What he means is that in July-Sept of 2005, Tom Stegall had an e-mail conversation with Bob Wilkin over some of these issues. Rokser sent a few e-mails as well. That was two years ago.

Last year, I went to a local conference and talked for three hours with three men who are part of the Stegall/Rokser group. They apparently went back and reported to Stegall and Rokser what we had talked about.

Also, about two years ago, Tom Stegall gave a talk at the Fall Bible Conference in Duluth on “The Tragedy of the Crossless Gospel.” I ordered and listened to the message, and had Bob listen to it as well.

And that is the extent of Stegall and Rokser being “stonewalled” by key Free Grace Leaders.

Well, I take it as an honor to be considered a key free grace leader, but honestly, if I am a key leader, Free Grace theology is in trouble! (Stegall can quote me on that. Ha ha.) But aside from this, I have never talked with Stegall or Rokser, nor have they ever e-mailed me or written a letter to me. Me ordering Stegall’s CD and then not responding to it can harldy be considered stonewalling. Also, I sat down and talked with three of Stegall’s friends for three hours. I never received an e-mail or a letter stating a desire to carry on the conversation. How is this stonewalling?

Regarding Bob, he engaged them in an e-mail conversation for three months. This is not stonewalling either.

What this reveals is an intentional distortion of the facts. Rokser’s claim makes it sound like he and Stegall tried to contact Bob Wilkin, Zane Hodges, John Niemela, and others, but never got a response back. Yet the opposite is true. They only contacted Bob, and he dialogued with them for three months. If Rokser and Company can distort the facts on something as silly as who had conversations with whom at what times in order to make themselves appear more sanctified in this debate, what other facts are they willing to distort?

My answer is that they distort most of them. I still emphatically deny most of what they say about my position. I know what I believe and it does not match up with what they say I believe, however many quotes they rip out of context. Even the term “Crossless Gospel” is an absurd misnomer, which they recognize as an inaccurate title to my view, yet they continue to use it.

So the bottom line is that NOW I am going to stonewall them. Not because I’m afraid of theological debate, but because I’ve got better things to do… like telling people how they can have everlasting life through faith in Jesus Christ.

I still have not received a reply from Greg (or anyone else) to Grace’s question though she did send me her reply to his.

A theological system is only as good as its ability to answer the tough questions. If Greg has no good answer to Grace’s question, his position must be suspect as well.

I will respect Greg’s decision not to answer my Specific question. Thank you Greg for the time you took with me.

Now I would like to appeal to anyone else out there who has an interest in this discussion. If anyone else has an answer to my SPECIFIC question, I would be very interested in reading it. It’s not a trick question. It’s not put there to win an argument. I’ve put it forth because it is very clear in scripture that Peter and the other disciples were eternally saved BEFORE they understood the crosswork of Christ and His resurrection. This is a fact. It can’t be disputed.

It’s also important to realize that the purpose statement of John’s gospel is written AFTER Christ’s death and resurrection (John 20:31). So you can’t say that Peter and the disciples believed something different than we do today to be eternally saved. It would be the same. So AGAIN here is my SPECIFIC question that I am asking SOMEONE ELSE (not Greg) to answer.

“What did Peter believe (or any of the disciples) that brought him to the place where he was eternally saved?” What SPECIFICALLY did he believe about Jesus that caused him to pass from death to life?

Thank you.

Greg’s questions was “whether the New Testament at times uses the term ‘the gospel’ to refer to the specific message the lost need to believe to be saved.”

I have received an answer from Grace to Greg’s question. Thank you, Grace!

I have just e-mailed Grace asking her not to answer your question until you answer hers. She says she has an answer, and I believe her. I have also asked that she e-mail me her answer. I present the same offer to you. If you have an answer to her question, and would like to e-mail it me, I seriously want to know what it is. I am “seriously seeking more answers.”

I know you are kind of new to the blogosphere…so am I. But there are many similarities between what we are doing here and a formal debate. In debates, both sides have the opportunity to question the other side. If the person cannot answer or refuses to answer the questions posed to them, they are considered the “loser” of the debate. This is also Biblical: “The first to present his case seems right, until another questions him” (Prov 18:17).

So Grace is going to send me her answer (I hope) and I make the same offer to you. If you have an answer to her question about Peter, send it to me. I reiterate: I am seriously seeking answers. And for those of you who are seriously seeking more answers, feel free to e-mail me at jmyers@tillhecomes.org to get both answers (unedited) from both parties.

I spent part of my afternoon thinking about your questions as I looked over the verses you posted. I WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND. But I really don’t think you’re serious about answering MY specific question. If you were, you would answer it. I can only conclude that you don’t have an answer or I don’t matter to you.

I am not in this to win an argument. I enjoy Bible Study. I love to be challenged on biblical issues because it sharpens me in what I believe. Sometimes it helps me to see where I am wrong. So I think interaction around the Word of God is good. But the fact that you won’t answer my question makes me think that you don’t really care about what I think. It makes me think that you’re only in this to prove your point and win an argument.

Forgive me if I’m wrong. I’m not trying to be unkind. I’m just wanting an answer to a VERY, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT question. If you don’t have the answer, I would like to reach out to others who read this post and ask them for their answer to my SPECIFIC question. Is there anyone out there who can answer this question for me….. (AND THEN, Greg, I will gladly reply to your above questions). In fact, I would love to respond. I do have thoughts that I think are pertinent to those verses.

Again, here is my question for ANYONE who will answer. Please be SPECIFIC. Thank you.

“What did Peter believe (or any of the disciples) that brought him to the place where he was eternally saved?” What SPECIFICALLY did he believe about Jesus that caused him to pass from death to life?

I PROMISE that I will do my best to respond to your questions (above), but there’s no reason you can’t at least answer my one small question FIRST. If you do that, I’ll know that you are SERIOUS about this discussion. After you answer my question, I’ll do my best to respond to your questions above.

Here again is my question…..

“What did Peter believe (or any of the disciples) that brought him to the place where he was eternally saved?” What SPECIFICALLY did he believe about Jesus that caused him to pass from death to life?

Thank you.