Tag Archives: Israel

What Is New Covenant Theology?

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Over the past few years, the Faith Pulpit has alerted its readers to some aberrant theological movements and positions, e.g., the Emerging Church, the New Perspective on Paul, and the Redemptive-Movement Hermeneutic. These views may seem obscure at first, but they eventually make their way into the life and practice of a church. Several elements of the Emerging Church movement are already showing up in churches outside that movement. This issue of the Faith Pulpit examines another doctrinal issue that pastors and church leaders should be aware of.

Reasons for Holding a Non-Charismatic Position

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Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary has gone on record in its Definition and Direction Statement as holding a non-charismatic position (section 1), i.e., we believe that the sign gifts of the New Testament are no longer in existence. The board of directors, administrators, faculty, and staff members annually agree in writing with this position (section 6). In this article Dr. Myron Houghton, professor of theology at Faith Baptist Theological Seminary, explains reasons for this non-charismatic position. In this article the term charismatic refers to a belief that all of the spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:14 are available today.

The Gift of Teaching and Local Church Ministry

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New Testament References: The gift of teaching is one of the continuing spiritual gifts given to the church. Three New Testament books specifically mention this gift. • 1 Romans 12:7—”He that teacheth, [let him teach].” • 1 Corinthians 12:28—””And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers.” • Ephesians 4:11—””And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.” Some people link the latter two gifts and understand them to be the gift of pastor-teacher.

The Coming Kingdom of Christ Our Lord

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When the Lord Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to pray, “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:19), they understood basically what kind of a Kingdom he was referring to. It was not the Church, for that body of believers, composed of Jews and Gentiles together without distinction, was explained for the first time through Paul and the other apostles after the Day of Pentecost (e.g., Ephesians 3:1–10). Instead, it was the Kingdom prophesied throughout the centuries of Old Testament history.

The Problematic Development of Progressive Dispensationalism, Parts 1&2

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In recent years major changes have occurred within dispensationalism. A new system, known as progressive dispensationalism, has caused major concern among traditional dispensationalism I. The Periods of Dispensationalism Several periods of development within dispensationalism have been suggested. The foundational period: 1885–1920 (John Nelson Darby, 1800–1882). The classical period: 1920–1950 (C.I. Scofield, 1843–1921, Lewis Sperry Chafer, 187–1952). The defining period: 1950–1990 (Alva J. McClain, John F. Walvoord, J. Dwight Pentecost, Charles C. Ryrie). The progressive period: 1990 and on (Darrell L. Bock, Craig A.

Progressive Dispensationalism: A Traditional Dispensational Critique

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I. An explanation of Traditional Dispensationalism As understood by this author, the essence of dispensationalism is that Israel and the Church, as well as God’s program for each, are clearly and consistently distinguished. The revelation concerning God’s program for each is not dealing with ways of salvation but ways of managing one’s life. The resultant features of dispensationalism understood in this way are these: A. Salvation, in the mind of God, always has been based upon the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.

The Doctrine of the Church and Its Identifying Marks

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There is much confusion these days over what the Bible teaches about the church. Here at Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary we are often asked what we believe in this area, and we are glad for the opportunity to set forth our convictions. There is much more that could be said about the church but these comments reflect our basic understanding of what the Scriptures teach. Significance We believe that the doctrine of the church is just as significant as any of the other grand teachings of Scripture.

Are We Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth?

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John Gerstner’s Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth: A Critique of Dispensationalism (Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1991) is the latest of a number of books in recent years claiming to be the ultimate refutation of dispensationalism. 1. The design of the book: The subtitle states the purpose of the book. As one reviewer notes, the word “critique” “is putting it mildly—the book is more like a butchering” (The Baptist Bulletin, March 1992, p. 38). The jacket of the book informs the reader that this is “the most extensive and systematic study of Dispensational theology ever published.”

Prophetic Guidelines for the Persian Gulf

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Like a desert sandstorm, the self-proclaimed master of Mesopotamia swept into Kuwait and came dangerously close to usurping by brute force one half of the world’s oil supply. This swirling storm has meanwhile engulfed the Middle East and may well sweep the rest of the world into its maelstrom. Saddam Hussein’s conquest of Kuwait and threats against Saudi Arabia and Israel graphically demonstrate the volatile nature of the Persian Gulf region. In less than two weeks a multinational army under American command, larger than anything seen since World War II, has been deployed to contain the madman.

The Unnoticed Baptist Distinctive

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Our recent Baptist literature has made a big point that we believe the Bible. In fact, the “B” in Baptist stands for the Bible. Historically we have believed that the Bible is the verbally inspired, inerrant Word of God. We also believe that God’s child should walk in obedience to its plain statements literally interpreted. Moreover, we will memorize passages of the Bible, thereby hiding it in our hearts. Of the four statements of faith that we have treasured in the last century and a half, all have said essentially these things.