Two Lists
I want to show you a list of 7 names. Count how many you recognize: Leonardo da Vinci Johann Sebastian Bach Ludwig van Beethoven Johannes Brahms Rembrandt George Gershwin [...]
Articles by Paul Ellis
King Herod and the Christmas Giveaway
Update: This Giveaway has ended. Subscribe to E2R to be notified of future giveaways. Looking for something fun and Biblical and Christmassy to do with your friends and [...]
The Real Seven Deadly Sins
Every year on my birthday, my wife makes a delicious gumbo. It’s so yummy I usually have a second helping. And by second, I mean third or fourth. It’s that good! But [...]
Why Does the Virgin Birth Matter?
One of the questions asked at Christmas is, “Was Jesus really born of a virgin?” Is this an important question? Some say no. They say they do not need to believe that [...]
Watch Out for the Holiness Preachers
As a teenager, I didn’t need anybody to tell me what to do. As an adult, I wish somebody would. Life is big and confusing. It’s full of anxiety, uncertainty, and [...]
What is the Whole Counsel of God? (Acts 20:27)
Tell people the good news of God’s unconditional love, and I can guarantee that some will chide you for not preaching the whole counsel of God. Tell people about the [...]
What Does it Mean to be Alienated from God? (Colossians 1:21)
Perhaps you know the story of Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda of the Imperial Japanese Army. When WW2 ended, it was a time of great joy and celebration. Prisoners were set free, and [...]
You are not a Doorkeeper in the House of God
“I am a bondservant of the Lord.” So said Paul and every other New Testament epistle writer. Works-preachers ever since have been saying that we are God’s servants who [...]
Will I Lose My Salvation if I Keep Sinning?
I’m just gonna say it: it is not God’s will for you to live in sin. “Wait, Paul. I thought you were a grace preacher. Aren’t you supposed to accept people just as [...]
An Early Look at Paul’s Next Book
My next book is a labor of love. I have been working on it for seven years and it’s time to let you know. It’s about a subject near and dear to my heart – the [...]
Why We Are Not a Red-Letter Church
“What kind of church are you?” I wasn’t sure how to answer the question. The lady who had rung my office was thinking of attending one of our Sunday services, but she [...]
Are All Sins Forgiven – Past, Present and Future?
Are all your sins forgiven, past, present and future? This is one of those questions that sounds hard but is easy to answer, provided you have the right definition. What does [...]
Tough Love for Drunks and Sinners
The late Brennan Manning once told a story about a new patient admitted to an alcoholic rehabilitation clinic. The patient, Max, appeared to be a healthy and respectable [...]
What is the Law of Liberty in the Bible? (James 1:25)
There are several types of law in the Bible, and if you don’t know which is which, you could get confused. Or worse. Follow the wrong sort of law and you could fall from [...]
How to Rightly Divide the Word of Truth – 2 Timothy 2:15 Explained
Ever read something in the Bible that seemed to contradict something else in the Bible? I used to be confused about those apparent contradictions, but now I love them. I know [...]
Spiritual Gifts – An Incomplete List (Romans 12:6)
Do you know your spiritual gifts? Every believer has spiritual gifts (see 1 Pet. 4:10), but not every believer has put their gifts to work. Have you? Spiritual gifts are [...]
Faith Without Works Is Dead – James 2:17
There is perhaps no more controversial scripture in the Bible than this gem from James: What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can [...]
10 Things that Distract you from Christ
The best lies are the ones that have a little truth mixed in. They sound convincing, they make sense, but like medicine mixed with poison, they can be deadly. This is why you [...]
How to Get Wisdom from God? (James 1:5)
Wisdom is the ability to make good decisions and sound judgments. Wisdom is knowing how to walk in the favor and will of God. We all need wisdom, especially when we come to [...]
A Grace Commentary for Every Believer
Imagine a world where every believer knows how to read scripture through a new covenant lens. Imagine they have a study guide that is simple, beautiful and free from mixture. [...]
3 Reasons Why You Need the Grace Commentary
A new generation is rising – men and women who eat, drink and breathe undiluted grace. They are done with dead works and mixture. For them, it’s grace or nothing. If this [...]
What Does it Mean to be Righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21)?
When I was a kid, my favorite moment in the school year was the minute the last exam finished. “Time’s up, pens down. Please remain seated until your paper is [...]
What does it Mean to Abide in the Vine? (John 15:5)
Abiding in the vine is the antidote to independence, and the remedy to barrenness. Every believer knows these words of Jesus. “Abide in me, and I in you” (John 15:4). But [...]
Who Are the Grace Preachers?
Can you recommend a grace-based church in my area? I get asked this question a lot. What people want to know is, where are the grace preachers? Or who are the grace [...]
Special Fathers’ Day Giveaway
Update: This giveaway has ended. Don’t miss out on future freebies. Sign up today and be the first to know. Type your email… Subscribe Hi friends, This Sunday is [...]
