Which Bible Commentaries Are Grace Based?
Escape to Reality
by Paul Ellis
1w ago
As a young preacher preparing to preach, I needed to take care that I didn’t say anything stupid. For this reason, I would check my sermon notes against one or two of my favorite Bible commentaries. I considered these commentaries guard rails that kept me in line. I now realize they were also fetters keeping me shackled to dead works. Pastors read commentaries, sometimes late on a Saturday in a mild state of panic. Of course, you don’t have to be a pastor to read a commentary. Many believers use Bible commentaries and study Bibles for their own personal study, and why wouldn’t they? A Bible ..read more
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Keywords of Grace and Law
Escape to Reality
by Paul Ellis
3w ago
Every Bible teaching, sermon or message you have ever heard has been one of three kinds: law-based, grace-based, or a mixture of grace and law. A law-based interpretation puts the emphasis on you and your works, while a grace-based interpretation puts the emphasis on Christ and his work. Law- and grace-based interpretations can be recognized by their different vocabularies. Keywords of law Words that often appear in law-based messages include; you must, you should, work, duty, debt, obligation, perform, produce, lack, service, strive, struggle, suffer, obey, sin, confess, convict, judgment ..read more
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The Old vs the New Covenant
Escape to Reality
by Paul Ellis
1M ago
Are you familiar with Biblical covenants? Reading the Bible without understanding covenant is like going to a medicine cabinet when you are ill and swallowing whatever pills you find. You might get better, or you might get sick and die. All medicine is good, but not all medicine is good for you. In the Bible there are at least five covenants between God and man. But the two biggies are those by which we divide the scriptures, the Old and New Testaments, or the old and new covenants. (Pro tip; the old covenant does not begin in Genesis 1 and the new covenant does not begin in Matthew 1. The o ..read more
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What is the New Covenant?
Escape to Reality
by Paul Ellis
1M ago
Imagine going through 12 years of school and never being taught how to read or write. Your teachers taught you maths, music and physical education, but they neglected to teach you the basics of reading and writing. That would be a serious oversight. You would leave school illiterate and ill-equipped for life. You wouldn’t be able to apply for jobs, complete a mortgage application, receive texts, read contracts, or check the labels on medicine bottles. Your life would be seriously impaired. In the same way, there are some who have been in church for years who have never been taught about the ..read more
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Why Do I Still Sin If I Am Saved?
Escape to Reality
by Paul Ellis
1M ago
Saint, you don’t have a sinful nature. The old sinner you used to be has been crucified with Christ. One with the Lord you have his heart, his desires, his spiritual DNA, his mind, and his holy nature. “So why do I still sin?” This is a great question. So are these: “If I’m 100% holy in Christ, how come I don’t act 100% holy?” “If I’m righteous, how come I don’t feel righteous?” “Why do I sin when I don’t want to sin?” “Is it possible to lead a sinless life?” “Will I lose my salvation if I keep sinning?” We all sin from time to time. The most saintliest person you know sins. Even your pastor ..read more
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What Does it Mean that Judgment Begins at the House of God?
Escape to Reality
by Paul Ellis
2M ago
Yesterday I heard from a pastor who is a long-time Escape to Reality reader. He asked me about a particular scripture, and I directed him to the relevant page on the Grace Commentary. “What’s the Grace Commentary?” He’d never heard of it. Perhaps you have not heard of it either. If not, the Grace Commentary is the place to go when you come across tough scriptures like this: It is time for judgment to begin with the household of God. (1 Peter 4:17) This scripture is sometimes used to frighten Christians by portraying a twisted image of God: “God purifies you with pain.” “God uses persecutio ..read more
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The Dangers of Taking Bible Verses out of Context
Escape to Reality
by Paul Ellis
2M ago
Two men go to see the doctor. The first is suffering from advanced cancer and needs immediate treatment. The second is completely healthy and is going for a routine check-up. The doctor is a perfect physician who prescribes the appropriate treatment in each case. However, the pharmacist bungles the prescriptions and gives each man the other’s medicine. The man with cancer is given multivitamins and told to exercise daily, while the healthy man is given an extensive course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Unsurprisingly, the sick man dies from taking the wrong pills while the healthy man suf ..read more
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Why Read the Seven Letters to the Churches?
Escape to Reality
by Paul Ellis
2M ago
Did you know that Jesus sent letters from heaven? I suspect 90% of people do not know, and many of those who do know dismiss them as irrelevant. “The seven letters to the Revelation churches are not for me.” That’s not true. The letters from Jesus were sent to the first-century churches of Asia, but they are timeless. They contain messages for all of us. Dismiss the seven letters and you might as well dismiss the whole Bible. The seven letters to the churches In the seven letters, the Son of God dispenses life-giving words to: the weary and worn out (Ephesus) those living in the shadow of d ..read more
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Two Lists
Escape to Reality
by Paul Ellis
3M ago
I want to show you a list of 7 names. Count how many you recognize: Leonardo da Vinci Johann Sebastian Bach Ludwig van Beethoven Johannes Brahms Rembrandt George Gershwin Jackson Pollock I’m guessing you may be familiar with most of the names on that list. Maybe you recognized 6 or 7 names. Now I want to show you a second list of names. You probably won’t recognize any of these people: Isabella d’Este Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen Joseph Franz Maximilian Viktor von Miller Andries de Graeff Paul Whiteman Clement Greenberg What you might not realize is these two lists are connected. The people on ..read more
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King Herod and the Christmas Giveaway
Escape to Reality
by Paul Ellis
3M ago
Looking for something fun and Biblical and Christmassy to do with your friends and family? As a special treat for E2R readers, I’m giving away free copies of my script “Herod and the Gift.” What is it? “Herod and the Gift” is the story of Christmas as told by you and your friends. It’s written as a script which means everyone has a part. You don’t need to dress up or put on a show. In our house we read these around the table with dramatic voices and flourishes. They are great fun. How? All you need is 4–8 readers. The scripts are written for young and old to enjoy. They are perfect for famil ..read more
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