salvation

How Do I Know I’m Saved?

October 13, 2016 // 113 Comments

“Are you saved? Are you sure?” These questions are sometimes used to scare people into signing up for works-based insurance. They also trigger salvation-anxiety. Yet the questions are legitimate. In scripture we are exhorted to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith (2 Cor 13:5). This does [...]

What Does it Mean to Take Up Your Cross Daily?

July 3, 2013 // 185 Comments

Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). What does it mean to take up your cross daily? I’m going to give you two interpretations and you can choose. Interpretation #1: Jesus is preaching self-denial “Following Christ is all [...]

Jesus and the Starfish

October 1, 2012 // 70 Comments

A starfish lay dying on the burning sand. A universalist walked by and saw the starfish’s plight. “What’s up little starfish?” “I’m dying on the burning sand. If only someone could throw me in the cool, cool ocean.” “I’ve got good news for you little starfish. No one dies on the burning sand,” [...]

Is Adam greater than Jesus?

April 2, 2012 // 39 Comments

“Are you saying that Adam is greater than Jesus?” This is a comment I often hear from those who preach universal salvation. It usually comes at the end of a conversation like this: Me: Jesus died and rose again so that we might have new life, His life. Repent and believe the good news! They: No, everyone is [...]

Forgiven, reconciled, and saved?

March 13, 2012 // 38 Comments

The world sure is a strange place. Just when you think you’ve seen everything, something new hits you on the side of the head. When I was growing up, the number one theological question was this one: “Once saved, always saved?” People who asked this question wanted to know whether it is possible for a [...]

Is Jesus the savior of the world?

March 7, 2012 // 72 Comments

I know, it’s a dumb question. And yet among Christians this question – Is Jesus the Savior of the world? – leads to two radically different answers: (1) Yes – all can be saved (2) Yes – all are now saved Between these two answers lies one of biggest debates raging on Gracebook, sorry [...]

Laodicea, Part 4: “Buy” Your Salvation (Rev 3:18)

May 21, 2010 // 18 Comments

UPDATE: This is an old article. An updated and expanded commentary on this passage can be found in Paul’s book Letters from Jesus. The letter to the Laodiceans is just 222 words long. In 47 of those words Jesus describes the Laodiceans and lukewarm and self-sufficient. The thing that made them self-sufficient [...]