Grace Research Room
The Grace Research Room is an area open to individuals who wish to have their work published online and provide biblically based materials to a worldwide audience. This could be research papers, charts, graphs, or videos that are not subject to copywrite laws and used with permission. For more information on providing material read the sidebar on this page.
Below you'll find an archive of material currently submitted available free for use.
- 39. Book Review: What is Saving Faith? by John Piper
Jonathan Perreault, January 2024
Although Piper's book is titled What Is Saving Faith?, after reading it I would say that it should instead be titled: The Poetic Speculations of a Calvinist. I say this because Piper begins with his theological belief system of Calvinism and then looks for proof-texts to support it. Since the Bible does not teach Calvinism, Piper uses a contrived and complicated set of arguments to twist the Bible to line up with what he already believes. ... - 38. Believing, But Not Understanding
Jonathan Perreault, January 2024
What is the required content of 'saving faith'? Must a person believe in their eternal security in order to be saved? - 37. How Should A Local Church Respond To Its Families Who Have Children With Gender Identity Disorder?
Dr. John Salvesen, Dec 2022
How does a local church respond to the phenomenon of perceived gender fluidity? Specifically, how does it best treat families whose adult son or daughter is struggling with this disorder? - 36. Every Christian's Final Destiny
Jonathan Perreault, July 2022
In 1 Corinthians 6:3, the apostle Paul says to the carnal believers in Corinth: "Do you not know that we shall judge the angels? How much more, then, the things of this life!" It's unfortunate that the subject of ruling and reigning with Christ is such a neglected area of biblical and practical theology. As good friend of mine once told me, the subject of reigning with Christ in His future kingdom is "an undeveloped topic in a lot of believers' lives". In researching this topic, I was surprised to find out how little is actually written on the subject. Furthermore, often what is written is not what the Bible teaches. - 35. Must Saving Faith Include Love?
Jonathan Perreault, June 2022
John Piper in his latest book "Does Saving Faith Include Love?" opines on the nature of saving that and makes the claim that it must include love. Commenting on 2 Thessalonians 2:10, Piper says: "In 2:10, people perish because they do not 'love the truth.'" After a few comments, Piper goes on to elaborate by saying: "Paul is saying that people perish not only because they do not love the truth, but also because they do not want to love the truth." Piper then asks this question: "would it not be right to say that saving faith includes a love for the truth, the gospel?" Piper goes on to answer this question by saying: "So Paul again [in v. 12], as in verse 10, calls attention to the affectional nature of saving faith. It includes a love of the truth, the gospel." But is this what the apostle Paul is saying? Let's take a closer look. - 34. What is the difference between "heart" and "mind" in scripture?
Jonathan Perreault, January 2022
Is there a difference between the words "heart" and "mind" in the New Testament? What is the difference (if any) between these two words? I want to address this topic because of something Bob Wilkin of the Grace Evangelical Society (GES) said in his article "Is Repentance a Change of Mind or Heart Concerning Our Sins? Part 2". - 33. The Meaning of Repentance: Quotes from the Ancients, Lexicons, and Theologians
Jonathan Perreault, December 2021
What is the historical view of repentance? In this research paper Jonathan worked hundreds of hours reading and in some cases translating various documents from Erasmus to John MacArthur. A biblical understanding of repentance is based upon what the Bible says, and that is why in the following quotes from Bible scholars, they set forth the meaning of the New Testament word for repentance, which is the Greek word metanoia. It is the meaning of this word with which we are concerned, and with which these quotes have to do. - 32. Answering Objections To Repentance As A Change of Mind
Jonathan Perreault, December 2021
Recently a friend of mine alerted me to two articles by Bob Wilkin that he wrote in response to Charlie Bing's GraceNotes 92 & 93, which are excerpts (quotes) from an article I wrote titled "The Meaning of Repentance: Quotes from the Ancients, Lexicons, and Theologians". Wilkin's critique is posted in a two-part series on the GES blog. After reading Wilkin's two articles, I would like to share a few thoughts in reply. - 31. A History of Free Grace
