Sunday, May 26, 2019
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Charles Spurgeon's Eschatology
Over the years I've seen a lot of claims regarding Charles Spurgeon's eschatology. One rapture timing book cites him as indirectly supporting that particular view. Another person has questioned whether he was really premillennial at all. Alistair Begg once stated that people think they know what Spurgeon believed but that he kept his eschatology largely guarded. Spurgeon didn't present a developed eschatology. However, he did make some statements. Dennis Swanson discusses them HERE
Monday, May 20, 2019
Progressively Pseudo “Christianity”
There's nothing new or progressive about "Progressive Christianity".
I often hear those in the Progressive “Christianity” crowd say they are Christian. In fact, John Pavlovitz said this: “My new friend, the Reverend Vince Anderson took the mic and said, “Let’s be clear: Progressive Christianity is just Christianity. We are Christians -and we are progressing in our knowledge and understanding.”
That is the stance they champion, but is it true? Are they truly Christian? To find out, I decided to pick a few Christian doctrines and compare answers. We will see what Progressive “Christianity” says versus what true Christianity says...keep reading
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Rapture Deception
A while ago someone asked to friend me on Facebook. This individual had a reputation for social media outbursts against dispensationalism and pretribulationism. Still, I accepted the "friend request." It lasted a whole 24 hours. This person posted multiple times a day and took a scorched-earth view of pretribulationism - apparently "a dangerous heresy which needed to be stamped out."
Incidentally, I've been Facebook "un-friended" on occasion because I'm taking more of a blunt stand on these matters. My intention isn't to deliberately offend. Perhaps those who choose to go out on eschatological trolling crusades ought to develop tougher hides. Mind you, I accept that I can get pretty ornery at times. I guess I'm still a work-in-progress.
Now, I've met pretribbers with a take-no-prisoner mentality - "anything other than pretrib is a heresy." We recently evicted one from a pretrib Facebook group. I'm happy to report that most of my pretrib friends don't think that way. No one should. It isn't an essential doctrine.
Unfortunately, individuals who evoke the pretrib-dangerous-deception canard flourish in non-pretrib communities. People like my ex Facebook friend don't get corrected within their echo-chambers. This is because rapture timing for non-pretribbers is almost an essential doctrine. It's overwhelmingly assumed by these non-pretrib folk that the employment of a proper "biblical-exegetical" study of Scripture should lead one to the view they hold.
The following examples come from individuals in leadership positions. Perhaps this is why some people behave the way they do:
The pretrib position has “impossible-to-resolve problems” (p.197) and “insurmountable exegetical” difficulties (p.147). Worse, pretribulationalism leads to “calamitous” consequences and “a spiritual catastrophe” which is in reality “a satanically planned sneak attack” (p. 281-282). ~ Marv Rosenthal (The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church)
In The Rapture Question Answered, Van Kampen suggested a link between Darby and the "heretical" Edward Irving. He then wrote that at the time of the development of pretribulationism, new cults also emerged: e.g., Mormonism, Christian Science, Unitarianism and the Jehovah’s Witnesses. There just has to be a clear connection, right?
In Shadows of the Beast, Jacob Prasch warns about “dangers in the Pre-Tribulation position.” He asserts that the rapture-resurrection can’t occur until believers identify the two Beasts of Revelation, and ominously warns: "The popular myth asserting the contrary as if it were an exegetical fact is a dangerous myth which must be debunked as a deception perpetrated against the Elect."
One has to wonder how much hand-wringing and outrage we'd see if these comments were directed at a particular non-pretrib view. Pass the boxes of tissues around?
Incidentally, I've been Facebook "un-friended" on occasion because I'm taking more of a blunt stand on these matters. My intention isn't to deliberately offend. Perhaps those who choose to go out on eschatological trolling crusades ought to develop tougher hides. Mind you, I accept that I can get pretty ornery at times. I guess I'm still a work-in-progress.
