God’s Plan, Christ’s Work, Our Faith

Posted on April 13, 2026 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Salvation began in eternity past with the plan of God. Before the foundation of the world, God the Father designed redemption and commissioned God the Son to accomplish it. Scripture declares that God “saved us and called us… according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Tim. 1:9). The Son, the eternal Word, willingly agreed to this mission, saying, “Behold, I have come… to do Your will, O God” (Heb. 10:7). Scripture reveals, “when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman” (Gal. 4:4). He entered history as the God-Man, true deity and true humanity united without confusion or division. This is the hypostatic union, the only Person qualified to mediate between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5).

The Holy Spirit played a decisive role in the incarnation. Jesus was conceived through divine agency in the womb of the virgin Mary, a supernatural act. The angel Gabriel explained, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason, the holy Child shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). This ensured that Christ’s humanity was real yet untainted by sin. He was born without a sin nature, fully human and perfectly righteous. Scripture affirms, “He knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21), and “in Him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5). His unstained humanity qualified Him to go to the cross as the spotless Lamb of God (John 1:29), uniquely able to bear the sins of the world.

At the cross, the purpose of His coming reached its climax. In His humanity, in His physical body, Jesus bore our sins and paid the full penalty. Scripture states, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross” (1 Pet. 2:24). The justice of God was satisfied as Christ was judged in our place. Isaiah writes, “He was pierced through for our transgressions” (Isa. 53:5), and “The Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him” (Isa. 53:6). This is substitutionary atonement. Christ died as our substitute, taking the punishment we deserved, so that God could remain just while justifying the one who believes in Jesus (Rom. 3:26–28; 4:5; 5:1). When Jesus declared, “It is finished” (John 19:30), the work of redemption was fully accomplished. Afterward, He died physically and was placed in a grave (Matt. 27:59–60), and then was raised to life on the third day (Matt. 28:5–6).

Jesus’ resurrection was bodily, literal, and permanent. He rose never to die again (Rom. 6:9), demonstrating victory over sin, death, and the grave. His work on the cross was sufficient for all mankind, for “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). Unlimited atonement means “that Messiah died for all humanity, and salvation, based upon that death, is therefore offered to all humanity.”^[1] Christ died for all, but the benefits of His work are applied only to those who believe. The sole condition for receiving eternal life is faith alone in Christ alone. Scripture states, “He who believes in Him has eternal life” (John 3:16). At the moment of faith in Jesus, God grants forgiveness (Acts 10:43), imputes His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21), and gives eternal life (John 10:28).

The gospel message is “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3–4). Salvation was made available to everyone, but each person must personally believe in Christ as Savior. God does not force anyone to be saved. The provision has been paid in full, and the offer is totally free to all who want it. According to Geisler, “Salvation is given by an act of God’s freedom, and it is received by an act of our freedom. To be sure, this act of freedom is aided by God’s grace, but His grace does not save apart from the co-operation of our will.”^[2]

This brings the issue to a point of personal decision. Christ has done the work. The penalty has been paid in full. Eternal life is offered as a free gift. Scripture says, “The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23b). The question is whether one will believe in Him. Will you trust that Jesus is the eternal Son of God who came in the flesh, died for your sins, and rose again? This is not about good works, reform, or religion. Scripture is clear, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). At this very moment, you can place your faith in Christ and receive eternal life. Scripture reveals, “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16b), and “He who believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36a). We need only Christ to be saved.

Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.

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^[1] Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, God’s Will & Man’s Will: Predestination, Election, & Free Will, ed. Christiane Jurik, 2nd Edition (San Antonio, TX: Ariel Ministries, 2014), 43.

^[2] Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume Three: Sin, Salvation (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2004), 188.

Why The Resurrection of Jesus Matters

Posted on April 4, 2026 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The resurrection of Jesus Christ stands as an essential element of the gospel: that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day (1 Cor. 15:3–4). Yet some denied the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:12). Paul answered them directly, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:17). At the cross, Jesus paid the penalty for sin, and the resurrection is God’s public declaration that the payment was accepted and that righteousness has been secured. Scripture states, “He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God” (Rom. 4:25). The cross removes the penalty of sin and secures righteousness, while the resurrection validates and publicly declares that the saving work of Christ has been fully accepted.

Christ bore our sins in His body on the cross, dying as our substitute, “the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet. 3:18; cf. Isa. 53:6; 2 Cor. 5:21). During the hours of darkness, He endured judgment for sin, and then He died physically (Matt. 27:45–50). Death is the consequence of sin (Rom. 5:12; 6:23), and Jesus entered that realm fully. The resurrection demonstrates His victory over sin and death, proving that the penalty was completely satisfied and that death could not hold Him (Acts 2:24).

The post-resurrection appearances provide cumulative, verifiable evidence that Jesus rose bodily. These are not visions or impressions but encounters with the same physical body that was crucified, now glorified (Luke 24:39; John 20:27). Jesus appeared to numerous eyewitnesses. He appeared to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11–18), to other women returning from the tomb (Matt. 28:8–10), to Peter (Luke 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5), to two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35), to the apostles without Thomas (John 20:19–25), to the apostles with Thomas (John 20:26–29), to seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1–14), to more than five hundred brethren at one time (1 Cor. 15:6), to James (1 Cor. 15:7), to all the apostles (Luke 24:50–51; 1 Cor. 15:7), and later to Paul as one “untimely born” (1 Cor. 15:8; Acts 9:3–6). These appearances occurred over forty days, “presenting Himself alive… by many convincing proofs” (Acts 1:3). The four Gospels function as converging eyewitness testimony, supplemented by apostolic witness in Acts and the Epistles (Luke 1:1–4; John 21:24; Acts 2:32).

A distinction must be made between resuscitation and resurrection. Prior to Christ, individuals such as the widow’s son (1 Kings 17:17–24), the Shunammite’s son (2 Kings 4:32–35), Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:35–43), the widow’s son at Nain (Luke 7:11–15), and Lazarus (John 11:43–44) were restored to mortal life, only to die again. Christ’s resurrection is categorically different. He rose in a glorified, immortal body, never to die again, becoming “the first fruits of those who are asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20, 23).

The resurrection of Christ guarantees the future resurrection of all who belong to Him. For the Church, this occurs at the Rapture, when “the dead in Christ will rise first… then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them… to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Th. 4:16–17), and “we will all be changed… for this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:51–53). Old Testament and Tribulation saints will be raised at the end of the Tribulation (Dan. 12:2; Rev. 20:4–6). These resurrections result in glorified bodies fit for eternal life in God’s presence (Phil. 3:20–21).

Unbelievers will also be resurrected, but for judgment, not blessing. At the Great White Throne, they will be raised and judged, then cast into the lake of fire (John 5:28–29; Rev. 20:11–15). The resurrection of Christ does not benefit them because they reject the provision secured by His work (John 3:18, 36). Unbelievers who receive resurrection bodies “will go away into eternal punishment” (Matt. 25:46), spending eternity in the lake of fire, forever separated from God, suffering eternal torment with no hope of relief. The lake of fire is avoidable.

How Can I Be Saved?

The answer is simple: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Jesus Christ is the eternal Son who became man (John 1:1, 14), lived sinlessly (1 John 3:5), died in your place (Rom. 5:8), and rose again on the third day (1 Cor. 15:3–4). He accomplished everything necessary for your salvation. Scripture declares, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” and “He who believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:16; 36a). The issue is not what you do for God, but whether you will accept His free offer of salvation purchased by Christ on the cross.

Eternal life is a free gift from God, offered because He is gracious and not because we are deserving, “for there are none righteous, not even one… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:10, 23). But God, because of His great love and grace toward us (Eph. 2:4–5), offers total forgiveness (Acts 10:43), reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18–19), and eternal salvation through faith alone in Christ alone (Eph. 2:8–9). Scripture states, “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). A gift requires no payment before, during, or after. Eternal salvation was purchased by Jesus and is offered as a free gift to all.

You receive God’s free gift of eternal life the moment you place your faith in Jesus as your Savior. Believing in Jesus means you trust Him to accomplish what you cannot: to make you righteous before God by removing your sins (Col. 2:13–14), crediting you with His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21), and giving you eternal life (John 10:28). This great gift of salvation was very costly to Jesus (1 Pet. 1:18–19), but it is totally free to you, if you will believe in Jesus as your Savior. If you have not trusted in Him, you can do so now. The matter is simple: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Once you believe in Jesus, you are forever part of His family (John 1:12; Gal. 3:26), and will never face the lake of fire (John 5:24; Rom. 8:1). Heaven is secure from that point onward (John 10:28–29; 1 Pet. 1:4–5), and you can rest in Him and what He accomplished for you.

Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.

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How Do You Get to Heaven?

Posted on January 25, 2026 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

How do you get to heaven and avoid the Lake of Fire? Simple. God did the hard part. Man could not. Salvation is never what we do for God. It is what God has done for us in Christ. Jesus Christ bore the judgment we deserved, satisfied divine justice, and accomplished the work in full (John 19:30; Rom. 5:8). Our good works don’t save us. His work on the cross does. The issue for the sinner is not effort, reform, ritual, or resolve. The issue is faith. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). One act of faith. One moment of trust. Eternal life is received as a free gift, not earned by good works (John 3:16; Eph. 2:8–9).

Faith in Christ is a one and done decision. At the instant of belief, God imputes His righteousness to the sinner (Rom. 4:5; 2 Cor. 5:21), justifies the ungodly (Rom. 3:28; 5:1), grants eternal life as a present possession (John 3:16; 5:24), and secures the believer forever (John 10:28; Eph. 1:13–14). This is a judicial act of God, not a process, not a reward, and not conditioned on human effort. Justification is entirely God’s work, accomplished by Christ alone, received by faith alone. No follow up performance is required to keep what God freely gives. To confuse justification with the Christian way of life is theological malpractice.

After salvation comes discipleship. That is costly. That is difficult. That requires daily decisions, sacrifice, endurance, and in some cases even death (Luke 9:23; Phil. 1:29). Discipleship does not save. It trains. It produces spiritual maturity (Eph. 4:13), a life that honors the Lord (1 Cor. 10:31), eternal rewards (1 Cor. 3:12–15; 2 Cor. 5:10), and results in the best life that can be lived in this fallen world.

Keep the categories clear. Justification is positional and permanent, accomplished by God at the moment of faith (Rom. 3:28; 5:1; Gal. 2:16). Sanctification is experiential and progressive, dependent on the believer’s positive volition toward Bible doctrine and consistent walking by the Spirit (Rom. 12:1–2; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 5:18). God supplies every provision for growth (Eph. 1:3). The believer is responsible to utilize them. Grace saves. Grace also trains, but only for those who choose to grow (Tit. 2:11–12; 1 Pet. 2:2).

If you’ve not yet believed in Jesus as your Savior, don’t wait another moment. Accept God’s free offer of eternal life. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). You’ll be eternally grateful.

Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.

