Beyond the Salvation Wars - by Matthew W Bates

About the Book

Offering a deep-rooted reimagining of salvation, this book address controversial topics that have divided the church, such as baptism, election, regeneration, assurance, and justification, offering a new model that encourages Protestants and Catholics toward long-term unity.

Book Synopsis

God has provided salvation, but when does it begin? What is required of us? Can we lose it? These and other disputed questions have divided Christians for centuries. Matthew W. Bates has already shown that the gospel is about King Jesus and that faith includes allegiance. In Beyond the Salvation Wars, he unpacks additional truths from the Bible and the early church to describe how salvation happens.

Bates offers a new model, encouraging Protestants and Catholics toward long-term unity. But his proposal contains strong medicine: it doesn't sugarcoat current Protestant and Catholic errors but diagnoses with precision for the future health of the church.

By using accessible writing and stories, Bates shows what Scripture teaches about baptism, election, regeneration, assurance, and justification. A companion to his previous book, Gospel Allegiance: What Faith in Jesus Misses for Salvation in Christ, this book will appeal to those who want to discover core truths about how we are saved--for their personal journey as well as for final Christian unity. A discussion guide with questions for classes and groups will be available.

From the Back Cover

A Deep-Rooted Reimagining of Salvation

God has provided salvation, but when does it begin? What is required of us? Can we lose it? These and other disputed questions have divided Christians for centuries.

In Beyond the Salvation Wars, Matthew Bates offers a deep-rooted reimagining of salvation. He addresses controversial topics that have divided the church, such as baptism, election, regeneration, assurance, and justification, offering a new model that encourages Protestants and Catholics toward long-term unity.

"It is easy to critique other people's theologies, but are we also willing to carefully examine and critique our own? This book brings the central belief about the kingship of the crucified and risen Jesus to the center of the salvation wars. Bates is an equal opportunity offender, but all for the good purpose of turning us back to Scripture to reconsider the true gospel and our allegiance to the king."
--Nijay K. Gupta, Northern Seminary

"Bates offers a courageous proposal for a rapprochement between Catholics and Protestants on what it means to be saved. He looks for a way forward amid differences. A bold proposal for healing a rift in the church that is now nearly five hundred years old! At the very least, a great way to start conversations between Protestants and Catholics on finding a way forward toward unity."
--Michael F. Bird, Ridley College, Melbourne, Australia

"This discussion of King Jesus theology is a foundation for future disciple-making conversations. It is a bold theological proposal that challenges both Protestants and Catholics. It reflects the best current scholarship on the gospel, faith, baptism, and embodied obedience. I commend it as a must-read for scholars, Bible students, and disciple-making leaders."
--Bobby Harrington, pastor, author, and CEO of renew.org and discipleship.org

About the Author

Matthew W. Bates (PhD, University of Notre Dame) is a professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary in Lombard, Illinois. He is the author of Gospel Allegiance, Salvation by Allegiance Alone, and Why the Gospel?, which won a 2024 Christianity Today Book Award and was named the 2024 Resource of the Year by Outreach magazine. Bates also cofounded and cohosts the popular Bible and theology podcast OnScript. He lives with his family in Quincy, Illinois.