As stated, I’m neither a Calvinist nor an Arminian. To me, there are too many Scriptures both sides have to explain away (and both sides do so), too many Scriptures that don’t fit neatly into either the Calvinist nor the total free-will side. I thought about going into considerable detail but doing so would add several more posts to this already lengthy series.
What follows is a very brief scriptural summary of verses I think are troublesome for each side. This is by no means a complete and exhaustive list. I’m sure many of you can come up with important omissions.
A few difficult Scriptures for an Arminian:
Mark 13:20; John 8:14; John 15:16; 15:19; Romans 7:14; 8:29–30; most of chapter 9; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Ephesians 1:4; 1:5; 1:11; 2:1–4; 2 Thessalonians 2:10–11.
A few difficult Scriptures for a Calvinist:
Joshua 24:15; Ezekiel 18:31–32; 33:11; John 6:37; Acts 10:43; 26:17–20; Romans 10:12; 1 Timothy 2:3–4; 6; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:2.
What we end up seeing is both God’s ultimate sovereignty and choice as well as man’s responsibility to choose. Both are in play. I wonder—when we are with God for eternity—will we discover that the two are both sides of the same coin?
I find Philippians 2:12b–13 fascinating in that regard: “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work, for His good pleasure” (NAU).
God is at work in us to accomplish His purposes, but even so we are still told to work out our own salvation, albeit with fear and trembling since it is God who is working in us. Here we find both sides at work: God’s sovereign working, but also some level of human responsibility. Granted, the passage deals with what is theologically called sanctification, our walk with Christ after becoming Christians. Ephesians 2:8–10 outlines the process: salvation is the gift of God, not of our works, but God has prepared works for us to do once we are saved.
Where do we go from here? Theological frameworks can help us understand Scripture. The problem comes when we elevate those frameworks above Scripture, forcing Scripture to fit within that given framework. Whether we follow free-will Baptist, Reformed, Covenant, Pentecostal, or any of a number of other theologies, Scripture must be the final authority.
All human-created theologies, being human will err on one point or another. Far better that we acknowledge that, love one another as fellow believers as Scripture commands, and enter debates with humility and respect.
In the final section of this series, we will return to the initial question: What is heresy?
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6/22/2026
Extra-Biblical Books? Part 3B: The Gnostic Gospels
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Extra-Biblical Books? Part 3A: The Gnostic Gospels
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Extra-Biblical Books? Part 2B: The Apocrypha
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Extra-Biblical Books? Part 1
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Whom Do We Listen To? Some Observations: Part 1
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Whom Do We Listen To? Part 22
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Whom Do We Listen To? Part 21
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Whom Do We Listen To? Part 20
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Whom Do We Listen To? Part 19
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Whom Do We Listen To? Part 18
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Whom Do We Listen To? Part 17
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Whom Do We Listen To? Part 16
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Whom Do We Listen To? Part 15
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Whom Do We Listen To? Part 14
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Whom Do We Listen To? Part 13
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Whom Do WE Listen To? Part 12
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Whom Do We Listen To? Part 11
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5/4/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 10
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5/4/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 9
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4/29/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 8
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Whom Do We Listen To? Part 7
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4/24/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 6
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4/22/2026
Whom Do We Listen to? Part 5
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4/20/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 4
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Whom Do We Listen To? Part 3
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Whom Do We Listen To? Part 2
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Who Do We Listen To? Part 1
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A Delicious Irony
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A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 8
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A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 7
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A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 6
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A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 5
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A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 4
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A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 3
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A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 2
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A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 1
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Blessing without Repentance? Part 4
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Blessings without Repentance? Part 3
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Blessings without Repentance? Part 2
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Blessings without Repentance? Part 1
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Biblical Ignorance within the Church
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3/4/2026
The Foolishness of Christ
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2/27/2026
Abiding in Death: Are You? Am I?
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Who Is Jesus? Part 8
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Who Is Jesus? Part 7
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Who Is Jesus? Part 6
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Who Is Jesus? Part 4
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Who Is Jesus? Part 3
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Who Is Jesus? Part 2
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Who Is Jesus? Part 1
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God's Faithfulness in Judgment, Part 5: Hope
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12/18/2025
God’s Faithfulness in Judgment, Part 4: The Church
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God's Faithfulness in Judgment, Part 3c: Religious Leaders
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God’s Faithfulness in Judgment, Part 3b: Religious Leaders
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12/8/2025
God’s Faithfulness in Judgment, Part 3a: Religious Leadership
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God’s Faithfulness in Judgment, Part 2: The Political Right
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God’s Faithfulness in Judgment, Part 1: The New York City Election
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The Return of Idol Worship and the Occult, Part 2
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The Return of Idol Worship and the Occult, Part 1
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A Thought Provoking Film, Part 4
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A Thought Provoking Film, Part 3
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A Thought Provoking Film, part 2
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A Thought Provoking Film, Part 1
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7/21/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible Part 14c: Conclusion
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7/15/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible Part 14b: Conclusion
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7/14/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible: Part 14a: Conclusion
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7/11/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible: Part 13c: Who Is Allah?
