Tag Archives: Grace for All

Grace for All: The Wideness of God’s Mercy

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Nothing in human history testifies to the wideness of God’s mercy or the breadth of his love like the atoning death of Christ.

So begins chapter 4 of Grace for All, in which we are presented with both an “exegetical” and a “systematic” investigation of the intent and extent of the atonement.

The essay was written by Robert Picirilli (link), the former Academic Dean of the Graduate School at Free Will Baptist Bible College. Picirilli has autho415xXkjORGLred numerous commentaries, including one on Romans from an Arminian perspective. He has also written the book Grace, Faith, Free Will (amazon), one of the best and most accessible books (IMO) on the Calvinism/Arminianism debate. Some of the points covered in this essay can also be found in a lecture Picirilli gave in 2002 (link).

What is the atonement? Noted Reformed pastor, John Piper, provides us with a great definition (link):

the work of God in Christ on the cross whereby he canceled the debt of our sin, appeased his holy wrath against us, and won for us all the benefits of salvation.

There would be little to debate on this important truth, so Picirilli focuses his essay on the question: what did God intend to achieve through the atoning, redemptive work of Jesus? Continue reading →

Blogging through Grace for All: Universal Grace

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The second article in Grace For All is written by Vernon C. Grounds, the former president of Denver Seminary (cf. Olson’s tribute). In his essay, Grounds explores God’s universal grace that offers salvation to all.

415xXkjORGLThe universal offer of salvation is rooted in our Creator being a God of love who “desires the salvation of everyone” and “redemptively acts” to make that possible.

For in that corpus of writings we call the Holy Scriptures and which we hold to be God’s medium of self-revelation, [God-the ultimate reality] … defines himself as love. … [and is] the embodiment of unending beatitude.

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We believe, moreover, that because he is love, God freely chooses to expand the orbit of beatitude by creating persons who are centers of consciousness and choice whom he wills to share his own eternal fellowship of love through the convicting, drawing, and salvation of God’s grace.

Continue reading →

Blogging through Grace for All: The God at the Center

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The first article in Grace For All is written by Roger Olson (blog), one of the most vocal theologians representing an Arminian view of God’s sovereignty and soteriology. Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities (amazon) and Against Calvinism (amazon) are two of the many books he has authored.

415xXkjORGLIn this essay, Roger Olson directly confronts the charge that Arminianism is a “man-centered” theology. He starts by quoting several Calvinist writers (including Michael Horton, James Boice, Al Mohler, and indirectly B.B. Warfield and Charles Spurgeon) that assert that Arminianism is focused on “human freedom” over “God’s absolute sovereignty”.

Then he asks the question:

What do these and other critics mean when they accuse Arminianism of being “man-centered”?

Olson presents three things that critics mean when they use the term “man-centered”:

  • Arminianism doesn’t take “human depravity” seriously
  • Arminianism doesn’t take God’s sovereignty seriously
  • Arminianism teaches that God’s “chief end is to make people happy”

Continue reading →