Are You Wearing the Full Armor of God?
One thing pastors like to do is dress up as Roman soldiers and preach on the armor of God. “You need to wear the full armor of God,” they say as they bash their gladii [...]
Law + Works + Grace = ?
The stories we tell ourselves shape our lives. For example, if you buy into a narrative that says, “The Bible is a book of rules we must obey,” you will find laws to obey [...]
The Study Bible You’ve Been Waiting For
Do you know how to use a Bible commentary? A commentary is a kind of explainer. It tells you what the scriptures mean. Or to be precise, it tells you what the commentator [...]
1 Corinthians 11:10 – What’s With the Head Coverings?
When I wrote my book about women in the church, my aim was to examine every verse that has been hijacked to oppress and silence women. I wanted to show that contrary to what [...]
“You Shall Surely Die” (Genesis 2:17)
Once upon a time you were spiritually dead. Then you met Jesus and now you are spiritually alive. Or so the story goes. Like many religious phrases the idea that we were [...]
Is it God’s Will for You to Suffer? What Does 1 Peter 4:19 Mean?
“Paul, why are you writing a Bible commentary? There are so many.” It’s true. There are many Bible commentaries out there. But as far as I know, there are no [...]
Do we need a New Covenant Study Bible?
The Bible contains the most beautiful, life-giving words. Yet many don’t see them because they’re reading scripture through the wrong lens. Consider the following verse: [...]
How to Test the Spirits (1 John 4:1)
Spirit, soul, and body – do you know the difference? Your spirit is that inner part of you that connects you to the spiritual world; your body or flesh is that external [...]
How to Walk in the Spirit – Romans 8:14
You were designed to be spiritual. You were created to walk in the spirit. Yet many people walk after the flesh. They make judgments based on what they hear, see, and [...]
What Does it Mean to be Spiritual?
What comes to mind when you think of the word spiritual? In scripture, we are exhorted to desire spiritual gifts, sing spiritual songs, and pray spiritual prayers. We are to [...]
Duck Church
Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish existentialist, used to tell a story about Duck Church. It goes something like this: Once upon a time there was a town of ducks. On Sunday [...]
Six Reasons Why Original Sin Cannot be True
Original sin says we were born bad to the bone. From the moment we drew our first breath, we were inclined towards sin, utterly depraved, and hostile towards God. Since [...]
Are your Children Natural Born Sinners?
A few years ago, the Babylon Bee published a satirical article entitled “Woman Finally Accepts Doctrine of Total Depravity Now That Daughter Is Two.” The article was [...]
E2R Turns 13 and It’s Time for a Change
I used to write about grace and nothing but grace. When I started writing Escape to Reality 13 years ago, I wrote about forgiveness and the unconditional love of God and how [...]
Can you Trust ChatGPT to Teach You about Grace?
ChatGPT, an A.I.-based chatbot that was released in November 2022, may be the biggest technological breakthrough to affect the church since the invention of the printing [...]
30 Ways Your Flesh Reacts to Trouble
You arrive at a moment of crisis. Perhaps you are in your boss’s office or the medical clinic. You’re fighting with your spouse or you’ve heard bad news. The heat is on [...]
What Happens to Unbaptized Infants Who Die?
If the doctrine of original sin is true, and everyone is born with a sinful nature and a rebel towards God, what happens to babies who die? Do babies go to hell? Do they go [...]
Feeling Knocked Down this Christmas?
What will be your highlight of 2022? I’ve got a bunch, but one that tops the list happened in September. It ranks right up there with Lazarus rising from the dead. Almost. [...]
What Does it Mean to Keep His Commandments? What does 1 John 5:3 Mean?
Here’s a verse that can trip you up: For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. (1 John 5:3a) What commandments is John talking about? If you have not [...]
Out today The Grace Bible: 1–3 John & Jude
If you have ever wondered, How do I read this scripture through a new covenant lens? The Grace Bible is for you. In The Grace Bible every verse is explained from the [...]
Patriarchy is not God’s Plan for Your Marriage
God intended for marriage to be between one man and one woman, but the fall of man opened the door to two evils; polygyny and patriarchy. Polygyny replaces partnership [...]
Has Original Sin Made you a Bad Parent?
One of the strangest things I had to get used to as a young father, was my children freely admitting to their sins. Adam and Eve hid when they sinned, but my kids bragged [...]
The True Meaning of Holiness
When I was a teenager, I was involved in a band with some church friends. There were four of us in the band and I played the keyboard. One day, I got in an argument with the [...]
How to Have a Perfectly Good Conscience
Many people struggle with guilt on a daily basis. They feel guilty for not spending more time with their kids and for not calling their parents. They feel guilty for working [...]
Do Christians have a Sinful Nature?
