Paul Ellis – Page 81

An Open Letter to Pastors from the Author of The Hyper-Grace Gospel

July 20, 2015 by Paul Ellis

Dear Pastor, Over the past couple of years, much has been said about the so-called hyper-grace gospel and the effect this message is having on the church. Apparently the hyper-grace gospel is the deception Jude warned about. According to some it’s a destructive message preached by godless men. Here are some of the claims made […]

Is Forgiveness like a Debit Card?

July 16, 2015 by Paul Ellis

Are you completely forgiven or partly forgiven? It’s a simple question that reveals whether you appreciate all Christ did for you on the cross. Recently I heard a critic of the grace message say two contradictory statements: Christ paid for your complete redemption (amen!) but you are not completely forgiven (huh?). That’s like saying you’re […]

The Parable of the Dead Rich Man

July 13, 2015 by Paul Ellis

Jesus told stories to nudge people toward receptive insight. So why did he tell the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)? According to some, it was so that we might learn about the fiery torments of the dead. However, as we saw in the last post, this parable should not be read […]

The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)

July 8, 2015 by Paul Ellis

In Luke 15 and 16, Jesus tells five parables in a row. The first three are about lost things; a sheep, a coin, and a son. The last two are about lost lives; a shrewd manager loses his livelihood and a rich man loses his life. 1. Story of the lost sheep (Luke 15:4-7) 2. […]

No Liars in Heaven

June 30, 2015 by Paul Ellis

With our new identity securely grounded in our union with Christ, we can begin to understand why the Bible draws big fat lines between who we are and who we used to be: Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral […]

Is Humanity Righteous? (Romans 5:18-19)

June 26, 2015 by Paul Ellis

If I gave you a million dollars, how would you react? If you were poor, you’d be thrilled. You’d thank me and tell all your friends how awesome I am. But if you were Bill Gates you might say, “Meh. Add it to the pile.” How you react to a gift reflects your need for […]

Tomorrowland and the City of God

June 24, 2015 by Paul Ellis

The gospel of grace is the happy gospel of the happy God who loves you like a beloved son or daughter. This good news comes from a book that begins gloriously and ends better. Preachers used to say of the Bible, “I’ve read the end and Jesus wins!” Those who love God ought to be […]

Strike Her Children Dead (Revelation 2:23)

June 17, 2015 by Paul Ellis

Five years ago I began Escape to Reality by looking at Jesus’ words to the churches of Revelation. My question then was: How do we reconcile Jesus’ harsh words with his heart of grace? And there are no harsher words than these: Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls […]

Rewarded for their Labor? (1 Corinthians 3:8)

June 10, 2015 by Paul Ellis

I have been asked this question again and again: What are heavenly rewards? Or, how do rewards fit in with grace? Some say there are no rewards, yet Jesus spoke about storing up treasure and Paul spoke about being rewarded for our labor. I have a long chapter on Eternal Rewards in my book The Gospel […]

The Chief of Sinners

June 2, 2015 by Paul Ellis

The apostle of grace called himself the “chief of sinners” (1 Tim 1:15) and ever since then Christians have been confused about their identity. They say things like “I’m a sinner saved by grace” even though the Bible declares they are a saint (Eph 1:1, Php 1:1). So what are you? A saint or a […]

The Parable of the Minas (Luke 19:11-27)

May 27, 2015 by Paul Ellis

Jesus told two parables about servants entrusted with money; the parable of the talents and the parable of the minas. In both stories a nobleman goes on a journey (okay, so we know it’s Jesus), and before he leaves he entrusts his servants with his wealth. In both stories the man returns and promotes those […]

The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)

May 19, 2015 by Paul Ellis

Once upon a time there was a man who went on a journey and before he left he entrusted three servants with his money. When the man returned, he praised the two servants who had doubled his money, but the third servant, who had done nothing, was thrown outside into the darkness. The parable of […]