Some exciting news!

I’m writing with some exciting news. After many years of keeping my Bible teaching resources online at my old site hosted by 4himnet.com, I no longer have access to update or manage it. That left me with a choice: let the online ministry fade, or start fresh. I chose to start fresh—and I’m glad I did!

I’m pleased to introduce my brand-new website: BobNyberg.org.

The internet has been part of my ministry journey for quite a while. I first dabbled with a website back in the late 1990s when free hosting sites like Angelfire were popular. In 2005 I moved everything over to 4HimNet, where the site lived for nearly 20 years. Now, in 2025, it feels good to have a new “home base” that is easier to navigate and much more up to date.

On this new site you’ll find a growing collection of articles I’ve written on key Bible topics—doctrines of salvation, the relationship between law and grace, issues surrounding Calvinism, and principles of Bible interpretation. These aren’t abstract theological exercises; my heart is to make these subjects clear and practical so that believers can grow in their confidence and joy in the Lord. You can explore the articles here: BobNyberg.org/Articles.

My vision for this website is simple: that it will serve as a resource to help people better understand the gospel of grace and the truth of God’s Word. Whether you are a pastor, a missionary, a Bible teacher, or simply a believer hungry for God’s truth, my hope is that these materials will strengthen your walk and equip you to share Christ more clearly with others.

I’d love for you to visit the site, bookmark it, and make use of the resources there. If you find it helpful, please consider sharing it with others who might benefit. And I would also welcome your feedback—what’s useful, what could be improved, and what topics you’d like to see covered in the future.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the Lord in this way, and I look forward to what He will do through this new online chapter.

Blessings,

Bob

* * *

Doctrine Matters

The apostle Paul almost always began his letters with sound doctrine before moving on to exhortations for daily living. First, he laid the foundation of what believers are to believe; then he explained how those truths should shape the Christian walk. You cannot live the Christian life as God intends unless you first know what God has said. The truth must take root in your mind and heart before it can be worked out in your hands and feet. Right believing always comes before right living—that’s God’s design.

 

When “we” does not mean “we”!

A man lay in the hospital when a nurse came in. The conversation went like this:

Nurse: "Did we have our breakfast this morning?"
Patient: "I don't know about you, but I did."
Nurse: "And did we give a urine sample this morning?"
Patient: "What do you mean, 'we'?"

Sometimes we does not really mean we! Sadly, this statement can be illustrated regarding a well-known conservative seminary. Every year, professors are asked to sign the doctrinal statement to confirm their agreement. One professor signs it faithfully. Yet privately, he admits that he does not believe what it says. His justification? "We—my department—believes it. However, I do not personally believe everything in the doctrinal statement."

Again—sometimes we does not really mean we.

This hits closer to home as well. Not long ago, a student in our own training program privately confessed that he disagreed with parts of our doctrinal statement. Instead of addressing the issue, he was advised that if he simply kept his head down and stayed quiet, he would get through just fine.

That kind of thinking is dangerous. When people in Christian organizations continue to serve while quietly disagreeing with their stated doctrine, the result is doctrinal drift. And drift always leads away from truth, never toward it.

In recent days, the Biblical Resource Group has been discussing this problem. Sadly, we have found that some hold views that contradict the doctrinal statement they once affirmed. In my opinion, this is not merely a matter of differing opinions. It is a matter of integrity.

Recently, some of our leaders have expressed a concern about where this drift could lead if left unchecked. The gospel itself is at stake. As Paul wrote to Timothy, "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you" (1 Timothy 4:16).

We value your prayers as we seek to guard the truth, stand firm in grace, and resist the subtle pull of doctrinal drift.

Blessings,

Bob

* * *

No Other Gospel

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. (Gal. 1:6-7)

"Any other gospel is another gospel and is not the true gospel. Without the creation, the gospel has no foundation; without the promised consummation, it offers no hope; without the cross and the empty tomb, it has no saving power."

-Dr. Henry Morris

 

Speaking the Truth in Love

The apostle Paul challenged his readers to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15).

My old Bible college president, L.E. Maxwell, used to say, “The hardest thing to do in the Christian life is to keep balanced.” That’s especially true when writing about controversial subjects.

When writing polemic papers, which confront error, it’s easy to focus on speaking truth while neglecting to speak it in love. But both are necessary.