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Why Grace and Works Don’t Mix

Posted on October 20, 2025 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Scripture states, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23). These are two different systems with different outcomes. One is a works paradigm; the other is a grace paradigm. Works is a system where payment is tied to performance. In this framework, every laborer is paid what he deserves. The Greek word opsōnia—translated “wages”—was used for the payment a soldier or worker received for services rendered. Paul previously established that “There is none righteous, not even one … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:10, 23). We produce sin, and what we earn is death—not just physical death, but spiritual separation from God now and eternal death later (Eph 2:1; Rev 20:14). This is strict justice. It’s what we deserve for what we’ve done. And there’s no mercy or grace in a paycheck.

But the second half of the verse is a word of grace: “But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23b). Here, Paul shifts the entire paradigm. We are no longer talking about wages, we are talking about grace. The word translated “free gift” is charisma, and it refers to a grace gift. It is not earned, merited, or achieved. It is not God’s reward for being good. It is a gift for the guilty, the unrighteous, the undeserving. It is rooted solely in the character and bounty of the Giver, not in the performance of the recipient. Grace flips the script. Where wages are earned by sinners, grace is given by God to the undeserving. And the gift He gives is eternal life, which means it lasts forever. It comes “in Christ Jesus our Lord,” meaning it is grounded entirely in His work, not ours. Jesus lived the perfect life we could not live, died the death we deserved, and rose victorious over sin and death (2 Cor 5:21; Rom 4:25). Now He offers us what we could never earn—eternal life. And it is offered freely, paid in full, and received by faith alone in Christ alone. Eternal life is not found in self-reformation, law-keeping, or good deeds (all works-based systems). It is found only in Jesus, our Savior (Acts 4:12).

These two paradigms cannot coexist. One is a works-based system; the other is a grace-based system. One puts man at the center, focusing on human effort and merit. The other puts God at the center, highlighting divine generosity and mercy. One ends in just condemnation; the other in undeserved salvation. The works paradigm always produces death because it demands perfection, and “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). But the grace paradigm makes salvation possible because it depends not on the sinner, but on the Savior. Scripture declares, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9). Grace silences boasting, exalts Christ, and offers the free gift of eternal life to any sinner willing to come to Jesus. Scripture states, “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The choice is before us every day: keep living by a works-based system and collect eternal death, or believe in Jesus and receive the free gift of eternal life. There is no third option. There is no hybrid model. One path leads to ruin; the other to life. If salvation could be earned, it would exalt man. But because it is a gift, it glorifies God. The cross is the proof that we could never save ourselves, and the resurrection is the guarantee that Jesus has done all the saving work for us. All that remains is to believe Him. The empty hand of faith simply receives what the grace of God freely gives. Take the gift, and take it now. Don’t wait another day: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).

Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.

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How Can I Know I’m Saved?

Posted on June 11, 2025 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The question “How can I know I’m really saved?” is one of the most common—and important—questions a Christian can ask. The answer must be rooted in the clear promises of Scripture, not in feelings, performance, or spiritual experiences. Biblically, the assurance of salvation rests entirely on the objective truth of God’s Word and the finished work of Jesus Christ—not on our fluctuating emotions, personal circumstances, or behavior.

Salvation is by grace alone (Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8-9), through faith alone (Rom 3:28; Gal 2:16), in Christ alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). We are not saved by our works (Rom 4:4-5), commitment, fruit, or perseverance. Scripture states, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself” (2 Tim 2:13). Salvation is never about what we do for God; it’s about what He has done for us through the Person and work of Jesus—the eternal Son of God—who died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day (1 Cor 15:3-4). After hearing this good news, we are directed to trust in Christ alone as our Savior, for “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16b). The moment we believe, we receive the forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43), eternal life (John 10:28), and the righteousness of God credited to us (Phil 3:9). That’s a fact based on the truth of God’s Word.

So how can you know you’re saved? Because God said so. His Word is true, for “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind” (Num 23:19a). In fact, “it is impossible for God to lie” (Heb 6:18), so His promises are rock solid. Our assurance rests on His promise—not on our performance. Jesus said, “The one who believes in Me has eternal life” (John 6:47). That’s a present-tense reality. Eternal life begins the moment we believe—not after we’ve proven ourselves worthy. It is never earned, never maintained by effort, and never lost through failure. If we could lose it or forfeit it, then it wouldn’t be eternal life, but something temporary, conditional, or probationary (which is the view held by those who teach a works-based gospel). But Scripture calls it eternal life for a reason, and it’s freely given at the moment of faith in Christ. It is, as Paul wrote, “the free gift of God” (Rom 6:23). If you have to earn it, it’s not a gift, but something you’ve purchased. And God doesn’t revoke His gifts. Eternal life is a permanent possession, freely granted to the one who believes (John 5:24; 10:28; Rom 5:1).

Some believers doubt their salvation because they still struggle with sin. But struggling doesn’t mean you’re unsaved—it often indicates you are saved and in conflict with your old sin nature (Gal 5:17). Unbelievers don’t wrestle with the flesh in the same way because they’re not indwelt by the Holy Spirit. That internal battle is a sign of spiritual life, not spiritual death.

In summary, you can know you’re saved if you have believed in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life. God cannot lie (Tit 1:2), and He promises eternal security to every believer (John 10:28-29). So don’t look inward for assurance—look to Christ and the unchanging truth of His Word. That’s where confidence lives. As John wrote, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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The Gospel of Grace

Posted on May 12, 2025 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news that God, in His love and grace, has provided a way of eternal salvation for all people through the death and resurrection of His Son. Scripture declares plainly that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures… He was buried… He was raised on the third day” (1 Cor 15:3-4). This is not a limited offer to a select group. It is a universal provision, made available to whoever believes. Scripture states, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The love of God and the sacrifice of Christ are not reserved for a predetermined few—they are extended to the entirety of the human race. Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), and He is “the propitiation… for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). That’s not theological theory—it’s biblical fact.

Jesus is the eternal Son of God who added humanity to Himself (John 1:1, 14; Phil 2:6-7; Col 2:9), lived the perfectly righteous life we never could (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22), willingly laid down His life as our substitute (Isa 53:5-6; John 10:17-18; Rom 5:8), and conquered sin and death through His resurrection on the third day—never to die again (Rom 6:9-10; Rev 1:18). His resurrection is essential to our eternal salvation, for “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor 15:17). But He has been raised, and because He lives, all who trust in Him will live also.

Mankind is lost in sin, yes, but not incapable of response. People are not spiritually comatose or robotic. They are responsible beings, made in the image of God, capable of responding to His revelation. Though sin has affected every aspect of human nature, it has not rendered the unbeliever unable to understand the gospel. That’s why Scripture repeatedly calls people to believe. Jesus said, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent” (John 6:29). Paul told the Philippian jailer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). And to the Athenians, Paul declared, “God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent” (Acts 17:30)—that is, to change their mind and respond to the truth of the gospel. The command to believe is meaningless unless the unbeliever has the capacity to respond. Faith is not a work—it is non-meritorious. It is the hand that receives the gift.

Salvation is not a sovereign lottery. It is not a secretive process whereby God chooses some and bypasses others for reasons hidden in the mystery of eternity. God desires all to be saved. “God our Savior… desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:3–4). He is “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9). Election in Scripture is corporate—we are chosen “in Christ” (Eph 1:4), not independently of Christ. The moment a person believes in Christ, they are united with Him and share in everything He is and has. But no one is forced into union. God never violates volition.

The atonement was not a selective payment—it was a once-for-all satisfaction of divine justice. Jesus Christ bore the sins of all—past, present, and future. As Scripture declares, “By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb 10:10), and again, “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Heb 10:14). Paul wrote, “We have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers” (1 Tim 4:10). That doesn’t mean all are saved, but that salvation is available to all. The issue isn’t “for whom did Christ die?” The issue is: will you believe?

And finally, eternal life is secure—not because we persevere, but because God keeps His promise. Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life” (John 6:47). That’s not temporary life. That’s not probationary life. That’s eternal life—guaranteed the moment you believe. He said, “I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:28). We don’t hold onto Him—He holds onto us. And even when we are faithless, “He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself” (2 Tim 2:13). Salvation is by grace, through faith, and it is eternally secure—not because of our endurance, but because of His finished work.

The gospel is simple: Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose again. He did it for you. And the only thing God requires is that you believe—not try, not promise, not perform. Believe. The moment you do, God gives you eternal life—freely, irrevocably, and forever. If you’ve not trusted in Jesus as your Savior, don’t wait another day. Let today be the day of salvation for you. You’ll be eternally grateful.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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The Gift of Life and the Call to Discipleship

Posted on May 2, 2025 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Eternal life is free. Absolutely free. No strings attached. It costs us nothing—not one good deed, not one tear of remorse. Why? Because it cost Christ everything. He paid it all. The cross wasn’t a down payment; it was the full purchase price (John 19:30). He bore our sins (1 Pet 2:24), satisfied divine justice (Rom 3:25-26), and secured eternal life as a gift for all who believe (Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8-9). We don’t earn it, work for it, feel our way into it, or promise to do better tomorrow. We simply believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s Word is clear: “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16b), and “The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36), and “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23b).

But discipleship? That’s a different matter. Discipleship costs. It demands something of us. It calls for lifelong commitment, learning, training, and sacrifice. It’s not a ticket to heaven—it’s a call to follow the King in the devil’s world. Eternal life is ours the moment we trust in Christ. Discipleship is the daily grind of growing up spiritually, standing firm, and making choices that often come with a price tag (Luke 14:27-33). We don’t become disciples to be saved; we choose to be disciples because we are saved.

Let’s not conflate justification with sanctification. Blurring the line between eternal life and discipleship muddies the gospel and frontloads grace with legalism. Grace doesn’t demand—discipleship does. Eternal life is received by faith alone (John 3:16); discipleship is pursued through ongoing obedience as we learn and live God’s Word by faith (1 Pet 2:2; 2 Cor 5:7). One gives us a new position in Christ. The other determines our spiritual growth and impact in the devil’s world.

As Christian disciples, God tells us how to live the spiritual life. He commands us to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18), to “walk by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16), and instructs us “to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age” (Tit 2:11-12). He also supplies the power to live righteously, strengthening us “with power through His Spirit in the inner self” (Eph 3:16). God faithfully takes care of us, for He “will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19; cf. Matt 6:31-33). And when our life is over and our mission is complete, He evaluates and rewards us, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor 5:10; cf. 1 Cor 3:13-14).

In summary, eternal life is God’s gift to us (Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8-9). Discipleship is God’s work in us and through us, as we submit to Him (Jam 4:7), learn His Word (1 Pet 2:2), walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7), and advance to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1). Eternal life is instantaneous and permanent, accomplished the moment we believe in Christ (John 3:16). Discipleship is progressive, a lifelong journey of transformation (Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 3:18; Col 2:6-7; Phil 1:6). God’s gift of eternal life secures our position in heaven (John 10:28), while discipleship determines our capacity to glorify Him in time and our reward in eternity (1 Cor 3:12-15; 2 Cor 5:10).

