While nearly all branches of Christianity would lay claim to GRACE as the primary foundation for our future in heaven, there is wide divergence of opinion on just what that means. The understanding of GRACE among different factions within Christianity depends heavily on one€s understanding of justification, regeneration, sanctification, repentance, faith, and other biblical topics presented in this textbook. The author holds that GRACE is free, not in the sense of being cheap or easy, but as a free gift (Ephesians 2:9) with no strings attached, in contrast to Arminian or Calvinistic soteriology which add requirements on the €œfront end€ or €œback end€ of salvation. The Free Grace position is a biblical alternative to these systems of soteriology and is presented as a corollary of dispensationalism, affirming that God€s €œso great salvation€ is absolutely free.
Dave Anderson graduated from Rice University in 1967. He received his Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary in 1972 and his Ph.D. from Dallas Seminary in the Greek New Testament and Early Christian Literature in 1998. He and his wife Betty have served as church planters in the Houston area for over thirty years. He has served as Adjunct Professor for Dallas Seminary in Greek NT, Systematic Theology, and Bible Exposition and is currently President and Professor of Biblical Languages and Systematic Theology at Grace School of Theology.
Jim Reitman, a retired Air Force internist (2006), received his M.A. in Biblical Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary (1983) and M.Div. equivalency at Denver Seminary (2007). He has served as Adjunct Professor in Hermeneutics at Denver Seminary and is currently a Teaching Leader and Mentor at Fellowship Bible Church in Colorado Springs. He published Unlocking Wisdom, a commentary on Job and Ecclesiastes, in 2008.