Open Letter to Dr. Erwin Lutzer

Dear Dr. Lutzer,

I have, for many years, listened to and enjoyed much of the wide variety of programming available on the Moody network. On several occasions the teaching, preaching, or music presented thereon stirred my soul and deepened my Christian experience. Many times your teaching in particular and the humble spirit in which it was delivered challenged me to seek Him and His truth as never before.

In fact, I have found your teaching on a wide variety of theological topics to be quite insightful and of great value. While writing this letter I had the pleasure of hearing your sermon, "Lies We Love," part two, as heard on your radio program "Running To Win." I pray that this message, addressed in greater detail at the close of this discourse, will be a mighty tool in the hands of our God. I thank you and the Lord for your instruction.

When it comes to your understanding of the foremost theological topic, however, that being the great salvation offered in the gospel through faith in Christ, I find your views most puzzling. Speaking of soteriology or salvation doctrine D.L. Moody said, "It is the ABCs of God's alphabet. If a man is unsound on regeneration, he is unsound on everything. That is really the foundation-stone; and he must get the foundation right."¹ Surely you would lend a hearty amen to Mr. Moody in this regard.

Dr. Lutzer, with all due respect, I am having great difficulty reconciling your teaching on salvation with all that the Bible reveals pertinent to the subject. In fact, try as I might, I can't even reconcile your views on salvation with those of D.L. Moody, the man under whose name your teaching is published and aired, or his successor, Dr. R.A. Torrey. I pray you would be kind enough to consider these writings and help me, your humble student, reconcile these seeming incongruities.

In the preceding paragraph, kindly note the context of the italicized word "all." For illustrative purposes, suppose I were getting directions from Chicago to some northern Illinois suburb. Now, I print off some of what Mapquest suggested, but not all. After three hours of aimless driving, I show my frustrated travel companion the directions and say, "See, it says, 'get on I-94 and go north.' It doesn't say, 'get off here or turn there'; it only says, 'go north. Period.' " Please forgive the silly illustration, Dr. Lutzer, but as I understand your teaching, I fear that perhaps you have done this with salvation.

Allow me to illustrate. Regarding salvation you teach that "our eternal destiny is dependent on what we believe."² This is the general theme of all of your writing on the topic. Though you offer no scriptural support for this particular statement, it is likely based on a scripture such as Romans 10:9:

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

or a scripture such as Acts 16:30, 31:

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

In your writings the idea that belief determines destiny means that no work, whether good or bad, ever affects either initial justification (getting saved) or final salvation (entering the eternal kingdom of God). Demonstrating this you teach that "Some things can exist together, but human works and the grace that brings salvation cannot. To clear the field for His own activity, God eliminated every work of man - past, present and future."³ Again, no work of any kind or degree ever has any effect on salvation. No scripture is offered to support this, but it is likely based loosely on a verse such as John 5:24:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Many, yourself included it seems, read scriptures such as these and say, "See, he said 'believe,' period, not, 'repent and believe' or 'do good works and believe,' just, 'believe!' " Commenting on John 5:24, Tony Evans, who is also heavily promoted by Moody, insists that, "You hear, you believe, and you have eternal life. Jesus did not add any qualifiers to his promise. There is no 'may have' or 'might have' here."⁴

Here is the point: if Romans 10:9, Acts 16:30, 31 or John 5:24 and other texts with similar themes were all the Bible had to say regarding salvation such statements would be warranted, but like Mapquest in the illustration, the Bible has much more to say on the topic if we will only espouse its instruction. To get complete and accurate directions we must embrace all of what the Bible teaches on salvation not only the scriptures that maintain the perspective we prefer or with which we are familiar.

For example, the same apostle who taught or wrote the preceding in reference to salvation also taught the following:

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. (Acts 26:19-20)

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (Rom 8:13)

fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. (1 Tim 6:12)

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Gal 6:7-9)

But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath. (Rom 2:5-8)

The unbiased mind will readily note that according to these passages (and many others, as we will see) belief, at least belief without corresponding action, is not the sole factor determining our eternal destinies and that our works may (scratch that) will affect our eternal destinies. Many learned divines surely disagree, but as Luther said, "the Pope is not above the scriptures."

