Category Archives: Biblically Speaking

This category is for topics and issues which come back to specific biblical answers and debates. It is especially concerned with God’s grace and the Christian life…and, with keeping the Gospel of faith alone in Christ alone crystal clear.

Biblically Speaking

The Credo Review: MacArthur or Hodges?

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Credo Magazine (not associated with Credo House) published a review of Back to Faith. Credo Magazine describes itself as “… self-consciously Evangelical, Reformational, and Baptistic,” so it stands to reason that they would seek to uphold the tradition found in the cliche [We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is not alone].

Honestly, I am grateful for the interaction on such an important issue as the role of faith and works in the life of the Christian.

Now I want to address some of the points:

Back to Faith: Reclaiming Gospel Clarity in an Age of Incongruence. By Fred R. Lybrand.

Reviewed by Lucas Bradburn

LUCAS SAID [Thirty or so years after the “Lordship salvation” controversy overtook the evangelical world, the debate still continues. While the issue no longer is at the center of theological conversation, the two sides in the debate—typically identified as “Lordship salvation” and “free grace theology”—continue to produce books. Representing the free grace camp, Fred R. Lybrand has recently contributed to the discussion with his book entitled Back to Faith: Reclaiming Gospel Clarity in an Age of Incongruence. Right off the bat Lyband’s readers are prepared for the book’s thesis through his provocative dedication to both John MacArthur and Zane Hodges, veteran players in the lordship debate. It quickly becomes apparent which person had the greater influence upon Lybrand.]

While I know Lucas means to say that Zane Hodges influenced me more on this topic than MacArthur did, it isn’t really a clear understanding of the influence these men have had on me.  MacArthur’s influence was pre-1983 when I entered Dallas Theological Seminary.  Oddly enough, this corresponds with the noted change in MacArthur’s theology surrounding the ‘lordship’ issue. One clearly does not hear much ‘lordship teaching’ in JMc’s pre-1984 sermons.  And, as I describe in Back to Faith, he especially was used to give me a heart for honoring the Bible as the Word of God.  MacArthur also deepened in me a desire to stay faithful to the text and its context.

Hodges certainly influenced me in an understanding of grace, but Ryrie, Chafer, Spurgeon, Stanford, Radmacher, Elliot Johnson and many others can’t be dismissed from the conversation.  And too, I’ve read my my Bible as well 🙂  What I feel Lucas also fails to realize is that I took a major stand against Zane’s aberrant discussion of the gospel (in association with the Grace Evangelical Society – GES – Bob Wilkin).  The article I wrote is available here:  GES GOSPEL OPEN LETTER (Lybrand) .  Frankly, I lost a number of dear friends over the stand I took.  Nonetheless, to date no one has challenged my analysis in any printed form…and…the issue involved (the errant idea that the cross is unnecessary to know/believe in order to receive eternal life by faith).  In fact, God seems to have used the “Open Letter” (along with other’s like Tom Stegall’s The Gospel of Christ) to essentially end the issue.

What I am committed to is the meaning in the text itself.  There are times when we are tempted to run ahead of the Bible and force-fit passages to our theology.  Honestly, I think both John MacArthur and Zane Hodges have done such from time to time.  I hardly believe I’m immune either.  Nonetheless, both men are dear to me in individual ways…and oddly, I don’t see them as enemies of the gospel—just imperfect men who overstated their case from time to time.

In Back to Faith, I basically argue that Zane flirted too much with Easy Believism (bordering on Universalism at times), while John flirted too much with Works-as-Proof (bordering on sounding like works are necessary for eternal life).  Sola Fide is only maintained when these ditch-like extremes are carefully avoided in the safe part of the road that honors the profound distinction between Justification and Sanctification (birth and growth).

God bless,

Fred Lybrand

 Back to Faith is on Kindle Now

Biblically Speaking, Resources to Consider

Free: Chapter 2 of Back to Faith on James 2:14 ff

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Hi All,

As you know, James 2 is one of the most highly debated sections in the Bible. 

I want to give you a link to the entire chapter on James 2 from my book, Back to Faith, absolutely free.  Just promote the truth if you get convinced!

This chapter is an indepth look at the three common views:

  • The Roman Catholic View
  • The Reformed View
  • The Free Grace View

I look forward to your thoughts…please tell your friends.

