by Tom Stegall Question: I am confused about the references in the Bible to the book of life. Psalm 69:28 says, “Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.” This sounds like God will erase people’s names from His book and they will either not get saved or lose their salvation. Revelation 3:5 says, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his [...]
by Tom Stegall After taking about a year off from producing the Grace Family Journal, we resumed production with the Summer 2021 edition a few months ago, and now you’re holding a copy of the Fall 2021 edition. We’re on a roll! During the year off many of you contacted us to let us know how much you appreciated and missed the journal. We appreciated hearing from you as well, and we’re pleased to know that the Lord is using [...]
by Tom Stegall In the last 20 years, some proponents of Free Grace theology (especially those associated with the Grace Evangelical Society) have openly denied that the lost must believe in Jesus Christ’s substitutionary death for sin to receive eternal life. They claim their version of a crossless “saving message” is supported by John’s Gospel. This article explains why the Gospel of John clearly teaches the necessity of faith in Christ-crucified for sin as the object/content of faith for eternal [...]
by Tom Stegall It’s been over a year since we last published an edition of the Grace Family Journal (Spring 2020 Edition), and what a year it has been! By the grace of God, we made it through and the journal is back in print. During this time, some of you have written or called, wondering if you were dropped from our mailing list or if you missed some editions. No, we just haven’t been able to keep up with [...]
Tom Stegall Romans 10:9-10 and 13 are some of the most misinterpreted and misapplied verses in the entire Bible. These verses are frequently used in the popular evangelistic method known as the “Romans Road” in which people are told they must confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus (vv. 9-10) and call upon His name (v. 13) to be eternally saved. These verses have been misused to teach that there are at least two, if not three, conditions for eternal [...]
by Tom Stegall Having explained the context of 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 and an overview of its contents, let’s consider next a few key points in favor of the view that head-covering in this passage was based on an established cultural practice, not a timeless command.[1] First, if Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 11 for women to wear head-coverings were intended to reflect a timeless truth about the relationship of husbands and wives, then we should expect to find support for [...]
by Tom Stegall Must Christian women in North America today wear head-coverings as a necessary public sign of their honor and submission to the headship of their husbands, just like women did in the New Testament era or like they currently do in some foreign countries? As Westerners, we often associate head-covering with the abuse and oppression of women. We wonder how the apostle Paul could ever instruct first-century Corinthian women to cover their heads. Our perspective is shaped largely [...]
by Tom Stegall 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten [...]
by Tom Stegall Matthew 25:31-46 is one of the most misunderstood and misused passages in the entire Bible. Some claim this passage teaches salvation by social action. Is this true? Does Jesus in Matthew 25 contradict other Bible verses that clearly say salvation is by grace through faith in Christ apart from our good works (Rom. 3:27-28; 4:1-8; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)? Here is what Jesus says in Matthew 25:31-46 (NKJV): 31 When the Son of Man comes [...]
by Tom Stegall Many people are confused by Romans 2:7 regarding the condition for eternal salvation. If read in isolation from its context in the book of Romans, this verse may initially appear to teach that perseverance in doing good works is necessary for eternal life. The verses before and after verse 7 are provided below to show its immediate context. 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in [...]