NOT “UNDER LAW”? (1)

law-under-footPMT 2026-050 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Does God’s law apply to the new covenant era? Is postmillennialism lawless? Or does postmillennialism expect the worldwide influence of God’s law? Many Christians believe the law is God’s Law Emeritus. They believe the New Testament sets aside God’s law. But is this the case?

Many Christians believe that Paul sets aside the Old Testament law for “the law of Christ.” In 1 Corinthians 9:21, Paul wrote: “to those who are without law, [I am] as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law.” The italicized phrases suggest that Paul here declares that in Christ — and, therefore, in the Christian era, our era — a new law prevails, which he calls: “the law of Christ.” This new law of Christ supplants the older law of God as the ethical norm for Christian behavior. Continue reading

RAPTURE IN 1 THESSALONIANS 4?

PMW 2026-049 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

One of the key doctrines of populist dispensationalism is the doctrine of the secret Rapture. It is also one of the most familiar. Who has not see an “In Case of Rapture This Car Will Be Unmanned” bumper sticker? Just this very month a major warning of the Rapture was picked up on by the news media, creating much embarrassment for the evangelical Christian faith.

The Odd Problem

Oddly enough, one of dispensationalism’s major proof-texts for this bizarre doctrine is 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18. Yet this passage does not even suggest the doctrine, despite its popularity in the debate. Continue reading

HOMOSEXUALITY AND GOD’S LAW (4)

PMW 2026-048 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is the final installment of a four-part series in outline form on this important moral and cultural question. For the full presentation, begin with PMW 2017-084.

E. The question of ceremonial Law

1. God’s Law is two-fold: moral and restorative.

Ceremonial law was never an end in itself: always typified salvation in Christ.

“Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law” (Heb. 7:11, 12). Continue reading

HOMOSEXUALITY AND GOD’S LAW (3)

PMW 2026-047 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is the third installment in outline form on this topic. For the full presentation, please begin at installment one.

D. God’s Law continues today

1. Christ and God’s Law.

Matt 5:16–20: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Continue reading

HOMOSEXUALITY AND GOD’S LAW (2)

PMW 2017-085 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In the last article I introduced a brief outline survey of the Christian position against homosexual conduct. I continue this in this article.

II. BIBLICAL ISSUES

A. The New Testament condemns homosexual conduct

Rom 1:26-27: “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.” Continue reading

HOMOSEXUALITY AND GOD’S LAW (1)

PMW 2026-045 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In this four-part blog posting I will simply provide a rough sketch of the issues surrounding the homosexual issue from the perspective of God’s law. Perhaps this brief outline will be helpful to readers as they engage this large cultural issue. Postmillennialism entails a worldview that includes moral issues. Hence, the name of my blog: Postmillennial Worldview. Continue reading

POSTMILLENNIALISM AND THE DAYS OF NOAH (2)

PMW 2026-044 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is the second in a two-part series explaining how postmillennialism can be true even though Jesus warns of “the days of Noah” that lay in our future. A reader asked me about postmillennialism in light of Jesus’ statement in Matthew 24:37–39, which reads:

“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matt. 24:37–39)

This is a good question, which is frequently brought up in eschatological discussions. It needs answering. And as I am showing, it can be answered by the postmillennialist — even more easily than many expect. Continue reading