Reconciling Jesus Prohibition of Oath-Taking with Paul’s Practice of Taking Oaths

Posted on March 18, 2021March 18, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD In His famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus appeared to prohibit the practice of oath-taking when He said rather emphatically, “make no oath at all” (Matt 5:34).[i] Likewise, James offers similar instructions: “But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment” (5:12). Many Christians, upon reading this, begin to avoid the practice. This articl...

Recurring Problems with Salvation Plans

Posted on March 17, 2021March 17, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD Every true Christian should be motivated to share the good news. In line with this right motivation, many evangelical churches invite their members to participate in evangelistic training which frequently involves some sort of material offering a simplified version of the gospel along with a simplified method of delivery. Among Southern Baptists, some of these include the FAITH gospel presentation, the Four Spiritual Laws, Steps to Peace with God, and the ABC’s of Sal...

Jesus was Angry and Called People Fools: Can We?

Posted on March 17, 2021March 17, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD In Matthew 5:22, Jesus declares, “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.”[i] At first glance, it would seem that Jesus stands against anger and especially condemns derisive name-calling. This, however, must be considered more deeply in l...

Replacing the Sinner’s Prayer with the True Gospel

Posted on March 12, 2021August 3, 2022 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD In many evangelical churches, it is not uncommon for those who wish to convert to be led in what is known commonly as the sinner’s prayer. At many of these churches, there exists a desire to see people come to Christ which may indeed be genuine even while at times misguided. At others, the drive for success, which unfortunately is determined by the number of converts, may have become the primary motivating factor. Nonetheless, the usage of the sinner’s prayer is extre...

The Biblical Necessity of Baptism

Posted on March 10, 2021March 10, 2021 by markwchristy

By Mark W. Christy, PhD Jesus Himself instituted the practice of Christian baptism by having John the Baptist baptize Him (Luke 3:21-22). Unlike the others whom John had baptized, Christ’s baptism included the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and even a public statement of divine acceptance by God: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased” (Luke 3:22).[i] This central importance of baptism can be seen further in its inclusion into the Great Commission. In giving this to His disciples, ...

Being a Light for Christ in the Workplace

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

By Mark W. Christy, PhD After giving His Sermon on the Mount which lists the identifying marks of true believers, Jesus said this of Christians, “You are the light of the world” (Matt 5:14).[i] Those who follow Jesus, who is Himself the “Light of the world,” are therefore expected to exhibit Christlikeness in all aspects of their lives (John 8:12). Paul put it this way, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of ...

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...