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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Grace Operates in the Low Places

Posted on April 21, 2025 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The Bible reveals that “God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet 5:5b). In this passage, Peter is writing to believers, but the principle is true for everyone, saved or unsaved. Throughout Scripture, God is consistently presented as displaying grace (Ex 34:6; Psa 103:8; John 1:14). While God’s common grace shines on the just and unjust alike (Matt 5:45; Acts 14:16-17), He gives special grace to the humble (Jam 4:6). For the humble unbeliever, there is a saving grace that results in the free gift of eternal life. This gift is given at the moment we trust in Christ alone as Savior, for “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God’s greatest blessings come to those who know they need Him. Humility, in the biblical sense, is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking rightly about yourself in light of God’s Word (Rom 12:3). The proud say, “I can do it myself,” but the humble admit, “Only God can save me.” For the Lord, grace is the only way to be saved (Eph 2:8-9), and He does not negotiate with the proud. He is fixed on saving people on His terms, and His terms alone. The moment someone brings their works to the table, they nullify grace (Rom 11:6). Pride demands we contribute. Humility brings nothing, but receives that which is graciously offered. Eternal life is a gift for the guilty (Rom 5:6-8), not a reward for the deserving (Tit 3:5-7), and it is given only to those who, in humility, come to Jesus in faith (Luke 18:13-14; John 6:29).

The message of grace is offensive to the proud, but beautiful to the broken. The thief on the cross didn’t have time to clean up his act, but he had just enough time to humble himself and believe—and that was enough. Eternal life was his, not because he earned it, but because he received it. That’s grace, and grace operates in the low places. From God’s perspective, we are all in the low places, and only the humble recognize it. I pray you see yourself like the thief on the cross, guilty, condemned, and utterly helpless to save yourself, but crying out to the One who can and will save you, if you’ll simply trust in Him to do what you cannot. He will not fail you in that moment. His Word is always true, for “God is not a man, that He should lie” (Num 23:19a).

If you have not trusted in Christ as your Savior, don’t wait. Accept God’s free gift of eternal life today. Scripture states, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23). Sin pays out a paycheck—death, both spiritual and eternal. But God, in His grace, offers a free gift: eternal life, not earned or deserved, but received by faith alone in Christ alone. We need only Christ to be saved. Nothing more. Faith is the inward conviction that Jesus is the Son of God (John 1:1, 14; Col 2:9), who paid the full price for sin through His death on the cross (Rom 5:8; 1 Cor 15:3), was buried and resurrected on the third day (1 Cor 15:4), demonstrating His victory over sin and death (Rom 6:9–10), and that He alone gives eternal life to all who believe in Him (John 3:16; 10:28; Acts 4:12; 16:31). Jesus is the object of our faith, and “He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36).

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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The Importance of Jesus’ Resurrection

Posted on April 19, 2025 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

A dead Savior cannot give life. If Christ has not been raised from the dead, then He did not conquer sin, and He is powerless to save us from our sins. As Paul declared, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor 15:17). Furthermore, if Jesus is not raised, then we who proclaim His resurrection are “lying about God, for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave” (1 Cor 15:15), and those who believed our message have placed their hope in a lie (1 Cor 15:19). In such a case, Christianity collapses, the gospel has no saving power, and we are left with nothing more than a delusion.

As Christians, our confidence is not in vain, for “Christ has been raised from the dead, and He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died” (1 Cor 15:20). Jesus’ resurrection guarantees ours. Since He rose, then we too shall rise. Jesus’ resurrection is part of the good news of the gospel (1 Cor 15:3-4), and it guarantees that we who have believed in Him will spend eternity in heaven, because Jesus—the living One—is coming again to receive us to Himself (John 14:1-3). For unbelievers, it’s bad news, for unless they turn to Christ and believe in Him for salvation (John 3:16), they will be resurrected to face eternal separation from God in the lake of fire (Rev 20:11-15).[1]

We have confidence in Jesus’ resurrection because the Bible—God’s authoritative Word—is a reliable historical record. The New Testament was written by men who saw the risen Christ and testified to what they witnessed (Luke 1:1-4). These were men of integrity who willingly suffered and died for their testimony (1 Cor 15:3-8; 2 Pet 1:16). All four Gospels affirm Jesus’ resurrection that “He has risen” (Matt 28:6; cf. Mark 16:6; Luke 24:6-7; John 20:1-18). After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to numerous persons over a period of forty days (Acts 1:3), namely, Mary Magdalene and other women (Matt 28:1-10; John 20:10-18), two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32), the disciples without Thomas (John 20:19-25), the disciples with Thomas (John 20:26-29), the disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-23), Peter, James, and more than 500 brethren at one time (1 Cor 15:5-7). After these appearances, Jesus ascended bodily into heaven (Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:9-11; Eph 1:20). Peter and others were eyewitnesses to Jesus’ resurrection, saying, “This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses” (Acts 2:32), and later, at the house of Cornelius, he said, “God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He appear, not to all the people, but to witnesses who had been chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead” (Acts 10:40-41). Throughout the NT, there are over 40 direct mentions of Jesus being raised from the dead.[2] Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6) and to John on the island of Patmos, saying, “I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore” (Rev 1:17-18).

Every writer of the New Testament assumes the resurrection of Jesus as a historical event that took place in time and space. Paul affirmed that Jesus was “raised on the third day” (1 Cor 15:4), and that He, “having been raised from the dead, is never to die again” (Rom 6:9). He also exhorted believers to “remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead” (2 Tim 2:8). Jesus’ bodily resurrection demonstrates that He is truly the Son of God, possessing the authority to give life (John 10:17-18). Scripture states that Jesus Christ “was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom 1:4a). Jesus’ resurrection was God’s public endorsement that Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be, and that His redemptive work was completed and fully accepted. To deny the resurrection is to gut the gospel of its power. But to embrace it is to be rooted in unshakable truth and to live in resurrection hope.

Jesus’ resurrection is the Father’s declaration that Christ’s atonement for our sins was accepted, for Jesus “was handed over to die because of our sins, and He was raised to life to make us right with God” (Rom 4:25). Our sins were the reason Jesus went to the cross (Rom 5:8; 2 Cor 5:21). He bore the penalty that rightfully belonged to us, for “Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18a). Jesus’ resurrection proves the sin debt has been fully paid. Without the resurrection, there would be no assurance that the transaction at the cross was sufficient. But because Jesus lives, we have full confidence that we are declared righteous before God through faith in Christ alone (Rom 5:1). Simply put, no resurrection means no salvation.

In light of all this, the resurrection of Jesus Christ stands as an indispensable feature of our Christian faith—historically grounded, theologically essential, and personally transformative. It is the Father’s validation of the Son’s work and the believer’s assurance of eternal life, power for daily living, and hope beyond the grave. To deny it is to unravel the very fabric of the gospel; to believe it is to stand firmly in the truth of God’s Word, secured by grace, and anchored in a living Savior who conquered death and lives forevermore. Because He lives, so shall we.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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[1] The Bible teaches that all people will be bodily raised from the dead by God, each in their own divinely appointed order (1 Cor 15:22-24). For the Church, the resurrection occurs at the rapture, when believers are caught up and transformed to receive glorified, incorruptible bodies like Christ’s (1 Th 4:16-17; Phil 3:20-21). Old Testament saints will be raised at the Second Coming of Christ to share in the blessings of the millennial kingdom (Dan 12:2; Isa 26:19), along with Tribulation martyrs who are also resurrected at that time (Rev 20:4-6). Other saints, such as those who believe during the Millennium and die during that period, will likely be raised at the end of the thousand years. In contrast, unbelievers from all ages will be raised in a final resurrection after the Millennium to stand before the Great White Throne and be judged according to their works, resulting in eternal separation from God (John 5:28-29; Rev 20:11-15). This multifaceted doctrine underscores both the certainty of future bodily existence and the distinction between resurrection unto life and resurrection unto judgment

[2] These references span across the Gospels (Matt 28:6; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:6-7; John 20:9), Acts (Acts 2:24; 3:15; 4:10; 10:40; 13:30), Epistles (Rom 1:4; 4:25; 6:4; 8:11; 10:9; 1 Cor 6:14; 15:4; 15:20; 2 Cor 4:14; Gal 1:1; Eph 1:20; Phil 3:10; Col 2:12; 1 Th 1:10; 4:14; 2 Tim 2:8; 1 Pet 1:3), and Revelation (Rev 1:18).

The Meaning of Good Friday

Posted on April 18, 2025 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Good Friday is a day of paradox—darkness and light, sorrow and hope, death and life. At first glance, the day Jesus died doesn’t seem “good” at all. The sinless Son of God was betrayed, beaten, mocked, and nailed to a Roman cross (Matt 27:26-31; John 19:16-18). The sky went dark, and even the earth trembled (Matt 27:45, 51). It looked like evil had won and hope had been buried in a borrowed tomb. Yet in that darkest moment, heaven was accomplishing its brightest work.

But Good Friday is good because God was at work in the world. The cross wasn’t a tragedy—it was a triumph (Col 2:14-15). Jesus didn’t die as a martyr; He died as a Savior (Matt 1:21; John 10:17-18). He took our place, bore our sin, and satisfied the righteous demands of God’s holiness (Isa 53:5-6; Rom 5:8; 2 Cor 5:21). He didn’t just suffer with us—He suffered for us (Mark 10:45; Heb 9:26). Peter tells us, “Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18). Jesus, the sinless One (1 John 3:5), died as a substitute for us—the guilty (Rom 5:8). His death was not partial or repeatable; it was final, sufficient, and complete. Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, He satisfied the justice of God and opened the way for reconciliation. Sin had separated us, but the cross brought us near (Rom 5:10; 2 Cor 5:18-19). Jesus died to deal with sin once for all, so that by faith in Him, we might be forever restored to a right relationship with God (Rom 5:1; Eph 2:13).

Good Friday reminds us that the worst day in human history was also the best day for fallen humanity. That rough Roman cross became the altar where the Lamb of God took away the sin of the world (John 1:29). It’s important because without the cross, there is no forgiveness (Heb 9:22; Eph 1:7). Without Christ’s death, there is no life (John 6:51; Rom 6:23). Without His sacrifice, there is no salvation (Acts 4:12; Heb 10:10). Good Friday means love acted (1 John 4:10), grace won (Eph 2:8-9), and God opened the door for anyone—yes, anyone—to come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ. God’s Word states, “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Let today—Good Friday—be good for you too. Let the work of Christ be applied to your life. Believe in Him as your Savior, and receive the free gift of eternal life He has for you (John 10:28; Rom 6:23). You’ll be eternally grateful.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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Faith from Beginning to End

Posted on April 2, 2025 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The Christian life begins and ends with faith. Faith is the means by which we are saved, and it is also the means by which we grow spiritually. It is not a special kind of faith, as some theological traditions suggest, but the same faith that every person exercises daily—now directed toward God. At salvation, faith fixes itself on Christ as the only Savior. He alone has the power to save, and He does so for all who place their trust in Him. It is so simple that even a child can do it. Jesus commended childlike faith because of its simplicity and trust (Matt 18:3-4). As people grow older, however, pride and worldly thinking often become barriers to simple trust in Christ (2 Cor 4:4). Yet, God’s grace reaches all who believe, regardless of age.

