JESUS, AD 70, AND THE FINAL JUDGMENT

Uncategorized March 29, 2019 Leave a comment

PMW 2019-026 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In this article I will offer a brief review of an important and helpful new book on the eschatology of Jesus, Jesus and the Future. To paraphrase a well-known biblical proverb, we might say that “the writing of many books on prophecy is endless.” And too many of current prophecy books are downright useless, so that we must confess “that such is wearisome, for the eye is not satisfied with seeing charts and graphs, nor is the ear filled with hearing Antichrist and Rapture predictions.” But this is one of the rare prophecy books that is well worth reading.

Review of Jesus and the Future: Understanding What He Taught about the End Times, by Andreas J. Köstenberger, Alexander E. Stewart and Apollo Makara (Wooster, Ohio: Weaver, 2017). Paperback, 196 pp.

Köstenberger, Stewart, and Makara have written a helpful summary of Jesus’ eschatological teaching that is aimed at evangelical laymen in our confused times. They have designed this small work to “cut through the maze of end-time teaching” that has so befuddled contemporary evangelical thought (p. 17). Continue reading →

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HOW CHRISTIANITY CHANGED THE WORLD

Culture, History, Science March 26, 2019 1 Comment

PMW 2019-026 by HowToReligion.com

HOW CHRISTIANITY CHANGED THE WORLD THROUGH HUMAN SANCTIFICATION, WOMEN’S RIGHTS, SLAVERY, AND SCIENCE

It’s a lie when people say “secularization civilized Christianity”. No, it didn’t. Quite the opposite. Christianity civilized secularism and other pagan religions. But with the secularization of society, many of the vast influences that Christianity had in civilization are disregarded and/or rejected. This post isn’t only to educate those who are unaware about Christianity’s history and influence in the world, but to inspire Christians today to start, or continue, the work that Christ began. “Without Christianity’s teaching that the Logos is a person, the philosophy of human rights to which we subscribe to today would have never established itself” – Luc Ferry, atheist. Continue reading →

SCIENCE AND BIBLICAL AUTHORITY

Creation, Science March 22, 2019 Leave a comment

PMW 2019-024 By Stephen Geard (Creation Ministries, Intl.)

Gentry: Eschatology is a major feature in a biblical worldview. Eschatology works toward the consummate, eternal New Creation. But in order to get there, we must understand another foundation stone of the biblical worldview: Creation. This is a helpful article on the integrity of Scripture as it endures the attackes of humanistic science.

THE CLASH OF SCIENCE AND THE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE
By Stephen Geard

Modern science arose in harmony with Christian creationist beliefs. But in recent years science has adopted an assumption that is not founded on Christian doctrine. What has happened?

The creation vs evolution controversy is seen by some as a conflict between the Bible and modern science. Another area of contention is the matter of miracles vs the laws of science. Why do such conflicts arise? And what can we learn from them about the Bible and about science? Continue reading →

RAPTURING OUT OF FULL PRETERISM

Uncategorized March 19, 2019 Leave a comment

PMW 2019-023 by Various Writers

Full Preterism is a small, but tenacious Internet phenomenon that has caused a good deal of disruption in evangelical churches. I call “Full Preterism” by the term “Hyper-preterism,” because it is to Preterism what Hyper-Calvinism is to Calvinism: the taking up of a good theological perspective, then driving it beyond its true meaning.

I have mentioned Hyper-preterism from time-to-time in some of my books (e.g., He Shall Have Dominion). I have written a chapter in a Reformed response to Hyper-preterism (edited by Keith L. Mathison, When Shall These Things Be?). I have also recently published a small book containing some of my brief observations on the errors crippling Hyper-preterism (Have We Missed the Second Coming?). And now I have re-republished a book critiquing Full Preterism by Samuel M. Frost (Why I Left Full Preterism). Continue reading →

TRANSGENDER SURGERY ISN’T THE SOLUTION

Ethics, morality, sin March 15, 2019 Leave a comment

2019-022 by Paul McHugh (Wall Street Journal)

Gentry note: Dr. McHugh does not address the ultimate underlying problem in transgenderism: the spiritual issue. But his article is helpful for basic scientific and medical issues arising from transgenderism. A world confused about God is quite naturally confused about self, in that people are images of God. The world is suppressing some of the most basic truths (gender identity) in unrighteousness. Only the spread of the gospel can ultimately help these individuals.

The government and media alliance advancing the transgender cause has gone into overdrive in recent weeks. On May 30, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services review board ruled that Medicare can pay for the “reassignment” surgery sought by the transgendered—those who say that they don’t identify with their biological sex. Earlier last month Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said that he was “open” to lifting a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military. Time magazine, seeing the trend, ran a cover story for its June 9 issue called “The Transgender Tipping Point: America’s next civil rights frontier.” Continue reading →

GOSPEL SPREADING FASTER THAN EVER

Optimism March 12, 2019 Comments: 2

PMW 2019-021 by Brandon Shoalter (The Christian Post)

Gentry note: The spiritual, moral, social, and cultural decline of America grieves American Christians. But as a postmillennialist, I remind Christians that “it ain’t over til it’s over.” Nowhere in the postmillennial hope or the Bible do we argue that by the year 2019 the gospel will have won victory throughout the world. This will be the case, even though at this stage we do not know when. Nevertheless, there is hope for the gospel’s spread, as we may see from this Christian Post article about Wycliff Translators.

I would also remind American Christians of two things: (1) We need to pray for revival and reformation in America. God is powerful and he answers prayers. (2) We must understand that God does not need America; America needs God. Thus, the absurdity leading our cultural collapse does not impact the integrity of the postmillennial hope.

New Bible Translation Technology by Wycliffe Spreading Gospel Faster than Ever Before

New technology has emerged that will enable quicker translation of the Bible and faster spread of the Gospel, accelerated by indigenous people doing the work of translation.

Wycliffe Bible Translators has recently adapted their translation software, “ParaText,” for smartphones, dubbing it “ParaText Lite,” and has described it as a game-changer in several ways. Continue reading →

DANIEL 7:13, MARK 9:1, AND ESCHATOLOGY (4)

AD 70, Christ, Matthew 24, Temple March 8, 2019 1 Comment

PMW 2019-020 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

I finally come to my last article in this four-part series. I have been explaining the significance of Daniel 7:13 for Jesus’ eschatological teaching as recorded in Mark’s Gospel.

My first three articles dealt with the meaning of Daniel 7:13 (it is an enthronement vision for the Son of Man), the influence of this verse on Jesus’ teaching in Mark (at Mark 13:26; 16:24), its backdrop for Mark 9:1 (indirect, but certain), and the expectation regarding when it will be dramatically demonstrated (in the first century while the Sanhedrin and several of the disciples are still alive). Continue reading →