Friday, December 29, 2017

Apocalyptic Literature?"

So true!
Often in fact the term “apocalyptic literature” is simply a handy dismissive to fend off plain-sense interpretation. No content is put into the term. It just stands for “it doesn’t mean what you think it means.”
Read the rest of the article HERE

Sunday, December 24, 2017

R.C. Sproul Showed Us Christ

I'm coming across a lot of tributes to Dr. Sproul. They show a man who loved God and lived his life in submission to Him. There are areas where I disagreed with him (eschatology and his negative view of dispensationlism). But his love for the Lord was an inspiration. I particularly like Derek Thomas' tribute, even though I didn't agree with the first line. But there you go:
A prince has fallen in Israel.
The death of Dr. R.C. Sproul was not wholly unexpected. His declining health in recent years helped to prepare us for his passing. Watching him decline, we sometimes allowed ourselves to ponder what life without R.C. would be like. It always proved a contemplation too painful to consider for any length of time. But now that it has happened, we prove once more that gospel certainty far outweighs the transient pain of loss. With a conviction that rises to full assurance, we believe R.C. is in heaven—that blessed place promised to the dying thief on the cross when Jesus said to him, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). He is there because he was a sinner who placed his faith in Jesus Christ alone (and we can hear him even now insisting upon the word alone). Faith alone, in Christ alone—apart from works. Can’t you hear him saying it? How he loved these Reformation solas! He ran the race and finished the course. He endured to the end. And as he passed from this world to the nearer presence of the Lord Jesus, there was laid up for him the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, awarded to him on that day, and not only to him but also to all who have loved Jesus’ appearing (cf. 2 Tim. 4:8)...keep reading

Friday, December 22, 2017

Debunking The History of Islam - Jay Smith

I've mentioned Jay Smith before. Note also Tom Holland's book and this video
I do not necessarily endorse the other videos on these YouTube Channels.


Thursday, December 14, 2017

John MacArthur pays tribute to R C Sproul

Dr Sproul went to be with the Lord today. Read it HERE Read John MacArthur's tribute on the Grace to You Blog. I like this especially:
I'm a committed Baptist premillennialist; he was a steadfast Presbyterian with somewhat fluid eschatological opinions. But we agreed on far more than we ever disagreed—especially when it came to the core issues of soteriology and the five Reformation solas.

Abner Chou - I Saw The Lord

I have a very full plate of books to read. Often two or three going at one time. It doesn't help that I have mild ADD and no formal Seminary training. Many of the books I read are a challenge for me. But I have a voracious appetite and desire to understand things which I probably never quite will, at least this side of glory.

I like Abner Chou's material. He thinks and talks fast, which is a burden if you're like me. But it helps put me into higher gear, and to focus better. His book "I Saw The Lord - A Biblical Theology of Vision" was advertised in one of The Master's Seminary Journals and I've debated buying it for some time. I finally bit the bullet.

Here's the blurb from the back:
The Visions Of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Paul, and John have captivated the people of God. Could it be that we are drawn to these spectacular passages because they are all different angles of the same eschatological event? This study explores the visions of these writers as they relate to their individual theology in light of the possibility that these writers saw different facets of the climax of history when the Son receives all glory.
To date, I've only skimmed some sections, especially the one dealing with Revelation. One doesn't have to necessarily agree on all points to profit from Abner's book. I'm looking forward to giving it more time soon. Sadly, this book hasn't been advertised well, and will likely fly under the radar.

P.S. Plenty of informative Footnotes and nine pages of Bibliography.

Friday, December 8, 2017

A Better Jerusalem?

A better Jerusalem...meaning something other than the one Christian Zionists "mistakenly" affirm.

So, so frustrating....

On October 27, 1994, President Bill Clinton, while addressing the Knesset (i.e. the legislative assembly in Israel) cited one of his former pastors when he said, "If you abandon Israel, God will never forgive you...it is God's will that Israel, the biblical home of the people of Israel, continue forever and ever." This widely held sentiment has had a substantial impact on American politics and foreign policy over the past 70 years. Two days ago, President Trump made the controversial decision to declare Jerusalem to be the capitol of the state of Israel. This has reopened numerous questions about the place of the state of Israel, and the city of Jerusalem, in the consummate purposes and plan of God...keep reading

Now go watch Perry Trotter's set of quick videos affirming biblical Zionism.

Dr Michael Rydelnik weighs in HERE

Robert Saucy responds to Poythress' Understanding Dispensationalists

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Pulpit & Pen's "Tribulation"

Some time ago I wrote about Pulpit & Pen's hatchet job on Nabeel Qareshi.

Since then they've featured an article called "The Trouble with Tribulation." Written by guest writer P. E. Harris, it's a hit piece against pretribulationism. This is a fellow who disagrees with a system and throws some mud at it. It's a pity that these types of condescending articles appear on a professing discernment ministry website. I comment on it HERE

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

The Lost Honor of John Nelson Darby

John Darby always evokes passionate exchanges between pretribulationists and non-pretribulationists. The latter tend to demonize him. He wasn't perfect, but neither was he the person often portrayed by his detractors. Last week I put together an article drawing from several resources. Hopefully it paints a somewhat more objective picture. You can read it HERE