Jesus, the eternal Son of God, entered the world through the virgin conception and birth (Isa 7:14; Luke 1:30-35) and took upon Himself true humanity (John 1:1, 14; Phil 2:6-7). He is the unique God-Man (John 1:18; 1 Tim 2:5), fully God and fully human, without sin (1 Pet 2:22; 1 John 3:5). As a descendant of Abraham and David (Gen 12:3; 2 Sam 7:12-13; Matt 1:1, 16-17; Rom 1:3), He fulfilled Old Testament prophecy concerning the Messiah (Isa 9:6-7; Mic 5:2; Luke 24:44). Jesus lived a perfectly righteous life (Heb 7:26), willingly died in our place (John 10:17-18; 1 Pet 3:18), was buried (Matt 27:59-60), and rose again on the third day (Luke 24:6-7; 1 Cor 15:4), never to die again (Rom 6:9). His resurrection proved His victory over sin and death (1 Cor 15:54-57; 2 Tim 1:10), for though He was crucified, “God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power” (Acts 2:24). Because He lives, we have the assurance of eternal life.

When we place our faith in Jesus (Acts 16:31), we receive the free gift of eternal life. Scripture declares, “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16b). The Greek verb pisteuō (πιστεύω) means to trust, rely upon, or be convinced of the truth. To believe in Jesus is to trust Him alone to do what we cannot—save us (John 3:16; Eph 2:8-9). Salvation is a one-time act in which the sinner, convinced by God’s Word, trusts in Christ alone, apart from works (Rom 4:5). Eternal life is God’s free gift, received by faith alone in Christ alone. Scripture states, “The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23b), and “by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9). This salvation is secure, for Scripture assures us, “He who has the Son has the life” (1 John 5:12). Assurance of salvation is not based on emotions or performance but on Christ’s finished work and God’s unchanging promises. John wrote, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). If you have trusted in Christ, you have eternal life, and nothing can separate you from Him (Rom 8:1, 38-39).

Now that you are saved, God calls you to walk with Him. The Christian life is a lifelong journey of faith (2 Cor 5:7; Gal 2:20; Heb 10:38; 11:6), learning and applying God’s Word daily (Psa 1:2; 1 Pet 2:2; Jam 1:22). God has a purpose for your life, filled with blessings and meaningful service. Yet, this journey will not be easy. Jesus warned, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Paul taught that “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22), and “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim 3:12). Walking with Christ requires spiritual training (1 Tim 4:7-8; Heb 5:14), commitment (Luke 9:23; Phil 3:13-14), sacrifice (Rom 12:1; 2 Cor 5:15), and endurance (Heb 12:1-2). But you will not walk alone—God will equip and empower you (2 Cor 9:8; Eph 2:10; 5:18; 2 Tim 3:16-17), He will be with you (Matt 28:20; Heb 13:5), and He is for you (Rom 8:31).

Though you may suffer hardship as a good soldier of Christ (2 Tim 2:3-4; 1 Pet 4:12-13), you will also experience profound peace (John 14:27; Phil 4:6-7) and joy (John 15:11). You will come to understand your place in God’s eternal plan and find confidence in His sovereignty (Rom 8:28-30; Eph 1:4-5; Phil 1:6). This life of faith is the most meaningful life possible—a life of truth (John 8:31-32; Eph 6:14), humility (Mic 6:8; Phil 2:3-5), integrity (Prov 11:3; Tit 2:7-8), service (Mark 10:45; Heb 13:16), and purpose (Eph 2:10). The Apostle Paul understood this calling, saying, “I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).

The Lord will honor those who honor Him, saying, “I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be cursed!” (1 Sam 2:30b). And when this life is over and you stand before the King who commissioned you, He will commend you and reward your faithfulness, saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:21a; cf. 1 Cor 3:12-15; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 22:12). The choices you make today echo in eternity. Every moment you live by faith, every test you endure with integrity, and every truth you apply brings eternal dividends. Stay the course. The battle is real, but so is the victory. Keep pressing on, knowing that your labor in the Lord is never in vain (1 Cor 15:58).

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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How to Avoid the Lake of Fire

Posted on March 23, 2025 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The term, lake of fire, itself appears in Revelation, where it is linked to the final judgment at the Great White Throne (Rev 20:11-15). The lake of fire is the final place of judgment for Satan, his demons, and all unbelievers. It is described as a place of eternal torment, separation from God, and unquenchable fire (Rev 20:10, 14-15). We are told, “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:15). This judgment is irreversible and eternal, marking the complete and final separation from God.

Eternal suffering in the lake of fire is described as a state of eternal conscious torment (Matt 25:41, 46; Mark 9:43-48; Rev 14:10-11). Jesus spoke repeatedly of hell (Gehenna) as a place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt 13:42, 50), emphasizing its severity. The fire is “unquenchable,” and the worm “does not die” (Mark 9:48), indicating perpetual suffering. This judgment is not arbitrary but is the result of rejecting God’s free gift of eternal life through faith in Christ. Personal faith is the issue. Each person must believe in Jesus. The Scripture says, “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23b).

Eternal life is described as a gift, meaning we don’t work for it, earn it, or deserve it. It’s not about morality, religious rituals, or any human effort. This gift wasn’t free to Christ—it was purchased at infinite cost. On the cross, He took the full brunt of God’s judgment, bearing our sin, paying our debt in full, and satisfying divine righteousness once and for all. The issue of sin has been settled. Now that the debt is paid, there’s nothing left for us to contribute. No penance, no promises, no emotional experiences. What does God require? Faith alone in Christ alone. To believe in Jesus as Savior means to trust Him at His Word—that He did all the work on our behalf. When we believe in Him, we receive eternal life instantly, irrevocably, and permanently. We don’t feel it, work it up, or negotiate for it. It’s grace, pure and simple. Christ did the work; we get the benefit. And possessing eternal life means we will never experience the lake of fire, for “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1).

The way to avoid the lake of fire is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is by grace alone (Eph 2:8-9), through faith alone (Rom 3:28), in Christ alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Jesus bore the full penalty for sin on the cross (Mark 10:45; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 3:18; 2:24), so that anyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sin (Acts 10:43) and eternal life and will never come into condemnation (John 5:24; Rom 8:1). We’re old, “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16), and “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36).

I don’t want anyone to spend eternity in the lake of fire. It’s a real place of eternal suffering, and it saddens me that many will go there when they do not have to. Turn to Christ. Believe in Him. His offers forgiveness of sins and eternal life for all who want it. Scripture tells us, “everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins” (Acts 10:43), and “everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life” (John 3:15).

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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The Gospel in the Gospel of John

Posted on March 15, 2025 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The Gospel of John, as a whole, was written as an evangelistic treatise to persuade people to believe in Jesus for eternal life. The apostle John was an eyewitness to the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Like other eyewitness accounts (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), John documented the historical events of the Messiah. John states the purpose for his Gospel, saying, “Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31).[1] What John recorded is historically accurate and sufficient to lead someone to believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God and, by believing in Him, to receive eternal life. That’s good news!

Scripture indicates that God requires certain information to be believed before He saves someone. To believe is to have a mental conviction that a testimony is true or that someone is reliable and worthy of confidence. Faith, then, is closely tied to the authority and reliability of the source. By faith, we accept information because we trust the source, and the Gospel of John is a reliable source of information about Jesus. John reveals that Jesus—prior to His incarnation—eternally existed as God (John 1:1-2; 8:58; 17:5), and that He is separate from God the Father (John 1:1; 17:24) and God the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17; 15:26). John also tells us that God the Son added humanity to Himself, becoming the God-Man (John 1:1, 14, 18). Furthermore, John declares that Jesus came to deal with the sin of the world (John 1:29) and that He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day (John 19:1–20:29). After His resurrection, Jesus appeared physically alive to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18) and later to His disciples (John 20:19-29). Jesus’ resurrection validates His victory over sin and death (Paul also tells us that many other eyewitnesses saw Jesus after His resurrection; see 1 Cor 15:3-8).

The word “believe” (pisteuō) appears approximately 98 times in John’s Gospel, depending on the translation, making it more frequent than in any other New Testament book. This reflects John’s central purpose: to encourage belief in Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God for eternal life (John 20:31). Interestingly, John uses the verb “believe” but not the noun “faith” (pistis), focusing on active trust in Christ. This highlights the personal nature of saving faith as a response to the revelation of Jesus in His words and works. To be saved, each person must exercise their own faith and believe in Jesus as Savior.

Interestingly, John does not use the word “repent” (metanoeō) in his Gospel. Repentance means a “change of mind,” which is inherently included in the act of believing. To believe in Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God involves a shift from unbelief or misplaced trust to reliance on Jesus alone for salvation. Saving faith necessitates turning away from prior unbelief or false ideas about God and turning to faith alone in Christ alone. Ethical reform or moral transformation are not prerequisites for salvation. Jesus’ work on the cross is the sole basis for salvation (John 19:30). By focusing on belief, John simplifies the message for his audience, ensuring the clarity of the gospel of grace.

According to John, eternal salvation is exclusively found in Jesus, who said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). Eternal life, as recorded by John, is available to everyone (John 3:16; 4:14; 5:24; 6:47; 12:32), is promised to those who place their faith in Jesus as Savior (John 3:16; 20:30-31), and, once received, cannot be lost (John 10:28-29). John wrote, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16), and “The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36). This theme of faith alone in Christ alone runs throughout the Gospel, with repeated affirmations that belief in Jesus is the means by which sinners are saved and receive the gift of eternal life (John 5:24, 39-40; 6:40, 47; 10:27-28; 11:25-26; 20:31).

In conclusion, the Gospel of John provides a clear and compelling account of the person and work of Jesus Christ, emphasizing that belief in Him is the means by which we receive eternal life. John’s testimony, grounded in his own eyewitness experience (as one among many), assures us that Jesus is the eternal Son of God who became incarnate to offer salvation through His death, burial, and resurrection. By focusing on the act of believing, John simplifies the message, making it accessible to all who are willing to trust in Jesus as the Savior. When we believe in Jesus, we acknowledge that He is the incarnate Son of God (John 1:1, 14), that our salvation was accomplished through His death, burial, and resurrection (John 19:1–20:29; cf. 1 Cor 15:3-4), and we believe in Him alone for eternal life (John 3:16; 20:31).

