December 27, 2007

A Little Test to Try on Your Pretrib Friends

Step One: Have them affirm that the church is present at the Appearing of Christ as seen in the verse below,

"Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming [parousia]" 1John 2:28. (cf. Titus 2:13; 1Tim. 6:14; 2Tim. 4:8; Col. 3:4; 1Peter 5:4; 1John 3:2)

Step Two: Next, show them the verse below that demonstrates that the revealed Antichrist will be present as well at the Appearing of Christ,

"Then that lawless one [Antichrist] will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming [parousia]." - 2Th 2:8

Step 3: Therefore,

...since the Church and the revealed Antichrist will be present at the Appearance of Christ, (1) the rapture cannot be imminent, since the Antichrist must be revealed prior to Christ's Appearing, and (2) the Church will be here during Antichrist's rule.

December 25, 2007

Blessed Annual Incarnation Celebration...

The Reason for the Season,

"And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." - John 1:14

Click here to read on four essential truths of the Incarnation.

December 22, 2007

Christian Introspection at the End of the Year

"...as we contemplate the passing of another year, I could not provide better advice than this: that each and every believer should consider the past year in the light of these divine words:

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. (2 Cor. 5:9) Walk as children of light, trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. (Eph 5:8, 10).

Given my level of understanding of what is pleasing to the Lord, did I live a life that would be considered pleasing in His sight? It matters not what others say, I have but one I must seek to please first and foremost. So, who did I please most? My Lord, or my flesh? When I consider my thoughts, were they centered on Him, His purposes, His glory, His kingdom? Or were they mainly taken up with me, me, and more me? Do I see advancement since 2006? 2001?

Further, how solid is my understanding of what is pleasing to Him? Is my understanding of the very standard to which I should aspire informed more by pop psychology and Christian psycho-babble than it is the inspired oracles of God Himself? And more to the heart of the matter, do I desire to keep "trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord"? Is this my heart's desire? Do I pray for a heart of wisdom so that I may know with ever increasing clarity and accuracy what is, in fact, pleasing to Him, in every situation in my life? In my family, in my work, in my thoughts, my deeds, my words?

Soon the rush of "resolutions" will pass over us. For the Christian, there is no question about the every day resolution: our ambition is to be pleasing to Him. What does that mean for your life in 2008? What does it mean for your life today?" - James R. White

December 19, 2007

Read Ben's Encouraging Story on How Scripture Led Him to the Prewrath Perspective...

After studying my Bible and reading multiple books from different angles, I have come to the conclusion that the Bible does not teach a Pre-Trib Rapture. I see some excellent points from the Post-Tribulation view in their responses to the Pre-Trib view, but there are also some flaws in their view that I can see as well. I don't plan on focusing on those since this note is focusing on why I don't believe the Pre-Trib view, and why I do believe the Pre-Wrath view. Continue Reading...

December 17, 2007

Prewrathers, Spread the News...

As the conference is closing in on a few of weeks I thought that there may still be some prewrathers or prophecy students who are not yet aware of the conference. Just a suggestion to spread the news of the conference, feel free to print the conference flier and (with permission) post it at your church for these remaining few weeks.

We are looking forward to seeing you all there. Indeed it will be exciting, and we trust the teaching will be glorifying to God as we approach God's Word with awe and humility.

December 12, 2007

Premillennial Nuggets: The Coming Millennial Kingdom : A Case for Premillennial Interpretation

Edited by Donald K. Campbell and Jeffrey L. Townsend

Fourteen evangelical scholars have brought together a collection of essays for the best case for Premillennialism under one cover. With each scholar writing in his field of expertise, this book covers both the Old and New Testaments and gives cogent exegetical evidence for Premillennialism. The Post and Amillennial views are interacted with as well. Indeed, after reading this book one will never be able to say, "Premillennialism is argued in only a few verses in Revelation 20."

Every premiller should have this book in their library!

Contents

1. Premillennialism Introduced: Hermeneutics
Elliot E. Johnson

2. Evidence from Genesis
Robert B. Chisholm, Jr.

3. Evidence from Psalm 89
Ronald B. Allen

4. Evidence from Isaiah 2
John H. Sailhamer

5. Evidence from Jeremiah
Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.

6. Evidence from Ezekiel
Mark F. Rooker

7. Evidence from Daniel
Kenneth L. Barker

8. Evidence from Joel and Amos
Homer Heater, Jr.

9. Evidence from Matthew
David K. Lowery

10. Evidence from Acts
Darrell L. Bock

11. Evidence from Romans 9-11
S. Lewis Johnson, Jr.

12. Evidence from 1 Corinthians 15
D. Edmond Hiebert

13. Evidence from Revelation 20
Harold W. Hoehner

14. Premillennialism Summarized: Conclusion
Jeffrery L. Townsend

December 11, 2007

Comments on Mormonism's Theology, Christology, Eschatology

James R. White is arguably the most effective and knowledgeable Christian apologist on Mormonism today. Click here to listen to White respond to Mitt Romney's recent pluralistic speech.

Addendum: Does the LDS Church Teach Lucifer is a Spirit Offspring of Elohim, and Hence the Spirit-Brother of Jesus?

December 7, 2007

Archangel Michael, The Restrainer Removed, 2 Thess. 2:6-7

I have added a new topic for my Thessalonian lectures for the Prewrath Conference. In the April 2000 volume of The Journal of Theological Studies, Colin R. Nicholl published a seminal article, "Michael, The Restrainer Removed (2 Thess. 2:6-7)," demonstrating that Michael is the Restrainer, which would prove to put an end to the "Who is the Restrainer" debate given the cogent and convincing argumentation.

Since its publication, subsequent major Thessalonian commentaries are agreeing with Dr. Nicholl's findings (not to mention noted Jewish scholars). His article has been published in his important monograph as well, From Hope to Despair in Thessalonica: Situating 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Cambridge University Press, 2004.

For those attending the conference who will be sitting in on the Thessalonian lectures, you will hear me distill and take you through Dr. Nicholl's argumentation (grammatical, lexical, literary, and Second Temple background). As well, I will be citing important scholars who are now agreeing with his thesis. This will be a privilege to do so since I have studied Thessalonian exegesis with Dr. Nicholl and have learned much from him. It will be an instructive lecture, indeed.

December 3, 2007

Election Cancels Any-Momentism!

We may debate the meaning of election, but the Bible does teach it. Revelation 7:9 indicates an innumerable universal multitude will be saved. This clearly makes pretribulational any-momentism impossible.

Click here to listen to the program.