“So you’re saying I can be saved without having to do anything myself?” the bystander asked the street preacher. “There isn’t anything we have to contribute to our salvation? We don’t even have to choose to be baptized in water and we can still be saved?” “That’s right,” the street preacher replied. “As He died… Continue reading That’s just too easy
Author: Drew Costen
Immortality and the second death
There are many good reasons to reject the commonly accepted Christian teaching known as Infernalism (the soteriological position that those who die without first becoming Christians will suffer forever in a conscious state in a place called the lake of fire), and over the years I’ve written about a number of them on this site,… Continue reading Immortality and the second death
The salvation equation
Most evangelical Christians claim that the salvation equation is: Jesus + nothing = everythingJesus + sinner’s contribution = nothing However, if you pay close attention to what they’re actually teaching, it becomes clear that what they actually believe is: Jesus + nothing = nothingJesus + sinner’s contribution = everything Now, the sinner’s contribution can be… Continue reading The salvation equation
To be “in Christ,” or not to be “in Christ”? Is that the question?
“For even as, in poverty, all the members of the family are hungering, thus also, in inheritance, shall all the members of the family be filled.” Even before I get to the scriptural reason I wrote the above statement, I trust you can see that these aren’t two options the family in question has to… Continue reading To be “in Christ,” or not to be “in Christ”? Is that the question?
The Good News of your salvation
There are quite a number of passages in Paul’s epistles making it clear that everyone will eventually experience salvation, but there’s one verse in particular that really stands out to me as definitive proof that everyone has been saved (from an absolute/ontological perspective): “in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth —… Continue reading The Good News of your salvation
Beyond “free will”
I’ve begun to conclude that the whole concept of “free will,” particularly in discussions about soteriology, is simply an unnecessary distraction from the truth, and that it might be time to leave the phrase out of such discussions altogether in order to focus on what really matters. While believers within the body of Christ know… Continue reading Beyond “free will”
Believing the Gospel IS repentance
The word “repentance” (μετάνοια/“metanoia” in the Greek Scriptures) simply means a change of one’s mind. Under the Gospel of the Circumcision it can technically include a change of actions as well, but under Paul’s Gospel it simply means that you’ve changed your mind about being able to do anything at all to contribute to your… Continue reading Believing the Gospel IS repentance
Having to choose to have faith is salvation by works
Most Christians believe that they can choose to believe the Gospel on their own, and in fact believe that one’s choice determines where they will spend eternity. The problem is, this idea is essentially salvation by works or salvation by self, and is really nothing more than humanism dressed up in religious garb. Yes, the… Continue reading Having to choose to have faith is salvation by works
Universalists agree that not everyone will be saved
I watched a debate between a Christian and a member of the body of Christ the other night, over whether Universal Reconciliation was scriptural or not. There’s a lot that I could discuss about it, but one thing stood out in particular. The “against” debater pointed out that Jesus stated some people would not be… Continue reading Universalists agree that not everyone will be saved
Is God a gentleman?
“But God won’t force people to go to heaven to live with Him against their will,” he said when he found out I believed in Universal Reconciliation. “Forcing someone to do something against their will is called rape, and God wouldn’t do that.” “I should probably point out that I’m not saying He’ll let them… Continue reading Is God a gentleman?