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7/10/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible: Part 13b: Who Is Allah?
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7/9/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible: Part 13a: Who Is Allah?
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7/8/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible: Part 12: Allah’s promised Paradise?
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7/7/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible: Part 11b: Muhammad’s Intercession
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7/3/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible: Part 11a: Muhammad’s Intercession
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7/2/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible: Part 10: Islamic Paradise
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7/1/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible: Part 9: The Hellfire
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6/30/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible: Part 8: The Siraat
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6/27/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible: Part 7b: Judgment Day
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6/26/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible: Part 7a: Judgment Day
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6/25/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible, Part 6b: Revisiting Eesa
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6/24/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible, Part 6a: Revisiting the Mahdi
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6/23/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible, Part 5f: The Last Major Signs
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6/20/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible, Part 5e: The Last Major Signs
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6/19/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible, Part 5d: Major Signs: Yajooj and Majooj
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6/18/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible, Part 5c: Major Signs: Eesa’s Return
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6/17/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible, Part 5b: Major Signs: the Mahdi
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6/16/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible, Part 5a: Major Signs: The Dajjal
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6/13/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible, Part 4b: Who Is Eesa (Islam's Jesus)?
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6/11/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible, Part 4a: Who Is Eesa (also spelled Isa, Issa)?
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6/9/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible, Part 3: Who Is the Mahdi?
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6/6/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible, Part 2b: Minor Signs
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6/4/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. the Bible, Part 2a: Minor Signs
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6/2/2025
The End Times: Islam vs. Christianity, Part 1
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5/28/2025
The Antichrist?
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5/22/2025
The Book of Jude, Part 8
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3/29/2025
The Book of Jude, Part 7
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3/25/2025
The Book of Jude, Part 6
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3/14/2025
The Book of Jude, Part 5
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3/12/2025
The Book of Jude, Part 4
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3/10/2025
The Book of Jude, Part 3
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3/7/2025
"Victory over the Darkness," and "The Bondage Breaker"
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2/26/2025
The Book of Jude, Part 2
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2/19/2025
The Book of Jude, Part 1
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2/17/2025
Christianity Today: A Disgraced Publication?
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2/11/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 17
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2/7/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 16
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2/3/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 15
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1/31/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 14
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How Are We Doing? Part 13
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1/27/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 12
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How Are We Doing? Part 11
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1/22/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 10
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1/20/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 9
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How Are We Doing? Part 8
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1/15/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 7
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How Are We Doing? Part 6
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1/10/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 5
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1/8/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 4
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1/6/2025
How Are We Doing, Part 3
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1/2/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 2
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12/30/2024
How Are We Doing? Part 1
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Who Am I? Part 4
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10/25/2024
Who Am I? Part 3
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10/23/2024
Who Am I? Part 2
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Who Am I? Part 1
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10/15/2024
The Bible and...: Part 12: Conclusion
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9/3/2024
The Bible and...: Part 11b: The Occult
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8/30/2024
The Bible and...: Part 11: The Occult
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8/28/2024
The Bible and...: Part 10e: Politics
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8/24/2024
The Bible and...: Part 10d: Politics
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8/19/2024
The Bible and...: Part 10c: Politics
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8/16/2024
The Opening Ceremony of the Olympics, Part 6
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8/14/2024
The Opening Ceremony of the Olympics, Part 5
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8/8/2024
The Opening Ceremony of the Olympics, Part 4
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8/6/2024
The Opening Ceremony of the Olympics, Part 3
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8/2/2024
The Opening Ceremony of the Olympics, Part 2
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7/31/2024
The Opening Ceremony of the Olympics, Part 1
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7/29/2024
The Bible and...: Part 10b: Politics
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7/26/2024
The Bible and...: Part 10a: Politics
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7/23/2024
The Bible and...: Part 9b: Philosophy
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7/20/2024
Thoughts on the Trump Assassination Attempt
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7/16/2024
The Bible and...: Part 9a: Philosophy
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7/13/2024
The Bible and...: Part 8: Our Experiences
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7/8/2024
The Bible and...: Part 7f: Sin and Self-Love
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7/5/2024
