Category Archives: Christ

EASTER AND VICTORY

Christ, Resurrection April 14, 2017 Leave a comment

PMT 2017-030 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This weekend Christians throughout the world especially recall Christ’s resurrection, because this is the Easter season. The Lord’s resurrection was the first step of his exaltation and leads inextricably to his eventual world dominion.

The New Testament has several enthronement passages that highlight his resurrection. The first of the enthronement passages in the post-resurrection age is Acts 2:30ff. This text associates Christ’s enthronement with his exaltation, which begins with his resurrection and proceeds to his ascension and session at God’s right hand. Continue reading →

DOES GOD FORBID ALL IMAGES OF CHRIST?

Christ, Creeds, Theology September 16, 2016 Comments: 2

cross-stitch-2PMT 2016-069 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

On Facebook I recently posted a cartoon exposing the error of Arminianism. Ever since posting that cartoon which contained a (cartoon) representation of Christ, I have been inundated with FB Comments and email challenges.

Some FB friends get frustrated because I don’t engage in FB debates. I don’t do so because they are unending and my day isn’t. I am quite busy. My time on FB looks more ample than it is: I see or think of something that I think is interesting, then quickly go on FB and toss it on my FB page, then leave. Though every now and then I will occasionally reply once or twice.

But for those interested in this particular issue, I will be providing a lengthy article combining my thoughts on defending pictorial representations of Christ. This will be useful in the future when I need to point someone to one source.

My interest in this matter is not because I like pictures of Christ. In fact, I don’t have any hanging in my house, I prefer hanging my wife’s cross-stitched, framed Bible verses in my house. Nor do I think some artist knows what he really looked like. No one does, but neither do they know what Abraham and Paul looked like, though folks accept pictures of them in educational contexts. Nor do I think pictures of Christ are helpful to one’s devotion to him. In fact, I believe quite the opposite: if someone is spiritually encouraged by a picture of Jesus, they are looking in the wrong direction for encouragement. It should come from reading God’s word, not looking at pictures men have painted. Continue reading →

DISPENSATIONALISM AND CHRIST THE POLITICIAN

Christ, Dispensationalism September 14, 2015 Comments: 3

PMT 2015-110 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.Christ President

In my previous article I began a brief study considering some of the leading errors in classic (populist) dispensationalism. I opened with a presentation of the Christological distortions inherent in the system — which is significant in that Christ lies at the very center of Christianity. I will continue my concern with those Christological distortions in this article.

One of the difficulties dispensationalists have in understanding the Messianic kingdom promised by the prophets is with regard to its fundamental nature. Several major misconceptions lead them astray in this regard. We highlight but three: they assert of the Messianic kingdom that it will (1) be a future, earthly, Armageddon-introduced, political system, (2) require the physical presence of Christ on earth, and (3) be fundamentally Jewish in purpose and character. Continue reading →

DISPENSATIONALISM DISTORTS CHRIST’S RULE

Christ, Dispensationalism September 11, 2015 Leave a comment

PMT 2015-109 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr. Crown

In this and the next few blog articles, I will be highlighting three types of distortions involved in classic dispensationalism, the most wildly popular eschatological position in the modern evangelical market. These distortions are harmful to a balanced Christian worldview. In this brief series, I have chosen to cover classic dispensational errors in the areas of christology, redemptive history, and contemporary historical progress. There are, of course, many other areas that I could consider.

Before I begin considering these, it should be understood that, as in any system, there will be some internal disagreements among its adherents. The aspects I have chosen for scrutiny are broadly popular, even if some of the details of the following features are debated by dispensational theologians. Continue reading →