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Are good works necessary for eternal life?

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Lots of people wonder about the role of good works in the life of the believer. While I agree that good works are important, I do not believe that good works are the necessary result of faith, nor do I believe that good works are necessary to gain entrance into heaven.

What Happens if You Don’t Have Good Works?

Some claim that while good works do not help a person gain eternal life, if a person does not have good works, then this proves that they never had eternal life in the first place and will not enter heaven with God in eternity. (To see some quotes from people who believe and teach this, check out the lesson “Good Works Cannot Prove Eternal Life” in my online course on the Gospel.)

good worksBut this is the same thing as saying that good works are a necessary condition for entering heaven.

When good works are a necessary result of faith and justification, then good works become a condition for glorification and entrance into the eternal kingdom.

If someone has faith in Jesus, but they do not have the good works that some people think are necessary, then according to some systems of theology, those people will not enter into glorification.

In such a system, human effort and good works have entered into the chain of events so that if a person does not have the necessary good works, that person will not be glorified.

It is obvious that the only real difference between a person who has faith and good works and a person who has faith without good works is the good works.

If Good Works are a Necessary Result of Justification, then they are a Condition for Glorification

If someone teaches that only those who have both faith and good works will end up in heaven, this means that they see good works as a condition for entering into heaven and final glorification. In such theology, the chain of events is this:

Justification → Good Works → Glorification

In such thinking, if a person does not have the necessary good works, the entire chain unravels. The person will not get glorified because they apparently were not justified.

So the logical conclusion is that if good works are a necessary result of justification, then this makes good works a condition for glorification.

The following logical syllogism may help clarify this further.

1. If a, then always b (where b is something a believer is responsible for).
2. If a and b, then g.
3. Not b.
4. Therefore, neither a nor g.

If good works are a necessary result of justification, this syllogism would be read this way:

1.  If one is justified (a), then one will perform good works in life (b).
2.  If one is justified (a) and it has been proved by works (b), then one can be sure that one will get to heaven (g).
3.  One does not have the necessary works (not b).
4.  Therefore, one is neither justified (a) nor is going to heaven (g).

According to this logic, if a person does not have good works, he or she will not make it to heaven. And if a person does not make it to heaven, then he or she was not justified. So, a person who does not have good works is not going to heaven.

Logically then, the belief that good works are a necessary result of justification is equivalent to the belief that good works are a condition for entrance into heaven and glorification.

good works are necessary

Yes, Good Works are Important!

None of this means that good works have no place in the life of the believer. As I point out in my online course on the Gospel, good works are essential in the life of the believer for many things. But good works are not necessary to gain glorification into heaven, or to prove that we have truly been justified.

If we want to maintain the gospel truth that eternal life is by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, then we must hold to the biblical truth that good works do nothing to help earn, keep, or prove eternal life.

The Gospel According to ScriptureWant to learn more about the gospel? Take my new course, "The Gospel According to Scripture."

The entire course is free for those who join my online Discipleship group here on RedeemingGod.com. I can't wait to see you inside the course!

How Paul Teaches Eternal Security in Romans 8:29-39

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Paul was an outspoken proponent of God’s grace, and confronted legalism and works-based righteousness everywhere he went and with every letter he wrote. Paul’s magnum opus on the gospel, his letter to the Romans, has numerous clear statements about eternal security. One of these is Romans 8:29-39.

Romans 8:28-39 chain of eternal security

Almost every single verse in Romans 8:29-39 has something to say about our security as believers in Jesus, which can be seen in three parts. The first part, found in Romans 8:29-30, contains the eternal security chain.

1. The Eternal Security Chain (Romans 8:29-30)

In Romans 8:29-30, Paul looks at our future glorification in eternity from the perspective of God in eternity past. Paul shows that all those whom God foreknew from eternity past will ultimately and finally be glorified with God in eternity future.

Justification is in the middle of this chain, which means that those who believe in Jesus for eternal life, that is, those who are justified by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, are also those who have been foreknown by God from all eternity and who will also be glorified by God in the future.

What this means is that there is not one single person who can be justified by faith alone who will then fail to be glorified. All who are justified will arrive at glorification. In other words, once a person is justified, they cannot lose their justification.

While I do not like the phrase “once saved, always saved,” I am perfectly happy to join Paul in proclaiming “once justified, always justified.”

Note as well that the items which Paul mentions in this eternal security chain are all God’s parts in eternal life. Human faith is not mentioned anywhere, nor is the process of sanctification. Paul is very aware of both ideas as he has written extensively about both earlier in this letter (cf. Romans 4–7). So by writing this chain as he has, Paul is teaching that once a person is justified by faith alone in Jesus, there is nothing they can do to stop the rest of the chain from occurring.

Even if a person stops believing or fails to make much progress in sanctification, such failures do not stop God from bringing the person to glorification.

While faith in Jesus is the only “on ramp” to this eternal security chain, there are no “off ramps.”