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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[1] The Gospel of John records seven signs (miracles) that reveal Jesus’ identity as the Son of God and are meant to lead people to faith in Him for eternal life (John 20:30-31). The first sign is turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana, demonstrating Jesus’ power over nature and His role as the source of true joy (John 2:1-11). The second is healing the official’s son, which shows Jesus’ authority to heal from a distance, emphasizing the power of faith in His word (John 4:46-54). The third is healing the lame man at Bethesda, revealing Jesus’ power over sickness and His authority over the Sabbath (John 5:1-15). The fourth is feeding the 5,000, which displays Jesus as the Bread of Life who provides both spiritual and physical sustenance (John 6:1-14). The fifth is walking on water, demonstrating Jesus’ power over creation and His divine authority (John 6:16-21). The sixth is healing the man born blind, illustrating Jesus as the Light of the World who gives both physical and spiritual sight (John 9:1-41). The seventh and climactic sign is raising Lazarus from the dead, proving Jesus’ power over death and foreshadowing His own resurrection (John 11:1-44). Each of these signs points to Jesus’ divine nature and serves to persuade people to believe in Him for eternal life. While John also includes sections of deeper teaching for disciples (e.g., the Upper Room Discourse in John 13–17), these passages still fit within his broader evangelistic purpose, as they reveal Jesus’ identity, mission, and the promise of eternal life to those who believe. John also records Jesus’ “I am” statements, such as “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35), “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), and “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), which underscore His unique identity and mission to bring spiritual life to those who believe in Him.

Eternal Life Is the Greatest Gift of All!

Posted on March 12, 2025 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Good news, everyone: “The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23b)! I like free gifts, especially when they’re valuable. And there’s nothing more valuable to us than the free gift of eternal life, for it ensures we will spend eternity forever with God in heaven and never face the lake of fire. What an amazing gift! What an amazing God!

God’s free and precious gift of eternal life was fully purchased by Jesus through His “precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Pet 1:19). This payment for sin occurred on the cross, where Jesus took our sins upon Himself and paid our sin debt in full (Col 2:13-14; 1 Pet 3:18). Eternal salvation was made possible because of His death, burial, and resurrection (1 Cor 15:3-4). Eternal life comes to us, not because we’re worthy, but because God is love and wants us to be saved (John 3:16). God the Father did everything necessary to save us through the work of Jesus on the cross, for “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).

Now, eternal salvation is available to everyone who wants it (1 Tim 4:10; 2 Pet 3:9), and it is offered freely by grace. God’s Word declares, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9). Faith in Jesus is the sole condition for receiving eternal life. To believe in Jesus means we trust in Him, and Him alone, to save us. We do not rely on ourselves or any system of religious works, “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law” (Rom 3:28). Once we believe in Jesus as our Savior, we are forever justified in God’s sight, for “we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified” (Gal 2:16). Jesus did all the work to save us. We do nothing to save ourselves. He gets all the glory! We get the benefits of His work on the cross. That’s grace!

Once justified in God’s sight, He calls us to live sanctified lives that align with His character and will. Scripture informs us, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Tit 2:11-12). God’s call to discipleship is radical and requires total commitment to learn His Word (1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18), to walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38), to live in righteous conformity to His Word (2 Tim 3:16-17), to live in a manner worthy of the calling with which we have been called (Eph 4:1), to do good works (Gal 6:10; Eph 2:10), and to “press on to maturity” (Heb 6:1). Such lives will honor and glorify God (1 Cor 10:31; 1 Pet 4:11), edify others (1 Th 5:11), result in mental and emotional stability (Isa 26:3; Phil 4:6-11), and maximize our rewards in eternity when we stand before Christ (Rom 14:10; 1 Cor 3:10-15; 2 Cor 5:10; 2 John 1:8).

Though good works should follow salvation, they are never the condition for it (Rom 3:28; 4:4-5; Gal 2:16; Eph 2:8-9). This distinction is crucial because it protects the gospel from being reduced to a works-based system, which would undermine the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice. While eternal life is a free gift (Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8-9), it is not cheap. Jesus paid a great price for our salvation! He suffered on the cross, bearing our sin and enduring the wrath of God that rightly belonged to us. Eternal security is not a license to sin but a guarantee that the believer’s standing before God rests on Christ’s finished work, not personal performance (John 10:28-29). Justification lays the groundwork for sanctification but does not guarantee it. Only those Christians who possess positive volition and humility will submit to God (Rom 12:1-2; Jam 4:7), learn and live His Word by faith (1 Pet 2:2; 2 Cor 5:7), and advance spiritually (Heb 6:1). Though all Christians sin (Eccl 7:20; 1 John 1:10; 2:1), and some more than others, God has provided a means of restoration through confession (1 John 1:9), enabling believers to resume their walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:16; Eph 5:18).

However, it is possible for a Christian, after receiving eternal life, to turn to a lifestyle of sin (like the Prodigal son; Luke 15:11-32). This is contrary to God’s will for His child, and though such a believer is never in danger of losing eternal life, which is impossible (John 10:28; Rom 8:1), he is in danger of incurring God’s discipline (Heb 12:6), which can be severe (1 Cor 11:30), even resulting in physical death (1 John 5:16) and the loss of eternal rewards (1 Cor 3:10; 2 John 1:8). In every generation, there will be Christians who fail to grasp or appreciate God’s grace, refusing to live humbly and obediently before the Lord. As a result, they will suffer greatly for their foolishness. Yet we will see these Christians in heaven. I implore you—do not be a foolish Christian who pursues a sinful lifestyle. Save yourself the pain. Humble yourself before the Lord and pursue good works, righteousness, love, mercy, and all the Christian virtues that reflect the highest and best in the Christian life (Gal 5:22-23). You will be glad you did. And others will be blessed by your life.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

Related Articles:

Guilty Before God

Posted on February 17, 2024 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

All Are Guilty 3 Biblically speaking, guilt implies one has acted contrary to God’s moral character and laws. Divine laws are a reflection of the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God may be defined as the intrinsic, immutable, moral perfection of God, from which He commands all things, in heaven and earth, and declares as good that which conforms to His righteousness and as evil that which deviates. God’s character is the basis upon which all just laws derive; either divine laws from God Himself or human laws which conform to His righteousness.[1] The Bible reveals “the LORD is righteous and He loves righteousness” (Psa 11:7). We’re informed that at a future time, “He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness” (Psa 96:13), and He will “judge the living and the dead” (2 Tim 4:1). The problem is that all humanity is corrupt, for “are all under sin” (Rom 3:9), and “there is none righteous, not even one” (Rom 3:10), for “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). Sin may be defined as the breaking of God’s moral laws. John wrote, “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). Sin is when we transgress God’s law and depart from His intended path. According to J. I. Packer, “Sin may be comprehensively defined as lack of conformity to the law of God in act, habit, attitude, outlook, disposition, motivation, and mode of existence.”^[2] The motivation behind sin is self-interest. It means we set our wills against the will of God; that we desire our interests above His interests and are willing to act contrary to His directives. According to Augustus Strong, “the sinner makes self the center of his life, sets himself directly against God and constitutes his own interest the supreme motive and his own will the supreme rule.”^[3] Samuel Harris notes four characteristics of sin, namely, “It is self-sufficiency, the opposite of Christian faith…It is self-will, the opposite of Christian submission…It is self-seeking, the opposite of Christian benevolence…It is self-righteousness, the opposite of Christian humility and reverence.”^[4] Merrill F. Unger states:

As sinners before a holy and righteous God, we bear an objective guilt because we have violated His holy character and righteous demands. We are responsible to God for what we have, what we are, and what we do. We have Adam’s original sin, which has been imputed to our account (Rom 5:12-13; cf. 1 Cor 15:21-22), we are sinners by nature (Psa 51:5; Jer 17:9; Rom 7:14-25; 13:12-14), and we do sin personally (Prov 20:9; Eccl 7:20; Isa 59:2; 64:6; Jam 1:14-15). God holds us accountable for our sinfulness. Our guilt is based on what God says about us and not our subjective impressions of ourselves. J. C. Moyer states, “Guilt is both the legal and moral condition that results from breaking God’s law.”^[6] Louis Berkhof adds, “Guilt is the state of deserving condemnation or of being liable to punishment for the violation of a law or a moral requirement. It expresses the relation which sin bears to justice or to the penalty of the law.”^[7] C.W. Stenschke states:

Being guilty before God is a fact and not a feeling. It is based on the objective truth of God’s Word and not our subjective impressions or fluctuating emotions. Our emotions are a blessing from the Lord, but only when properly calibrated to the truth of His revelation, otherwise they can be an impediment to our relationship with Him.

Humanism rejects God and His revelation and places mankind at the center of morality and meaning. Francis Schaeffer explains humanism as “Man beginning from himself, with no knowledge except what he himself can discover and no standards outside of himself. In this view Man is the measure of all things, as the Enlightenment expressed it.”^[9] But atheism creates a problem concerning moral absolutes, for if there is no God, then there is no moral absolute Law-giver; and if there is no moral absolute Law-giver, then there are no moral absolutes, and we are left to conclude that what is, is right, and any further discussion about right and wrong becomes nothing more than opinion.[10] Francis Schaeffer is correct when he states:

Those who reject God are left to create and impose arbitrary values on others, and the tyrants of the world are glad to bully and control others by means of strong arm tactics, whether social intimidation, economic coercion, or brute physical force. The only objective standard for measuring righteousness or guilt is set forth in God’s Word which defines reality. The Bible reveals God is “the Judge of all the earth” (Gen 18:25), and He “is a righteous judge” (Psa 7:11), and He “judges righteously” (Jer 11:20), and “will by no means leave the guilty unpunished” (Ex 34:7). Yet, the Bible also reveals God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth” (Psa 86:15), and One “Who pardons all your iniquities” (Psa 103:3), when we come to Him in honesty and humility. And for those who come to Him in humility, who are like the tax collector, who “was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’” (Luke 18:13), will find Him to be merciful. For those of us who trust in Christ as Savior, we are blessed with “forgiveness of sins” (Eph 1:7; cf., Acts 10:43), the “gift of righteousness” (Rom 5:17; cf., 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9), “eternal life” (John 10:28), and become “children of God” (John 1:12), with a promise that we will spend eternity in heaven with Him (John 14:1-3). J. Dwight Pentecost notes, “If you should be without Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you stand guilty before God because you are still in Adam’s race. Even though Christ bore that sin, it means nothing to you until you are related to Him by faith. The righteousness of Christ cannot be imputed to you unless you personally receive Jesus Christ as your Savior.”^[12] If you have not yet trusted in Christ as your Savior, then I “beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5:20).

Dr. Steven R. Cook

Related Articles:

[1] If there is no God, then there is no absolute standard for right and wrong and we are left with arbitrary laws based on manufactured values.

^[2] J. I. Packer, Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs, 82.

^[3] Augustus Hopkins Strong, Systematic Theology (Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1907), 572.

^[4] Samuel Harris, “The Christian Law of Self-Sacrifice,” Bibliotheca Sacra 18, no. 69 (1861): 149.

^[5] Merrill F. Unger, et al, “Sin,” The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, 1198.

^[6] J. C. Moyer, “Guilt; Guilty,” ed. Geoffrey W Bromiley, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised, 580.

^[7] Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans publishing co., 1938), 232.

^[8] C. W. Stenschke, “Guilt,” in New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, ed. T. Desmond Alexander and Brian S. Rosner, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 529.

^[9] Francis A. Schaeffer, A Christian Manifesto (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2005), 24.

[10] God does exist, as “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” (Psa 19:1). And though people may “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom 1:18), the reality is, “that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse” (Rom 1:19-20).

