Tag Archives: Judgment

A Baptist Perspective on Reformed Theology

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The term Reformed theology means different things to different people. For some, this term simply refers to the ‘doctrines of grace’ which are also known as the five points of Calvinism. They are: Total depravity: Sin has so affected all areas of our personality that no one seeks after God. Unconditional election: God’s choice of some to be saved was not based on foreseen merit or faith. Limited atonement: God’s purpose in sending His Son was to actually save and preserve the elect.

The Synagogue and the Word

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A former graduate professor of mine made a passing statement once that grabbed my attention. He referred to two types of worship: the temple model and the synagogue model. The temple emphasized ritual and the synagogue emphasized the Word. In this companion article I want to focus on three physical aspects of the synagogue that relate to the Word of God— the ark, the platform, and Moses’ Seat. The pictures below help illustrate these three physical features. The picture on the left shows two arks, or special containers for the scrolls of Scripture, at the Western Wall in Jerusalem today.

The Future Kingdom in Zephaniah

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The question of the literalness of the prophecies concerning Israel’s future is a major theological issue today. That issue is a key distinction between dispensational and Reformed/Covenant views of eschatology. In this article Dr. Ken Rathbun, a graduate of Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary and the academic dean of Fairview Baptist Bible College in Jamaica, explores the prophecies related to Israel’s future in Zephaniah 3. His careful interpretation provides a paradigm for interpreting other prophetic passages. In his second article he looks at the implications of a dispensational approach to prophecy.

Distinguishing Law, Gospel, and Grace

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Precise interpretation is essential to a proper understanding of God’s Word. An indispensable element in correctly interpreting God’s Word is identifying and distinguishing passages as law, gospel, or grace. In this article Dr. Myron Houghton, senior professor of theology at Faith Baptist Theological Seminary, carefully guides us through a proper understanding of law, gospel, and grace and gives us a framework for correctly interpreting the Scripture. You will find additional information and help in this important area by reading Dr. Houghton’s new book, Law & Grace, published by Regular Baptist Books.

The “New Perspective” and Justification, Part 2

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In the July/August edition of the Faith Pulpit, Dr. Paul Hartog of Faith Baptist Theological Seminary compared two facets of the “New Perspective” on justification with a Dispensational point of view. He focused on N. T. Wright’s treatment of the gospel and the righteousness of God. (You may access that issue at faith.edu/seminary.) In this issue he analyzes three additional facets of Wright’s “new perspective”-the final judgment according to works, the ordo salutis, and justification. The Final Judgment according to Works Wright maintains that “Paul, in company with mainstream Second Temple Judaism, affirms that God’s final judgment will be in accordance with the entirety of a life led—in accordance, in other words, with works” (253).1 Wright’s primary evidence for a general judgment based upon works is found in Romans 2:1-16, although he also argues from Romans 14:10-12, 1 Corinthians 3, and 2 Corinthians 5:10 (253).

A Critique of “Easy Believism”

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What constitutes saving faith? Is it intellectual assent or something more? These questions go right to the core of the gospel message. In this issue of the Faith Pulpit, Dr. Myron Houghton of Faith Baptist Theological Seminary speaks to this important matter with careful Biblical thinking. “Easy believism,” as I am using this term, refers to a position held by those who define saving faith purely as intellectual agreement with the statement, “Jesus is the Son of God, and He promises eternal life to all who believe in Him.”

The Relationship of Resurrection to Judgment

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It is not my intention to discuss all of the judgments that I believe Scripture describes. Nor is it my purpose to defend premillennialism, which is the belief that Christ will return to resurrect and glorify His saints and then set up a one thousand-year reign upon the earth. This article assumes that the premillennial view is correct. Premillennialism necessarily teaches two future resurrections—the resurrection of believers before the one thousand-year kingdom, and the resurrection of unbelievers following that kingdom. In this article I will demonstrate the inconsistency of affirming premillennialism, with its two distinct resurrections, while also affirming that there will be only one general judgment during which all humanity will stand and be judged.

Babel, Part 2

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Concluding the topic introduced in September’s issue, Dr. Whitcomb discusses God’s purpose for the division at Babel and His plan for its reversal. Peleg, which means “division,” was the name which this particular descendant of Noah and Shem acquired by virtue of his presence at the scene of God’s judgment of the Tower of Babel (Gen. 10:25). Surely, loving parents would not have named their son “Peleg” at the time of his birth, anymore than Nabal (= “fool”), the husband of Abigail, would have received such a name at his birth (cf.

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.