Since the entire chain is up to God, there is nothing that can break it.

all who are justified will be glorified

Nevertheless, Paul knows that there are always some who cannot accept or understand such amazing grace. There are always grace critics. Paul goes on in Romans 8:31-34 to silence the critics.

2. Silencing the Critics (Romans 8:31-34)

Critics of grace always like to ask questions like, “But can’t Satan accuse us of sin before God? What about that really bad sin of murder and adultery? God can’t just cover those by grace, can He? Won’t Jesus be offended by certain sins I commit and remove Himself from me, so that God no longer sees Christ when He looks at me?”

These are all good questions, but to answer them, Paul has several questions of his own.

His first question is, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

In other words, is God greater than Satan, or isn’t He? Is God greater than the demons, or isn’t He? Is God greater than all your sin, or isn’t He? Do you really think that God is shocked by some sin you commit? He knew and saw this sin from eternity past and forgave it anyway out of His grace. Do you think now that you have actually committed the sin God has second thoughts about His love and forgiveness toward you? With this kind of God on your side, who can possibly be against you? Who or what do you have to fear?

The next question of Paul is even more pointed. He says, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

Paul says that since God freely delivered up His Son to die for us, won’t He also give us everything else freely too? Of course He will! This is the same truth Paul already mentioned back in Romans 5:8-10. Which is harder? To love and forgive a wicked, rebellious, wayward, wretched sinner, or to continue forgiving somebody who has been declared righteous by God and who has been identified with Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection?

Neither is too difficult for God, but the point is that if God justifies us freely by His grace while we were yet sinners, it is no problem whatsoever for God, once we have been justified, to then glorify us and freely give us everything else we need for life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3).

But what about when we sin willfully? What about when we do something really bad?  Or what about if we keep sinning over and over and just cannot break a bad sinful habit? Won’t that make God give up on us and hand us back over to Satan?

This is the next question Paul asks and answers: “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.”

In other words, he is saying, “You’ve sinned really bad? You’ve sinned repeatedly? Who is going to charge you? The only person in the entire universe who could possibly bring a charge against you is God Himself, and He’s not going to do that, because He already justified you.”

All sin is ultimately against God, and therefore He is the only one who can bring charges against us. But when we sin, God says, “Yep, I saw that one from before the foundation of the world, and I already forgave it. I will not bring charges against it.”  And if God doesn’t charge you for the sin you commit against Him, nobody will.

What about Jesus though? He is God too, and He’s the one who went to the cross for our sin. Won’t He get tired of us sinning, and eventually just throw up His hands in disgust and give up on us?

Paul answers this too in Romans 8:34: “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Many people read this text completely backwards. They read the question, “Who is he who condemns?” and think that the following words, “It is Christ” provide the answer to the question. When read this way, Romans 8:34 is thought to be saying that it is Jesus Christ who condemns us.

But this is not at all what Paul is saying. When the verse is read in context and the rest of Paul’s thought is read as well, we see that Jesus does not condemn us, but intercedes for us, which is the opposite of condemnation. Paul is saying is that the only person who could condemn us, namely Jesus, not only does not condemn us, but actually intercedes for us!

Jesus is not our accuser but our advocate. Jesus is on our side.

So if Jesus, the only person who could condemn us, is actually defending us, then there is no accusation against us which can stand. With Jesus as our intercessor, there is no way we can ever be condemned of anything before God. If Jesus won’t condemn us, nobody can.

In light of all this, we have nothing to worry about. This is how Paul closes out his thoughts on the subject of eternal security.

3. No Separation Anxiety (Romans 8:35-39)

Since God has forgiven us and Jesus intercedes for us, there is nothing which can separate us from the love of Christ. Neither “tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword” can separate us from God’s love in Jesus Christ.

Quite the contrary, rather than being defeated and overcome and condemned by such things, “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” These things cannot defeat us, because in Jesus we have defeated them.

The reason Paul mentions this specific list of items is because he knows that when these things happen to us, we believe it is because God has rejected us, is punishing us, or has stopped loving us. When we go through tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword, our natural instinct is to believe that such things are evidence that God has abandoned us.

But Paul wants his readers (and us) to know that nothing could be further from the truth. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Bad things happen to us because we live in a sinful world; not because God has withdrawn His love from us.

Romans 89:38-39 is the conclusion of the matter, and are some of the most beautiful verses in the entire Bible. Paul writes “that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Paul piles phrase upon phrase to include absolutely everything within the entire universe. There is nothing that does not fit within this description. Nothing in death or life can separate us from God. Not even angels, demons, principalities, powers, or Satan himself can separate us from God. Nothing in the height or the depths of creation, or any created thing can separate us from God.

nothing can separate you from Gods love

This description also includes ourselves.

Are we not also a created thing? Of course! Yet there are many people who teach that although nothing else in the universe can separate us from God, we can separate ourselves. Paul begs to differ. He says no created thing can separate us from God. If you are a created thing, then not even you can separate yourself from God.