^[11] Francis A. Schaeffer, How Should We Then Live?: The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture, 50th L’Abri Anniversary Edition. (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2005), 145.

^[12] J. Dwight Pentecost, Things Which Become Sound Doctrine (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1996), 48.

Eternal Life

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Hand Receiving Gift Eternal life is what we have at the moment we trust Christ as our Savior. John wrote, “whoever believes in Him will have eternal life” (John 3:15), and “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). And Jesus pointed others to Himself, saying, “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40; cf., John 10:28), and “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life” (John 6:47). Jesus, when saying the believer “has” eternal life in John 6:47, used the Greek verb echō (ἔχω – to have or possess), which is in the present tense, meaning it’s a right-now-truth. That is, eternal life is what the believer possesses at the moment of faith in Christ. This eternal life is connected with being in a relationship with Jesus Christ. John wrote, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life” (1 John 5:11-12).

We should also understand that eternal life does not merely refer to our unending existence in which we spend eternity with God in heaven, but that there’s a qualitative dimension to it. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10), and “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3). Merrill C. Tenney states, “Eternal, the new life God gives, refers not solely to the duration of existence but also to the quality of life as contrasted with futility. It is a deepening and growing experience. It can never be exhausted in any measurable span of time, but it introduces a totally new quality of life.”^[1] In its entirety, eternal life is a free gift offered by God to those who trust in Christ as Savior (John 3:16; Eph 2:8-9), an experience to be enjoyed now (John 10:10; 17:17), and a future reward for a life of sacrifice (Luke 18:29-30). As we advance spiritually in our walk with the Lord by learning His Word (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18), being filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18), walking obediently by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38; 11:6), praying often (Eph 6:18; 1 Th 5:17), developing an attitude of gratitude (Eph 5:20; 1 Th 5:18), fellowshipping with other believers (Acts 2:42; Heb 10:25), engaging in worship (Eph 5:19; Heb 13:15), and allowing trials to shape us spiritually (Jam 1:2-4), we will experience what Paul told Timothy, when he instructed him to “take hold of the eternal life to which you were called” (1 Tim 6:12). This is the quality of life of believers who, in time, operate with positive volition toward God as their divine Parent and obey His directives to advance to spiritual maturity. Wiersbe notes, “We have ‘eternal life’ and need to take hold of it and let it work in our experience.”^[2] MacDonald adds, “He is to lay hold on eternal life. This does not mean that he is to strive for salvation. That is already his possession. But here the thought is to live out in daily practice the eternal life which was already his.”^[3] Joseph Dillow states:

Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.

Related Articles:

^[1] Merrill C. Tenney, “John,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: John and Acts, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 9 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 50.

^[2] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 236.

^[3] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 2101.

^[4] Joseph C. Dillow, Final Destiny: The Future Reign of the Servant Kings, 4th Edition (Houston, TX: Grace Theology Press, 2018).

Assurance of Salvation

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

At the moment of faith in Christ, we have eternal life. This is a fact, even if we don’t fully understand it. In truth, most people will not understand what they have from God or find assurance of their salvation until they’ve studied God’s Word and learned to live by faith. Doctrinal ignorance and/or false teaching will lead to fear and doubt. For those who have trusted Christ as their Savior, subsequent knowledge of God’s Word and trust in it will yield assurance of their salvation. And, as one advances spiritually, there will also be a noticeable change within, and this too may provide a subjective assurance of salvation.

Objective Assurance of Salvation

Jesus Crucified The Bible reveals God is absolutely righteous and set apart from all that is sinful (Psa 11:7; 99:9; Hab 1:13; 1 John 1:5) and He hates and condemns sin (Deut 25:16; Psa 5:5; 45:7; Prov 8:13; 15:9, 26; 20:9; Zech 8:17; Rom 1:18; Col 3:6; Heb 1:9). The problem for us is that all mankind is sinful (Gen 6:5; 8:21; 1 Ki 8:46; Psa 143:2; Eccl 7:20; Isa 59:2; 64:6; Jer 17:9; Rom 3:10; 3:23; Eph 2:1-2; 1 John 1:8, 10). Not only are we sinful, but our good works have no saving merit (Rom 4:4-5; Gal 2:16; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5). Our salvation was accomplished 100% by Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. Salvation is never what we do for God, but what He’s done for us at the cross (Rom 5:8; 6:10; 1 Cor 15:3-4; 1 Pet 3:18). God offers to justify and save us freely as a gift, totally apart from any good works we may perform (Rom 3:24, 28, 4:5; Gal 2:16; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5; 1 Pet 3:18). God’s salvation comes to us who have trusted in Christ as our Savior (John 3:15-18; 6:40; 10:28; 11:25; 14:6; Acts 4:12; 16:31; 1 John 5:12). Salvation means we have forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7), the gift of righteousness (Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9), eternal life (John 10:28), are part of the family of God (Gal 3:26; 1 John 3:1), are blessed with many spiritual blessings (Eph 1:3), and will never face condemnation (Rom 8:1, 33).

Man Reading a Scroll When we understand these truths by studying Scripture and accept them by faith, we have assurance of our salvation because we trust in God and His Word (Psa 119:160; John 17:17). The apostle Paul wrote, “I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day” (2 Tim 1:12). The apostle John wrote, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life” (1 John 5:11-12). The assurance of salvation does not come by looking to ourselves, but to the One who saved us. John also wrote, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Assurance of salvation is not a guessing game for those who have trusted in Jesus as their Savior, but is a confidence that is rooted in the revelation of God’s Word. For those of us who have trusted in Jesus as our Savior—believing He died for our sins, was buried, and raised again on the third day—we have eternal life. According to Zane Hodges, “It should be said here that all true assurance of salvation and eternal life must rest on the ‘testimony of God,’ for only that testimony has full reliability and solidity.”^[1]

What Calvinists and Arminians Generally Believe

Arminians are those who believe they are eternally secure in Christ, as long as they remain faithful in their walk with God. Like Catholics, they believe faith + works = salvation. They believe their salvation can be lost due to intentional, egregious, ongoing sin; therefore, they cannot have assurance of salvation because there’s always the chance they may turn away from God and forfeit their salvation. This stands in contrast to the Calvinistic doctrine of perseverance of the saints, which teaches that those whom God has chosen will persevere in faith until the end.

Calvinists believe God gives His elect a special kind of faith that guarantees they will persevere to the end of their lives and be saved eternally; however, knowing they are among the elect is always a question in their minds that cannot be finally answered until they die. If they have persevered until the end, not having denied the Lord, and continued in good works, then they can know they were among the elect. If they fall into serious and prolonged sin, especially to the end of their lives, it strongly argues they were not among the elect who are said to persevere to the end. Kenneth D. Keathley notes, “Arminians know they are saved but are afraid they cannot keep it, while Calvinists know they cannot lose their salvation but are afraid they do not have it.”^[2] Norman Geisler correctly notes:

Though Christians may, to some degree, advance spiritually by learning and living God’s Word, and bear the fruit of the Spirit in their lives, this will never be consistent, because the taint of sin is also present in the life of every Christian, and this to varying degrees. Christians are never free from sin (1 John 1:8, 10), and God never promises to make us completely sinless during our time on earth, so consistency of performance is lacking. Because of our imperfect knowledge and imperfect life, our ability to analyze ourselves accurately will not always be consistent. John Walvoord notes:

Bible Promises - 2 The Word of God is the objective basis for what we believe, and our focus should always be on learning and living His Word so that we can expunge any false ideas and properly calibrate our thinking to align with His divine revelation. Jesus said we have “eternal life…and will never perish” (John 10:28); therefore, there is no danger of us losing our salvation, for there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1), and “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies” (Rom 8:33). The matter of our eternal destiny was settled at the cross when Jesus paid the penalty for all our sins. And Jesus’ work on the cross was perfectly applied to us at the moment we trusted in Him as our Savior.[5]

Subjective Assurance of Salvation

Christians who are advancing spiritually may enjoy a subjective assurance of their salvation. Paul wrote, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom 8:16). According to William MacDonald, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with the believer’s spirit that he is a member of God’s family. He does it primarily through the Word of God. As a Christian reads the Bible, the Spirit confirms the truth that, because he has trusted the Savior, he is now a child of God.”^[6] This experience is valid only for believers who are in submission to God (Rom 12:1-2), learning and living Scripture (2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2), walking by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38; 11:6), and advancing to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1).

As believers, we have been “born again” (1 Pet 1:23), “made alive” spiritually (1 Cor 15:22), and are a “new creature” in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:17). At the moment of salvation, God the Holy Spirit indwells us and gives us a new nature that, for the first time in our lives, has the capacity and desire to obey God. Paul wrote of his new nature in Christ when he said, “I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man” (Rom 7:22). Since we have the Spirit within us, as well as new spiritual life, it is natural to expect there will be some change in attitude and behavior. The degree to which this change occurs, in part, depends on our staying positive to the Lord.

As Christians, our assurance of eternal life is, first and foremost, based on the salvific work of Jesus on the cross (Acts 4:12; Rom 5:8; 1 Cor 15:3-4), and the revelation of Scripture that we, who have trusted in Christ as our Savior (Acts 4:12, 16:31), “may know that [we] have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). This assurance is objective and constant, because God’s Word is sure and does not change.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

Related Articles:

^[1] Zane Clark Hodges, The Epistle of John: Walking in the Light of God’s Love (Irving, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 1999), 228.

^[2] Kenneth D. Keathley, “Perseverance and Assurance of the Saints,” in Whosoever Will, ed. David L. Allen and Steve W Lemke (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2010).

^[3] Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume Three: Sin, Salvation (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2004), 302.

^[4] John F. Walvoord, “The Doctrine of Assurance in Contemporary Theology,” Bibliotheca Sacra 116 (1959): 198.

[5] The Bible reveals that when we sin, we are walking in darkness and have broken fellowship with God (1 John 1:5-6), and stifled the work of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us (Eph 4:30; 1 Th 5:19). If we continue in sin, or leave our sin unconfessed, we are in real danger of divine discipline from God (Psa 32:3-4; Heb 12:5-11; 1 John 5:16-17; cf. Dan 4:37), which can eventuate in physical death (1 John 5:16; cf., Lev 10:1-2; Acts 5:3-5; 1 Cor 11:30), and the loss of eternal rewards (1 Cor 3:10-15; 2 John 1:8). If we confess our sin directly to God, He will immediately forgive it and restore us to fellowship (1 John 1:9; cf. Psa 32:5). Being in fellowship with God means learning and living His Word (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2), walking by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38; 11:6), being honest with Him about our sin (1 John 1:8, 10), and coming before His “throne of grace” (Heb 4:16) in transparent humility and confessing it in order to be forgiven (1 John 1:9; cf. Heb. 4:16). God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins every time we confess them because of the atoning work of Christ who shed His blood on the cross for us (1 John 1:9; 2:1-2).

^[6] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1711.

^[7] John F. Walvoord, “The Doctrine of Assurance in Contemporary Theology,” Bibliotheca Sacra 116 (1959): 201–202.

