This again is a repost of an article I wrote years ago which I believe bears the repetition. Part Three Review Hitherto in this set of posts I have called attention to several issues tied together with the word “disingenuous.” To be disingenuous is to lack candor or sincerity. To be less than forthcoming. I have applied this term to those who, for whatever reason, will not clearly tell people exactly what it is they are doing with Scripture passages; …
Category: Biblical Studies
This is another reposting of a piece originally titled “A Disingenuous God?” Part One I’ve mentioned analogies in this series, so let me give one of my own. Suppose someone made you a promise concerning something of great importance to you. This person then went a step further and, to show his intent to make good his promise, entered in to some solemn ritual involving a self-maledictory oath. You could surely trust the promise right? But wait. Suppose you knew …
Previous installment More On Plain-Speaking We are looking into the matter of plain-speaking. In theological discourse one strives for precision and tries to avoid ambiguity. However, the language of “expansion” found often on the lips of supercessionists – those who will insist that the OT prophets mean something OTHER than what their actual words convey – is, I believe, calculated to be ambiguous. The theology of replacement (i.e. one designated subject is replaced by another), ethnic Israel is now the church; …
I’m going to repost a group of articles I wrote years ago about the God of Supersessionism. I have been having fun lately on ‘X’ with people who want to correct me on my view of the covenants with the usual fodder of ‘the NT reinterprets the OT.’ One of these individuals informed me the “the Covenant” in Genesis 1-3 was plainly in view. When I asked him (repeatedly) to show me this “covenant” he implied I needed to receive …
When I say Christ is the central Figure of Scripture what I mean is that He is the central Protagonist of God’s Creation Project. Here is an example of the Christ’s eminence in the Bible: God created all things through Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:9, Jn. 1:3), and all things created through Him were also created for Him (Col. 1:16). At this present hour the whole creation is upheld through Him (Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3). He is the Lord …
Centuries passed before the time of the birth of Jesus Christ in the small hamlet of Bethlehem Judah around the Year 5-7 B.C.[1] Bethlehem was the place where David was born (1 Sam. 17:12), and also was the place where the Messiah would be born (Mic. 5:2). Yahweh had pinpointed Bethlehem so no other birthplace would be right for Jesus Christ. Not Jerusalem, not Rome, but tiny Bethlehem. God means what He says. And He would be born precisely at …
I’m doing the boring chore of name and Scripture indices at the moment. Here’s an excerpt from the forthcoming book. First of all, we must dismiss this view, held by many pious men throughout history, that the Church is in the OT. The New covenant was not made in the OT, and I have shown the Church to be a New covenant institution. The NT records the making of the New covenant in Jesus’ blood (Lk. 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25). This …
This post interacts with a recent article published by The Friends of Israel ministry entitled “Stop Praying for Patience: Changing Our Perspective on the Fruit of the Spirit.” I don’t normally do this sort of thing, but I happened to click on the above essay by Sarah Fern, and as I have been teaching intensively on The Fruit of the Spirit at the Church I pastor I thought I would see what Mrs Fern had to say. It has to …
From the upcoming book ‘The Words of the Covenant: Volume Two, New Testament Continuation’ I think that one of the very first things we need to note about the book of Revelation is its decidedly Jewish tone. The book speaks of David, the throne, Jerusalem, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the twelve tribes of Israel, the two witnesses, the ark of the testimony, the commandments of Moses, and among things. References to Israel and hints at its promises …
From the forthcoming book The Words of the Covenant, Volume Two, New Testament Continuation As he begins his prophecy, John says that he is a fellow brother in the “tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:9). I think it is important to notice the word “kingdom” and ask whether it speaks of a kingdom that was present already in the first century A.D. or whether it refers to the future messianic Kingdom. It will not come as …