In the end, Paul’s message in the first half of his letter to the Romans points to one single truth: Because God has done everything necessary as far as our eternal life is concerned, there is absolutely nothing we (or anyone or anything else) can do to lose our eternal life once we have it.

Eternal life is eternal.

Those who are justified by faith in Jesus are eternally righteous in God and 100% of them will be glorified.

If you have believed in Jesus for eternal life, there is nothing you can do to lose it, and so there is nothing you need to do to keep it.

The Gospel According to ScriptureWant to learn more about the gospel? Take my new course, "The Gospel According to Scripture."

The entire course is free for those who join my online Discipleship group here on RedeemingGod.com. I can't wait to see you inside the course!

Jonah 2:5-6 – How (and how not) to Pray

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What is your prayer life like? Do you ever wonder if you are praying properly? As we continue to look at Jonah’s prayer in Jonah 2:5-6, we learn some more lessons today about how to pray, and how not to pray.

Jonah 2:5-6

The Text of Jonah 2:5-6

The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; the deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head.

I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God.

In this discussion of Jonah 2:5-6 we look at:

  • Why Jonah 2:5-6 are a repeat of Jonah 2:2-3
  • How Jonah 2:5-6 point the reader to Genesis 1
  • Why Jonah’s prayer is not a model prayer
  • Some lessons on how (and how not) to pray

Resources:

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Those who are part of my online discipleship group may download the MP3 audio file for this podcast and view the podcast transcript below.

You must join a discipleship group or login to download the MP3 and view the transcript.

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If you are already part of a Faith, Hope, or Love Discipleship Group,
Login here.

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Upgrade your Membership to one of the paid groups.

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Do you like learning about the Bible online?

Do you like learning about Scripture and theology through my podcast? If so, then you will also love my online courses. They all have MP3 audio downloads, PDF transcripts, quizzes, and a comment section for questions and interaction with other students.

If you want to deepen your relationship with God and better understand Scripture, take one (or all) of these courses. They are great for personal study or for a small group Bible study.

You can see the list of available courses here, and if you join the Discipleship group, you can take all the courses at no additional cost. Go here to learn more and join now.

21 Free Books! (Here’s Your Summer Reading)

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I ran a poll on Facebook a few weeks back about how many books people read per year. It seemed that the average was around 20-40, but there were some who read 200 or more!

So if you are looking for some books to read over the summer, here are 21 free books to get you started. Only one of them (mine) is in the “Theology” category … the others are all novels from various genres.

21 free books for summer reading

Since most of you reading this are probably Christians, I suppose I need to tell you that it is quite possible that some of these books might contain sex and language. Sort of like life. Ha!

Anyway, if you download one of these books and enjoy reading it, most of these authors also have other books you can read as well. So hopefully you will find a good series to enjoy this coming summer.

My book, The Skeleton Church, has a free online course that goes along with it. You can join the “Discipleship” area of this site to get access to the course.

Here’s a video that explains more:

Go see which books are available and download them here: 21 Free Books for Summer Reading

10 Reasons You Should NOT Join my Online Discipleship Group

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My online discipleship group is for people who know they don’t have all the answers, who want to seek truth, wherever it is found, and who like to be challenged in their Christian beliefs and practices. If that describes you, join us today!

On the other hand, below are 10 reasons why you might not be a good fit for my online discipleship group.

online discipleship group

You should NOT join my discipleship group IF …

1. You are pretty sure that all of your theology is correct.

I teach some challenging ideas in my discipleship group, and question some fairly traditional church teachings. This might ruffle your feathers.

If you do not like to have your theology or your understanding of Scripture challenged because you think that everything you believe is already 100% correct, the RedeemingGod.com discipleship group will not be a good fit for you. We value asking the hard questions and enjoy discussing difficult issues.

2. You think that the only right way to do church is the way you do it in your church

Be the ChurchSeveral of the courses that are offered in the RedeemingGod.com discipleship area will challenge the way you think about church and do church. For many people, the way they “do church” is the only right way to do it, and anybody who does things differently is doing it wrong.

If that is how you think, the discipleship area is not for you. Our discipleship group contains many people who faithfully follow Jesus every single day without ever stepping foot inside a church building. I think that’s fantastic, because “being” the church does not require “going” to church.

3. You think it is a sin for men to have long hair.

Ok, this one is a little light-hearted, but you would be surprised to know how often I get emails and private FB messages from people who challenge me on the length of my hair. “How can you claim to be a Christian and teach the Bible to others if you have long hair?” they say. “Don’t you know what Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11:14?

The answer, of course, is that I am very well aware, but I understand the verse in its original context, and so believe it is not a sin at all for men to have long hair. (Paul doesn’t even say it is a sin, by the way.)

The point is that if my hair length is a sticking point for you, this is an indication that you will also have difficulty with the rest of what we discuss inside the discipleship group, and therefore, it is probably not for you.

