Transforming Love
A deeply distressed father sat for two weeks in a pediatric ICU, watching his three-year-old son slowly die. During those two weeks he read through, quite surprisingly, a book on the Gospel. He later wrote to me, “I want to say to you the Gospel really is for real life.” This article is about sin and the forgiveness of sin.
Getting Off Scot-Free — You Too!?
Sufficient Evidence of Repentance
How You Can Know God Wants to Be with You
Does God want to be with you? This article explains that the desire of God is indeed to be with his people, and he has fulfilled this desire through his Son.
Ten Things You Should Know about Being Reconciled to God
The fruit of Christ's work is reconciliation with God for those who believe in Jesus Christ. What does it mean to be reconciled to God? Here are ten things you need to know.
The Preciousness of Forgiveness
God’s Wrath-Ending Sacrifice
Guilt Isn’t Just a “Religious” Problem
Guilt is something that not only believers but also unbelievers struggle with. This article explains that unbelievers also have a god, whose commands they try to obey but fail in their attempts, and continually suffer guilt and shame as a result. Only the biblical God can deal with guilt and silence the guilty conscience.
If Only I Had Been Saved by Merit!
Salvation by grace. This is difficult to believe, that we are not saved by merit. Have you ever wondered how it would be if you were saved by merit? This article explains.
Is There a Reformed Way to Get the Benefits of the Atonement to “Those Who Have Never Heard”?
This article deals with the question whether it is possible for someone who has never heard the gospel to be saved. The author hopes to give a nuance to a classically Reformed view of the doctrine of salvation to embrace everything Scripture teaches on this aspect of the faith. He also wants to make use of insights from so-called inclusivism, which can be useful when understood from a Reformed perspective.
Did Jesus Have to Die?
The Meaning of Propitiation
Propitiation is the appeasing of one offended by covering the cause of his anger. Propitiation speaks primarily to the effect of satisfaction upon God as the offended party. This article shows how Christ is the Propitiator.
Atonement
Every individual on earth is faced daily with this one question: how will you stand before the living and the holy God? In this context, atonement is central to the teaching of Scripture.
Jesus Paid It All
Did God fail to administer justice when he forgave Saul, even though he persecuted the church? This article shows that through Christ's work full payment was made for all sins, and in him God's justice was fulfilled.
Accused
Working from Revelation 12:10, this article shows that Satan operates as the accuser of believers. Satan points believers to their sins, making them doubt God's forgiveness. However, believers can be assured that Christ has achieved victory over sin and death.
Arguments Supporting the Doctrine of Limited Atonement
Looking at the doctrine of limited atonement, this article shows why atonement was needed in the case of man and God. The author also discusses the intended result of atonement, namely, salvation for sinners.
Christ - Our Satisfaction
The Forgiveness of Sins
Penal and More Jesus took Our Sin, but His Death wrought even more
Saved By a Cup of Water
As sinners, we all deserve condemnation and death. And yet, believers can be assured of their salvation, obtained for them through Christ's death!
Forgiveness
The joy of forgiveness can only be experienced in Christ through the confession of sins and in trusting God's faithfulness to forgive.
Arguments Supporting the Doctrine of Limited Atonement Part 2
Looking at the doctrine of limited atonement, this article focuses on the intended result of the atonement; namely, it was intended to satisfy God's wrath.
The Biblical Message of Reconciliation
Regarding the doctrine of reconciliation, this article notes the contemporary shift in focus from a strictly personal and religious sense to teh significance of reconciliation of social relationships. While not dismissing the need for this aspect in the doctrine, the author argues that the core focus must be upon the redemptive work of Christ.
Arguments Supporting the Doctrine of Limited Atonement (Part 15)
Looking at the doctrine of limited atonement, this article focuses on the role of the Triune God in working out atonement. The focus of this article is on the acts which were undertaken to accomplish atonement. The author speaks specifically about the intercession of Christ, showing that Christ intercedes for the elect only.
Arguments Supporting the Doctrine of Limited Atonement (Part 14)
Looking at the doctrine of limited atonement, this article focuses on the role of the Triune God in working out atonement. The focus of this article is on the acts which were undertaken to accomplish atonement. The author speaks specifically about the act of oblation; namely, the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
Arguments Supporting of the Doctrine of Limited Atonement (Part 13)
Looking at the doctrine of limited atonement, this article focuses on the role of the Triune God in working out atonement. The focus of this article is on the role of God the Holy Spirit in relationship to the birth of the Son.