Bob Nyberg, November 2021
Opponents of "free grace theology" will often claim that it is a recent historical and theological aberration. Even those who advocate for free grace often assume that it was taught in the early church, but that the teaching of free grace was lost until recently. That is simply not the case. This paper will briefly trace the free grace controversy and demonstrate that it is not a recent doctrine dreamed up in the last few decades. But before we take a trip down the path of church history, we need to understand what free grace is and why it is controversial. - 30. The Tangled Roots of Calvinism
Bob Nyberg, October 2021
Who started the theological system known as Calvinism? That question seems obvious given that Calvinism derives its name from the Reformer John Calvin, he must have started it, right? At least that seems to be the common opinion of the so-called experts. Despite common opinion, church historians paint a much different picture. The actual roots of Calvinism did not begin with the Protestant Reformation. The truth is that the roots of Calvinism go back 1,000 years before John Calvin was even born. Those roots are firmly embedded in the teachings of Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (A.D. 354-430). This paper seeks to trace the historical roots of Calvinism and give us a better understanding about the foundation on which this system of theology was built. - 29. Five-Point Calvinism's Total Depravity In The Light of Free Grace Theology
Jeremy Edmondson, October 2021
Addressing the first point of Calvinism will be the focus of this study, for its importance cannot be overstated. As will be seen, by Calvinist's own admission, Total Depravity is the foundational point for their entire system of logical soteriological thinking. But is the Five-Point perspective on Total Depravity biblical? The basic tenets of Free Grace find internal consistency within the Scriptures while remaining true to life in the scope of eternity, as well as coherence in the here and now. These convictions yield practical implications that foster a greater spiritual satisfaction while bringing unparalleled cohesion to the text of Scripture. Therefore, the convictions and interpretations of Five-Point Calvinism's view of Total Depravity will be considered against the Absolutes of Free Grace Theology, with the latter showing superiority in representing the God's Word as the original Author/authors intended. - 28. A Response To Wayne Grudem's Perspectives On Conversion And Free Grace Theology
Jeremy Edmondson, September 2021
In Wayne Grudem's latest work (Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Second Edition), great concern emerges as his views on faith and repentance are compared to the Bible. I have already addressed Grudem's position on some of these issues, showing that Catholic perspectives on penance are part and parcel to Grudem's view and that faith has a clear biblical definition despite Grudem providing his own. However, I believe that additional engagement is necessary. This paper will focus on examples from Grudem's chapter entitled "Conversion" where the subjects of faith, repentance, and assurance, are addressed and then compare that to Free Grace Theology. - 27. The Meaning of Repentance
Jonathan Perreault, June 2021
"True repentance is an inward act of the soul, 'a change of mind,' as in later writings Luther so often reminded his adversaries, as he from time to time led them back to the meaning of the Greek word." The quotes presented in this article describe and explain repentance and its true Scriptural signification and meaning, as a change of mind and heart. This is the testimony of both the Old and New Testaments, and of Jesus and the Apostles. - 26. FGA And GES Differences
Dr. Roger Fankhauser, February 2021
Many people are curious about the difference between the Free Grace Alliance (FGA) and the Grace Evangelical Society (GES). This brief statement by Dr. Roger Fankhauser, former president of the FGA, explains the difference in terms of what one needs to know in order to be eternally saved. He also explains the origins of the FGA in relation to GES. - 25. New Calvinism: A Theological Evaluation
George Gunn, December 2020
