Giving Grace
Peter tells us that grace is a many-splendored thing. (I Peter 4:10)Thus far we have examined two aspects of grace, saving grace – the unmerited favor that results in my salvation, and helping grace – the unmerited favor that helps me to do what God tells me to do. In this post I…
Helping Grace
This is post #2 in a series on Grace. Grace is a gem with many facets. Peter said as much when he admonished us, As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4:10) "Manifold"…
The Bible, Our Sole Authority
What is a Baptist? As a church-planting missionary in a majority Catholic country, I frequently need to give a brief explanation of what constitutes a Baptist. The answer is quite simple. But as the common saying goes, the devil is in the details. A Baptist is one who accepts the…
Balthasar Hubmaier: Zealous Defender of Truth
Dr. Balthasar Hubmaier was an Anabaptist reformer and arch-heretic of the Catholic Church. This Catholic priest turned reformer began as a promising student and preacher. At some point he had a genuine regeneration experience and gained the spiritual clarity to begin a “Back to the Bible” movement in the small…
Remembering Dr. David F. Capetz
February 13, 1948 – August 22, 2021 On August 22, Dr. David Capetz went home to be with His Lord. Dr. Capetz was a family man, a Christian educator, founder of the IBNet website, and my mentor and friend. A mutual friend recently told me how he considered himself to…
Are You a Worship Service Participant or Just a Spectator?
The alarm clock rings. And rings again. And again. Mom and Dad stumble out of bed and cajole sleepy kids to scarf down their breakfast and find shoes. Kids dawdle, Mom and Dad frantically grab coffee mugs, and somehow everyone makes it into the car. By the time you get…
Adoniram Judson: Man of Conviction
Adoniram Judson is perhaps the most famous Baptist foreign missionary. He caused a sensational stir when he changed his Congregational paedobaptist convictions to become a committed Baptist. He is widely regarded as the father of American foreign missions. This title is appropriate because he was the first vocational missionary, and…
The Beginning of Fundamentalism: The Niagara Bible Conference
Spiritual forces were at work in nineteenth century Western society to undermine biblical authority and dash the blessed hope of the church upon the rugged terrain of unbelief. The twin knock-out blows dealt to the Christian denominations were Darwinian evolution and historical criticism. The only force standing in bold opposition…
Grace and Truth
The beginning of Jesus' ministry is generally regarded as His baptism at the hands of John the Baptist. By the time Jesus stepped into his baptism line, John had built a truly massive ministry. (Matthew 3:5) The Lord had commissioned him to preach a message of forward looking repentance to…
Christ’s Appearing for His Church, Part II
Promises Regarding the Appearing of Jesus Christ for His Church Without doubt, the Old Testament prophets predicted the general truth of both the first and the second comings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because both comings were at that time yet future, the prophets delivered the messages without wholly understanding…