The Bible in Context
Can believers lose their salvation? According to the doctrine called the perseverance of the saints, also known as eternal security or “once saved, always saved,” the answer is no. The saints are guaranteed by God to persevere to the end, and therefore, they will be saved. They cannot and they will not lose their salvation. … Read more
According to Paul, a battle rages between the flesh and the Spirit. In the original Greek the word “flesh” is sarx; the word Spirit is pneuma and it refers to God’s Holy Spirit. The word “flesh” is the most commonly used word to translate sarx. It is used in the NIV, NRSV, ESV, HCSB and … Read more
In his book, The Deliverance of God, Douglas Campbell argues that Romans 1:18–3:20 should be read as an ancient form of rhetoric, known as prosopopoeia or in modern-day terms, parody. This type of literary device was used in the writings of Plato to show the absurdity of an opponent’s argument. If Campbell’s interpretation is correct, … Read more
Some passages of Scripture contain ideas that are so great they blow me away. Consider the text below: 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is … Read more
The traditional Protestant understanding of salvation places a strong emphasis on personal faith. For example, “If you believe, you will be saved.” This emphasis can be a healthy corrective to the prideful idea that we are saved by our good deeds. But while it’s not often recognized, the same danger lurks in the emphasis on … Read more