Now, I've met pretribbers with a take-no-prisoner mentality - "anything other than pretrib is a heresy." We recently evicted one from a pretrib Facebook group. I'm happy to report that most of my pretrib friends don't think that way. No one should. It isn't an essential doctrine.
Unfortunately, individuals who evoke the pretrib-dangerous-deception canard flourish in non-pretrib communities. People like my ex Facebook friend don't get corrected within their echo-chambers. This is because rapture timing for non-pretribbers is almost an essential doctrine. It's overwhelmingly assumed by these non-pretrib folk that the employment of a proper "biblical-exegetical" study of Scripture should lead one to the view they hold.
The following examples come from individuals in leadership positions. Perhaps this is why some people behave the way they do:
The pretrib position has “impossible-to-resolve problems” (p.197) and “insurmountable exegetical” difficulties (p.147). Worse, pretribulationalism leads to “calamitous” consequences and “a spiritual catastrophe” which is in reality “a satanically planned sneak attack” (p. 281-282). ~ Marv Rosenthal (The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church)
In The Rapture Question Answered, Van Kampen suggested a link between Darby and the "heretical" Edward Irving. He then wrote that at the time of the development of pretribulationism, new cults also emerged: e.g., Mormonism, Christian Science, Unitarianism and the Jehovah’s Witnesses. There just has to be a clear connection, right?
In Shadows of the Beast, Jacob Prasch warns about “dangers in the Pre-Tribulation position.” He asserts that the rapture-resurrection can’t occur until believers identify the two Beasts of Revelation, and ominously warns: "The popular myth asserting the contrary as if it were an exegetical fact is a dangerous myth which must be debunked as a deception perpetrated against the Elect."
One has to wonder how much hand-wringing and outrage we'd see if these comments were directed at a particular non-pretrib view. Pass the boxes of tissues around?
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Doug Wilson on Rachel Held Evans' Passing
Predictably, I've seen some crass comments spun out on the same day RHE died. I'm not going to go into details, though I'm tempted to. I've already expressed my feelings about some "discernment ministries" who are, presumably, the only bastions of truth. I often wonder what would happen if these were pitted against each other - Godzilla v Mothra etc?
Yet some nasty comments have also come from people I know on social media. These types have a scorched earth, take no prisoner mentality. Either you think their way or you're fair game for the most inane conspiratorial reasons. I'll have more to whine about this later...
I appreciated Doug Wilson's article on RHE's passing HERE
So the best thing we can do in a circumstance like this is to stand by the gospel we profess, walking none of it back, extend genuine condolence to the Evans family, hope for the best with regard to RHE, and put all our disputes, whether weighty or insignificant, into a context of a momentous and everlasting glory and joy. ~ Doug Wilson
Yet some nasty comments have also come from people I know on social media. These types have a scorched earth, take no prisoner mentality. Either you think their way or you're fair game for the most inane conspiratorial reasons. I'll have more to whine about this later...
I appreciated Doug Wilson's article on RHE's passing HERE
So the best thing we can do in a circumstance like this is to stand by the gospel we profess, walking none of it back, extend genuine condolence to the Evans family, hope for the best with regard to RHE, and put all our disputes, whether weighty or insignificant, into a context of a momentous and everlasting glory and joy. ~ Doug Wilson
Saturday, May 4, 2019
The Passing of Rachel Held Evans
In previous posts I've mentioned Rachel Held Evans' book "Inspired."
RHE had been recently placed in an induced coma because of seizures. Tragically, she passed away today, Saturday May 4th 2019. Click Here.
Please pray for her family.
RHE had been recently placed in an induced coma because of seizures. Tragically, she passed away today, Saturday May 4th 2019. Click Here.
Please pray for her family.
Answer Anyone - John Barros Full Interview
Sye Ten Bruggencate interviews John Barros, who regularly witnesses to people outside abortion clinics. Interesting conversation!
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
Dr. Renald Showers (1935-2019)
Dr. Showers has gone home to be with the Lord. The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry has provided a link to his resources HERE
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