The Revised & Expanded Edition of In Defense of the Gospel is now available for order. Most will order through Amazon. At Amazon, however, the original book cover design and description still appear. The new image, title and description can take up to two weeks to be updated at Amazon to reflect the new cover, description and title. The publisher assures me that any orders placed through Amazon will be filled with the new edition. Click on the book cover image to the left and you will be directed to Amazon for ordering information.
Lou Martuneac’s book In Defense of the Gospel is urgently needed because many pulpits today are inundated with erroneous teaching concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ—the Lordship Salvation advocates have perverted the Gospel by issuing requirements for salvation that God never issued! Yet the Gospel is the major theme of all of Holy Scripture; it must be preached from the pulpit in order for any church to say or claim it is a gospel-preaching church. “What is the Gospel?” and “What must one do to be saved?” are two questions every born again believer in our churches should be able to answer doctrinally from the Scripture without hesitation. If you are concerned lest our churches lose the Gospel of Jesus Christ and leave the only message that can save a lost sinner, then this fair-minded, objective, and biblical book must be read with prayerful consideration!
Dr. Chris Shepler, PastorVictory Bible Baptist Church, Irmo, SC
The first edition of IDOTG (pictured left) was published in Spring 2006. In the new revised and expanded edition you will find several new sections. Following is an excerpt from- IDOTG: Biblical Answers to Lordship Salvation, [Revised & Expanded Edition], pp. 128-129.Classic Lordship Salvation contends that repentance is turning from sin(s) or the resolve to turn from sins. Repentance is viewed as a commitment to discipleship and fruit bearing. Scripture has a better answer. The Bible teaches that the Savior saves “the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6) in their sin, and believers from the power of sin (Rom. 6:1-ff; Gal. 5:16). Jurist theologian Ron Shea (Th.M., J.D.) explains that Lordship’s front-loading of the gospel is fundamentally a bilateral contract at law.
In this view, eternal salvation is not dependent on the performance of a work, but only the promise of future works. In the minds of those determined to adhere to salvation by works, this distinction supposedly allows the works of the law to be somehow added to the equation of salvation without annulling the doctrine of grace. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans would disagree. “For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is of none effect.” The…expression of “saving repentance” is nothing more than a specific form or expression of Bilateral Contract Salvation . . . “a promise for a promise.” The lost sinner “promises” future obedience in exchange for God’s “promise” of eternal life. This errant understanding of the term “repentance” is the most common and pervasive form of “Lordship Salvation” taught within Christendom throughout the world.
For additional endorsements and excerpts see the following links:
Very Soon Now, Dr. Robert Lightner
Very Soon Now: What to Expect, 1, Dr. Ron Comfort & Dr. Charlie Bing
Very Soon Now: What to Expect, 2, Evangelist John R. Van Gelderen
This is very exciting! I can't wait to get it!
ReplyDeleteWhat is a jurist theologian?
Hi Jan:
ReplyDeleteThere is a great deal of interest for this new edition. It is a much stronger and compelling polemic than the original. One learns a great deal after several years of discussion and debate with LS advocates and their followers.
Several ministries and/or seminaries have expressed interest. The caliber and reputation of the endorsers is very helpful. Another will be shared on Wednesday.
Jurist/Theologian is a double degree with much experience as well. The kind of man you want on your team in a debate or especially the courtroom.
Thanks for the comment.
Lou
Jan/All:
ReplyDeleteJust a quick note on Ron Shea on the GES Crossless controversy. Wilkin and Shea have a relationship that goes all the way back to their days at Dallas Theological Seminary.
In Summer 2007 Bob Wilkin (exec. Dir. of GES) was thumping his chest looking for some one in the Free Grace camp to debate him on the necessary content of the Gospel. In September Ron Shea from my blog announced that he would accept Wilkin's challenge to debate the issue.
The same day one well known FG man e-mailed me to say that there is no way Wilkin will go ahead now that Shea has agreed to meet him. The reason given: “Shea will wipe the debate floor with Wilkin and he (Wilkin) knows it and will never let this happen.”
Within hours of Shea’s agreement/challenge to debate Wilkin he (Wilkin) predictably lost his nerve, came up with reason to decline the debate he had personally been calling for all along. In the announcement to decline, however, Wilkin libeled and besmirched Ron Shea. Within two hours of Wilkin’s posting from the GES blog to pull out and besmirch Shea it was pulled without explanation or follow up.
See these links for the details if interested.
LM
An Open Challenge for Public Debate
Bob Wilkin Posts/Deletes His Refusal to Go Through With the Debate he has been Calling For
Wilkin Deletes All Trace of Articles and Discussion…