Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society, Volume 10
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Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society, Volume 10.
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“If someone does believe the offer of eternal life—as the Bible presents this offer—he will also be sure that he has eternal life. This is what we mean when we say that assurance is of the essence of saving faith.” (Volume 10, Number 18, Pages 3–4)
“The objective realities of Christ’s work on the Cross and His promise of salvation to the believer are considered certainties which all good Reformed people believe without question. But the problem is that Reformed people are not sure the promises apply to them personally unless they can confirm that they are among the elect to whom the promises are effective. Thus perseverance, an essential sign of election, becomes the basis for subjective, or individual, assurance. But since I cannot know until my life ends if I have persevered, personal assurance is held hostage to my perseverance in faith and good works. Carson ought to have said, ‘The possibility of a failure to persevere undermines assurance.’ In fact, it effectively undermines all possibility of personal assurance.” (Volume 10, Number 18, Page 11)
“For the sake of simplicity, let’s say that a full articulation of the gospel includes three points: 1) the bad news that you are a sinner separated from God, 2) the good news that Christ died and rose again, securing the right to freely give you eternal life, 3) the condition of obtaining eternal life: faith alone in Christ alone. It is on this third point that the imprecise gospel presentation fails to communicate with precision.” (Volume 10, Number 18, Page 43)
“Carson is tied to the standard Reformed ‘objective—subjective’ grounds for assurance and has not escaped the inherent difficulties of that position.” (Volume 10, Number 18, Page 10)
- Title: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society, Volume 10
- Author: Arthur L. Farstad
- Series: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
- Publisher: Grace Evangelical Society
- Print Publication Date: 1997
- Logos Release Date: 2009
- Era: era:Contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Theology › Periodicals
- Resource ID: LLS:gs_jotges_10
- Resource Type: Journal
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-02-12T03:40:02Z