James 2:14ff Link from Back to Faith

Blessings,

 

Fred Lybrand

Just a name and email address will have the chapter on James 2 on its way —————————>

Biblically Speaking

Even More Proof that Election / Eternal Security = the “P” in TULIP

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Here is another example of how Election is tied to the “P” in TULIP and is essentially understood to be about Eternal Security.

This doctrine [Perseverance] does not stand alone but is a necessary part on the Calvinistic system of theology. The doctrines of Election and Efficacious grace logically imply the certain salvation of those who receive these blessings. If God has chosen men absolutely and unconditionally to eternal life, and if His Spirit effectively applies to them the benefits of redemption, the inescapable conclusion is that these persons shall be saved.

Loraine Boettner, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination, 8th ed. (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans 1958), p. 182)

Biblically Speaking

More Proof that Election / Eternal Security = the “P” in TULIP

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Perseverance is tied to Election in the mind of the Calvinist, and is essentially about Eternal Life.

Here is an excerpt from Millard Erickson’s Christian Theology (Vol. III, 983-987). Erickson clearly understands the essence of the matter:

The Calvinist position is both clear and forthright on this matter: “They whom God hath accepted in His Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the and, and be eternally saved.” [Westminster Confession] This point is consistent with the remainder of the Calvinist theological system. Since God has elected certain individuals out of the mass of fallen humanity to receive eternal life, and those so chosen will necessarily come to receive eternal life, it follows that there must be a permanence to their salvation. If the elect could at some point lose their salvation, God’s election of them to eternal life would not be truly effectual.

Biblically Speaking

Even if I Challenge that Works are Guaranteed…Is TULIP 100% Wrong?

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So let’s biblically discuss TULIP. Why is it true or false from scripture?

I believe the real sources of ‘Calvinism” are from the historical documents. There are lots of variations (in every view of everything). But the basics are in Dort https://www.rca.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=410 and the Westminster Confession http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds/wcf.htm

I’d like to begin where I can win because you all already believe it: P

Perseverance (snippets)

From the Synod of Dort

Article 8: The Certainty of This Preservation

So it is not by their own merits or strength but by God’s undeserved mercy that they neither forfeit faith and grace totally nor remain in their downfalls to the end and are lost. With respect to themselves this not only easily could happen, but also undoubtedly would happen; but with respect to God it cannot possibly happen. God’s plan cannot be changed; God’s promise cannot fail; the calling according to God’s purpose cannot be revoked; the merit of Christ as well as his interceding and preserving cannot be nullified; and the sealing of the Holy Spirit can neither be invalidated nor wiped out.

From Westminster

Of The Perseverance of the Saints.

I. They, whom God has accepted in His Beloved, effectually called, and sanctified by His Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.

II. This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father; upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ, the abiding of the Spirit, and of the seed of God within them, and the nature of the covenant of grace: from all which arises also the certainty and infallibility thereof.

III. Nevertheless, they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins; and, for a time, continue therein: whereby they incur God’s displeasure, and grieve His Holy Spirit, come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts, have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded; hurt and scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon themselves.

………………

GEORGE WHITEFIELD

Those whom God has justified, he has in effect glorified: for as a man’s worthiness was not the cause of God’s giving him Christ’s righteousness; so neither shall his unworthiness be a cause of his taking it away; God’s gifts and callings are without repentance: and I cannot think they are clear in the notion of Christ’s righteousness, who deny the final perseverance of the saints; George Whitefield, Selected Sermons of George Whitefield (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1999).

………………

So, I say that Perseverance is clearly and fundamentally about the fact that the Elect can’t get Un-elected, that they are Eternally Security and cannot ever go from saved to unsaved, justified to unjustified.

The debate of can believers sin, must works / faith continue, etc., is connected to the ‘assurance’ part of the discussion. However, I believe the Bible teaches that all who are saved by faith alone in Christ alone are FOREVER SAVED….which is the essence of the doctrine of Perseverance. With Whitefield, I love Romans 11:29 on this, but John 5:24 is pretty cool too. Of all the verses, Hebrews 10 may be my favorite (I’ll share it soon). OF course, Romans 8:28ff is perfectly irrefutable.

Grace,

Fred