Consider also that the same Jesus quoted in John 5:24 who "did not add any qualifiers," as Tony Evans accurately noted, did indeed add qualifiers in the following.

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. ( John 5:28, 29)

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 18:3)

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. (Matt 10:22)

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. (Rev 2:11)

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:43-48)

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matt 7:21)

In light of the preceding it seems that to teach a "belief only with no qualifiers" message is at best self-deception and at worst dishonest. All of the preceding are in reference to final salvation and all of them reveal a side or facet of salvation completely ignored in your teaching. In fact, when all of Jesus' instruction on salvation is considered, some may be surprised to find that passages emphasizing "works" outnumber those emphasizing "believe."

Consider also the sheep and the goats as taught by Jesus. Belief is never even mentioned in the account. In fact, the factor mentioned in the text used to determine their eternal destinies is not, as you insist, what they believed, but rather what they did (Matt 25:41). Again, in the parable of the dragnet the only thing mentioned separating the good fish from the bad fish is moral character (Matt 13: 47-50). Again, in the parable of the wheat and the tares the only criterion mentioned is actions rather than belief:

The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matt 13:41-42)

None of this is to suggest that works have any merit in justifying the sinner. The point is that what one does betrays what he actually believes. Actions or works are the tongue of the heart. It seems to me that a right view of salvation by grace through faith must embrace all of these verses, and those like them, and not just the "faith" verses. Paul said it better than I ever could when he wrote about "faith which worketh by love" (Gal 5:6), and when he told the Romans that he "received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name" (Rom 1:5).

Evangelical faith and works are like sunlight and heat, they are inseparable. The writer to the Hebrews said that Jesus "became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him" (Heb 5:9). Again, "And hereby we do know that we know him," taught John, "if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (1 John 2:3-4).

When, perhaps I should say if, we will embrace all of the scriptural teaching on salvation we must conclude with James that "faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect" ( James 2:22). It seems plain to me that if we divorce saving faith from works we must throw away, or at least attempt to explain away, half of what God has revealed regarding salvation. Should we choose this option, glaring contradictions and absurdities are inevitable. These contradictions are evidence, at least in my limited understanding, of a wrong or at least a one-sided view of salvation.

For instance, if I quoted Luke 13:24:

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

and Philippians 2:12:

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

then proceeded to say, "See, salvation is by work and striving, it has nothing to do with grace or faith!" you would likely quote Romans 10:9 or Ephesians 2:8-9, and rightly so. I would then be forced to water down or explain away these plain passages, and my doctrine would result in obvious absurdities and contradictions. So it is if we ignore the "works" passages and teach only the "believe" passages by insisting that "God eliminated every work of man-past, present and future."⁵

Though many examples could be cited from your books evincing what seem to me to be plain contradictions owing to the ignoring or explaining away of salvation texts that are inconsistent with a belief only or what James described as a dead faith soteriology, I will limit the bulk of my thoughts to just one such example that I pray you will help me understand and reconcile. On pages 69 and 70 in your 171-page book entitled Your Eternal Reward, you quote Paul's sobering warnings to the Ephesians and the Galatians.

For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Eph 5:5)

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21)

Now, because of your "belief only" theology, something must be done with these passages (and many others). Somehow you must make them consistent with the notion that, "God eliminated every work of man - past, present and future." Commenting on these truths, which seem plain enough as they are, you teach that "those who practice such sins will not be barred from entering the kingdom, but will be barred from inheriting it."⁶ This is what must be done to make these passages fit your presuppositions. You argue that inheriting the kingdom, as described by Paul in these passages, does not refer to entering heaven, but to ruling and reigning with Christ once there.

In other words, those professing Christians who practice immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and covetousness will be welcomed into heaven only to lose potential rewards. Dr. Lutzer, do you actually believe that Galatians 5:19-21 could read:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall forfeit certain rewards, but shall surely enter the kingdom of God.

