The Berean Inquirer is dedicated to confronting theology and practice with the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This ministry is most especially for believers who wish to be radically governed by the mind of their Lord, as it is revealed in the Holy Scriptures (the Old Testament being understood through the New), and who object to the capriciousness of professionalized religion and refuse to be governed by the mere traditions of men (whether handed down by commitees or "clergy," synods and councils, creeds and confessions, church covenants or church bylaws, etc.).
Here you will find articles and essays covering a select spectrum of issues. These are some of the most important difficulties facing the body of Christ today. Issues such as how the saints can achieve practical unity in Christ; what it means to seek the lordship of Christ over his assemblies -- what I like to call "Lordship Ecclesiology" (a.k.a. orthopraxy); the freeness of God's gracious gift of salvation (what some people derogatorilly call "easy-believism"1 or "cheap grace"2), as opposed to Lordship salvation3 (which adds to the conditions of the Gospel works of righteousness4); the authority of the Scriptures to command the saints and their assemblies; and Christ as the living and life-giving Standard of the saints' conduct, rather than the Law of Moses, the Decalogue (i.e., Ten Commandments), or the so-called "moral" aspects of the Mosaic Law.
At the top and bottom of each page of the Berean Inquirer, you will observe a yellow table containing eight subject headings; except for the pages to which they refer, each these rubrics will be found on every page of the Berean Inquirer (with one exception). These yellow tables are provided for easy navigation around the site. A brief explanation of each rubric on the tables follows:
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Home Page: This rubric is found only on the tables of the eight pages listed below. It points you back to this page, of course.
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Index Page: This is where you will find the articles and essays that are posted at the Berean Inquirer.
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What's New?: Check this page out to see what the latest news and events are concerning the Berean Inquirer. I doubt that there will be many events, per se, but one never knows. However, any changes in the content of the site, along with any new services or features, will be posted here.
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Join The Mailing List: If checking the What's New page is too much trouble, why not join the mailing list? It's free to join, and the news letters are sent out judiciously.
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Sign The Guest Book: This is where you let me know that you've stopped by, what you think of the Berean Inquirer, and what I can do to improve it. While you are free to state your agreement or disagreement with the the Berean Inquirer in the guestbook, this is not the place, however, to go into your reasons (i.e., argue) for your convictions on these matters; there is a place for that, but this is not it. Please be sure to sign the guest book, and let me know what I can do to enhance your enjoyment of the Berean Inquirer, or what you think is excellent about it.
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View The Guest Book: This is where one goes to see what remarks others have made about the Berean Inquirer. I do not edit this page, except to delete offensive language and argumentative submissions; so you will be treated to submissions that are both complimentary and insulting to the Berean Inquirer. Occasionally I may add a rejoinder to what someone has written.
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My Contact Information: At the bottom of every page of the Berean Inquirer you will find my e-mail address clearly posted. However, this and other means of contacting me may be found on the My Contact Information page. Additional points of contact may be added, later.
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Bulletin Board: This is where you may articulate your reasoning for or against the theology espoused in the pages of the Berean Inquirer, as well as interact with those who've posted their interpretations.
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Useful Links: Obviously, this page provides links to other sites. The links listed here are intended to help you in further study of the issues covered in the pages of the Berean Inquirer. Not every web site that is listed is in agreement with the Berean Inquirer, but all have useful information that can assist you in your study of the issues. In some instances, a specific disclaimer may be attached to the link, warning you of potential or known areas of concern.
That the Lord Jesus Christ would use the Berean Inquirer to encourage you to a life of devotion and discipleship to the Lord Jesus Christ is my fervent prayer.
Ian A. Paul, Editor
The Berean Inquirer
Footnotes:
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Indeed, you can't make believing much easier than John 11:25-26 or Acts 16:3.
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Hey; you can't get much cheaper than free and unmerited, now can you? Haven't any of these men who slander the gospel with such pejorative language stopped to consult a dictionary as to the meaning of the word "grace"? Even Paul, in Romans 11:6, acknowledged that if works is included in grace, then it isn't really grace. And, seemingly as though to prevent any misunderstanding, Paul went on to say, in the same verse, "But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work." Most dictionaries will tell you that grace, in the sense we are here considering, means "mercy, favor, a grant of immunity." That being the case, are we now saying that the Christian must work to obtain the mercy and favor of God? Is that not precisely what the Pharisees were saying? Is that not how the so-called Jehovah's Witnesses seek their salvation? Is this not what the Roman Catholic denomination has said, all along, which Luther and Calvin so vehemently disagreed? Indeed, is this not what the majority of pagan religions believe?
- Lordship Salvation comes in two primary forms: 1. Arminian, which generally teaches that, in order to be saved you must believe in Jesus Christ and live a godly life; 2. Calvinistic, which generally teaches that a person who truly believes in Jesus Christ necessarily will live a godly life, and that failure to do so proves that the person's faith was not genuine, to begin with. One theory is tantamount to the other; both are seriously flawed.
- Throughout the Gospel of John, we are told that one may obtain eternal life here and now merely by believing the Gospel (3:16; 5:24; 11:26-27); we find this same thing in Paul (Acts 16:31). While there are rewards offered, which are sometimes also called "salvation" or "eternal life," which may be received only through a life yeilded to Christ, these are always presented as being accrued in the future, and thus cannot be the same thing as that salvation (justification, objective sanctification, eternal life) that can be obtained here and now through faith alone. While there is a justification that is by works (that which guarantees our inheritance of heaven), and not by faith only (Jas. 2:24), there is a more fundamental justification (that which guarantees our entrance into heaven), which is imputed to those who believe, whether or not they perform works (Rom. 4:2-5 & 4:19-5:2). It is, therefore, adding to the Gospel of Grace to say that salvation requires yeildedness to Christ. The only yeildedness the Gospel of Grace requires is yeildeness to His promise; namely, that we take Him at His word that we shall not taste death if we trust in Him. Christ would have us to seek the "eternal life" that is a future reward, but He is willing to give, without cost or obligation to us, the Eternal Life that is available here and now through faith alone in Him alone.