Jeremy Myers hair

4. You are a die-hard Calvinist, Arminian, Pentecostal, Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, non-denominationalist, or “Fill-in-the-Blank.”

I don’t promote any one specific tradition or belief system inside the discipleship group, and try to encourage others to do the same. Rather, we try to learn from each other, and pull the good ideas and practices from all Christian backgrounds and traditions. So if you are firmly part of one particular tradition and want to push and promote it on others, this discipleship group will not be a good fit for you.

Furthermore, if you are fully invested in one of these traditions, it is quite likely that some of what we teach and discuss in the group will challenge some of your beliefs and practices, and if you find this offensive or scary, you are probably better off joining a group that is from your particular tradition or practice so that everybody agrees with you and affirms what you do.

In other words, to be part of our discipleship group, you have to be able to be gracious toward those who disagree, and be willing to learn from others,

5. You believe that there are some questions that are “off limits.”

We ask some hard questions inside the discipleship group. Some people are uncomfortable with asking hard questions because their faith cannot handle the challenge. We ask, for example, whether or not God actually exists, whether or not Genesis 1 teaches 7-day creationism, and whether or not a person can be a Christian and still go sin all they want. We even ask some questions that make you squirm, such as “Is masturbation wrong?” or “What was Jesus’ view about homosexuality?”

If these sorts of questions make you angry or uncomfortable, the discipleship group is not for you.

I believe, however, that truth can stand up to any and all questions, and that since God made us to be inquisitive, creative, rational people, it is our duty and obligation to ask any and every question that comes up. If we are right in what we believe, then asking the questions only strengthens our faith, but if we are wrong, then hopefully we want to know it, and we only discover the truth by asking questions.

If you like to ask questions, the discipleship group is for you.

6. You don’t like to read, study, learn, or think.

My online discipleship group is information heavy. It is mostly focused on reading, listening, and writing. There are online courses, quizzes, and books. You will be asked to study, think, and inquire.

A good rule of thumb is that unless you like to read (or listen to) at least 30 books a year, you probably won’t like my online discipleship group. The discipleship area is focused on text and audio material, and so if you don’t spend much time reading theology books, studying Scripture, or listening to theology podcasts or books on audio, you probably won’t enjoy the discipleship area of this website.

Books by Jeremy MyersBut if you love theology podcasts, listening to sermons on the radio, and reading books about Scripture and theology, then the discipleship area will be great for you. This is especially true if you love having your mind stretched, if you embrace difficult questions, and if you enjoy being introduced to new ideas and different ways of viewing Scripture.

7. You only want to study and learn if you get an accredited degree out of it.

If that’s the case, you should probably just go to a Bible College or Seminary. While much what I teach is at the Bible College or Seminary level, and while my discipleship area is 99.99% cheaper than Bible College or Seminary, you are not going to get an accredited degree out of it.

You will, however, deepen your knowledge of Scripture, grow in your relationship with Jesus, and learn how to love and serve others in a more meaningful way, but you will not be able to put initials before or after your name.

8. You only want Bible study material that is free.

I sometimes get the objection that it is wrong for me to charge for access to my material. When I get this objection from Christians, I always ask them, “Have you ever bought a Christian book? Have you ever paid to attend an Evangelism training seminar? Have you ever wanted to go to Bible College or seminary? Do you tithe to your church?”

You can think of my discipleship area in the same way, except that you also gain a connection to me and other like-minded people around the world. Think of it like buying a book or attending a conference where the author and other attendees are all hanging around to talk with you. Also, while 95% of what I teach and write is available for free in various formats, the discipleship area is how people are able to get my most in-depth teaching in logical format and order.

And just like some people tithe to their church or to some Christian ministry because they believe in what that ministry is doing, there are some people who join my discipleship group because they like the online ministry that I provide around the world. Of course, I am not currently a non-profit organization, and so gifts and membership costs are not tax-deductible, but that should never be the reason you support a ministry anyway.

I do give a lot of material away for free, and even have a free section in my discipleship group, but I work really hard at preparing the books, teachings, and courses that I provide inside the discipleship area. The reason I charge for them is so that I can keep this website up and running and offer the free stuff that I do. Without your support, this website would disappear and I would no longer be able to offer free Bible and Theology training to millions of Christians around the world.

9. You believe that Bible study and theology is always serious and never fun.

I will freely admit that I don’t have the greatest sense of humor. When I was a pastor, I was a terrible joke-teller, so one Sunday an elder gave me a “Laugh” sign and told me to hold it up whenever I told a joke so that the congregation would be prompted to laugh.

grumpy ChristianNevertheless, I believe that Bible study and theology should never be boring, and that it is okay to laugh, have fun, and approach Scripture light-heartedly. Sure, it is the most important area of study in the world, but this doesn’t mean we have to approach it with nothing but frowns and furrowed brows. Let’s laugh, smile, joke, and have fun.

10. You get angry and defensive when someone challenges your beliefs, and you start calling them names like “heretic” or “false teacher.”

