Category Archives: Uncategorized

Baptism: Grace and Baptism, Part 3 (Grace for Baptism)

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Jay F Guin

I have a confession to make. For decades, I was convinced that grace does not extend to baptismal error. After all, faith is non-negotiable. Why shouldn’t baptism be the same? Not too many years ago, it became obvious to me that … Continue reading →

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 323 Comments

Baptism: Grace and Baptism, Part 2 (The Understanding Grace Problem)

Posted on January 4, 2015 by Jay F Guin

Grace is not an easy concept for most people. To some, it sounds like what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called “cheap grace.” From his The Cost of Discipleship, cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline. … Continue reading →

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 14 Comments

One in Jesus: The Year in Review

Posted on January 3, 2015 by Jay F Guin

Well, the year started off with me being mostly dead due to a bout of blood poisoning: sepsis. I got to within two or three minutes of all dead. So five surgeries and seven hospitalizations later, I’m much better and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 13 Comments

How to Argue Like a Christian: The Last-Verse-Read Argument, Part 2

Posted on January 3, 2015 by Jay F Guin

[This post expands on an article from March 31, 2009, nearly five years ago.] Perhaps the most common error in logic committed by believers of all kinds is our persistent use of the last-verse-read argument. For example, in the Churches of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments

Baptism: My Teaching and a Few FAQs

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Jay F Guin

[An extra post at no extra charge!] Judging from the comments, it would be helpful for me to lay out what I teach about baptism again. It’s not complicated, but because it’s unfamiliar to most within the Churches of Christ, … Continue reading →

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 33 Comments

Baptism: Grace and Baptism, Part 1 (The Flat Hermeneutic Problem)

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Jay F Guin

In recent discussions about baptism, I’ve mentioned a couple of times that I believe that God’s grace will cover baptismal error. Grace will not, however, cover the absence of faith in Jesus. I had hoped that the doctrine of grace … Continue reading →

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 68 Comments

Baptism: “Repent” in Acts 2:38

Posted on December 31, 2014 by Jay F Guin

[This is a bit long but doesn’t easily break into pieces. Next post will be Friday (Lord willing), to give time to reflect (and watch football. Roll Tide!)] Long-time reader Royce asks in a comment, True repentance means one turns … Continue reading →

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 63 Comments

SOTM: Background, Part 2 (Honor)

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Jay F Guin

Honor Culture Social scientists speaks of two kinds of culture: honor (or shame) culture and guilt culture. In the West, most nations and people have a guilt culture. That is, we expect each other to be motivated to do right … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon on the Mount, Sermon on the Mount, Uncategorized | 12 Comments

SOTM: Introduction and Background, Part 1

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Jay F Guin

I’m not finished with the series on 1 Corinthians — three chapters to go! — but I need to spend some time on the Sermon on the Mount, or as it’s known in the blogosphere, the SOTM. My congregation will … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon on the Mount, Sermon on the Mount, Uncategorized | 12 Comments

Is Baptism a Work, Part 6B, Part 2

Posted on December 28, 2014 by Jay F Guin

3. Does the “gospel,” as the term is used in the Gospels, include water baptism? No. “Gospel” in the Gospels is a reference to the good news promised by the prophets of the Old Testament, and there is no mention … Continue reading →

Posted in Baptism, Uncategorized | 124 Comments