New Calvinism is a theological movement that has significantly impacted evangelical Christianity and has served to weaken the influence of dispensationalism. New Calvinism portrays itself as the flagship of Reformed theology. Part of the attraction to New Calvinism is its claim to represent the historical position of the church; however, while retaining the primary weaknesses of Reformed theology, it also differs in some respects from historical Reformed theology. Like historical Reformed theology, New Calvinism's priority on soteriology and forced Christocentric hermeneutic constrain it to conclusions that are contrary to a literal, grammatico-historical interpretation of Scripture. The theology of New Calvinism also produces a dangerous lack of assurance of salvation for the believer, at times approaching the same level of insecurity as is found in Arminian theology. This dissertation will focus on the teachings of the following influential New Calvinist "leaders": John Piper, Wayne Grudem, Albert Mohler, Timothy Keller, Kevin DeYoung, D. A. Carson, and Mark Driscoll, while also considering the contributions of other New Calvinist preachers, teachers, and authors. Of particular importance will be what this author considers to be the sine qua non of New Calvinism, namely: (1) Dortian Calvinism, (2) eclecticism, (3) soteriocentric focus, (4) A supersessionist view of Israel and the Church, (5) a focus on the Reformed doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, and (6) a compromised practice regarding the authority of Scripture. - 24. The Annotations of Erasmus On Matthew 3:2
Jonathan Perreault, July 2020
When John the Baptist and Jesus preached "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (Matthew 3:2, 4:17), what did they mean? How do we understand the word "Repent"? Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion today about the meaning of repentance. In the 16th century a Roman Catholic philosopher and scholar named Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536) wrote against the Catholic interpretation of repentance as penance. Some of the things he wrote are very helpful in understanding the true meaning of repentance. He concluded that repentance is not "pious tears and obligatory duties" but is instead "a change of mind". Erasmus was very influential in shaping Martin Luther's understanding of repentance and paving the way for the Protestant Reformation. Indeed, one author goes so far as to say: "The Reformation could not have happened without Desiderius Erasmus". It is Erasmus' Annotations on "repent" in Matthew 3:2 that is the focus of this paper. - 23. A Review of Surprised By The Voice of God A Book By Jack Deere
Rich Keller M.Div., June 2020
Jack Deere's book "Surprised by the Voice of God" sets out to help Christians today hear and understand God's voice in an effort to revolutionize their Christian walk. Deere has a deep desire to help believers grow and understand more about the early church, and more importantly, about the importance of God's word and how God communicates to us. While he provides some thoughtful insight, there are many inconsistencies and issues with his arguments. The purpose of this paper is to briefly and graciously point out some inconsistencies and flaws in Deere's exegesis of scripture, and his view of revelation, authority, and sufficiency. - 22. Free Grace Theology: 7 Ways Grudem Misrepresents Biblical Repentance (Part 2)
Jonathan Perreault, May 2020
This article is a continuation of a previous article I wrote titled: "'Free Grace' Theology: 6 Ways Grudem Misrepresents Biblical Repentance". In this follow-up article, I'm going to cite yet another example of how Wayne Grudem misrepresents both Charlie Bing and the Bible in regards to biblical repentance. In Grudem's book "Free Grace" Theology: 5 Ways It Diminishes the Gospel, one of the things he says is: "In order to evaluate Bing's 'change of mind' definition [of repentance], in the next two sections we need to examine evidence from Greek lexicons and from English translations of the Bible." In my previous article which I mentioned above, I showed how Grudem misrepresented the Greek lexicons. In this article I will show how Grudem misrepresents English translations of the Bible. - 21. Free Grace Theology: 6 Ways Grudem Misrepresents Biblical Repentance
Jonathan Perreault, January 2020
Reformed theologian and author Wayne Grudem does have some interesting arguments that he uses to try to convince people that repentance in the Bible does not simply mean "a change of mind". Grudem says that true repentance must also include remorse, contrition, self-reproach, and making a life change for the better (which he defines as better conduct), or at least a resolve to do so "as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins." ...I must say that at first Grudem almost had me believing that Charles Bing just had no lexical support for his "change of mind" definition of repentance. Grudem made it sound like Charles Bing was taking statements from the Greek lexicons out of context. But when I looked up a few of the lexical examples cited by Grudem, I found that it was Grudem who was quoting the lexicons very selectively and taking statements out of context! - 20. A Critical Reader's Guide To Francis Chan's Book Crazy Love