"If one or more of these sins characterizes their Christian lives," you insist, "and they refuse to judge the evil, they will forfeit the honor of kingdom rule."⁷ You rightly use the word characterizes here, Dr. Lutzer, which Webster defines as the distinctive character trait, or the distinguishing feature. I say it is accurate to use the word characterizes, as the Greek word rendered practice in Galatians 5:19-21 is the present tense verb prasso which means "to perform repeatedly or habitually."⁸

Dr. Lutzer, herein lie the aforementioned incongruities. May drunkenness and adultery be the distinguishing features of a Christian inevitably bound for paradise only to forfeit some reward? May the unrepentant drunkard staggering from the local bar to the bed of his mistress night after night be a Christian destined for an eternity in the holy kingdom of God? This is the result of your notions. What would such a person do in an environment of continual worship and obedience? To interpret this passage in this manner flies in the face of all that the Bible teaches on salvation.

As mentioned earlier, Jesus promised to, "send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity." Yet your teaching makes this untrue. If every manner of unrepentant, practicing sinner is welcomed into heaven if he only "believes," then all things that offend and them which do iniquity are not removed from His kingdom and thrown into the fire. In fact, your interpretation contradicts every passage quoted from Jesus as noted earlier. Though you fail to mention His teaching, in yet another passage where Jesus emphasized works rather than belief, He did not interpret the word inherit as you do.

"Good Master," asked a rich young man, "what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" (Mark 10:17). The Greek word rendered inherit in Mark 10:17 is, as I'm sure you are well aware, the same word used by Paul in Galatians 5:21 and the same root word he used in Ephesians 5:5. How did our Lord interpret this word inherit? Did He ask for a clarification of the question? "Well sir, what are you asking, are you looking for an 'extra reward for faithful service' or direction on how to enter the kingdom of God?" Dr. Lutzer, isn't it only good exegesis to consider the way in which Jesus interpreted the word inherit when defining Paul's use of the word?

After the man went away grieved because he didn't want to part with his possessions, "Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!'" (Mark 10:23). Now, the man asked, "How do I inherit eternal life?" Jesus understood him to mean, "How do I enter the kingdom of God?" Why don't you even mention the Master's plain teaching on this critical topic?

In case the view of Jesus regarding a proper interpretation of the word inherit is not enough to give you pause, kindly consider the views of D.L. Moody on the topic.

Father, where is your boy tonight? It may be just out there in some public house; it may be reeling through the streets; it may be pressing onwards to a drunkard's grave. Mother, where is your son? Is he in the house of the publican drinking away his soul?⁹

But the unrighteous - the adulterers, the fornicators and thieves - these men may all inherit it [the kingdom of God] if they will only turn away from their sins. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts"; but if the unrighteous man says: "I will not turn away from sin; I will hold on to sin and have heaven," he is deceiving himself.¹⁰

No drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of God Now let those mothers that have sons who are just commencing a dissipated life, wake up; and rest not day nor night until their boys are converted by the power of God's grace, because no drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of God.¹¹

I pity any professed Christians who rent their property for drinking saloons; I pity them from the depths of my heart. If you ever expect to inherit the kingdom of God, give it up. This idea that all is going well, and that all are going into the kingdom of God, whether they repent or not, is not taught anywhere in the Scripture.¹²

Please note that three of the four quotes given are from the sermon, "Heaven: Its Inhabitants," a sermon detailing who will make it to heaven rather than who will be rewarded once there. Dr. Lutzer, is it a small thing that your views and those of D.L. Moody are irreconcilable on this critical, salvation text? Surely it is not uncommon for those of the same theological system to differ in terms of minor scriptural interpretations. However, may a passage dealing with who will and who will not enter the kingdom of God be considered minor? Again, Mr. Moody did not think so.