If you have a habit of calling people heretics and false teachers on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog, this discipleship group is not for you. We do not allow divisive behavior like name-calling and public shaming to occur. It is completely okay to disagree with me or anyone else in the group, but it is not okay to try to “win the argument” through abusive and bullying behavior like name-calling and shaming.

So if you only want to join the discipleship group to push your theological agenda and force everyone to believe the way you do, you might want to look elsewhere.

11. You believe that most Democrats (or Republicans, or Progressives, or Conservatives, or Liberals, or Sots, or Anarchists, or “Fill in the Blank”) are evil.

We are not about politics here. We do believe that theology does guide our politics, and we agree that political views can be discussed as part of the discipleship process, but just as we do not condone or allow name-calling and shaming of other people because they hold different theological views, so also, we do not allow name-calling or shaming of people who hold different political views.

If you hate all people who voted for Trump, or if you hate all people who voted for Hillary, this group is not for you, because we have people in the group who did both.

12. You get a thrill out of pointing out where people are wrong.

finger pointingIf you saw point #11 above, and said, “Hey, Jeremy’s a liar. He said there was only 10, and this is number 11! And now he’s moved on to #12!” then maybe the discipleship group is not for you.

Look, I appreciate it when people point out my typos (If you find any in anything you read of mine, please let me know!), and I love a good debate about theology and how to understand Scripture. So if you love these things too, then you will be a good fit for the discipleship group.

If, however, your goal in everything you read or hear is to find the one area in which you disagree just so you can point out to someone where they are wrong, well, you might not be a good fit for the discipleship group.

Still Reading? Please Join Us!

We are a diverse group of people from diverse backgrounds with diverse beliefs. We focus on the core essential elements of following Jesus, and leave room for disagreement and friendly debate. If that sounds good to you, please join us!

The information page about the various discipleship levels contains more information, as well as numerous testimonials from people who are already in the group. Visit that page to read what they have to say, learn more about what is available to you, and join us today. See you on the inside!

If you read through this entire list and are thinking, “Wow, this actually sounds like a place I want to be part of! I would love to learn in this sort of setting!” then register today and start learning along with the rest of us! Go here to learn more and choose which Discipleship level is right for you.

Jonah 2:4 – Obedience is Better than Sacrifice

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In Jonah 2:4, Jonah states that he prayed to worship God in His holy temple. In this way, Jonah seems to take credit for his deliverance from drowning.

And though he has no interest in obeying God by going to Nineveh, Jonah is happy about the prospect of worshiping God in the temple. But which do you think God would prefer?
Jonah 2:4 Jonahs prayer

The Text of Jonah 2:4

Then I said, “I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.

In this discussion of Jonah 2:4 we look at:

  • Why Jonah blames God for what happened to him
  • Why Jonah takes credit for being delivered from drowning
  • What God actually wanted from Jonah

Resources:

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Those who are part of my online discipleship group may download the MP3 audio file for this podcast and view the podcast transcript below.

You must join a discipleship group or login to download the MP3 and view the transcript.

Membership-become-a-member

Thanks for visiting this page ... but this page is for Discipleship Group members.

If you are already part of a Faith, Hope, or Love Discipleship Group,
Login here.

If you are part of the free "Grace" Discipleship group, you will need to
Upgrade your Membership to one of the paid groups.

If you are not part of any group, you may learn about the various groups and their benefits here:
Join Us Today.

Membership-become-a-member


Do you like learning about the Bible online?

Do you like learning about Scripture and theology through my podcast? If so, then you will also love my online courses. They all have MP3 audio downloads, PDF transcripts, quizzes, and a comment section for questions and interaction with other students.

If you want to deepen your relationship with God and better understand Scripture, take one (or all) of these courses. They are great for personal study or for a small group Bible study.

You can see the list of available courses here, and if you join the Discipleship group, you can take all the courses at no additional cost. Go here to learn more and join now.

The Crucifixion of the Warrior God (A great book with a gaping hole)

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Crucifixion of the Warrior GodGreg Boyd has a new book out. Actually, it’s two books. The two-volume work is titled The Crucifixion of the Warrior God.. I have been waiting for these books for about four years now … His book attempts to provide an explanation for the violence of God in Scripture.

Back in 2013, I joked that Greg Boyd stole my book, but then about a year later, as I heard more about his book project, I realized that Greg Boyd and I were not quite saying the same thing after all …

But I wasn’t sure exactly what he would say in the book, since it hadn’t yet been published. But now it has been published, and … and it turns out that while I agree with him on about 90% of what he writes in the book, I disagree with him on the central point.

What is his central point? It seems to be this (SPOILER ALERT!): Greg Boyd argues that God withdraws from sin so that evil will be destroyed by evil. The violent portions of Scripture are to be understood as the times when God withdrew from sinful humanity and a sinful world.

