TCID I
September 19, 2020
Participants
Pastor Gene Travis, Baptist Panelist
Pastor Phil Bradley, Methodist Panelist
Pastor Tom Elbert Jr., Lutheran Panelist
Question 01
What is that which is most sufficient to provide a knowledge of God and of his will for creation, containing all things necessary unto salvation and the preservation of the believer in Christ Jesus? Are the spiritual tomes commonly referred to as the Old and New Testaments unequivocally authoritative and upheld as compilations of the inspired word of God according to your tradition? Is the Hebrew Bible contrary to that of the New Testament? If not (and in brief), how do you understand the continuity between them? What role do the books frequently called Apocrypha play in comparison to that of canonical scripture? Should instruction be taken from them, so far as they comply with those texts deemed as sacred within the Church?
Question 02
Assuming that a given sinner has been genuinely saved by grace through faith by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, how is this person’s faith preserved throughout the course of their life? Can someone forfeit their salvation after having been authentically saved? Is preservation conditional? If so, what role does God play in the perseverance of the believer? What is the role of the individual believer in regards to the same? Do Christians possess the powers required, either before or after being born again, to effectively contribute to their persistence in the faith? How can one who is purported to be a legitimate member of the Body of Christ rest assured that they are indeed saved? Are there any inward or outward signifiers that work to console the individual Christian if he or she is looking for assurance of their perseverance?
The Church in Dialogue 