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God much less inherit it. He can't even get a glimpse of the kingdom of God except he be born again. I believe this is the most important subject that will ever come before us in this world.¹³

As you know, your quotes noted herein are not isolated instances nor are they taken out of context. Please consider the following in reference to Ephesians 5:5:

In context, Paul is warning Christians about their behavior. He assumes Christians can be deceived and live like the 'sons of disobedience.' We have all known Christians who struggle with sexual addictions, or Christians who are greedy and idolatrous. We've all known Christians who live with these sins even when coming under the heavy hand of discipline. The Bible assumes that we know by experience, namely, that Christians can do evil deeds and be caught in terrible sins. Some die in such a spiritual condition.

Covetousness, which is also listed as one of these transgressions, lies deeply buried within every one of us. We can all identify with the war for ownership that rages within the soul. If with Christ's help we do not master such sins, they will assuredly master us. If Paul meant that those who practice such vices will not enter the kingdom, our own assurance of final salvation would be in constant jeopardy.¹⁴

The careful reader of your preceding quote will readily note that you believe and argue that those professing Christians who practice, live in, are mastered by, or even die in immorality, impurity, covetousness, and idolatry will not be eternally lost! Please, dear sir, help me understand your doctrine. Unless I am greatly deceived, the minions of hell must celebrate such notions. What greater sins could Satan commit? Perhaps, at least theoretically, Satan himself could be on his way to the holy city of eternal righteousness if such interpretations hold true.

"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin," declared the apostle, "for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (1 John 3:9). Yet through your writing we must conclude that those who are born of God do indeed practice sin. "In this," taught John, "the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother" (1 John 3:10). Yet the inevitable conclusion of your writing is that those who do not practice righteousness are born of God and that we cannot discern the difference between the children of God and Satan by what they do. Are these glaring contradictions not the result of a one-sided preconception of salvation that obliterates the scriptural rapport between genuine faith and works?

"If we keep in mind that to 'inherit eternal life' or to 'inherit' the kingdom is an extra reward for faithful service, we will read many passages differently."¹⁵ Differently indeed. From such statements I can't help but conclude that you believe faithfulness is optional. Is the professing Christian afforded the option of being faithful to Christ or not as one may choose mustard or onions on a hotdog? I believe you are right, Dr. Lutzer, but if we accept your views, I am concerned that we will not only read many sobering texts of warning "differently," we will also be blinded to the truth contained therein and read them wrong.

As I understand the Bible, accepting your teaching by embracing some salvation texts while eliminating or emasculating others, will indeed cause us to read many critical texts of warning "differently." But do we want to read them as you suggest? Do we want to lend eternal hope to those whose lives are characterized by unfaithfulness, immorality, and idolatry where our holy God lends no such hope? I think not.

"But the fearful, and unbelieving," warned the Lord, "and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Rev 21:8). Dear sir, I am convinced you do grievously err in regard to the final abode of the unrepentant and as to the meaning of the word inherit. In so doing you lull to sleep the unrepentant and quench the Holy Spirit by removing the "certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries" (Heb 10:27).

In the early days of the Protestant Reformation there was a zealous young student of Martin Luther's named Johannes Agricola, who pushed the Reformer's novel doctrine of justification by faith alone beyond scriptural bounds. He concluded that as good works do not promote salvation, so neither do evil works hinder it. "Art thou steeped in sin, an adulterer or a thief?" queried the ardent Agricola. "If thou believest, thou art in salvation."¹⁶ Martin Luther condemned the extreme "belief without corresponding works" assertion of his student with the label antinomianism. Agricola ultimately recanted much of his error.

Dear sir, I can't help but see striking similarities between the condemned, antinomian views of Agricola and the popular "belief only" message of contemporary Moody, a message that was not shared by its founders. "To the antinomian," declared R.A. Torrey, "who is boasting that he has faith and is justified by it, but who does not show his faith by his works, we must say 'what doth it profit, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? Can that faith save him?'"¹⁷

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;" warned the apostle, "but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears" (2 Tim 4:3). What would these teachers look like, what would their perverted doctrines sound like? Dr Lutzer, if the covetous, unbelieving or immoral wanted to enjoy their sin and rebellion in time and tread on streets of gold in eternity, to which teacher would they listen?

