Category Archives: Fork in the Road

To understand God, we must first understand Jesus. And to understand Jesus, we need to consider one of the central passages that explain his work on earth — (Phi 2:5-11 ESV) 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours … Continue reading →

Well, I’m back from the Smokies. I’m scared to weigh, because I’ve probably gained a mountain’s worth of weight, as the trip was mainly about enjoying East Tennessee cuisine — breakfast especially. Oh, and to watch the UT football game. … Continue reading →

Now, notice that the first four Steps in the Five-Step Plan of Salvation are all found in “faith.” But not all of faith is found in the Plan of Salvation. In particular, the Plan omits trust in God’s promises given … Continue reading →

Repentance Let’s turn back to Rom 10, the home of many Plan of Salvation proof texts, and take a fresh look – (Rom 10:9-17 ESV) 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in … Continue reading →

Metonymy It’s been argued in the comments that Phil’s statement that we are saved by “faith in the plan” is mere metonymy (referring to something or someone by something intimately associated with it) for “faith in Jesus.” And, indeed, Phil … Continue reading →

On the understandability of the scriptures K. Rex Butts writes, What makes one so sure they understand correctly everything that scripture teaches as necessary? What if they are wrong? And if they are, how will they ever be saved since … Continue reading →

Introduction I’m still trying to catch up on email, rest up, and such like. I thought I’d try to post some additional material on the “The Man or the Plan” series of posts before I disappear into the Great Smokey … Continue reading →

It seems such a small point to some, I suppose. Why care whether the Churches of Christ teach faith in Jesus or faith in Jesus’ plan? Well, because the Bible declares that faith in Jesus saves — and nothing else … Continue reading →

I just got my copy of the October 2010 Spiritual Sword. The issue is dedicated to “What the Church Needs.” Phil Sanders contributes an article entitled “Faith in God’s Plan” (pp. 20 ff). I looked throughout the issue for the … Continue reading →

I was asked to teach a class Wednesday night as part of a series on the Missional Church. I got a little outside of the notes I was provided (you are surely not surprised to learn), but I tried to … Continue reading →