Greg Boyd calls this the Principle of Redemptive Withdrawal. He spends most of volume 1 leading up to this point, and most of volume 2 unpacking and defending it.

As with everything Greg Boyd writes, these two books are well-written, well-argued, and thought-provoking. And regardless of what you believe about the violence of God in Scripture, these books will present you with a new way of looking at things so that you no longer have to choose between accepting that God is violent or writing off the Bible as hopelessly full of error. There are other explanations.

Greg Boyd has presented one such explanation. And there is so much to praise about these books.

That which is Praiseworthy

I love the Greg has stuck with a high view of Scripture and biblical infallibility (which is related to, but distinct from, inerrancy). In the reviews I have read so far, Greg takes a lot of flak for this stance, but I am completely on board with him. When people give up on the inspiration and infallibility of Scripture, I find that they rarely wrestle with the text. Instead, they too quickly write off the uncomfortable passages as being “hopelessly in error.” I am convinced that one reason Greg Boyd is a leading theologian is that his view of Scripture forces him to wrestle night and day with the troublesome texts. Such an approach leads to creative thinking and approaches to biblical hermeneutics, rather than simply consigning something to the trash bin of “error.”

Another major point from Greg Boyd’s excellent book is his insistence on the truth that Jesus reveals God to us… and especially through His crucifixion. Greg Boyd calls this the cruciform (or crucicentric) hermeneutic. I have referred to this elsewhere as reading the Bible with a crucivision lens. This approach to Scripture and theology is essential.

Third, I 100% agree with Greg Boyd that sin bears its own punishment, so that when sin comes to fruition in our life, it brings forth only death and destruction.

I could go on and on about the many areas of complete agreement I have with Greg Boyd and this book.

Crucifixion of the Warrior God Boyd

My One Main Sticking Point … or Maybe Two

Ultimately, while I agree with so much of Boyd’s approach to the problem of divine violence, I believe it misses the mark in two main areas.

First, I was consistently uncomfortable with Boyd’s understanding of sin. Since sin is “the problem” in Scripture, it seems he should have spent more time discussing the origin and nature of sin. For example, Boyd wrote in numerous places that Jesus bore the destructive consequences of sin “that we deserved” (cf. e.g., 768). I’m not certain, but Boyd seems to view sin as creating a sort of debit in the divine ledger books, which ultimately got charged to Jesus. I think this transactional way of viewing sin led Boyd astray.

Yes, there are destructive consequences of sin, but I am not sure that there are destructive consequences of sin “that we deserve.” That’s like saying that “Jesus came to deliver slaves from the chains that they deserve.” This means something else entirely than saying “Jesus came to deliver slaves from the chains.”

Much more needs to be said on this point, but I’m trying to keep this review relatively short.

So the second main point of disagreement I have with Boyd is in his central thesis that God withdraws from sin to let it have its way with us. I already briefly mentioned this above, but I find this view so disheartening and discouraging. I 100% agree with Boyd that all of Scripture and all of God’s character and activity in human history must be viewed through Jesus Christ, and especially Jesus Christ on the cross. But Boyd’s main thesis for God’s withdrawal comes from Jesus’ statement on the cross “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46-47).

And though I read and re-read Boyd’s explanation of this cry from the cross (pp. 768-780), I never really understood how Greg understood this text. Here is his basic conclusion:

Perhaps the best way of thinking about this is to distinguish between the loving unity that the three divine Persons experience, on the one hand, and the loving unity that defines God’s eternal essence, on the other. We could say that on the cross, the former was momentarily sacrificed as an expression of the latter. …

… While the Principle of Redemptive Withdrawal is focused on the abandonment Jesus experienced as he experienced the Father’s judgment on the sin of the world, it is nevertheless grounded in the truth that the cross is the definitive expression of the self-giving, mutual indwelling agape-love that defines the triune God throughout eternity (p. 778).

It sounds like Greg is saying something similar to how I understand this passage (Here is my explanation of Matthew 27:46-47), but I am not sure. I don’t know what he means by “the Father’s judgment on the sin of the world,” and I don’t find his distinction between the divine experience and the eternal essence to be helpful.

But this is the crucial (pun intended) passage for Greg’s thesis. What exactly happened on the cross when Jesus cried out “Why have you forsaken me?” is the most important text for understanding how God responds to sin. Greg seems to believe that God truly did abandon Jesus to sin, and therefore, God also abandons humans to sin when we persist in it.

violence of God Crucifixion of JesusEven if Greg is right that God abandoned Jesus to sin (which I do not agree with), wouldn’t it be better to say that God abandoned Jesus to sin so that God did not have to abandon us to sin?

In my view, it is best to say that God never abandons anyone. Not Jesus and not us. “Something else is going on” when Jesus cries out from the cross, “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?”

