I’ve had a number of discussions on the cross (plan to have a few more before heaven).  For me, the issue really came down to 1 Cor 1:18-25.  What I want to do is especially  HIGHLIGHT the point by removing some text (with ellipses).  The whole text is also below.

So here:

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,

but to us who are being saved it is the power of God

…it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe

…we preach Christ crucified

…to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called

…the power of God.

It is pretty glaring that Paul’s message was the cross, and the message was what saved (and what stumbled) those to whom he preached it.

It is the message of the cross that is in view, & Paul identifies it as the saving message in this passage.  Don’t you think the debate over the GES Gospel ends here?  If one wanted God to say it clearer, how should He have said it?

Grace,

Fred Lybrand

” For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-25, ESV)

So here’s Jody Dillow’s statement he allowed me to publish…and below I’ve linked my Open Letter.  Here’s the point.  Please discuss things with with me and among yourselves.  Jody will weigh in when he’d like.  This is strickly an effort to clarify where different Free Grace Leaders stand on the simple nature of the gospel.  I’d be happy to interact … talk to me!

“I believe that in order for one to be saved he has to believe that Jesus is the Christ (that is, the Lamb of God who takes away sin and the Messiah), the Son of God (that is, He is God), and in believing one can have eternal life through His name. One must trust in Christ’s forgiveness for sin wrought for him at Calvary as an essential element of saving faith.” -Jody Dillow (by permission, email correspondence, September 4, 2009)

OpenLetterDillow.pdf

God bless,

FRL

Order BACK TO FAITH by Fred Lybrand

I’ve been pondering faith a bit more of late.  It seems universally accepted that we can choose to believe whatever we want to.  I’m not sure this is really that clear in the Bible or in the world of common sense.  For example, take a moment just now and ‘choose to believe’ that you are the opposite sex.  If you are a man, just believe you are a woman for a few minutes…a woman, then believe you’re a man.

So, how did that go?  You see, it isn’t just a matter of ‘choosing’ something else is in operation.  The word in Greek has the idea of ‘fully persuaded’  or ‘fully convinced’ as mentioned of Abraham in Romans 4:21.  I’m not arguing that God has to give us faith as a gift, since clearly we have the capacity to believe as part of our design as humans.  We’re not always that willing or interested in believing, however.

Of course, we are ‘saved by grace through faith’ —which means that believing in Christ, which includes who He is and what He did—make the question paramount.  Yet, again, what is faith and how do we come to ‘believe’?

As I’ve thought about it a little more, I’m thinking the word ‘conclude’ could be very helpful here.  When we believe something to be true we have come to a conclusion.  Faith also does not have the absolute ‘proof’ of certainty as we describe it of facts in the real world…but it still has a kind of certainty and knowing that comes with the conclusion of what we believe.

So, when we conclude that “Jesus Paid It All” …when we conclude that He delivers us eternally…we we conclude that our works make no contribution—it is in that conclusion, that faith, that we are delivered and assured (according to His promise).

Now, with daily or living faith; isn’t it the same?  Isn’t it about reading God’s Word and coming to a conclusion about something it says about the Lord, others, or our own lives?  Which leads to a simple application.  If you are wrestling with believing something that God says (like in Matt 6 when He says the Father will take care of you), why not just start asking a very simple question:

What would it take for me to conclude  ________ ?

As you fill in the blank, you at least know what the issue is about your faith; or, you may just discover you really do believe!

Fred Lybrand

Well, I know it sounds a little odd, but consider a conversation I had Sunday after church with a visiting couple.  They had visited another bible-believing church near their home, but found that the church was against ‘evangelism’…just for ‘friendship evangelism’.  I really didn’t know that idea was still around, but it is very scary talking to others about our faith.  We don’t want to offend, but we do want to be faithful to tell them what we care about…and we want to be faithful to the Lord’s directive to ‘go…’.

I’ve been in both ditches.  I have taught and done street evangelism…and…I have taught and done ‘friendship’ evangelism.  The truth is that there is another option.  Most of problems arise from TRYING to CONVERT people.  At some level or another we all must recognize some role of freedom and will in the matter.  Regardless of your extreme views of Calvinism or Arminianism…it is still an individual thing for the person to come to faith in Christ and His work for his eternal destiny.

A phrase we started using a few years ago is ‘we’re concerned about contacts not converts’.  Of course, we all hope people will embrace Christ; but really, it’s really only our role to clearly and graciously share the message.  Focusing on converting others invites us toward a hard-sales approach.  Focus on friendship invites us to (often) never get around to the subject.

Why not learn a clear way to explain your own faith and just explain it?— truly, indeed, aren’t the results God’s business and the individual’s concern?  Can’t we share our heart while respecting their autonomy?  This includes NOT SHARING if they don’t want to hear it (of course)!

I’ve notice in Uganda was see thousands each summer put their faith in Christ.  Those who go seem to think it is about how ‘open the people are’–maybe.  All I know, is that we can’t compare America to Uganda until we do in America what we do in Uganda.

Make sense?

Fred Lybrand

P.S.  My friend Larry Moyer has some excellent material with this line of thinking at  www.evantell.org