Philip Congdon, Senior Pastor New Braunfels Bible Church, January 2020
Phil Congden provides a critical chapter-by-chapter analysis of Francis Chan's book, Crazy Love. While Chan provides some helpful insights into God's character, Chan makes assurance of security a practical impossibility. - 19. Descriptive Survey Exploring The Cult-Like Characteristics of Selected Doctrinally Orthodox Churches
Dr. John Salvesen, Senior Pastor Bear Creek Bible Church, January 2020
Cults such as Heaven's Gate, the Branch Davidians, Peoples' Temple (Jim Jones) and many lesser known groups have certain characteristics. But is it possible that some evangelical churches with biblical doctrine have similar characteristics as full blown cults? What are those characteristics and how strongly do they make their presence known? This project seeks to examine if churches that have evangelical doctrine can be similar to cults despite their underpinnings of biblical truth. - 18. John Piper's Diminished Doctrine of Assurance
Philip Congdon, Senior Pastor New Braunfels Bible Church, December 2019
John Piper is one of the great voices for Jesus Christ in our generation. His desire for the deeper things of the Christian life, while at the same time having a passion for world missions, is truly contagious. Thousands of young people have been drawn to a greater commitment to Christ and giving their lives to reach the lost as a result of his ministry. So it goes without saying that none of the discussion which follows is intended to impugn Piper's heart for God, or his pursuit of truth. Indeed, this paper is a direct result of the latter. - 17. A Free Grace Response To Molinism
Philip Congdon, Senior Pastor New Braunfels Bible Church, December 2019
For many years, Christians have longed for some biblical 'middle ground' between the twin errors of Calvinism and Arminianism. As one who stands unwaveringly for the gospel of grace, this writer unequivocally affirms that justification is by faith alone in Jesus Christ. Kenneth Keathley, professor of theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, provides an alternative to classical Calvinist and Arminian formulas in his book Salvation and Sovereignty: A Molinist Approach. The purpose of this paper is to briefly discuss Molinism, examine Keathley's theological position, and offer a response from a free grace perspective. - 16. An Assessment of 'New Covenant Piety' Theology
Philip Congdon, Senior Pastor New Braunfels Bible Church, December 2019
With increasing unanimity, we hear that 'grace involves good works,' 'saving faith necessarily results in good works,' 'you are saved by faith, but you get into heaven by works,' and other such maxims. Any dissent is drowned out by the overwhelming volume of material affirming these views from well-known scholars, best-selling authors, and popular preachers. The 'folks in the pews' seem to know that something is amiss, but are powerless to stem the tide of this dogma. The focus of this paper is "New Covenant Piety" (hereafter NCP), one attempt to amalgamate salvation by grace and a requirement of works. - 15. The Real Thing
Dan Lash, Pastor Weston Street Bible Church, November 2019
A genuine conversion experience has as its primary characteristic a divine illumination of the sinner's conscience brought about by a supernatural message: The Gospel, from a supernatural book: The Bible. The primary focus of the devil's energies on this earth is to keep the supernatural light of the gospel from impacting upon the darkened conscience of those who have never believed. - 14. The False Premise of The Inquiring Rich Man
Dan Lash, Pastor Weston Street Bible Church, November 2019
A false premise is an underlying error which serves as the basis of an argument or discussion. In Matthew chapter 19:16 the Lord is met with a rich man who starts off a discussion with the Lord with a question based upon a false premise. - 13. Persuasion Unto Life
Dan Lash, Pastor Weston Street Bible Church, November 2019
The new birth does not occur as the result of a person praying a prayer, turning over a new leaf, surrendering to Christ, Inviting Jesus in or some other man-made response to God. A person is saved when he/she exposes their conscience to a particular message in the Scriptures, until that message produces a persuasion concerning its truthfulness. - 12. Blotted Out of The Book of Life
Dan Lash, Pastor Weston Street Bible Church, November 2019
Revelation 3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. What does being blotted out of the book of life mean? - 11. What Does Hebrews 6:4-6 Teach About Security of Salvation?
