Zane Hodges, who went to be with the Lord in November 2008, was a Bible believer and a strong defender of the great doctrines of the Bible such as the inerrancy of the Scriptures, the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, the substitutionary atonement, etc. Those who knew Zane Hodges have described him as a man of fine Christian character and devotion.

For many years Zane Hodges was one of the most outspoken proponents of a doctrinal position that insists a person can depart from the faith, deny Christ totally, persist in sin, stop being a believer, deny all the fundamentals of the faith, mock the gospel, and yet still be counted among those who are truly saved. Hodges and others have insisted that a true believer may or may not continue in the faith unto the end. According to this teaching, a person can have the TRUE ROOT (saving faith) but not necessarily have the TRUE FRUIT (good works). His books which present this position are The Hungry Inherit, The Gospel Under Siege—A Study on Faith and Works, and Grace in Eclipse—A Study on Eternal Rewards. Most of his books are made available through the Grace Evangelical Society (GES). Hodges also contributed to The Bible Knowledge Commentary (a commentary done by the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary). In this commentary Hodges contributed the commentaries on Hebrews and 1,2,3 John, where his views on faith and works and assurance of salvation are clearly enunciated. In more recent years he has written commentaries on The Epistles of John and The Epistles of James both published by the Grace Evangelical Society.

Dr. Joseph Dillow graduated in Science with a major in Electrical Engineering. He received his Th.D. degree from Dallas Theological Seminary. He served on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ, Christian Family Life, and as a visiting instructor in Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. For over a decade he and his wife Linda have lived in Vienna, Austria, where he has served as founder and director of Biblical Education by Extension International (BEE), a biblical training ministry for church leadership in eastern Europe, Russia, and China. Many years ago he wrote an excellent book on the gift of Tongues entitled Speaking in Tongues— Seven Crucial Questions and he also made a significant contribution to creation science by his masterful book dealing with the vapor canopy entitled The Waters Above. He also wrote a book on the Song of Solomon entitled Solomon on Sex. His book concerning which we are critical of in this paper, is entitled THE REIGN OF THE SERVANT KINGS—A Study of Eternal Security and the Final Significance of Man. In this paper, when page numbers are cited from Dr. Dillow’s work, we are referring to this last mentioned book.

Dr. Dillow’s book is significant for many reasons: (1) It is the most comprehensive and systematic presentation of this doctrinal position yet written (650 pages); (2) Dillow, in the beginning of the book, acknowledges that it was Zane Hodges’ teaching that changed the way he looked at the book of Hebrews in particular and the entire New Testament in general. This change of thinking took place in 1973 as Dillow listened to a set of tapes by Zane Hodges dealing with the book of Hebrews; (3) Very influential men have endorsed and are recommending Dillow’s book including Dr. Charles Ryrie and Dr. Earl Radmacher. Dr. Ryrie said, "This scholarly and well written book should be read by all pastors and students of the Word who are interested in the doctrines of grace…A TRULY LANDMARK BOOK!" Dr. Radmacher wrote this: "Dr. Dillow’s REIGN OF THE SERVANT KINGS may well be the most significant contribution toward resolving the several hundred year debate between Calvinism and Arminianism."

Thus we have Zane Hodges who for many years promulgated this doctrine through various books and tapes and Joseph Dillow who systematized this teaching in one, comprehensive, massive volume. This teaching is being embraced by more and more believers, mostly among dispensationalists. Many of those who embrace this view have chosen as their rallying point the Grace Evangelical Society which publishes a newsletter which is sent to a readership of 9,000 and a theological journal which also has a circulation of 900. They are publishing a number of books. Robert Wilkin heads up the Grace Evangelical Society. He enthusiastically recommends the writings of Zane Hodges and Joseph Dillow and he has authored some of his own books, including Confident in Christ–Living By Faith Really Works and The Road to Reward.

A more recent volume which should be mentioned is The Kingdom, Power & Glory–The Overcomers Handbook (almost 400 pages) by Chuck and Nancy Missler. The Misslers (pages 49, 271) strongly recommend Joseph Dillow’s book (The Reign of the Servant Kings) and the Misslers’ book certainly reflects the same theology that is found in Dillow’s volume. I have written a lengthy review of this book by Chuck and Nancy Missler. However, since the Misslers’ views are very similar to those of Hodges and Dillow, this paper will answer address many of the doctrinal problems found in the book by Chuck and Nancy Missler, although I will not specifically refer to their book in this paper.