Grace

By Robert N. Wilkin

[Editor’s Note: Robert Wilkin and the Grace Evangelical Society permitted TTVF Journal to reprint “Chapter Sixty-Three” of Wilkin’s book, Faith Alone in 100 Verses (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2020).]

Chapter Sixty-Three

Salvation by Grace Through Faith,
Apart from Works (Ephesians 2:8-9)

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and
that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Saved by Grace Through Faith

Ephesians 2:8 is speaking of the past salvation of the readers. Paul uses a perfect tense (“you have been saved”). In Greek the perfect tense refers to something which occurred in the past and which has an abiding result. In Ephesians 2:8 the perfect tense means that the Christians in Ephesus were saved in the past; they are still saved now; and they will remain saved forever. Paul is saying that the readers have everlasting life that can never be lost.

By Shawn Lazar

[Editor’s Note: Now and again, an extraordinary example of grace surfaces within the body of Christ. For several years, the Grace Evangelical Society (GES) has been falsely accused of promoting a “cross-less” gospel. As Director of Publications for GES, Shawn Lazar answers these charges in his blog, not with vitriolic venom and accusations of heresy, but with grace and truth to clarify GES’s doctrinal position. In a nutshell, he argues that Jesus says what He means and means what He says: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).[65] Shawn Lazar graciously allowed us to reprint this 2018 Blog, updated on 8/20/21 ( https://faithalone.org/blog/genuine-disagreements-in-the-free-grace-movement/ ). May you enjoy both his exposition and Godly example.

Introduction

I’m sad to say there is a lot of “fake news” about GES online, where people have made outlandish claims about what we believe. Frankly, I think much of it counts as bearing false witness against GES. However, despite the fake news, there are some areas of genuine disagreement between GES and our critics in the Free Grace movement (many of whom I count as friends). We should be open about these disagreements, recognize them, and seek out the Biblical truth about them. In this blog, I summarize some of those disagreements as I see them.

HEBREWS CHAPTER 6

By Ken W. Yates

[Editor’s Note: Few books in the New Testament create as much tension for believers as the book of Hebrews. Yates, himself, openly acknowledges: “It is ironic that the book I once dreaded and avoided has become a source of comfort and motivation. Hebrews does not threaten the Christian with the loss of salvation. Instead, it greatly encourages believers to remain faithful to the Lord in the midst of this fallen world in which we live. Grace will do that… If you are now looking for the strength and motivation to serve the Lord and please Him, the Book of Hebrews is for you. We will be His partners forever, if we persevere.” (Ken Yates, Hebrews: Partners with Christ (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2019), 9-10.)]

The Third Warning Passage

As previously mentioned, 5:11-14 introduces the third warning passage in the Book of Hebrews. In those verses the author specifically says that the readers have failed in their Christian living because they have not gone on to maturity. Here in Chap. 6 the author tells them to press on to such maturity (6:1-3), what will happen if they fall back (6:4-8), and then gives them another call to hold fast to their hope (6:9-12). At the end of the chapter, he concludes this warning.

Go on to Maturity (6:1-3)