The flood event in Genesis 6-8 is one example of how Greg Boyd deals with the violent texts of Scripture. He says that since wickedness had spread over the face of the earth, all humanity had become corrupted by the sons of God (Gen 6:1-8), and so Noah was literally the last pure man on earth, and so to save, rescue, and deliver humanity from complete destruction, God had to step back from humanity and withdraw His protection so that sin would destroy humanity and a new creation could occur through Noah and his family, whom God rescued and delivered from the flood through the ark. Boyd argues that God’s only activity in the flood was to rescue and deliver Noah. The flood waters came on their own as God stepped back.

I am extremely uncomfortable with such an explanation of the flood account, or such a way of reading Scripture. My discomfort is not because Boyd’s thesis is new, but because I think it ultimately violates one of his preliminary points, that all of Scripture must be read and interpreted through Jesus Christ, and especially through Jesus Christ on the cross. I do not believe that what we see on the cross is God withdrawing from sin, but rather jumping head-first into it.

God Does Not Withdraw from Sin. He Dives Into It

Since Jesus reveals to us what God is really like, and since Jesus is the incarnation of God, then Jesus also reveals how God deals with sin.

God does not back away from sin to let it have its way. No, God, in Jesus, enters fully into our sin, not to participate in it, but to deliver us from it. He does not draw away; He dives headlong into the mess.

I do not believe that God allows sin to have its way with us, even if we continue to rebel and live in it. This is little more than another form of child abuse. A neglectful, absentee parent is barely better than an abusive one.

I do not believe that God destroys sin by letting sin destroy itself. I believe that God destroys sin through redemption. He destroys sin by tearing it apart from the inside, not violently, but through love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and revelation. I believe God destroys sin through the revelation and illumination brought by the incarnation. He rescues, not be retreating, but by redeeming. Jesus said “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” And neither does God. He never withdraws. Never backs away. Never leaves us alone.

Does sin hurt us? Yes. Does sin bear its own punishment? Yes. God does not punish us for sin. But the blows we feel as a result of our own sin are the glancing blows that hit His back first.

This is starting to turn into a book of my own, so I will stop here. Look, read this book. Absolutely read this book. Even though I disagree with the central point of the book, it does a fantastic job of presenting some truths that all Christians need to hear.

But if you are uncomfortable with Greg’s point that God withdraws from sin to let it have its way, that’s okay … be uncomfortable .. for there are other ways to maintain Boyd’s cruciform hermeneutic without turning God into an absentee parent when we need Him most. You can get your copy on Amazon here.

… Of course, if you want my own take on the subject of how to understand the violence of God in the Bible, my explanation is found in my recently-published book, Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.

Jonah 2:3 – Why Jonah Feared Drowning

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I’ve encountered several people recently who fear death. I don’t know if you fear death or not. Personally, I don’t.

But as we study the book of Jonah, we see that Jonah sort of wanted to die, but he didn’t want to die by drowning. We see why in this study of Jonah 2:3. We see that Jonah prefers to die by digestion that to die by drowning. Isn’t that strange?

Jonah 2:3 Jonah prays

The Text of Jonah 2:3

For you cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.

In this discussion of Jonah 2:3 we look at:

  • Why Jonah says God threw him into the sea when it was the sailors
  • The description of the sea and what it means for Jonah
  • Why Jonah prefers to die by digestion than to die by drowning

Resources:

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Those who are part of my online discipleship group may download the MP3 audio file for this podcast and view the podcast transcript below.

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Do you like learning about the Bible online?

Do you like learning about Scripture and theology through my podcast? If so, then you will also love my online courses. They all have MP3 audio downloads, PDF transcripts, quizzes, and a comment section for questions and interaction with other students.

If you want to deepen your relationship with God and better understand Scripture, take one (or all) of these courses. They are great for personal study or for a small group Bible study.

You can see the list of available courses here, and if you join the Discipleship group, you can take all the courses at no additional cost. Go here to learn more and join now.

My book won a gold medal!

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Well this is fun… The book I published last year, The Atonement of God, won a gold medal from the eLit awards in the “Religion” category.

If you haven’t read it yet, you really should. The first 70 pages are slightly more “technical,” so if the book is rough going at first, don’t let that put you off. The rest of the book is intensely practical. In it, I give you 10 areas of your life and theology that get turned upside down with a proper understanding of the crucifixion of Jesus.

Atonement of God eBook

To celebrate the gold medal, I have temporarily lowered the eBook price of The Atonement of God on Amazon to $2.99 (It’s only $0.99 if you previously purchased the paperback). Go here to buy it today.

If you are a pastor or lead a Bible study, the 10 chapters in Part 2 of the book would make a great sermon series or Bible study. If you just like to read for personal growth and development, this book will help you understand God, Scripture, and yourself in new ways as well.