A shepherd has two main tasks: 1) to care for and feed the sheep and 2) to protect the sheep from danger.

In his writings, Miles Stanford sought to do both. His book The Green Letters built up the body of Christ, while The Red Letters warned against false teaching. Many appreciated The Green Letters, but The Red Letters sometimes met resistance. One of his polemic papers was even titled Brain Dead. While his warning may have been needed, the tone could feel to some as being too sharp.

This challenge is one our Biblical Resource Group is facing now. We’re revising a paper on Insider Movements that go to an extreme regarding contextualization. This is a controversial trend in missions.

What are Insider Movements?
These are approaches where people from another faith (often Islam or Hinduism) claim to follow Jesus but remain within their original religious community.

What is Contextualization?
It’s presenting the gospel in ways that fit a culture. Wise contextualization is biblical. For example, Paul became “all things to all men” (1 Cor. 9:22). However, taken too far it can distort the gospel and blur the uniqueness of Christ.

Some forms of Insider Movements represent this kind of extreme. Our group feels compelled to address it—but with care. We must speak truth boldly while guarding our tone.

We certainly need your prayers as we attempt to strike a balance. Please ask God to give us wisdom, clarity, and a loving spirit for this project. Pray that our words will help believers discern truth from error without unnecessarily offending those we seek to help.

Blessings,

Bob

* * *

Balancing Truth and Love

“Truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy.” –Warren Wiersbe

 

What is your identity?

Miles Stanford once wrote: “Let the facts of your position overwhelm the feelings of your condition.” This may sound a bit abstract, but it is a deeply practical and liberating truth.

What did Stanford mean by this? He was drawing a distinction between two realities: the facts of our position and the feelings of our condition. The former refers to our unchanging spiritual status in Christ—our positional truth. The latter refers to our experiences in life—our conditional reality, which can vary from day to day.

Stanford’s encouragement was simple yet profound: anchor your mindset and assurance in the objective truths of Scripture, not in the ever-changing tides of circumstance.

This perspective is deeply rooted in the teachings of Paul. For example:

• We are justified freely by His grace (Rom. 3:24).
• We have been crucified, buried, raised, and seated with Christ (Rom. 6:3–11; Eph. 2:4–6).
• We are complete in Christ (Col. 2:10).
• We are accepted in the Beloved (Eph. 1:6).

These facts are true regardless of how we feel on any given day.

Our condition—emotional state, mental struggles, physical hardships, or even our failures—may not always reflect these truths. That’s why Stanford’s message is so vital: don’t judge your spiritual identity by your current feelings or performance. Instead, reaffirm what is eternally true because of your position in Christ.

This message challenges a common error in Christian living. Many believers tie their assurance and joy to how well they’re doing or how much fruit they’re producing. Stanford offers a different alternative where growth flows from resting in our position in Christ rather than striving to earn or maintain it.

So how do we apply this?

• In times of failure, remind yourself: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).
• When you feel unworthy, remember: You are accepted in the Beloved (Eph. 1:6).
• When discouraged, rest in this truth: Your life is hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).

So, in the midst of weakness, failure, or emotional turmoil, anchor your heart in the unchanging truth of God’s Word. You are not what you feel—you are who God declares you to be in Christ. Let the unshakable facts of your position in Him rise above the instability of your condition. For in Christ, your identity is settled, your acceptance is secure, and your victory is already won.

Blessings,

Bob

* * *

Where Are You Looking?

If you want to be distressed, look within.

If you want to be defeated, look back.

If you want to be dismayed, look ahead.

If you want to be discouraged, look around.

If you want to be delivered, look to Christ.

If you want to be delighted, look up!

 

Who are you?

The Biblical Resource Group of Ethnos360 is probably the best-kept secret in our organization. A few weeks ago, I sent an email to all members of Ethnos360 USA, highlighting some of the doctrinal resources available on the Ethnos360 Members’ Hub. I received one reply with a simple question: “Who are you?”

You might be wondering the same thing—who is the Biblical Resource Group of Ethnos360? Here’s the answer.

The Biblical Resource Group was established by the Ethnos360 leadership team in fellowship with Global Partners. Its members include current and former educators, missionaries, and theologians who provide biblical and theological clarity on issues relevant to our mission and fieldwork.

