“Deborah Howard has written a clear biblical account of the Triune God’s so great Salvation. It should be read, studied and heeded by every maturing Christian who desires to teach and proclaim the gospel of Christ. The book provides an accurate, readable historical survey of the teachings of Free Will Arminianism and Free Grace Calvinism on the doctrine of salvation.
If the reader of this endorsement does not understand these teachings, it is high time that they should become familiar with them. Why? Because they relate to eternal truths—vital truths on the origin of sin and God’s plan of salvation beginning with Adam as the representative head of all fallen mankind and Christ as the representative head of all redeemed mankind. Deborah has captured the biblical story-line of the doctrine of salvation and explains it through her personal journey in understanding this great doctrine through the manifold biblical teachings of Free Grace Salvation infallibly inscribed in the Holy Bible. Get a copy of her book. Read and digest it; it will bless your soul. To God be the glory.”
Gary D. Long, Th.D.
Faculty President
Professor of NT Studies
Providence Theological Seminary
Colorado Springs, Colorado
***
“Deborah Howard has written a large volume dealing with important issues relating to a biblical perspective on salvation. In this volume she has clearly distinguished between a solidly reformed (biblical) perspective on important salvific doctrines and the other major perspective on the same issues. As you read it you will be challenged to clarify and hopefully solidify in your mind what the Bible really teaches about God’s all-important way of salvation.”
Dr. Wayne Mack
ACBC Academy member
ACBC Africa Director
SMTI Founder and Professor
Elder/pastor at Lynnwood Baptist Church
***
“A recently converted young lady in my church asked me, ‘Pastor, why are women not interested in theological discussion?’ I knew better than to attempt a direct answer lest she quotes me. I replied, ‘Ask them!’ Clearly, that is not true of every woman and certainly not true of Deborah Howard. In this book, Deborah shares with us the fruit of her own wrestlings with the word of God. She warmly and convincingly defends the doctrines of grace. I cannot wait to put this book in the hands of many men and women I know who are still wrestling with the question, ‘Why does God save some and not all?’”
Conrad Mbewe
Pastor of Kabwata Baptist Church
Chancellor of the African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia
***
“With the compassion and attention to detail of a veteran hospice nurse, Deborah Howard, a self-proclaimed ‘theological nobody,’ has shared with us reflections from her own spiritual journey to salvation by grace alone. Her book is as valuable for what it says about the process of studying and thinking God’s thoughts after Him as it is for its conclusions. A thoughtful and helpful work!”
Bruce A. Ray
Author
Chaplain, Bothell Police, Fire & EMS
Chaplain, Northshore Fire Department
Chaplain Endorsing Agent, FIRE (Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals)
Pastor (Retired), Juanita Community Church, Kirkland, WA
***
“Deborah Howard has written a book I wish had been available to me much earlier. Her thorough analysis of the divergent Arminian and the Calvinistic views of God’s saving activity are clearly, interestingly, and fairly presented. In walking us through each person of the Trinity’s work in salvation, she makes the biblical case that we are saved through the absolute, unconditional work of God rather than through the human conditions required by Arminian theology.
In the second part of the work, the author does a thorough job in dealing with the so-called universal texts (22 of them) where the words “all” and “world” are used in connection with the atonement provided by Christ. These verses are often used in an attempt to prove that Christ died for each and every human being who has ever lived. Mrs. Howard carefully deals with the context of each of these verses, demonstrating conclusively that none of them can be properly interpreted to teach a universal atonement.
This is a book that you will not only profit from personally, but will also want to pass along to those who may be struggling with these two issues:
(1) Who is ultimately responsible for salvation, man who saves himself by his meeting certain conditions, or God alone who provides salvation unconditionally?
(2) How does one properly deal with the ‘all’ and ‘world’ passages in connection with Christ’s atonement?”
Curtis Thomas
Author/Pastor/Teacher
***
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
PART ONE
An examination of the conflicting beliefs held by Bible-believing Christians over the design and nature of God’s saving work
SECTION ONE
The Teaching Known as Arminianism
CHAPTER 1: ARMINIANISM: GOD’S SAVING WORK IS ALL-INCLUSIVE IN
DESIGN
CHAPTER 2: ARMINIANISM CONTINUED: GOD MADE SALVATION CONDITIONAL
CHAPTER 3: ARMINIANISM CONTINUED: THE ARMINIAN DEBATE OVER CONDITIONS
SECTION TWO
The Teaching Known as Calvinism
CHAPTER 4: CALVINISM: THE FALL OF ADAM
CHAPTER 5: CALVINISM CONTINUED: THE BONDAGE OF MAN’S WILL
CHAPTER 6: CALVINISM CONTINUED: ELECTION BY THE FATHER
CHAPTER 7: CALVINISM CONTINUED: REDEMPTION BY THE SON
CHAPTER 8: CALVINISM CONTINUED: CALLING BY THE SPIRIT
CHAPTER 9: THE KEY ELEMENTS OF ARMINIANISM AND CALVINISM SUMMARIZED AND CONTRASTED POINT BY POINT
PART TWO
THE 22 UNIVERSAL TEXTS
An examination of the great Universal Texts of the New Testament—22 verses which use the terms all and world to identify the people God sent His Son to save
CHAPTER 10: INTRODUCTION TO PART TWO OF THIS STUDY: THE IDENTITY AND IMPORTANCE OF THE UNIVERSAL TEXTS
CHAPTER 11: THE PURPOSE OF THE UNIVERSAL TEXTS: WHY WERE THE UNIVERSAL TEXTS PUT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT? WHAT TRUTH DO THEY ESTABLISH? WHAT ERROR DO THEY REFUTE?
CHAPTER 12: AN EXAMINATION OF THE GREEK TERM “PAS”
CHAPTER 13: THE ELEVEN UNIVERSAL TEXTS WHICH USE “ALL,” “ALL MEN,”“ALL PEOPLE” AND “EVERYONE”: WHAT DO EACH OF THESE VERSES TEACH REGARDING THE DESIGN OF CHRIST’S SAVING MISSION?
CHAPTER 14: AN EXAMINATION OF THE GREEK TERM “KOSMOS”
CHAPTER 15: THE ELEVEN UNIVERSAL TEXTS THAT CONTAIN “WORLD”: WHAT DO EACH OF THESE VERSES TEACH REGARDING THE DESIGN OF CHRIST’S SAVING MISSION?
PART THREE
CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 16: CONCLUSION: DRAWING CONCLUSIONS FROM THIS EXAMINATION OF THE CONFLICTING BELIEFS HELD BY BIBLE-BELIEVING CHRISTIANS OVER THE DESIGN AND NATURE OF GOD’S SAVING WORK
APPENDIX: WHEN, WHERE AND HOW DID ARMINIANS AND CALVINISTS COME
BY THEIR NAMES, AND HOW DID THE “FIVE POINTS” DEVELOP?
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