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Grace That Saves (Not Assists): Testing Ladder Spirituality
Show: Contending for the Word with Dave Jenkins •
Date: October 21, 2025
Show Summary
In this Reformation Month episode, Dave Jenkins tests a familiar but unbiblical creed —
“God helps those who help themselves” — and contrasts it with the far better news of
sola gratia: grace that raises the dead, grants faith, and keeps God’s people to the end.
We expose the counterfeits (decisionalism, elitism, and the self-improvement gospel) and anchor
assurance in Christ’s finished work.
Key Texts
- Ephesians 2:1–10 — Dead in sin, made alive by God; saved by grace through faith.
- Titus 3:3–7 — Saved by mercy, washed and renewed by the Holy Spirit.
- John 6:37–40 — Christ receives, keeps, and will raise His own.
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Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