Ever heard the one about how you have two natures wrestling inside you and the one that dominates is the one you feed the most? It’s not true. Christian, you do not have a [...]
What is the True Significance of the Virgin Birth?
One of the central tenets of the Christian faith is the miracle of the virgin birth. Jesus had no earthly father but was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born from the Virgin [...]
The Gospel in Ten Words – Tenth Anniversary
Ten years ago this week, my book The Gospel in Ten Words was released. To mark the anniversary, I thought I’d answer a few questions nobody ever asked, such as… Why did [...]
Is a Silent Wife a Gift from the Lord?
Recently in New Zealand, there was a job advertisement calling for a couple to manage a holiday camp. According to the ad, the ideal wife would have knowledge of Microsoft [...]
How to Get Paul’s New Book Before It Goes on Sale
“You’re being selective with scripture.” Ever heard that one? Tell people about the unconditional love of God and you’ll hear things like: “You’re cherry-picking [...]
Judged for Our Work and Living in Fear
A reader asked me how to read the following verse through a new covenant lens: If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct [...]
New Testament Scriptures Used to Support Original Sin
Augustine’s doctrine of original sin says you were born bad to the bone and hostile to God. You inherited Adam’s rebellious and sinful nature and your kids are going to [...]
Old Testament Scriptures Used to Support Original Sin
Since publishing my article refuting the doctrine of original sin, several readers have asked “What about this scripture?” Some people seem to think Augustine’s [...]
The Religious Origins of Original Sin
For 2000 years Augustine’s doctrine of original sin has taught that you were a natural born sinner, stained with Adam’s sin. From the moment you drew your first breath, [...]
Original Sin is Unbiblical
The doctrine of original sin is one of the most damaging lies ever inflicted on the human race. Developed by Tertullian and popularized by Augustine, original sin says we all [...]
Why Does Jesus Hate Divorce? (Luke 16:18)
In the modern church we think we treat women well. We tell ourselves that we are enlightened, educated and respectful. But in the very next breath we tell women they can’t [...]
What to do When You’re Facing Death (Revelation 2:10)
If you are facing a sentence of death – a bad report, a scary diagnosis, the loss of a business – you would do well to read Christ’s letter to the church at [...]
Introducing The Grace Bible
For years, people have been asking me, “Paul, what’s your favorite Bible?” That’s a tough question, like asking me to pick my favorite child. What people really want [...]
How Do We Keep the Word of His Perserverance?
You know that warning about not adding words to the Bible? I think of it whenever I read passages like this: You have kept my command to endure patiently… (Revelation [...]
Who has Authority in a Marriage?
Who has the authority in a marriage, the husband or the wife? For much of human history, the men were in charge, and their wives were considered little more than property. [...]
Two Lies About Sin
The worst disease to ever afflict the human race is not Covid or cancer, but sin. Sin is not merely breaking the rules or acting immorally. Sin is much more serious than [...]
Doers of the Law Will be Justified? (Romans 2:13)
Was the Apostle Paul confused when he wrote Romans 2:13? Because this verse doesn’t seem to belong in the Bible: For it is not the hearers of the law who are just before [...]
What is the Sin Leading to Death?
There are different types of sin, and some more serious than others. Apparently we should pray for those who do the lighter sins, but not waste time praying for those who do [...]
What Does it Mean to Fall from Grace?
“Did you hear about that famous pastor/prophet/teacher who was exposed as a fraud? What a fall from grace!” The fall-from-grace phrase is sometimes used to describe [...]
What is the Biblical Definition of Sin?
What is sin? Some define sin as transgression of God’s law. “We need to keep the law because ‘sin is lawlessness’” (see 1 John 3:4). Okay, but which law? “We have [...]
What is the Modern Grace Message?
A man once asked me a question: “I want to show my friends that the gospel of grace is not the latest fad. Can you direct me to some early church teachings on grace?” I [...]
Last chance to get “The Happy, Wondrous, Divine Exchange”
Just a gentle reminder that you have about 24 hours to take advantage of our special offer. “What special offer?” Sign up as a patron by Saturday and you will receive my [...]
The World’s Most Popular Sermon
Many years ago I heard a sermon that radically changed my understanding of the cross. The sermon was recorded on a cassette tape in 1987, and it is no exaggeration to say [...]
Is God’s Love Unconditional?
“Is God’s love really unconditional? The phrase unconditional love is not even in the Bible!” Ever heard that one? How about this one: “God’s love is unconditional, [...]
What is the Hour of Testing Coming on the Whole World?
Once again, the world seems on the brink of destruction. Pandemics, terrorism, nuclear threats. Could this be the end? It probably isn’t, but it is an excellent time to [...]
What does the Bible Say About the Flesh?
The flesh is one of the most confusing words in the Bible. What does it mean? And is the flesh good or bad? Why did Paul say he was alive in the flesh but then say he had [...]