Arguments Supporting of the Doctrine of Limited Atonement (Part 12)
Looking at the doctrine of limited atonement, this article focuses on the role of the Triune God in working out atonement. The focus of this article is on the role of God the Father. The author discusses the way in which the Father was involved in the coming of Christ as Saviour and Mediator, with emphasis given to the obedience of the Son to the Father and the intercessory work of the Son.
Arguments Supporting of the Doctrine of Limited Atonement (Part 11)
Looking at the doctrine of limited atonement, this article focuses on the role of the Triune God in working out atonement. The focus of this article is on the role of God the Father. The author discusses the way in which the Father was involved in the coming of Christ as Saviour and Mediator, with emphasis given to the wrath of the Father on the Son and the obedience of the Son to the Father.
Arguments Supporting of the Doctrine of Limited Atonement (Part 10)
Looking at the doctrine of limited atonement, this article focuses on the role of the Triune God in working out atonement. The focus of this article is on the role of God the Father. The author discusses the way in which the Father was involved in the coming of Christ as Saviour and Mediator, with emphasis on the economy of the covenants - a covenant between the Father and Son.
Arguments Supporting of the Doctrine of Limited Atonement (Part 9)
Looking at the doctrine of limited atonement, this article focuses on the role of the Triune God in working out atonement. The focus of this article is on the role of God the Father, discussing the way in which the Father was involved in the coming of Christ as Saviour and Mediator.
Arguments Supporting of the Doctrine of Limited Atonement (Part 8)
Looking at the doctrine of limited atonement, this article focuses on the role of the Triune God in working out atonement. The focus of this article is on the role of God the Father, discussing the way in which the Father was involved in the coming of Christ as Saviour and Mediator.
Arguments Supporting the Doctrine of Limited Atonement (Part 7)
Looking at the doctrine of limited atonement, this article focuses on the role of the Triune God in working out atonement. The focus of this article is on the role of God the Father, discussing the way in which the Father was involved in the coming of Christ as Saviour and Mediator.
Arguments Supporting the Doctrine of Limited Atonement (Part 6)
Looking at the doctrine of limited atonement, this article focuses on the role of the Triune God in working out atonement. The focus of this article is on the role of God the Father.
Arguments Supporting the Doctrine of Limited Atonement (Part 5)
Looking at the doctrine of limited atonement, this article focuses on the intended results of atonement; namely, sanctification and adoption.
Arguments Supporting the Doctrine of Limited Atonement (Part 4)
Looking at the doctrine of limited atonement, this article focuses on the intended results of the atonement; namely, reconciliation and justification.
Arguments Supporting the Doctrine of Limited Atonement Part 3
Looking at the doctrine of limited atonement, this article focuses on the intended result of the atonement; namely, it was intended for the renewal of the covenant, pointing to God's grace, mercy, forgiveness and justification.
Did Christ Die for Us or for God?
What is the innermost meaning of Jesus' crucifixion? What problem was God solving through the death of Christ? This article on Romans 3:25-26 maintains that the most basic purpose of the death of Christ is to demonstrate God's righteousness and justice.
Why Did God Become Man?: The Megashift Debate
The question of Anselm, "Why did God become man?" is not answered in a uniform way by Evangelical Christians. There used to be more of a consensus, more so than there is today. What did the atonement actually accomplish? There are basically four views held by Protestants.
The Gospel in the Gospels: Answering the Question “What Must I Do to Be Saved?” from the Synoptics
The Synoptic Gospels regularly describe the way one enters the kingdom of God. The Synoptics rarely in these contexts explicitly mention faith. The Gospels do not imply that people merit eternal life and the kingdom; nevertheless, active obedience provides the gateway to life. The article draws attention to the way the Gospels framed the doctrine of salvation (soteriology).
The Extent of the Atonement Revisited
The Demonstration of the Righteousness of God in Romans 3:25, 26
Romans 3:25, 26 refers to the righteousness of God. This righteousness is most naturally understood as God's commitment to always act for His own names' sake. This article is a study of God's righteousness as it is referred to in this passage.
The Justifying Judgement of God
Our contemporary preaching of the gospel message would be improved by making better use of the much neglected and misunderstood subject of divine judgment. The breadth of the biblical use of judgment is considered in this article and it is argued that judgment as a metaphor of atonement provides the wider context in which penal substitution should be understood. The metaphor of judgment can also be a means of coordinating disparate biblical images of the atonement.