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Are We Saved by Grace?

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Author and scholar H. Ray Dunning answers an elementary yet profound question affecting all people seeking God’s forgiveness and grace in their lives: Are we saved by grace? The Apostle Paul repeatedly stresses the centrality…

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John 6 and Calvinism in Fresh Perspective

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The sixth chapter of John’s Gospel is either a monster text in support of Calvinistic predestination, or else a fountain of revelation on some other spiritual truth. Admittedly, exegesis of this chapter by Arminian scholars…

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Calvinism’s Missing Contexts- Part 1

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This blog post is written by pastor Christopher Chapman, a member of SEA. Philippians 1:29 “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him…

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Calvinism’s Missing Contexts- Part 3

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This blog post is written by pastor Christopher Chapman, a member of SEA. Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion…

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The Awakening of God to Our Sins

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The Awakening of God to Our Sins written by SEA member, Roy Ingle Salvation is of the Lord. We affirm that but let us consider that truth played out in our lives. When I was…

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1 John 2:2 and “the World”

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1 John 2:2 and “the World” This post was written by SEA member, Roy Ingle Calvinists insist that the word “world” in 1 John 2:2 cannot possibly mean “the whole world” but instead they take…

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Why I Am an Arminian, Part 2 of 2

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This is the second half of a paper, the first half of which attempted to make a positive case for Arminianism. This second half deals with objections that Calvinists have traditionally made to Arminianism, and offers answers to those objections from the Arminian point of view.

Objections from Reformed Theology
The above outline [in part 1] of the Arminian position purposely makes its case without reference to the Calvinistic objections that have been made to the various points. A summary of these follows. (It should go without saying that this section does not pretend to give an orderly or complete presentation of the Calvinist position. It merely responds point by point to the Arminian position represented above.) Letters in parentheses refer to the acronym TULIP, and thus to the various points of “five point” Calvinism.

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Why I Am an Arminian, Part 1 of 2

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The following paper is meant to be an overview of what I believe with regard to the doctrine of Divine election. The first half, contained in this post, will explain why Arminianism–the rejection of unconditional divine election of specific individuals to salvation–is so often defended only in reaction to the Calvinist position, and will attempt to make a positive, Biblical case for Arminianism, without specific reference to the Calvinist position. The second half of the paper will discuss the Calvinist critique of Arminianism and attempt to respond to that critique from the Arminian point of view. The paper as a whole is merely intended to be an overview, not an exhaustive examination of the issues that surround divine election; a close exegetical study of the Biblical passages that bear upon divine election is necessary to decide upon one position or another.

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Roger Olson, “Prevenient Grace: Why It Matters”

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“Prevenient Grace: Why It Matters”

by Roger Olson

This is a follow up to my earlier post regarding the statement of the traditional Southern Baptist view of salvation by certain Southern Baptist non-Calvinist, non-Arminian pastors and theologians. If you have not read that post, go back and read it before reading this one. Here I am picking up where I left off there and taking some comments subsequent to it into account.

Also, here, I am not delving into the debate between Calvinists and Arminians over the nature of prevenient grace as irresistible or resistible. That’s certainly interesting and much discussed in evangelical and Baptist circles, but here I am simply talking about prevenient grace AS IT IS BELIEVED BY BOTH CALVINISTS AND ARMINIANS.

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A New Perspective on Ephesians 1 and 2

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This post was originally published as the third installment of a series, the first two numbers being “The New Perspective on Paul” and “The New Perspective and the Development of Reformed Doctrine.” The background for…

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