Are Women Weaker Vessels? (1 Peter 3:7)
Running through the tapestry of human history is a sexist thread that says women are weaker and inferior to men. They are second-born and second-best. This is what the [...]
Did Paul Preach a Different Gospel?
Read the New Testament and you might come away with the idea that there is more than one gospel. The very first words of the New Testament in the King James Bible are, “The [...]
All Your Questions Answered
Do you have questions about God, the Bible, the church, money, parenting, sin, and life in general? Over the past few weeks I have revamped E2R’s questions page. Hundreds [...]
What is a Biblical Definition of Faith?
What is faith? We talk about faith all the time, but what is it? Do you know what faith is? Of course you do, right? Are you sure? Maybe a better question to ask is, “Do I [...]
1 Timothy 2:15 – Are Women Saved through Childbearing?
One of the strangest verses in the Bible is found in Paul’s first letter to Timothy: But women will be saved through childbearing – if they continue in faith, love and [...]
What is the Gospel of Grace? (Acts 20:24)
Few things are more important than life itself. You might give your life for a child or a loved one. Maybe you would give your life for your country. The Apostle Paul gave [...]
Paul’s Review of The Passion Translation
Several years ago, readers started telling me about this new Bible called the Passion Translation. “It’s fresh. It’s brilliant. Check it out.” The buzz reminded me of [...]
E2R’s 12th Birthday and our Biggest Giveaway Ever!
UPDATE: This giveaway is now finished. Sign up to be notified of future giveaways: Type your email… Subscribe Join 38.6K other subscribers Today is Escape to [...]
What is the Law in the Bible?
Pop question: When Jesus said, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’?” what law was he referring to? Was he referring to the Law of Moses or some [...]
What is the Law of Christ? (Galatians 6:1)
There are many laws in the Bible. There is the Law of Moses and the Law of God. There is the law of sin and the law of faith. There is the law of righteousness and the law of [...]
What is the Royal Law in the Bible? (James 2:8)
What is the royal law? Do you need to keep it and what happens if you don’t? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor [...]
What is the Difference Between Mercy and Grace? (Hebrews 4:16)
What is mercy and how does it relate to grace? Is mercy the same as grace, or is it something different? Some people miss grace because they think it grace = mercy. They [...]
What Does 1 Peter 3:7 Mean?
A man recently asked me about a troubling verse. “My wife says my prayers are hindered because I don’t respect her enough.” He was referring to this verse: Husbands, in [...]
What is Grace?
As C.S. Lewis famously observed, grace is the one thing that makes Christianity unique. Grace is what makes the new covenant new and the good news good news. But what is [...]
How to Get to the Front of the E2R Queue
“What do you do all day, Paul?” You’d be surprised how often I am asked this question. It’s usually easier to tell people what I don’t do. I’m a writer, but I [...]
Why did God Hate Esau and Love Jacob?
God loves the whole world. He loves everyone – you, me, your neighbor. He loves presidents and prime ministers. He loves scandal-plagued clerics and drug-ridden athletes. [...]
A Christmas Message from Paul
A year ago I asked a question. “Lord, I’ve been writing E2R for years. What’s next?” It’s not that I was tired of telling people about grace; far from it. It’s [...]
Why did Mary Find Favor with God? (Luke 1:30)
Imagine God asked you to recruit the mother of the Messiah. Two women have been shortlisted, and you have been asked to pick the best one. The first woman has an impeccable [...]
Are you Complementarian, Egalitarian, or Something Else?
Every one of us holds a view about the role of women. What can they do; what can’t they do? Your answers to these questions defines your bias. “Wait, I’m not biased!” [...]
Making Church Skits Cool Again
As a teenager, I was in the church drama team. It was cool. On Fridays we’d rehearse, and on Sunday’s we’d perform. We were so good that we were invited to perform in [...]
Does Sin Hinder our Prayers?
Ever heard this one: “God is holy. If you have unconfessed sin in your life, he will not hear your prayers.” It’s. Not. True. If sin made God deaf, no sinner could be [...]
Why Aren’t All Healed? (And Other Questions I’ve Been Asked)
I love a good question. I love questions so much, I wrote a book full of them. What’s so great about questions? As I say in that book, Questions are stepping stones to [...]
How Does a Husband Act Like a Head?
Here’s a line you may have heard: “God has ordained the husband to be the head of the marriage, which means he’s in charge.” The first bit is biblical; the second bit [...]
Introducing JesusScripts.com
I blame Covid. On account of lockdowns, my kids could no longer attend youth group. I had to step up, and fill the gap. But I am no youth leader, and my Bible classes were [...]
The Grace Commentary Passes a Milestone
It’s amazing how much can change in a year. For as long as I have been writing Escape to Reality, readers have been asking, “Paul, why don’t you write a commentary?” [...]
Escape to Reality 