Dear Dr. Lutzer, I beg you to "take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee" (1 Tim 4:16). I realize that the idea of insuring your salvation by doing something, or what Peter termed, "to make your calling and election sure" (2 Peter 1:10), doesn't fit your theology, but theological smoke and mirrors will never sever the God-breathed, scriptural relationship between genuine faith and works. Regarding James 2:14, 17:

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works, can faith save him? . . . faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

The question, "Can faith save him?" is a rhetorical question. The answer is an obvious, "No!" as Dr. Torrey emphatically stated. But you teach that James isn't speaking about salvation at all, rather, "James is speaking about our justification in the sight of others."¹⁸ Again, dear sir, I am convinced you do grievously err, but such notions are the inevitable result of basing your salvation doctrine on half of what God has revealed on the subject.

James is speaking about justification in the sight of others? Where do you derive such a notion? "His faith," you wrote, "was vindicated and he attained special recognition among men."¹⁹ Gentle sir, be patient with me, do you not tremble by answering, "Yes!" to the question of whether or not a dead faith can save? James likens dead faith to the faith of demons ( James 2:19)! The Greek word translated save in James 2:14 is the word sozo, and it is the same word used in these passages:

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matt 1:21)

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (Mark 16:16)

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Rom 5:10)

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. (1 Cor 1:21)

For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish. (2 Cor 2:15)

This list could go on for pages. In fact, the Greek word sozo is used 109 times in the New Testament and it is never used to denote "justification before men," only justification before God. James clearly teaches that faith without works will not save! The word dead, as used by James in 2:17, "faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself," is the Greek word nekros. This word is used to describe the spiritual state of the lost:

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved.) (Eph 2:5)

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses. (Col 2:13)

Faith that is alone, as James put it, or faith without works cannot save anymore than the spiritually dead can save themselves apart from Christ. Faith without works is as dead as the unregenerate, spiritually darkened sinner. James was not exaggerating when he wrote, "O vain man, that faith without works is dead" ( James 2:20).

R.A. Torrey, the theologian chosen by D.L. Moody to head what is now Moody Bible Institute agrees: "saving faith is a faith that works by doing that which the One who is believed in bids us do."²⁰ Dr. Torrey, whose name is memorialized at the present-day Moody campus, rightly taught, "the faith that one says he has, but which does not manifest itself in action along the line of the faith professed, will not justify. The faith that justifies is the real faith that leads to action accordant with the truth professed."²¹ O that Dr. Torrey's views were memorialized at Moody and not merely his name. You can change this Dr. Lutzer!

The promise of peace and life to disobedient Eve in the Garden was Satan's lie. The false prophets' promises of "peace, peace" ( Jer 8:11) which "strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness" ( Jer 23:14) in the days of the Law was Satan's lie. The grace-changers' promise of peace and life to the licentious in the book of Jude was Satan's lie. Dr. Lutzer, has the passage of an additional two thousand years changed Satan's lie into God's truth?

I would be in error if I did not again thank you for the wisdom, experience and truth I have gleaned from much of your teaching. The message I heard on October 9, 2003, was an excellent message, a message calling for holiness and obedience. But to preach the need for obedience one week and promise heaven to the disobedient the next is confusion and makes your exhortations to holiness merely good advice. It is to tear down with one hand what you build with the other.

Dear sir, in my plainness of speech I pray I have not disrespected your person or misrepresented your views. I simply desire to rightly divide the word of truth and, like a good Berean, I desire to search the scriptures to see if these things be so. As Mr. Moody said, "If a man is unsound on regeneration, he is unsound on everything." O sir, I would rather die than be unsound on regeneration. Please, Dr. Lutzer, show your servant his error. I humbly request an informal discussion of the issues contained herein. I anxiously await contact from you, kind and venerable sir.

Your student,

Daniel LaLond Jr.
October 2003