Trusting God’s Provision: Resting in His Promises

Posted on July 20, 2023 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

As Christians, we can depend on the Lord to provide for our daily needs. Abraham knew this to be true and said of Yahweh, “The LORD Will Provide” (Gen 22:14). And Paul wrote, “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed” (2 Cor 9:8), and “God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19). Of course, as Christians, we must not confuse need with greed.

God’s greatest provision was for our eternal salvation, which came through His Son, Jesus, Who died in our place and bore the punishment that rightfully belongs to us (Rom 5:8; 1 Cor 15:3-4; 1 Pet 3:18). When we trust in Christ alone as our Savior, we receive forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7), eternal life (John 10:28), are transferred into “the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13), become “children of God” (John 1:12), and are blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3). God’s wonderful grace is amazing! And God, having done the most for us at the cross, will not do less for us after our salvation. Paul wrote, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Rom 8:31-32). Since God has already demonstrated His maximum love and generosity by giving His Son for our salvation, it only stands to reason that He will certainly provide everything else needed for our well-being, and for a life that glorifies Him and edifies others.

Bible Promises - 1 By faith we trust God and rest in His promises. Failure to trust God will result in worry, fear, and an anxious heart that is never at rest. Do our hearts ever become anxious? Of course they do. And does fear ever rise up? Yes, of course it does. Well over a hundred times in the OT & NT believers are told “do no fear” and “do not be afraid” (e.g., Gen 15:1, Deut 1:21; Isa 41:10; Matt 10:28; 1 Pet 3:14). These directives would be superfluous if sinful fear was not a problem for the believer. Sometimes we become like Peter and look at the storm around us (Matt 14:30), become frightened, and sink into what we fear. But when fear rises up, faith must rise higher, always trusting God to keep His Word. When trials come (and they will), we must see them as opportunities to grow in our faith (Jam 1:2-4). The benefit of living by faith is a relaxed mental attitude as the believer focuses on the Lord and His promises. Remember, God always keeps His promises, for “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num 23:19). Yes, He will always keep His Word, for “the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind” (1 Sam 15:29), for “it is impossible for God to lie” (Heb 6:18). God has integrity and keeps His Word, and “is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” (Eph 3:20a).

Walk by Faith God will provide. The challenge for us, as His children, is to accept His Word as true and apply it to our lives on a regular basis. The walk of faith requires us to have discipline of mind and will, to learn and live God’s Word, and to stay focused on Him and His promises. As God’s children, we are to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7). The walk of faith is what He wants, for He says, “My righteous one shall live by faith” (Heb 10:38), and “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb 11:1). The life of faith is what Pleases God, “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb 11:6). Will there be failure on our part? Yes, more often than most of us would like to admit. But that’s why daily confession is important (1 John 1:9), as we acknowledge our sins to God, trust that He forgives, and then move back into a walk of faith. Let us continually learn and live God’s Word, always trusting the Lord will provide and that He will keep His promises to us. This way of living will glorify God, edify others, and result in a relaxed mental attitude for us as we lean on the Lord.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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The Importance of Christ’s Resurrection in the Gospel Message

Posted on April 9, 2023 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The subject of Jesus’ resurrection is an essential element of the Gospel (εὐαγγέλιον euaggelion). Paul set forth the gospel of grace in precise terms, saying, “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you” (1 Cor 15:1). And the gospel message he preached is “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3-4). Believing the gospel message concerning the Person and work of Christ is what saves. According to R.B. Thieme Jr., “First Corinthians 15:3-4 defines the boundaries of the Gospel, beginning with the work of Christ and ending with His resurrection. The good news is that ‘Christ died for our sins…and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day.’ Any Gospel message that strays from the cross or denies Jesus Christ’s resurrection from physical death is inaccurate and out of bounds.” (R.B. Thieme, Jr. Thieme’s Bible Doctrine Dictionary, p.113).

I am the resurrection and the life - square Amazingly, there were some at the church in Corinth who taught “that there is no resurrection of the dead” (1 Cor 15:12). Paul addressed this issue head on, saying, “if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is useless…For if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.” (1 Cor 15:13-14, 17). The clear teaching of Scripture is that “Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep” (1 Cor 15:20), and being “raised from the dead, is never to die again” (Rom 6:9). Praise God! By His resurrection, Jesus overcame sin and death.

The Gospel Message Biblically, we understand that it is God who saves (John 3:16). The gospel is what we must believe to receive that salvation. Paul wrote, “How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?” (Rom 10:14). But now you’ve heard the good news. I’ve just preached it to you. And if you’ve not trusted Christ as your Savior, I beg you, don’t wait another moment. Place your faith in Him. That single decision will forever change the course of your life and eternal destiny in ways that are beyond your ability to fully calculate, for “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9). At the moment you trust Christ as your Savior, you will receive forgiveness of all your sins (Eph 1:7; Heb 10:10-14), the gift of righteousness (Rom 5:17; Phil 3:9), eternal life (John 10:28), become a child of God (John 1:12), be rescued from Satan’s “domain of darkness” and transferred “to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13), and become a member of the royal family of God, related to Jesus, Who is “the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim 6:15). These, and other wonderful blessings will become yours at the moment you trust in Christ as your Savior, for God will bless you with a portfolio of spiritual blessings that stagger the imagination (Eph 1:3). The gospel is simple, and the choice is yours. I pray you act wisely.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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Life, Death, and Eternity

Posted on February 20, 2022 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

God has life in Himself and creates life. Jeremiah said, “the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King” (Jer 10:10). Jesus declared, “the Father has life in Himself” (John 5:26). And the apostle Paul stated, “for in Him we live and move and exist” (Act 17:28). This teaching, that God has life in Himself and is self-existent, is called the doctrine of aseity. God also exists eternally and depends on nothing outside of Himself. Everitt Harrison says that life is “the most basic reality common to God and mankind, native to God and imparted by Him to His creatures, first by creation, then by redemption.”^[1] Norman Geisler states, “Theologically, to speak of God as life is to say two basic things: God is alive, and He is the source of all other life. He has life intrinsically; He is Life, while all other things have life as a gift from Him.”^[2] Concerning Adam, the first created person, Moses wrote, “the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Gen 2:7). The word life translates the Hebrew חַיִּים chayyim, and living being translates the Hebrew נֶפֶשׁ nephesh, which can also be translated as soul. The most common Greek terms for life are βίος bios, ψυχή psuche, and ζωή zoe. Harrison writes:

According to the Bible, God created angelic life (Psa 148:2, 5; cf. Col 1:16), plant life (Gen 1:11-12), animal life (Gen 1:20-22; 24-25), and human life (Gen 1:26-27; 2:7). People reproduce biological life, but God continues to impart soul life (Psa 100:3; Eccl 12:7; Zec 12:1), and this occurs at conception (Psa 139:13; Isa 44:2, 24). Furthermore, God has decreed the time and place of our birth (Acts 17:26), as well as the length of our days (Psa 139:16). He knows each of us personally (Jer 1:5; Gal 1:15), and is intimately familiar with us (Psa 56:8; 139:1-4; Matt 10:30). He is always present (Psa 139:7-10), is aware of our needs (Matt 6:8; 31-34), and asks us to trust Him as we journey through life (Pro 3:5-6; Heb 10:38; 11:6).

God knows how frail we are, “He is mindful that we are but dust” (Psa 103:14). David courageously asked the Lord, “Make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days; let me know how transient I am. Behold, You have made my days short in length, and my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; surely every man at his best is a mere breath” (Psa 39:4-5). Job too perceived the brevity of his life and declared, “I will not live forever…for my days are but a breath” (Job 7:16), and James wrote, “you are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (Jam 4:14b). And the Lord is caring concerning the death of His people, as the psalmist wrote, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints” (Psa 116:15).

What we do in life matters to God and others. Every moment of every day is our opportunity to walk with God who gives meaning and purpose to life. And such a life should be marked by truth, prayer, humility, love, kindness, gentleness, goodness, selflessness, and those golden qualities that flow through the heart of one who knows the Lord and represents Him to a fallen world. Furthermore, those who love God are naturally concerned with touching the lives of others, especially as they approach the end of life. As Moses was nearing death (Deut 4:22-23; 31:14; 32:48-50), he gave a farewell address to the nation of Israel. Deuteronomy was his farewell message to the Israelites who were about to enter the land of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua. Moses left them what was important, what would guide and sustain and bring them blessing, if they would accept it (Deut 11:26-28). He left them the Word of God. David, too, thought this way; for as “his time to die drew near” (1 Ki 2:1), he gave a charge to his son, Solomon, saying, “I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man. Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn” (1 Ki 2:2-3).

Jesus Washing Feet Our Lord Jesus, on the night before His death, spent His final hours offering divine instruction to His disciples (John 13:1—16:33). Jesus’ message was motivated by love, as John tells us, “Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (John 13:1). Jesus opened His instruction with a foot-washing-lesson on humility and serving each other (John 13:3-17). Here, the King of kings and Lord of lords became the Servant of servants when He laid aside His garments and washed the disciples’ feet. Jesus’ display of humility was followed by a command to love, saying, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34). He then comforted His friends, directing them to live by faith, and to look forward to His promise of heaven. Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3). Jesus went on to offer additional instruction on how to know the Father, to love, pray, what to expect in the future, and how to live godly in a fallen world (John 14:4—16:33). He then prayed for them (John 17:1-26). Afterwards, Jesus went to the cross and died for them. He died for their sins, that they might have forgiveness and eternal life. What a loving Savior we serve!

The History and Meaning of Death

Death means separation. The most common words for death in the Hebrew OT are מוּת muth and מָוֶת maveth. McChesney writes, “The general teaching of the Scriptures is that man is not only a physical but also a spiritual being; accordingly, death is not the end of human existence, but a change of place or conditions in which conscious existence continues.”^[4] The most common words for death in the Greek NT are νεκρός nekros and θάνατος thanatos. The Greek word νεκρός nekros refers “to being in a state of loss of life, dead.”^[5] It is used of a dead body (Jam 2:26), as well as the spiritual state of the unsaved (Eph 2:1; Col 2:13). The Greek word θάνατος thanatos basically denotes “the termination of physical life.”^[6] Mounce provides a broader explanation of θάνατος thanatos, saying:

Death was introduced into God’s creation when the first human, Adam, sinned against God. Adam’s sin immediately brought spiritual death (Gen 2:15-17; 3:1-7), and later, physical death (Gen 5:5). Though Adam was made spiritually alive again (Gen 3:21), his single sin introduced death, in every form, into the world (Rom 5:12-14; 1 Cor 15:21-22). Three major kinds of death are mentioned in Scripture, and these include: 1) spiritual death, which is separation from God in time (Gen 2:16-17; 3:1-7; Rom 5:12; 1 Cor 15:22; Eph 2:1-2; Col 2:13-14), 2) physical death, which is the separation of the soul from the body (Eccl 12:7; 2 Cor 5:8; Phil 1:23-24; 2 Tim 4:6), and 3) eternal death (aka the “second death”), which is the perpetuation of physical and spiritual separation from God for all eternity (Rev 20:11-15).

