Is Calvinism Heresy? My Response To Kerrigan Skelly

When feuding with religious folks with whom you have a sharp divide, the discussion can become very intense. Some people will arbitrarily throw out the work “heretic” as a sort of emotional insult. It is almost like saying “You are an idiot.” That departs from the historical and appropriate way in which this word is used. When somebody is a heretic, or guilty of heresy, it is because they have abandoned some central and critical element of the Christian faith. We may disagree about secondary or tertiary or ecclesiastical doctrines.…

Is The Doctrine Of Original Sin Just An Attempt To Justify Sin? My Response To Kerrigan Skelly

Suppose a friend of yours had you over for dinner. His wife was laboring away in the kitchen all day long. When she unveils the prepared meal, your mouth begins to water, and you begin to feel hungry. At the same time, you are filled with dread, because you cannot eat the meal. She has prepared something to which you are allergic. You lament your failure to relay this allergy to her and offer your deepest apologies and you tell them that you are allergic to that entree. Your friend…

In Defense Of Original Sin. My Response To Kerrigan Skelly

Jesus Christ died for us. He absorbed the penalty that we deserve, the punishment for our sins was accorded to him when he died on the cross and three days later, he rose from the dead. But why? Why are we in such a condition that we would need a Savior? Theologians throughout the centuries have reflected upon the biblical data and developed a theory that seems to explain what has been revealed. This theory is known as the doctrine of original sin. It states that when Adam and Eve…

Is It Possible For A True Christian To Sin? A Response To Kerrigan Skelly

Simul Justus et Peccator. We are simultaneously justified and sinners. This is one of the great expressions of the reformation that sought to crystalize the biblical data concerning our justification and our sanctification. There is a sense in which our sins have been remitted (Acts 2:38), wiped away (Acts 3:19), washed away (Acts 22:16), we are credited as righteous (Romans 4:5) and yet we are still sinful creatures. We still struggle against the flesh and seek to crucify the flesh. In this way, it can be said that we are…