In the first 500 years of its existence, the Church authoritatively settled many issues such as Jewish law requirements (Council of Jerusalem – Acts 15), Christ’s deity (Council of Nicene – A.D. 325), the canon of Scripture (Council of Rome – A.D. 382), the dual natures of Jesus (Council of Chalcedon – A.D. 456), etc.…
James K. Beilby and Paul Rhodes Eddy et al. Justification: Five Views. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2011. [326 pages.$24.99. 978-0-8308-3944-5] Introduction Multi-view debate books have become a major publication genre, and, as many have noted, it is high time that one was released on the doctrine of justification. That such a publication is sorely…
Introduction The Book of revelation presents some pretty interesting options within orthodox Christianity. There are four radically different views competing for prominence today (not counting millennial and rapture views!), namely: Futurism: most of Revelation’s prophecy concerns our future. Preterism: most of Revelation’s prophecy concerns the first century. Historicism: most of Revelation’s prophecy concerns the entire Church Age.…
When the Apostle John wrote his gospel, he opened with words that would have stirred the hearts of Jew and Greek alike. “In the beginning was the Word . . . “ Old Testament Period The Old Testament represents God’s creative act as speaking, i.e., the word of God (Genesis 1:3). God spoke and creation followed. By…
“Truly here is the light of the Church. Here he found the entire way of discipline.” Why Are We Here? This life often does not make sense to us. It can seem like a wildly fun ride one moment, and a terrifying roller coaster the next. Undeserving people often seem to have it easy, while…
Introduction Would you agree with this assertions regarding the following literal interpretation of Jesus’ words? The belief in the metaphorical view of the Lord’s Supper does not come from Scripture, but from the fallible methods that secularists use to determine what things are. To attempt to “fit” a metaphorical view into the Bible, you have to…
Introduction – Who are the Branch Davidians? The Branch Davidians are a 1930’s offshoot of the Davidian Seventh Day Adventists who are an offshoot of the Seventh-day Adventists who are themselves offshoots of the failed experiment in end-times predictions made in the 19th century by the Baptist minister William Miller. An obscure sect for its first 60 years, the Branch Davidians were made…
Introduction The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has done much P.R. work to get their religion to look as much like orthodox Christianity as possible (even increasing the font size on their signs to emphasize “Jesus Christ”). But does Mormonism simply add “another testament” to the Bible or are they following “other gods”…
Introduction In the Free Grace vs. Lordship Salvation debate particular focus is paid to James chapter two. Here James makes a number of troubling statements for those who favor a strict “faith alone” stance, and one of them has to do with James’s analogy of the body. In 2:26 he states, For as the body…
Is the Watchtower Society’s “New World Translation” Trustworthy? Introduction Jehovah’s Witness (JW’s) have their own version of the Bible that contains several key changes to the English text in order to lend support for their heretical doctrines. The New World Translation (NWT) is defined by the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ parent organization (The Watchtower Society) as “a…
Douglas Beaumont 