In contrast to the three major kinds of death mentioned in Scripture, there are three major kinds of life, which are: 1) regenerate life, which is the new life God gives at the moment of salvation (John 3:3; 1 Pet 1:3, 23), 2) resurrection life, which is the new and perfect body we receive when the Lord calls us to heaven (John 11:25-26; 1 Cor 15:42-44), and 3) eternal life, which is perpetual life given at the moment of salvation and extends into heaven and eternity (John 3:16; 6:40; 10:28; Rom 6:23; 1 John 5:11-13).

God has granted that some would not experience death, and these include Enoch (Gen 5:21-24), Elijah (2 Ki 2:11), and Christians at the rapture (1 Cor 15:51-52; 1 Th 4:13-18). However, there have been others who died and were resuscitated, only to die a second time. These include the son of the widow in Zarephath (1 Ki 17:17-24), the Shunamite’s son (2 Ki 4:32-34; 8:1), the son of the widow in Nain (Luke 7:11-15), Jairus’ daughter (Luke 8:40-42, 49-55), Lazarus (John 11:43-44; cf. John 12:10), various saints in Jerusalem (Matt 27:50-53), Tabitha (Acts 9:36-40), and Eutychus (Acts 20:7-10). But for most, there is an appointed time to die (Eccl 3:2; 8:8; cf. Deut 31:14; 1 Ki 2:1), and afterwards, to meet God for judgment (Heb 9:27). For believers, this judgment is a time of reward (1 Cor 3:10-15; 2 Cor 5:10), but for unbelievers, it is a time of judgment as they face the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:11-15). Though death is inevitable; where we spend eternity is optional. God loves us and sent His Son into the world to provide eternal life for us (John 3:16-17; 10:28).

The Eternal State

What is our eternal future? Scripture reveals every person will spend eternity either in heaven with God (Dan 12:1-2; 1 Cor 15:51–53; 1 Th 4:14–17; Rev 20:4-6), or the Lake of Fire away from Him (Rev 20:11-15). Heaven is the place where God dwells, and Jesus promised we’ll be there with Him (John 14:1-3). Heaven—and the eternal state—is a place of worship (Rev 19:1-3), service (Rev 22:3), and free from tears, pain, and death (Rev 21:3-4). God loves us and desires to have a relationship with us in time and eternity (John 3:16-17; 10:28; 14:1-3). However, our sin separates us from God (Isa 59:2; John 8:24; Rom 5:12). But God, who is merciful (Eph 2:3-5; Tit 3:5), dealt with our sin once and for all when He sent Jesus as a substitutionary atoning sacrifice to die in our place and pay the penalty for our sins (Isa 53:1-12; Mark 10:45; 2 Cor 5:21; Heb 10:10-14; 1 Pet 2:24; 3:18). At the cross, God satisfied all His righteous demands toward our sin (1 John 2:2; 4:10). Those who believe in Jesus as their Savior receive forgiveness (Eph 1:7; Col 2:13-14), the gifts of eternal life and righteousness (John 3:16; 10:28; Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9), and will spend eternity in heaven (John 14:1-3; 2 Cor 5:1-5; Phil 3:20-21). Those who reject Jesus as their Savior have no future hope and will spend eternity away from God in eternal punishment (John 3:18, 36; Rev 20:14-15). When we turn to Christ as our Savior, we have a bright eternal destiny assured for us in heaven (1 Pet 1:3-4).

All believers anticipate a future time of resurrection in which God will reunite the soul with the body. Job said, “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God; whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes will see and not another. My heart faints within me!” (Job 19:25-27). The body we have is perishable, but our resurrection body is imperishable. Paul compared our body to a seed that is sown into the ground that God will one day bring to life. Paul wrote, “It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Cor 15:42-44). Of course, Jesus makes this possible, as He told Mary, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies” (John 11:25). To trust in Christ as Savior guarantees us eternal life right now, and the promise of a new body that will live forever, free from sin and decay. By God’s goodness and grace, heaven is open, and the free gift of eternal life is given to those who trust completely in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Our salvation is made possible by Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross. He paid our sin-debt and gives us eternal life at the moment we trust in Him.

All believers go straight to heaven when we die, and there we will live forever. God will let us in. He does not have a choice in the matter. The Lord has integrity, and He promised that whoever believes in Jesus as Savior will be forgiven all their sins (Eph 1:7) and have eternal life (John 3:16; 10:28). He made the provision for salvation, and He will honor His Word. In fact, God is bound to His Word, for “it is impossible for God to lie” (Heb 6:18; cf. Tit 1:2). By faith, we trust Him when He promises to do something, and we know that faith pleases Him (Heb 10:38; 11:6).

When the Christian leaves this world for heaven, her last breath here is her first breath there, and what a breath that must be! Scripture reveals, “to be absent from the body” is “to be at home with the Lord” (2 Cor 5:8). Though it is a sad time for us, it is an improvement for the believer, as Scripture states, “to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21). The advantage is that the believer gets to meet the Lord Jesus Christ, face to face, in heaven; and this joyous relationship is forever!

At physical death, all of life’s decisions are fixed for eternity, and what we do with Christ determines our eternal destiny (John 3:16-18; 1 Cor 15:3-4; Eph 2:8-9). It has been said that procrastination is the thief of time and opportunity, and when one procrastinates about the gospel, it becomes the thief of souls. Please don’t delay. Trust Christ as Savior today and receive eternal life, believing the gospel that He “died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3-4). And, like the thief on the cross who trusted in Jesus, you can be assured your soul will immediately go into the presence of God at death (Luke 23:43). Don’t wait another day. The Lord will forgive you all your sins and grant you eternal life. He promised, and He’ll keep His word. He has integrity and cannot do otherwise.

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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^[1] Everett F. Harrison, “Life,” ed. Geoffrey W Bromiley, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1979–1988), 129.

^[2] Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume Two: God, Creation (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2003), 254.

^[3] E. F. Harrison, “Life”, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised, 129.

^[4] E. McChesney, “Death,” ed. Merrill F. Unger and R.K. Harrison, The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1988).

^[5] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 667.

^[6] Ibid., 442.

^[7] William D. Mounce, Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 160.

The Gospel

Posted on March 29, 2014 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

God’s gospel message is simple in its presentation (1 Cor. 15:3-4). It is a message of love and grace (John 3:16-17; Eph. 2:8-9). It centers at the cross where Jesus died for all our sins (1 Cor. 1:18, 21; 15:3-4; Col. 2:13-14; 1 Pet. 2:24). The gospel message only makes sense when we understand that God is holy, all mankind is sinful, and that Jesus necessarily died as our substitute. God’s holiness means He is positively righteous and completely set apart from sin (Ps. 99:9; 1 Pet. 1:14-16). Because God is holy, He cannot have anything to do with sin except to condemn it. The Scripture states, “Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You can not look on wickedness with favor” (Hab. 1:13), and “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).

The gospel is the solution to a problem; it is the good news that follows the bad news. The bad news-problem is sin, which according to Scripture is a threefold problem: first and foremost is Adam’s original sin which is charged to every person (Rom. 5:12, 18-19; 1 Cor. 15:21-22), second is the sin nature which is the source of the rebellious heart (Rom. 7:14-25; 13:12-14), and lastly is the personal sin each person produces every time he/she yields to temptation (Jam. 1:14-15). Sin brings death and separation from God (Isa. 59:2; Rom. 5:12), both in time and in eternity (Rev. 20:11-15). Because of sin, every person is spiritually dead and powerless to change their situation (Rom. 5:6-10; Eph. 2:1). All people are helpless to save themselves, and good works are worthless in God’s sight (Isa. 64:6; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5).

The good news-solution is that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3-4). This is substitutionary atonement. Jesus died in our place, “the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet. 3:18; cf. Rom. 5:6-10). The gospel teaches that Jesus died on the cross and paid the penalty for our sin in order to satisfy God’s holiness (Rom. 3:25; 8:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13). Jesus “is the propitiation [ἱλασμός hilasmos – satisfaction] for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (1 John 2:2; cf. Rom. 3:25; 1 John 4:10). Jesus paid the redemption price for our sins (Rom. 3:24), and offers us eternal life if we’ll trust Christ as our Savior (John 3:16-17). When we trust in Christ as our Savior, we are forgiven all our sins (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14), positionally identified with Him (Rom. 5:14-18; 1 Cor. 15:22), given eternal life (John 3:16; 10:27-28), given the gift of God’s righteousness (Rom. 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9), and have the power to live righteously (Rom. 6:1-13). God saves from the penalty of sin (Jo. 5:24; Rom. 6:23; 8:1), the power of sin (Rom. 6:11; 8:13; 2 Cor. 5:17), and ultimately the presence of sin (Phil. 3:21; 1 Jo. 3:2).

Salvation is never what we do for God, but rather what He has done for us by sending His Son to die in our place and bear the wrath for sin that was due to us (Isa. 53). We are helpless to save ourselves because we are completely crippled by sin (Rom. 5:6-10; 6:23; Eph. 2:1); therefore, salvation comes to us only as a free gift from God (Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5), “being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24). Jesus paid the price for our sin, and we need only to trust Him for salvation (John 3:16, 20:31; Rom. 3:25). We do not earn or deserve salvation. Salvation is completely the work of God, and those saved are the recipients of His grace (Eph. 2:8-10; Tit. 3:5).

Salvation is said to be “the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8), “according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Tim. 1:9), and “according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Tit. 3:5). God has prepared good works to follow our salvation (Eph. 2:10), but they are never the condition of it (Acts 16:30-31; Eph. 2:8-9; 2 Tim. 1:9; Tit. 3:5). The matter is simple: Salvation comes to those who believe in Christ as their Savior (John 3:16; 20:31; Acts 16:30-31).

Dr. Steven R. Cook

The Eternal-Now

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Everything we experience in this life is designed to prepare us for the life we will come to know when we leave this world and enter into God’s eternal presence. The challenge before us, especially during times of suffering, is to view all aspects of life in the light of eternity. We must constantly live in the eternal-now, never divorcing our current experiences from our eternal destiny that is assured to us who are in Christ. The apostle Peter tells us “to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation” (1 Pet 4:13). The apostle Paul shares a similar mindset when he says, “for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom 8:18); for “momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” (2 Cor 4:17). Suffering becomes bearable when we see it in the proper context of eternity to which we belong right now. I say we belong to eternity “right now” because as Christians, we possess eternal life at the very moment we believe in Christ as Savior (John 10:28). Eternal life is not what we can have, but what we have at the moment of salvation. However, it is only when we leave this world and all its sorrows and enter into the presence of God in heaven that eternal life has its greatest experiential expression. The flow of time ceases at death, and all life’s sufferings associated with this world come to an end when we pass into eternity. More so, at the end of time itself, God will put an end to all suffering and evil when He destroys the existing universe and earth and creates a new universe and new earth (Rev 21:1). At such a time “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes [believers who have suffered]; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away” (Rev 21:4). Until then, we must look to the Lord and live by faith. (excerpt from, Suffering: A Biblical Consideration, p. 18-19)

Dr. Steven R. Cook

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