A Theology of Tongues

Posted on April 18, 2021February 28, 2023 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD Much debate within the Evangelical community exists over the viability of tongues in the Post-Apostolic Church. In Mark 16:17-18, Jesus offers a list of miraculous events that will accompany saving belief, and one of those included was the gift of “new tongues.”[i] Within this passage however, Jesus offers basically no detail to describe the exact nature of this gift. Were these “new tongues” some sort of new language or utterance that surpasses the ability of humans ...

Are those Who Respond to the Gospel Better?: An Interaction with Leighton Flowers

Posted on March 5, 2021March 5, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD When Calvinists and Traditionalists debate the merits of their theological commitments, it is not infrequent for Calvinists to charge Traditionalists with believing that some among the human race must be in some way better (more smart, humble, righteous, etc.) to the extent that they are able to make a libertarianly free choice for Christ while others neglect to do so. In response to this charge, Leighton Flowers in The Potter’s Promise offers several defenses which w...

The Golden Chain of Election unto Glory: An Interaction with Leighton Flowers on Romans 8:28-30

Posted on March 3, 2021March 3, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD Among Traditionalists, the supposed human possession of a libertarianly free will takes precedence of any and all other theological matters to such an extent that all relevant biblical passages are read in light of this affirmation. One such text is Romans 8:28-30 where Paul writes, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined t...

Are Christians Personally Chosen Before Creation?

Posted on February 28, 2021February 28, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD In Ephesians 1:4, Paul states that God “chose us in [Christ] before the foundation of the world.”[i] Among the Calvinists and Arminians, debate exists over whether or not Paul is declaring a doctrine of election where Christians are chosen by God even before creation itself existed. To determine Paul’s intent, this article will offer evidence to support a correct interpretation of Paul’s meaning. Basically, one can either understand Paul to be saying that all Chris...

Did We All Sin in Adam According to Romans 5:12?

Posted on February 27, 2021February 27, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD In Romans 5:12, Paul utters a theologically rich statement that has been the subject of much conjecture throughout history: “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.”[i] Within this verse, the majority of the debate surrounds Paul’s intent behind the last phrase, “because all have sinned.” While various interpretations exist, one of the more popular among them holds that h...

The Self-Sacrificial Love of Christ for the World in General and the Christian in Particular

Posted on February 25, 2021February 25, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD Among Christians, most would agree that Christ exhibited a love that was self-sacrificial. That being said, it is important to understand the biblical contours of His self-sacrificial love and the necessary divine constraints placed on such love by His other divine attributes. This article will discuss the relationship of Christ’s self-sacrificial love to the world and believers, and its connection with the fullness of God’s divine being. Christ’s self-sacrifice on...

The Soteriology of Leighton Flowers

Posted on February 23, 2021February 25, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD Claiming to be a former Calvinist, Leighton Flowers argues that Calvinists posit a God who “mak[es] vessels undeserving from birth so as to condemn them to display His glory.”[i] Calvinists, he continues, perceive God as being in “meticulous control over everything vessels do” to the extent that the vessels themselves no longer possess any personal responsibility as freewill is nonexistent.[ii] This view, he argues, arises from the according of primacy to God’s sovere...

Common Grace – The Solution to God’s Sovereignty Over Sin and Human Responsibility

Posted on February 13, 2021February 20, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD According to Scripture, all people since the fall of Adam and Eve are conceived in sin (Ps 51:5), born into a state of spiritual deadness (Eph 2:1), utterly hopeless in and of themselves as they are born into a state without God (Eph 2:12), “alienated and hostile in mind” (Col. 1:21), lovers of inequity (Jer 14:10; cf. Col 1:21), enemies of God (Rom. 5:10), hostile to God (Rom 8:7), completely incapable of pleasing God (Rom 8:8), “darkened in their understanding, excl...

Why is God Sorry in Genesis 6:5-6?

Posted on February 11, 2021February 11, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD In Genesis 6:5-6, the writer (Moses) says that God was “sorry” when He “saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”[i] Given that God was sovereignly aware of the fall of humanity and even His divine plan of redemption through the blood of Christ (Acts 2:23; 4:28; Rom 8:29-30; 11:2; 1 Cor 2:7; Eph 1:5, 11; 1 Pet 1:1-2), one wonders how God could be sorry for any events that unfol...

The Effect of Arminianism and Calvinism on Evangelism

Posted on February 9, 2021February 20, 2021 by markwchristy

By mark W. Christy, PhD In the Bible, God is clearly revealed as being sovereign over all creation. In this role of King, He can and does enforce His will upon all that is, including the actions of people, in such a way that His divine decisions always become manifest (Gen 45:8; 50:20; Prov 16:9;21:1; Matt 10:29; Acts 4:27f; Rom 8:20f; Eph 1:11). While He reigns as King, He also serves as Judge, and this is where the theological conundrum between the Arminians and Calvinists begins. As Judge...