You might also be wondering about Global Partners. Without going into a lot of detail, Global Partners is the parent organization of Ethnos360 USA.

Another related question is, “What does the Biblical Resource Group do?”

The Biblical Resource Group functions at the discretion of the Global Partners board, under its oversight and direction. Its primary purpose is to offer insight into doctrinal issues that impact the ministries of Global Partners and to provide theological resources that address these issues—helping to maintain the integrity of the Global Partners doctrinal statement. In addition, the Biblical Resource Group serves the Global Partners community by curating and supplying other valuable theological resources to support and strengthen ministry efforts.

In a nutshell, that’s who we are and what we do.

We are currently working on several projects. One of them is a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheet about the Biblical Resource Group. We certainly appreciate your prayers, as we have several irons in the fire right now.

Blessings,

Bob

* * *

God’s Herd of Cows

Shortly after the Dallas Theological Seminary was founded in 1924, it almost folded into bankruptcy. All the creditors were ready to foreclose at noon on a given day.

That morning, the founders of the seminary met in the President’s office to pray that God would somehow provide. In that meeting was a man named Dr. Harry Ironside. When it was his turn to pray, he said in his refreshingly candid way, “Lord, we know that the cattle on a thousand hills are thine. Please sell some of them and send the money to us.”

Just about that time, a tall Texan wearing cowboy boots and an open-collar shirt strolled into the school’s business office. “Howdy,” he said to a secretary. “I’ve just sold two carloads of cattle over in Fort Worth. I’ve been trying to make another business deal go through, but it just won’t work. I feel God wants me to give this money to the seminary. I don’t know if you need it or not, but here’s the check.”

The secretary took the check and, knowing of the nature of the business that day, went to the door of the President’s office and timidly knocked. Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, the founder and President of Dallas Theological Seminary, answered the door and took the check from the secretary.

When he looked at the amount, it was for the exact amount of the debt. Then he recognized the name of the cattleman on the check, and turning to Dr. Ironside, he said, “Harry, God sold the cattle.”

The Dangers of Bootstrap Christianity

I recently wrote an article titled “Bootstrap Christianity: Denying the Power of the Gospel.” What is Bootstrap Christianity? It can be summed up with clichés such as: “God helps those who help themselves,” “If you’re not living it, you never really believed it,” and “You must make Jesus Lord of your life in order to be saved.” These ideas might sound spiritual, but they gut the gospel of its power and replace grace with self-effort—pulling yourself up by your bootstraps.

Bootstrap Christianity reminds me of an old joke. Ole had just purchased a brand-new chainsaw that was advertised to cut two cords of wood per day. A few days later, frustrated, he returned to the hardware store. “This saw is defective,” he complained. “I worked as hard as I could, but I could only cut one cord in a day!”

The salesman, puzzled, took the chainsaw, pulled the cord, and the engine roared to life. Startled, Ole jumped back and exclaimed, “What’s that noise?!”

The punchline is simple, but the point is profound: Ole had been trying to do all the work on his own, never realizing that the saw had a power source that would make the work not only possible but effective.

In the same way, when people deny or neglect the power of the gospel—the finished work of Jesus Christ and the enabling of the Holy Spirit—they are left to rely solely on their own efforts. They may labor hard, sincerely, and even with great determination, but it will never produce what only God’s power can accomplish. As Paul wrote in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” The gospel doesn’t assist us in saving ourselves—it saves.

Trying to live the Christian life apart from that power is like trying to cut wood with a chainsaw that is not running. It may be sincere effort—but it’s the wrong method. We’re called not to perform but to believe, not to strive but to trust in the One who has already done the work.

The only cure for Bootstrap Christianity is to return to the clarity and simplicity of the gospel Paul preached: salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The gospel is not a call to self-improvement—it is a declaration of what Christ has accomplished. Any message that shifts the focus from Christ’s finished work to the believer’s ongoing effort robs the gospel of its power and leaves people either unsaved or unempowered. It is the gospel itself that is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” We must never be ashamed of its simplicity—or its sufficiency.

Blessings,

Bob

* * *

Christian Growth

One of the great secrets of growth is looking upon the Lord Jesus as gracious. How strengthening it is, to know that He is at this moment feeling and exercising the same love and grace towards me as when He died upon the Cross for me. —John Nelson Darby