace: A Conversation Over Lunch, Part 2

The fate of those who’ve never heard the gospel What happens to those who’ve never heard the gospel? It’s hardly fair that they be damned,  you know. Believe it or not, I disagree. It’s perfectly fair. But before we get … Continue reading

Posted in Amazing Grace, Available Light, Baptism, Uncategorized | 26 Comments

Baptism/Amazing Grace: A Conversation Over Lunch, Part 1

Thanks for joining me. I’ve read some deeply disturbing articles lately about salvation, and I consider you a clear thinker. We don’t often agree, but I still find our conversations helpful. And (who knows?) maybe one day you’ll actually convince … Continue reading

Posted in Amazing Grace, Available Light, Baptism, Uncategorized | 11 Comments

My Sermon on Peace

I’ve only preached one sermon in my life, that is, before Sunday. I was in high school and we had one of those Sunday nights when the teens lead the service. I spoke five minutes on Romans 14. They never … Continue reading

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Is the “Plan of Salvation” Arbitrary? Part 2

History of the argument I want to now respond from a slightly different angle. Where did this embarrassingly bad argument come from? Well, from a line of reasoning popular in the mid-19th Century that emphasized obedience to “positive commands” over … Continue reading

Posted in Grace, Uncategorized | 25 Comments