The Bible and...: Part 7e: Self-Love and Sin: Pride
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The Bible and...: Part 7d: Self-Love and Sin: Pride
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6/28/2024
The Bible and...: Part 7c: Self-Love and Sin: Pride
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6/25/2024
The Bible and...: Part 7b: Self-Love and Sin
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6/21/2024
The Bible and...: Part 7a: Self-Love and Sin
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6/17/2024
The Bible and...: Part 6j: Tradition: The Christian Year
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6/14/2024
The Bible and...: Part 6i Tradition: The Christian Year
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6/12/2024
The Bible and... Part6h: Tradition: The Christian Year
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6/10/2024
The Bible and...: Part 6g: Tradition: The Christian Year
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6/7/2024
The Bible and...: Part 6f: Tradition: The Christian Year
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6/6/2024
The Bible and...: Part 6e: Tradition: The Christian Year
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6/3/2024
The Bible and...: Part 6d: Tradition
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5/31/2024
The Bible and...: Part 6c: Tradition
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5/28/2024
The Bible and...: Part 6b: Tradition
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5/24/2024
The Bible and...: Part 6a: Tradition
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5/22/2024
The Bible and...: Part 5j: Theology
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The Bible and...: Part 5i: Theology: Christian Hedonism
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5/15/2024
The Bible and...! Part 5h: Theology: Christian Hedonism
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5/7/2024
The Bible and...: Part 5g: Theology: Christian Hedonism
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5/3/2024
The Bible and...: Part 5f: Theology: Christian Hedonism
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5/1/2024
The Bible and...: Part 5e: Theology: Christian Hedonism
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4/29/2024
The Bible and...: Part 5d: Theology
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4/26/2024
The Bible and...: Part 5c: Theology
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4/24/2024
A Fundraising Letter from "Multnomah University"
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4/23/2024
The Bible and...: Part 5b: Theology
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4/20/2024
The Bible and...: Part 5a: Theology
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4/17/2024
The Bible and...: Part 4d: Pastors
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4/15/2024
The Bible and...: Part 4c: Pastors
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4/12/2024
The Bible and...: Part 4b: Pastors
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The Bible and...: Part 4a: Pastors
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4/5/2024
The Bible and...: Part 3: Our Preconceptions
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The Bible and...: Part 2: Other Holy Books
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3/28/2024
The Bible and...: Part 1: Introduction
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3/26/2024
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2/17/2024
"Jessup North": Yet Another New Low
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2/13/2024
The Dishonesty Continues: Jessup and the "New" Multnomah
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2/2/2024
Newly Discovered Sayings of Jesus? Part 3
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9/25/2023
Newly Discovered Sayings of Jesus? Part 2
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9/21/2023
Newly Discovered Sayings of Jesus? Part 1
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9/18/2023
So the Warfare Continues
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3/22/2023
Sam Smith, Kim Petras, and the Grammy Awards, Part 4
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3/15/2023
Sam Smith, Kim Petras, and the Grammy Awards, Part 3
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3/13/2023
Sam Smith, Kim Petras, and the Grammy Awards, Part 2
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3/10/2023
Sam Smith, Kim Petras, and the Grammy Awards, Part 1
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3/8/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 8
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2/20/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 7
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2/17/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 6
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2/15/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 5
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2/13/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 4
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2/10/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 3
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2/8/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 2
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2/6/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 1
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2/3/2023
The Lie of Evolution, Part 2
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1/30/2023
The Lie of Evolution, Part 1
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1/27/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 3
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1/27/2023
What Is Heresy? Part 5
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11/21/2022
What Is Heresy? Part 4
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11/18/2022
What Is Heresy? Part 3
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11/16/2022
What Is Heresy? Part 2
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11/14/2022
Kirkland: "Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy," Epilogue
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11/11/2022
Kirkland: "Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy," Text, Part 10
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11/9/2022
Kirkland: "Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy," Text, Part 9
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11/7/2022
Kirkland: "Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy," Text, Part 8
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11/4/2022
Kirkland: "Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy," Text, Part 7
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11/2/2022
Kirkland: "Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy," Text, Part 6
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10/31/2022
Kirkland: "Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy," Text, Part 5
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10/28/2022
Kirkland: "Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy," Text, Part 4
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10/26/2022
Kirkland: "Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy," Text, Part 3
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10/24/2022
Kirkland: "Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy," Text, Part 2
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10/21/2022
Kirkland: "Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy," Text, Part 1
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10/19/2022
Kirkland: "Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy," Intro. Part 4
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10/17/2022
Kirkland: "Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy," Intro. Part 3
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10/14/2022
Kirkland: "Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy," Intro. Part 2
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10/12/2022
Kirkland: "Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy," Intro. Part 1
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10/3/2022
Spiritual Warfare
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9/16/2020
