May 14, 2009
[Note: I am attempting to keep these SBD installments under 2000 words each, but that is–of course–quite inadequate for the topics covered. Consequently, these contributions are more programmatic than they are explanatory or defenses of the positions stated. You may access the whole series at my Serial page.] God elects us in Christ through faith […]
18 Comments | Theology | Tagged: Arminianism, Assurance, Calvinism, Covenant, Election, Faith, Grace, Israel, Predestination, Reformed | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
May 1, 2009
Yesterday I drove to Ellijay, Georgia–the city of my wife’s birth, upbringing, marriage, death and burial. She died around 2:00am on April 30, 1980 while convalescing in her parent’s home from back surgery twenty days before. Yesterday I drove to her graveside alone. I had not been there alone in some years, perhaps decades. It was […]
13 Comments | Personal | Tagged: Death, Encounter, Experience, Faith, God, Graves, Grief, Sheil Pettit Hicks, Suffering | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
April 24, 2009
In my previous post I summarized the conclusions of Keith Stanglin in his recent book Arminius on the Assurance of Salvation: The Context, Roots, and Shape of the Leiden Debate, 1603-1609. In this post, I want to offer an extended theological comment on the nature of assurance for Calvinists and Arminians. I will indulge this […]
49 Comments | Theology | Tagged: Arminianism, Assurance, Calvinism, Faith, Grace, John Calvin, Salvation, Soteriology', temporary faith | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
April 23, 2009
Given some recent comments, I thought I would share my review of a recent book that will soon appear in Restoration Quarterly. The author, Keith Stanglin, is a friend and former student (indeed, he was my Graduate Assistant for several years) at Harding University Graduate School of Religion. He now teaches at Harding University in […]
23 Comments | Books | Tagged: Arminianism, Arminius, Assurance, Calvinism, Despair, Faith, Gomarus, Keith Stanglin, Reformed, Secruity, Soteriology', Trust | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
April 17, 2009
If the life and ministry of Jesus is our pattern, then we all fall woefully short. Consequently, whether it is conforming our character to the image of Jesus or embodying the ministry of Jesus through the church, we all–individuals and congregations–need divine mercy since we all fall woefully short of the image of God in Jesus. […]
15 Comments | Hermeneutics, Theology | Tagged: Antinomianism, Faith, Grace, Legalism, Libertinism, Patternism, Perfectionism, Salvation, Sanctification, Soteriology', Transformation | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
April 7, 2009
As part of the the Maximum Grandparenting seminar, Leon Sanderson challenged us to think of a ten-word summary that we would like to leave as a legacy for our grandchildren. It might be something we would constantly repeat in their ears or it may simply summarize what it is that we want to communicate to […]
7 Comments | Theology | Tagged: Doctrine, Eschatology, Faith, Grandchildren, grandparents, Gratitude, Joy, Presence, Theology, Trust | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
March 13, 2009
This is quite daring, I must admit. Or, it might be rather idiotic. But in my quest to place my published writings on this webpage, I now turn to the 1970s. It is rather chilling and sometimes quite illuminating to actually read what I wrote thirty years ago (wow! I really am that old). It […]
6 Comments | Personal, Theology | Tagged: Apostleship, Authority, Baptism, Bible-2 Thessalonians, Bible-Corinthians, Bible-Galatians, Bible-Romans, Calvinism, Creation, Divorce, Faith, Gender, Homosexuality, Justification, Marriage, Original Guilt, Original Sin, Patternism, Paul, Sanctification, Scripture, Speaking in Tongues, Spiritual Gifts, Tongues, Total Depravity, Women | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
March 4, 2009
In the Fall of 2002, Rubel Shelly and John York preached through Hebrews at the Woodmont Hills Family of God in Nashville, Tennessee. They entitled their series “Strength for the Journey.” At the same time I provided resource teaching material for the Bible classses and some small groups used that material as well. Rubel’s sermons […]
9 Comments | Biblical Texts | Tagged: Angels, Bible-Hebrews, Christology, Exhortation, Faith, Hebrews, Jesus, Joshua, Moses, Priesthood | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
March 3, 2009
David Lipscomb, Queries and Answers, ed. by J. W. Shepherd (Cincinnati: Rowe Publishers, 1918), p. 53. Question: “May a person who believes his sins forgiven submit to a scriptural baptism while thus believing?” Answer: “There is something unscriptural in the case as presented; but what is it? Is it the baptism, or is it the […]
7 Comments | Stone-Campbell | Tagged: Baptism, David Lipscomb, Faith, Gospel Advocate, Obedience, Rebaptism, Salvation, Soteriology', Stone-Campbell | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
February 25, 2009
In 1946 Roy Key of Juneau, Alaska, caused a small stir with his article “The Righteousness of God” in the January 24 issue of the Gospel Advocate. It promoted “some ideas,” one reader wrote, that he “not been accustomed to hearing.” As a result, G. C. Brewer took up his pen to commend the article […]
20 Comments | Stone-Campbell | Tagged: Churches of Christ, Faith, Foy E. Wallace, G. C. Brewer, Grace, Guy N. Woods, James A. Harding, Jr., Justification, K. C. Moser, Plan of Salvation, Tennessee Tradition, Texas Tradition, Works | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks