What Bible verses did the bishops who constructed the Nicene Creed use for “and [He] will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead”? All creeds should confess what Scripture says. To borrow from N.T. Wright, used in a different context, Christian theology should not try to “make theological bricks without the biblical straw.”[1] The language and the meaning of a text should come from [...]

Gary welcomes Kim Burgess back to answer a listener’s question about 1 Corinthians 15:24–28. My thesis in this series is that OT Israel was Yahweh’s chosen means to bring salvation to the Gentile nations of the world. Not understanding this principle gets us off track. People think that eschatology, because of the influence of the historic creeds of the Church and of the various systematic t [...]

This is a continuation of this article from last week. It is an excerpt from American Vision’s new book, The Greatest and the Least: A Biblical Theology of John the Baptist, by Eric Rauch and Zach Davis. Signs and Visions There were also several other visions given during this time. The first is when Mary and Joseph bring the baby Jesus to the temple to “offer a sacrifice according to the law” (Lu [...]

Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 69 Gary discusses another “key” prophetic sign that many say is happening in our present day. There is not a single verse in the New Testament that supports the claim that there is prophetic significance in Israel’s restoration as a nation. Beyond A.D. 70, Israel as a nation plays no prophetic role. The New Testament only addresses Israel’s n [...]

Is it a crime to steal from your neighbor? It is. Is it a crime for a group of neighbors to steal from another group of neighbors for a “worthy cause”? It is. Is it a crime to elect some of your neighbors to a political position so they can take money from other neighbors to benefit other neighbors? No, but it should be! No one’s income should be taxed. Many people will ask, “How will we pay for e [...]

Gary is interviewed by Rick Welch of The Burros of Berea podcast about old Christmas movies. Most evangelicals tend to think in “words.” This is certainly understandable because of the Protestant focus on the Bible as the sole authority (sola Scriptura) and the Lutheran concept of the “priesthood of all believers.” When this is applied to storytelling and film, this primary focus on word over imag [...]

The following is an excerpt from American Vision’s new book, The Greatest and the Least: A Biblical Theology of John the Baptist, by Eric Rauch and Zach Davis: In the New Testament, we find the familiar stories of the miraculous births of John the Baptist and Jesus. Luke gives the most information (Luke 1–2) and Matthew adds a bit more to our understanding of the historical events (Matthew 1 [...]

Gary discusses different immutable aspects of monetary policy and economics. The modern world has debased its coinage. No nation’s mint issues silver coins as common coinage—only as collectibles. By the mid-1960’s, silver coins were replaced by central bank counterfeits. In 1965, most money was not coinage, as is true today. Most money was a combination of paper currency and bank checks. Printed c [...]

Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 68 Reading the Bible is more than just understanding the words on the page. The first place to start in learning how to interpret prophecy is to learn how to interpret the Bible, because the Bible is the best interpreter of itself. This statement seems so obvious, and yet many people fail to follow it. When the subject of prophecy comes up, some eager pr [...]

Gary and Kim Burgess conclude their discussion of 1 Corinthians 15. Paul still fully expected to be alive in his earthly body at the parousia of Christ as based on the direct warrant of Christ Himself in texts like Matthew 10:23, 16:27-28, and 24:34. This is precisely why Paul deliberately used “we” language in both 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15. For this we say to you by the word of the [...]

Thomas Ice and H. Wayne House (just two among many) maintain false divisions regarding the law. They want to make a radical distinction between the “law of God” and the “law of Christ” as if two law systems are operating in the Bible. Currently, God has made a new covenant with his people—the church—and we live under the “law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).[1] Indeed, there is a “new covenant” with si [...]

Gary comments on an article that claims the current “replacement theology” affecting the Church is replacing Christ with Israel. If Israel is the fig tree in Matthew 24:32, then Israel is the fig tree in 21:18–20 where Jesus says, “‘No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.’ And at once the fig tree withered.” The fig tree of Matthew 24 was a leaves-only tree. There was no frui [...]

Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 67 Gary picks up where he left off last week, discussing modern prophetic speculation about current events, which, in reality, is nothing new. Many reasons could be put forth to explain why our Christian counterparts of long ago were wrong about what they believed to be prophetic certainties. The signs seemed to fit the times. How can we avoid their mist [...]

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:27–28) There is a translation issue in Hebrews 9:28. The Greek word “time” is not used. Literally, it’s “out of the second” (ἐκ δευτέρου). [...]

Gary continues speaking with Kim Burgess about 1 Corinthians 15 and the timing and nature of the resurrection. This eschatology debate is not going to have any hope of getting anywhere if we simply argue back and forth among ourselves over a series of isolated proof texts. The solution to this deep and complicated debate is not simply going to be a matter of comparing this verse with that verse in [...]

This week marks the 405th anniversary of when the Pilgrims and other settlers agreed to the principles known as the Mayflower Compact. “The Mayflower Compact was important because it was the first document to establish self-government in the New World. It remained active until 1691 when Plymouth Colony became part of Massachusetts Bay Colony,” explained History.com. I suspect that if the Scofield [...]

Gary discusses the current state of eschatology debates online. A post on a Facebook page had an interesting discussion on Luke 17 and its relationship to Matthew 24-25 and Greg L. Bahnsen’s view of that relationship. Dr. Bahnsen took the view that Luke 17:22-37 refers to the Second Coming while Matthew 24:1-34 refers to the judgment on Jerusalem that took place before that first-century generatio [...]

Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 66 Gary discusses how “end-times” prophecy is overflowing on social media lately and how many are claiming that we are in the last days. In each new prophecy book that hits the bookstores we are told that Bible prophecy is being fulfilled before our eyes. The authors point to various signs that they say are compelling evidence that Jesus’ ret [...]

Gary continues going through 1 Corinthians 15 with Kim Burgess. In this episode, they discuss death as being the final enemy. In Acts 24:14-15, Paul says this: “But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets; having a hope in God, which these men [...]

One of the frustrating aspects of debating eschatology with the Three Questions Letter signers is their shifting interpretations and inconsistencies among them. As to their inconsistencies, Doug dismissed them as irrelevant to the topic because not all full preterists agree. I suspect that on the big issues, they do agree. We all make adjustments over time as we study more. I certainly have. I not [...]