Tag Archives: New Testament

Toward a Christian Approach to Culture

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How should a Christian understand and relate to the prevailing culture? Ignore it? Accommodate it? Engage? The answer to that question determines a Christian’s effectiveness in life and ministry. In this article, Dr. Paul Hartog, professor at Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary in Ankeny, Iowa, explores the issue of culture and Christianity from a thoroughly Biblical perspective and offers helpful instruction for properly relating to one’s culture. Five Basic Models In 1951 the Neo-orthodox theologian H. Richard Niebuhr authored the highly influential Christ and Culture, in which he proposed five basic models: “Christ against Culture,” “Christ of Culture,” “Christ above Culture,” “Christ Transforming Culture,” and “Christ and Culture in Paradox.”

The “New Perspective” and Justification, Part 1

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In the past few years some men have begun rethinking major issues of the Christian faith. Their thoughts and conclusions on a variety of subjects have been commonly called the “New Perspective.” In Part 1 of his article, Dr. Paul Hartog of Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary carefully compares two facets of the “New Perspective” on justification with a Dispensational point of view. He will complete his analysis in the September/October issue of Faith Pulpit. In his 1982 Manson Memorial Lecture at the University of Manchester, J.

The Meaning of 1 John 3:9

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Four Views That Appeal To This Verse 1. The works-righteousness view This view teaches that one earns or keeps salvation by good works, and thus that the person who chooses to sin has forfeited any right to heaven. This view contradicts the Bible’s clear teaching on salvation as God’s gift through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9), purchased for us not by our works but by the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross (Romans 3:24–25, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 2:24). 2. The instantaneous sanctification/Wesleyan view This view states that it is possible for a believer to have an experience following conversion in which the principle or root of sin is removed and replaced by love for God.

Prewrath Rapturism and the Day of Lord in the New Testament

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The previous Faith Pulpit surveyed and analyzed three key Old Testament passages that the Prewrath Rapture View uses to support its understanding for the starting time (terminus a quo) for the Day of the Lord. This article will survey the key New Testament passages that are used by the Prewrath advocates, primarily Marvin J. Rosenthal and Robert D. Van Kampen.1 Matthew 24:36-39 The Prewrath argument from this passage is that the event described is the rapture, which follows the shortened tribulation period mentioned in verses 22 and 29.

First Century Local Churches in Association, Part 2

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The previous issue of the Faith Pulpit pointed to ways that First Century local churches were associated by proximity, pattern, people, and practice. This issue will describe ways that First Century local churches were associated by purpose, project, and procedure. Associated by Purpose The Apostle Paul led groups of churches, like those in Macedonia and Achaia (Romans 15:26), to contribute money toward the relief of the saints in Judea—saints who had suffered persecution and famine (Acts 8:1; 11:28). The churches who participated in this venture were united by purpose, by project, and by procedure.

First Century Local Churches in Association, Part 1

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Introduction The local church is “the house of God,” it is “the church of the living God,” and it is “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). The New Testament says much about the purpose of the local church and about its polity and practices. On the other hand, the New Testament does not say as much about multi-church, associational endeavors. Fundamental Baptists have historically, and rightly, emphasized the primacy, authority, and autonomy of the local church. Nevertheless, although the New Testament says little about multi-church undertakings, it does say a few things.

Secondary Ecclesiastical Separation

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The Board of Directors of Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary published in both the college and seminary catalogs a document entitled Historic Position Statement. In it the reader is told, “Since mid-century, the school has taught secondary ecclesiastical separation.” It is the purpose of this article to try to explain what is meant by this term, to examine several biblical passages traditionally used to defend this view, and to provide an example of this practice in a contemporary situation.

Pseudonymity and the New Testament

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After our freshman year at college, my best friend from high school and I got together and compared our experiences. I was attending FBBC while he attended another well-known Christian college. We both had learned so much and were really pleased with our education so far. Yet as we talked, he told me about something that disturbed him greatly. In his NT survey class his professor believed and taught that many of the epistles in the NT were not written by the claimed authors, but rather that they were pseudonymous.

Carnality and the Believer

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Reformed theologians have consistently taught that there are only two kinds of people in the world the saved or unsaved or, to use their terminology, the “spiritual” and the “natural.” They hold dogmatically that believers are always classified as “spiritual” in the New Testament. They do admit that believers can be “carnal” in some aspects of their lives, but deny that there can be a state of “carnality” for a believer. Lately this view has been adopted by some within dispensationalism.

The Rapture in 2 Thessalonians 2:1–10

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The Context In verses one and two, Paul states: “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.” (All Bible quotations are from the King James Version.) Several things may be said about these verses. (1) Paul is writing to the Thessalonian believers about the rapture.