Martin Luther believed that “The entire Old Testament refers to Christ and agrees with Him.” Sidney Greidanus, in Preaching Christ from the Old Testament, wrote that in spite of his warnings against allegorical interpretation, Luther continued using this arbitrary method of interpretation. Ironically, while Luther left some limited room for allegorical interpretation, he apparently had no use of typological interpretation, for, as David Dockery puts it, typology with its foreshadowing “annulled the historical presence of Christ in the Old Testament.” The Antioch School “saw shadowy anticipation of what was to come. This meant nothing to Luther. To him, the Old Testament was not a figure of what would be, but a testimony to what always holds true between humankind and God” (Dockery, GTJ I4/2 (1983) 193.[19]
Read moreFreedom of the Will verses Bondage of the Will
Are the unsaved responsible for believing the gospel of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection that we witness or preach? Do they have a choice? Are unbelievers only the passive recipients of regeneration? These questions have been debated for centuries. Michael Barrett (click to open) writes articles on this debate between Augustine/Pelagius, Luther/ Erasmus, Calvin/Arminius, and John Edwards/John Wesley. The debate rages today between proponents of Free Will and the Bondage of the Will. My thoughts on the debate are that some who teach the freedom of will promote a free will that is too free. Some who contend for the bondage of the will advocate a will that is to bound.
Read moreThe Different Views on the Lord’s Supper (Part One)
Have you experienced what baptism pictures, i.e., the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ for your salvation? Are you experiencing what the Lord’s Supper symbolizes i.e., confessed sins and fellowship with the Lord? When Christ commanded the church to observe two ordinances He gave us pictures of two important Christian realities. Baptism pictures union with Christ and the Lord’s Supper pictures communion with Christ. Just as the believing sinner is united to Christ in salvation once, so the believer is baptized once. Because fellowship or communion with Christ is repeated by the Christian so does the believer repeat the ordinance of Communion or the Lord’s Supper repeatedly.
Read moreJustification: Protestant vs. Catholic
I am borrowing my title from Dr. Gavin Ortlund who presents a very informative YouTube video on the differences and similarities between Protestants and Catholics on the doctrine of justification. He notes some important differences such as Protestants hold to imputed righteousness which is forensic. Imputed righteousness transpires at the moment of faith in Christ and is a completed judicial act. Catholics advocate infused righteousness which is based on observing the sacraments throughout his/her life.
Read moreTwenty-five Advanced Soteriological Questions
Question ten is Who was Theodore Beza?
Theodore Beza 1519–1605 was John Calvin’s first student and Calvin’s successor for 46 years at Geneva after Calvin’s death in 1564. Shean Wright, biographer of Beza wrote: John Calvin was undoubtedly the father of Calvinism, but Beza very well may have been the first Calvinist. At the academy in Geneva, Beza assumed the role of the instructor of Greek and theology and pastor of a city church. Beza defended the Huguenots against persecution in France and debated against Lutherans in defense of Calvinism.
Read moreTwenty-Five Advanced Soteriological Questions
The views of the Arminians set forth in the Remonstrance of 1610 were examined and rejected as heretical at a national Synod in Dort, meeting from 1618 to November 13, 1619. Not only did the Synod reject the Remonstrance position but it also set out to present the Calvinistic teaching in regard to the five matters called into question.
Read morePerseverance versus Preservation
Advocates of the doctrine of perseverance teach that the believer must persevere to the end in holiness of character, love for God and the brethren, and belief in the doctrines of Scripture.
On the other hand, proponents of the doctrine of preservation teach that God keeps the believer saved even if he does not persevere to the end of his Christian life in holiness, love, and truth. Not enduring to the end is not normal for believers but there are examples in Scripture of believers who walked not with God at the end in holiness, love, and truth.
Read morePreaching through Books of the Bible
W. A. Criswell was pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas from 1944-1991. He demonstrated the importance of preaching through books of the Bible. In Why I Preach That the Bible is Literally True W. A. Criswell wrote that “Soon after coming to the pastorate of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, I made an announcement that I would preach through the Bible. It was my first intention to go through the Book much faster than I finally did. In fact, at first, I did preach rapidly through the books of the Old Testament. But as the days multiplied, I found myself going slower and slower and slower. Finally, I came to the place where I preached for several years on some of the sections of the New Testament. In all, from Genesis to Revelation, I spent seventeen years and eight months going through the Book. where I left off Sunday morning, I began Sunday evening; where I left off the previous Sunday night, I began the following Sunday morning.
Read moreHAS BIBLE PROPHECY ALREADY BEEN FULFILLED (Part 1)?
"The Olivet Discourse is not about the Second Coming of Christ. It is a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70." --David Chilton (Preterist)"
Read moreOUR SINFUL INHERITANCE
Have you seen the car tag, “I’m spending my children’s inheritance?” Comforting thought. Right? There is one inheritance most children wish had been spent by their parents. The inheritance of a sinful nature.
Read moreWhy Do We Baptize By Immersion?
The word “baptize” means to immerse. Lexicons define baptizo to mean to dip, immerge, submerge. “Consider also the testimonies of three non-Baptist who led the Protestant Reformation. John Calvin, founder of Presbyterianism, declared, ‘The word baptize itself signifies immerse, and it is certain that the rite of immersion was observed by the ancient church.’ In commenting on Romans 6:3-5, John Wesley, founder of Methodism, said, ‘Buried with Him, alluding to the ancient manner of baptism by immersion.’ In speaking of the meaning of baptism, Martin Luther, founder of Lutheranism, said, ‘They ought to be entirely immersed, and immediately drawn out. For this the etymology of the name seems to demand.’ I have always appreciated Luther’s practical theology when he advised the pastor to immediately draw out the person being immersed.
Read moreDoes God Reveal Himself to us Through an "Inner Light?"
John 1:9 is sometimes called 'the Quaker text,' because the early Quakers, based on the verse, believed that sufficient light was offered to every person" (David J. MacLeod. The Creation of the Universe by the Word: John 1:6-9. Bib Sac 160 July-Sept 2003: 305-320). Some Quakers refer to the “inner light” as an internal revelation if appropriately responded to can save. They use John 1:9 as the proof text: “[That] was the true Light, which lights every man that comes into the world.”
Read moreThe Non-controversial Subject of Church Music! (Part 1)
The powerful influence of music is seen in 1 Sam. 16:14-23 when David, the greatest harpist in Israel, calmed troubled King Saul with his music.
Aristotle said, ‘Music has the power to shape character.’ Satan is clearly using music to do that today. The rock lyrics of the 1960s and 1970s shaped the values of most Americans who are now in their thirties, forties, or fifties. Today, MTV shapes the values of most people in their teens and twenties (Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church, page 279).
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