God’s Desire for the Salvation of All and the Biblical Reality of Hell

Posted on January 21, 2021January 21, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD At times, the Bible seems to teach that God desires all people to be saved. In his discussion on the coming Day of the Lord (i.e., Judgement Day), Peter writes, “The Lord is…not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9).[i] Calling upon the faithful to pray (in context, he is specifically calling on men to pray in the worship service), Paul observes the heart of God “desires all men to be saved” (1 Tim 2:4). Ezekiel, also noting the desi...

The Gospel of False Hope Among Some Southern Baptists (and Others)

Posted on January 20, 2021January 20, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD Before beginning, it is important to affirm that many Southern Baptists rightfully (and in line with Scripture) declare salvation comes through faith and repentance in Jesus Christ alone. As a person who grew up, professed faith, and received baptism in a Southern Baptist church before eventually earning three degrees from a Southern Baptist seminary, I can certainly attest to this. Even so, a troubling thought frequently visited me in my early years at seminary conce...

John 12:32 and God’s Saving Grace

Posted on January 20, 2021September 30, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD In John 12:32, Jesus declares, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”[i] On the surface, some suggest that this verse is offering evidence that Christ draws all people to Himself in such a way that all people can freely respond to saving grace. This position, known as the doctrine of resistible grace (RG), lies in stark contrast to what has been called the doctrine of irresistible grace (IG). According to IG, whomever God sovereignly c...

The Doctrine of Christ’s Eternal Sonship

Posted on January 18, 2021January 19, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD This doctrine is supported by many passages throughout Scripture. The Bible specifically declares that ‘the Son’ created all things (Col 1:13-16; Heb 1:2). In Colossians 1:15, Paul says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”[i] This suggests that Christ’s Sonship existed at least before creation. While Scripture speaks of Christ’s physical birth through Mary, it also teaches that Christ was sent into the world as the Son, and this i...

Were False Teachers Bought by the Lord in 2 Peter 2:1?

Posted on January 17, 2021January 17, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD In 2 Peter 2:1, the apostle seems to quite clearly suggest that false teachers have been “bought” by the Lord: “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.”[i] These false teachers, however, could not have been born-again or regenerate because Peter goes on to say (among other th...

The Holy Spirit’s Work Before Salvation

Posted on January 17, 2021January 17, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD In the Old Testament (OT), God’s people, saved by faith in the revelation made available to them at the time, were able to repent and trust in God (e.g. Abraham, Job, David, Jeremiah). Both of these activities reveal the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. In earnest repentance, David cried out, “Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me” (Ps 51:11).[i] David’s prayer reveals that in some way the Holy Spirit was an active part...

Victorious Living for Those Who Have Been Made Victorious in Christ

Posted on January 16, 2021January 17, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD According to Scripture, Christians are expected to fully obey the commands of God. In John 14:15, Jesus says emphatically, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (cf. John 14:21; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 1:6).[i] Jesus also says that His true followers will obey God: “For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:35). In Ephesians, Paul notes that “the will of God” must be done “from the heart” (Eph 6:6) Finally, Jesus even goes ...

John 1:29 and the Atonement

Posted on January 16, 2021January 17, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD Robert Wilkin, in Is Calvinism Biblical?, offers two verses (John 1:29; 2 Peter 2:1) which he claims offer solid biblical support for the doctrine of unlimited atonement (UA).[i] This doctrine, held by Arminians among others, states that Jesus died for the sins of all people and not just the elect (those chosen by God). To be clear, this doctrine still affirms some people will still go to hell, but their final eternal destination is ultimately dependent on their respo...

Biblical Proof of Authentic Salvation

Posted on January 15, 2021January 17, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD John MacArthur, in a sermon entitled “The Distinctive Qualities of the True Christian, Part 3” offers five non-proofs of salvation: “a past supposed conversion event,” moral living, “head knowledge,” “religious activity,” and “service in the name of Christ.”[i] Relying on Philippians 3:3, he argues that true Christians long (in their hearts) to glorify, praise, and serve God. They rejoice in Christ and desire to see Him exalted among people. Finally, he contends that ...

Getting to Heaven among the Many Religious Paths

Posted on January 15, 2021January 15, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD Most people in the world typically imagine some sort of heaven as their future resting place upon their demise. To believe in the existence of such a place, one is required to traverse the line of demarcation between the physical laws of science and venture into the supernatural sphere. Once the journey begins, most simply choose the foolhardiest of options by simply conjuring in their minds the blissful future which they hopes awaits them. Others seek out various rel...