Author's Note
The undertaking of this venture into the arena of theological discussion is one which I have long considered. Therefore, it is not one which I have entered without strong theological leanings. I wish that I could be totally objective in all that I write, but I have not attained to that ability. I have very strong convictions regarding the things about which I write. You, my reader, will not come to this material with a blank mind either. It is my desire that you and I will both be granted of God to possess some degree of mental honesty as we interact with the subject of these pages. I consider it a matter of great importance.
I am not a technical scholar. I am, however, committed to some degree to the pursuit of Jesus Christ and His truth because of the grace at work in me. Other men have written more scholarly works on the subject at hand. Some of these I have read over my adult lifetime, which includes nine years of formal biblical education and twenty-six years (and counting) of knowing Christ. Some of them I have not. I cannot begin, at this point, to place the sources of the mental impressions that I now possess and, for this reason, will not be attempting to tell you whence I obtained them. My thinking was stirred by two books at opposite ends of the theological spectrum: Arthur Pink's book on the sovereignty of God; and Robert Shank's book on collective election. I am not endorsing either of them, simply mentioning them as examples of the kind of writing that exists out there.
I expect you, my reader, to commit yourself to the nobility of the Bereans if you actually hope to be profited by these pages. No man thinks clearly all of the time. Thus, God has gifted the Church with many of them--so their writings can raise questions and, sometimes, even answer a few.
I do consider the subject material at hand to be fundamental to the experience of the life that is promised in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is not to say that I believe that the material must be understood in order to come to that life. It is to say that the better grip one has upon these truths, the easier life is to enjoy.
There are many out there who promise much. A lot of the promises are vacuous. I have found that, for myself, and for those I have had the privilege of knowing in the faith, the truths that I am writing in these pages have the ability to enhance a life of faith. I am writing so that, if possible, God may use what I have learned to help you in your walk with Him. Thus, I am trusting that He will, by grace, impart the ability of understanding both to you, my reader, and to me, your author. I commend you to the study of His Word as these studies challenge your thinking and commitment to the Truth.
