Keeping the Gospel Clear

Few issues are more important—or more confused—today than the doctrine of salvation. The gospel is simple, but it is not always presented clearly. To assist our missionaries, the Biblical Resource Group is preparing a series of resource papers addressing key aspects of the doctrine of salvation, also known as soteriology. Below is the list of papers currently in development:

• The Nature of the Gospel
• The Simplicity of Faith
• Justification Versus Discipleship
• The Basis of Assurance
• The Role of Repentance in Evangelism
• Sanctification by Grace
• The Results of Salvation

We have completed the first paper—The Nature of the Gospel—and are currently working on the second paper—The Simplicity of Faith.

Our goal in this series is to provide clear, biblical, and carefully reasoned explanations of foundational doctrines related to salvation. There is considerable confusion today regarding the content of the gospel, the meaning of faith, the relationship between justification and discipleship, and the basis of assurance. These papers are designed to address those issues directly from Scripture, using a consistent literal, historical-grammatical approach.

The completed paper on The Nature of the Gospel defines the gospel message precisely and distinguishes it from related but separate biblical themes. The upcoming paper on The Simplicity of Faith addresses common misunderstandings about belief, persuasion, commitment, and works, demonstrating from Scripture that saving faith is simply being persuaded that Jesus guarantees eternal life to the one who believes in Him.

If you would like to read this paper, it can be found here: https://www.sanfordbiblechurch.org/gallery/BRG_The_Nature_of_the_Gospel.pdf

Please pray for clarity, precision, and faithfulness to the Word as we continue writing.

Blessings,

Bob

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Keep the Gospel Clear!

Keep the issue clear:

·        The issue is sin, and Who is going to forgive it.

Keep the direction clear:

·        It is from the Giver to the recipient. The gift of righteousness is given when you believe.

Keep the requirements clear:

·        It is salvation through FAITH. There is nothing more!

—Charles Ryrie 

From a Chapel Message to a Lifetime of Ministry

Last Sunday morning at Sanford Bible Church, I noticed Abbie—who works at the Ethnos360 headquarters—walk into the service with a man I didn’t recognize. Abbie has been attending our church for a while, so my curiosity was piqued. As it turned out, the man was her father, Darrel, who was in town visiting her.

Darrel is the pastor of Faith Bible Church in Texas. Prior to that, he and his wife served with Ethnos360 in Mexico. Even more remarkably, back in 1995 they were students in the Ethnos360 training program in Missouri—during the same period when I was teaching there.

We spent a few minutes catching up, and then Darrel shared something that genuinely moved me. He reminded me of a chapel message I had given more than twenty years ago about the simplicity of the gospel—that eternal life is God’s free gift, received by faith alone in Christ alone, apart from human effort or merit. He explained that message became a pivotal turning point in his understanding of the gospel and, ultimately, in his life and ministry.

Back in 1995, I viewed my primary role as teaching phonetics and language learning principles. I had no idea that God would use a chapel message to open the eyes of a brother to deeper truths concerning redemption. Over the years, Darrel embraced those truths, and it was deeply encouraging to hear how God used that moment to shape his understanding of God’s amazing grace.

Moments like this are humbling reminders that the Word of God bears fruit in ways—and over timelines—we rarely get to see. What begins as a simple lesson or a single chapel message can resonate and shape lives far beyond what we might ever imagine. It is a beautiful reminder of the lasting impact of faithfulness to truth.

We would appreciate your prayers for a new set of resource papers the Biblical Resource Group is currently developing. These papers seek to bring clarity to what the gospel is—and is not—by carefully distinguishing the core message of salvation from the important truths that follow salvation, such as discipleship and spiritual growth. In a time when the gospel is often expanded, blurred, or tied to human effort, our goal is to present it with biblical clarity, faithfulness, and simplicity. Please pray for wisdom, precision, and faithfulness as these papers are finalized, and that God would use them to strengthen assurance and sharpen gospel clarity for those who read them.

Blessings,

Bob

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The Grounds of Justification

To be justified on the grounds of the shed blood of Jesus plus a preliminary work of reformation or subsequent work of sanctification the natural can easily approve of. But to be justified on the grounds of the shed blood of Jesus and that alone, is totally beyond his comprehension. ―William Reid