Here are some reviews of the book that have been left on Amazon:

Most Christian’s are usually taught that God is constantly disappointed and disapproving of us and we have to fear him. This book teaches instead that God loves us. It isn’t a book that teaches God loves us unconditionaly, so just do whatever you want. It’s a lot more complicated than that, but it does teach that God has always loved us and we in turn must love, forgive and care for others. It’s a great book, and it will transform your view of God.
–imani42

OUTSTANDING BOOK! Thank you for helping me understand “Crucivision” and the “Non-Violent Atonement”. Together, they help it all make sense and fit so well into my personal thinking about God. I am encouraged to be truly free to love and forgive, because God has always loved and forgiven without condition, because Christ exemplified this grace on the Cross, and because the Holy Spirit is in the midst of all life, continuing to show the way through people like you.
–Samuel R. Mayer

If you have the same resolve as Paul, to know nothing but Jesus and Him crucified (2 Cor 2:2), then this book is for you. I read it the first time from start to finish on Father’s Day… no coincidence. This book revealed Father God’s true character; not as an angry wrathful God, but as a kind loving merciful Father to us. Share in Jeremy’s revelation concerning Jesus’ crucifixion, and how this “vision” of the crucifixion (hence “crucivision”) will make you fall in love with Jesus all over again, in a new and deeper way than you could imagine. Buy a copy for a friend–you won’t want to give up your copy because you will want to read it again and again until the Holy Spirit makes Jeremy’s revelation YOUR revelation.
–Amy

I’ve always been a curious mind and searcher, and many of the mainstream theology answers felt a little out of place. Now I know why I was dissatisfied with the explanations, not because they were wrong, but rather they were incomplete. Reading Jeremy’s book has shed a much needed light as it explores the character of God, who He is and how He acts towards us humans. It is the same, but different in a very comforting way. It presents God as ever loving and freely forgiving, needing no payment for sin, and explains the Non-Violent view of the redemption. Beware.. it might change your life!
–ThePilgrimm

This is a great read to say the least. The Atonement of God is one book I couldn’t put down. Ive been a follower of Christ for decades, reading this book has led me to be very reflective of what I have been taught about the atonement, Jeremy’s careful and insightful teaching from Gods word has caused a revolution in my thinking. Importantly, it showed me just how much of my understanding had been heavily influenced by past incorrect teaching without realizing it . This book has blown away my thinking that God is both angry and filled with wrath towards us and sin. Jeremy’s call for us to Interpreting Gods word through the lens of Christ is a startling experience and one we should all embrace. Thank you again for such a great read.
–Careful

This book gives another view of the doctrines we have been taught all of our lives. And this actually makes more sense than what we have heard. I myself have had some of these thoughts but couldn’t quite make the sense of it all by myself. J.D. Myers helped me answer some questions and settle some confusion for my doctrinal views. This is truly a refreshing read. Jesus really is the demonstration of who God is and God is much easier to understand than being so mean and vindictive in the Old Testament. The tension between the wrath of God and His justice and the love of God are eased when reading this understanding of the atonement. Read with an open mind and enjoy!
–Clare N. Brownlee

You can read the other review, learn more about the book, and even read a free sample of the book by visiting it’s product page on Amazon. And take advantage of the temporary price drop as we celebrate the gold medal award. (And if you don’t have a Kindle, that’s no problem … Download the free Kindle Reader app here for your computer, tablet, or smartphone.)

Jonah 2:2 – Jonah Went to Hell

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Jonah 2:2When you think of hell, what is it you think of? A place of burning? Fire? Demons gleefully torturing people as they scream in terror? If you are like most people, that is likely what the word “hell” brings to mind.

But did you know that such a depiction of hell does not come from the Bible at all? It comes from ancient pagan beliefs; not from the Bible.

When the Bible talks about hell, or hades, or sheol, a completely different picture emerges. This is what we talk about in this podcast episode on Jonah 2:2, where Jonah goes to hell.

The Text of Jonah 2:2

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly.

In this discussion of Jonah 2:2 we look at:

  • Why the first half of verse 2 is not officially the prayer of Jonah.
  • The significance of Jonah “crying out to Yahweh”
  • What Jonah means when he says he went to hell
  • A brief discussion of hell in the Bible

Resources:

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Those who are part of my online discipleship group may download the MP3 audio file for this podcast and view the podcast transcript below.

You must join a discipleship group or login to download the MP3 and view the transcript.

Membership-become-a-member

Thanks for visiting this page ... but this page is for Discipleship Group members.

If you are already part of a Faith, Hope, or Love Discipleship Group,
Login here.

If you are part of the free "Grace" Discipleship group, you will need to
Upgrade your Membership to one of the paid groups.

If you are not part of any group, you may learn about the various groups and their benefits here:
Join Us Today.

Membership-become-a-member


Do you like learning about the Bible online?

Do you like learning about Scripture and theology through my podcast? If so, then you will also love my online courses. They all have MP3 audio downloads, PDF transcripts, quizzes, and a comment section for questions and interaction with other students.

If you want to deepen your relationship with God and better understand Scripture, take one (or all) of these courses. They are great for personal study or for a small group Bible study.

You can see the list of available courses here, and if you join the Discipleship group, you can take all the courses at no additional cost. Go here to learn more and join now.

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