Rich Keller M.Div., November 2019
What does Hebrews 6:4-6 teach regarding security of salvation? There are three main views; one, that a Christian can lose their salvation, two that a Christian never truly believed to begin with, and three that the Christian can fall into a perpetual state of apostasy yet still remain eternally secure. Which one is correct? - 10. The Warning Passage of Hebrews 10:26-27
Rich Keller M.Div., November 2019
Arminians commonly use the warning passage of Hebrews 10:26-27 as a proof text to teach that a believer can lose their salvation. Calvinists on the other hand teach that this passage shows that if a believer continues in some perpetual sin it's a strong indication that they never had salvation to begin with, and should heed the warning of damnation in hellfirethat is mentioned in the passage. Hebrews 10 is no doubt a difficult passage and when read in isolation it does seem to support these views. However, upon careful exegesis of the passage it can be shown that neither view is what the author intended or implied. - 9. An Introduction To The Book of James With An Emphasis On James 2:14-26
Rich Keller M.Div., November 2019
The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief introduction to the book of James with an emphasis on chapter 2 verses 14-26. This will include an outline, purpose, audience, key passages followed by an explanation of James 2:14-26. The reason for this approach is to apply context towards this often misunderstood and misapplied passage in question. This is critical to unlocking the nature of James' argument and its application to the audience and to believers today. - 8. 1 John - A Practical Guide To Christian Living
Rich Keller M.Div., November 2019
The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief introduction to the book of 1 John and to address whether John's letter was intended to be used as series of tests to determine if they are eternally saved, or if it was intended as a series of practical guidelines for developing a believer's relationship with God. To state it another way, was John's intent to help the readers determine if they were part of God's family or was the intent to determine how to develop fellowship within the family that they were already a part of? - 7. An Overview And Criticism of Theories On Creation
Rich Keller M.Div., November 2019
The purpose of this paper is three-fold; the first is to briefly present and critically examine various views regarding creation as described in Genesis. The second is to defend a literal six twenty-four hour day interpretation (which I will call the literal view) and why it's critical to do so, and the third, is to graciously move believers to have a consistent Biblically based worldview. The major theories presented will be Framework Hypothesis, Theistic Evolution, Gap Theory, Progressive Creation (a.k.a. Day-age), and literal six day creation. I will provide a description, history, and critical evaluation of each and how each aligns itself with a Biblical world view. - 6. The Extent of The Noahic Flood
Rich Keller M.Div., November 2019
The purpose of this paper is to answer the question of whether or not the flood described in Genesis 6-9 was global or a local Mesopotamian event. I will defend the idea that it was a global catastrophe and support this from four lines of evidence; The Bible, historical writers/commentators, flood legends, and Christ's own words. I will contrast this with local flood advocates opinions and determine if their interpretation lines up with God's Word and extra-Biblical evidence. - 5. Salvation And The Inseparability of The Person And Work of Christ
Rich Keller M.Div., November 2019
Keeping the gospel message free from works and to espouse it with clarity and simplicity is of the utmost importance. Even the Apostle Paul asked for prayer from the church in Colossae that he would make the gospel clear in the way he spoke (Col. 4:4). Recently however, some have overreached, and have gone so far as to say that belief in Christ as God, in addition to his death burial and resurrection are adding more to the message of the gospel than is required in order to receive eternal life. This paper addresses the implications and provides an alternate view that holds that the person and work of Christ are inseparable. - 4. Overview of The Abrahamic And Mosaic Covenants And Their Relationship To Ancient Near Eastern Treaties
Rich Keller M.Div., October 2019
This paper provides an overview of the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants, evaluating the nature of each; specifically how each can be likened to the ancient near eastern (ANE) Royal Grant and Suzerain Vassal treaties. These will be compared and then provide the importance of each and how each of the covenants relates to the modern believer. - 3. The I Am Statements of Jesus
Rich Keller M.Div., October 2019
This paper addresses the significance of the seven 'I am' statements Jesus made in the book of John. It covers the background of the phrase 'I AM' specifically its origination and significance in the Old Testament, and how the Israelites view the nature of the statement. It also places special emphasis in both content and purpose of the seven 'I am' statements and conclude with the significance of some unique 'I am' phrases. - 2. Chronology of The Kingdom Through The Exile
Rich Keller M.Div., May 2019
This chart provides a chronological timeline of the kingdom of Israel, from Abraham through the split into exile. It provides dates, key events, people, and ties them together to the Old Testament prophets. - 1. The Extent of Christ's Atonement
Rich Keller M.Div., April 2019
The purpose of this paper is to briefly discuss the significance and extent of the atoning work of Christ; and to answer the question of for whom did Christ pay a penalty? There are three prevailing views...
