Recent content by Doug Brents

I see the conflict you are pointing out between this passage and James 5:19-20. "My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you strays from the truth and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that the one who has turned a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover...

Your conclusions are not entirely accurate. We know that God knows everything and everyone. But then He tells us that there will be some at Judgement the He "NEVER KNEW". We can understand from this that "know" does not mean "to have knowledge of", but does mean "to have relationship with". That...

It is indeed.

I would say that is one possible explanation of why some do and some don't seek God. There may be other reasons that I cannot articulate at this time.

I would say that it is the exact opposite of "moral superiority" or "intellectual superiority". By this, I mean an acknowledgement of our moral and intellectual bankruptcy. If one thinks more highly of himself than he ought, then he will believe that he does not need a savior, and so will not...

You have some very bad theology going on here. Just accepting that Jesus is God, and that He lived, died, and was resurrected to save us from sin does not save anyone. Faith is not confidence and assurance (that is a very bad translation of Heb 11:1). Faith is the substance of things hoped...

So you are saying that all one must do is have intellectual assent (accept it as true)? Just believe that Jesus lived, died, and was resurrected and one will be saved? Or believe that Jesus alone can save? The demons believe that. More than that, they KNOW it to be true. But are they saved? NO...

Immersion and Submerion (Submersion?) are not GREEK words. Those are ENGLISH words, the translation of which is "BAPTIZMO" (the verb), and "BAPTIZMA" (the noun). Immersion and Submersion will not be found in the Greek texts, because they are not Greek words. But the Greek words (BAPTIZMO and...

This explains some of the false doctrines you exhibit. If one is only self taught in the Scriptures they cannot help but run into problems understanding the Scriptures. Those who are wiser and more deeply rooted in the Word are needed to guide a young disciple to proper understanding. This is...

No sir, that is where your misinterpretation of that Scripture begins. There are many passages which tell us that there is an action man must do that leads to receiving salvation, as you have been told any times before. The fact that you ignore those passages and misinterpret this passage does...

To borrow a phrase from one of my favorite movies, "You keep using that [phrase]. I do not think it means what you think it means." You misinterpret Eph 2:8-9, along with many other Scriptures, and it has lead you to a very faulty belief system.

Who? I have never even heard of someone coming to faith through reading the Word without someone to teach them. That is why God told the disciples to go and teach, not just to spread the written word. These are the OT Scriptures, and Jesus is speaking to the experts in the OT Scriptures who...

Who? Rom 10:14-15 says that we are saved through calling on the name of the Lord, and we call on Him in whom we believe, and we believe because we have heard the Gospel, and we hear the Gospel from someone who teaches it. The written Word is not supposed to be the teaching medium, it is the...

Please note gentlemen, the distinction that Paul makes between reconciliation and salvation. "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."

Absolutely, confession with the mouth alone does not save, I agree. But without the action of confession with the mouth, belief alone does not save either.