The List of Top Phrases (that are not actually) From the Bible

Here are some fairly common sayings in Christian circles, some of which are actually mistaken by some to be in the bible, and some of which are merely treated as much.

"Children should be seen, not heard."

"God helps those who help themselves."

"(Anything to do with) your immortal soul."

"There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.'"

"God is a gentleman."

"Only three things last forever: God, God's word, and the souls of people."

More to come...

A Word About Universalism

I am a conditionalist, as you all know by now. Now, because it is the most popular view in Christian circles (and historically has been so), and because so much has been written about it, I tend to focus my efforts towards refuting the traditional view of Hell as a place of eternal torment or suffering of some sort. However, I also can't ignore the other immortalist view, that being universalism. If it is true that the wicked are all destroyed, then just as they can't be around for eternity to suffer, it also cannot be the case that they all end up being saved and given eternal life.

The following is another small portion from "The Bible Teaches Annihilationism." The full scriptural argument against universalism is long and not really appropriate for a blog. However, here are a few points to consider.

THE “IMPLICATIONS” OF CONDITIONAL IMMORTALITY

Here is another excerpt from "The Bible Teaches Annihilationism," available for free on my website http://3-ringbinder.weebly.com/

It is not uncommon when reading a defense of the traditional doctrine for an argument to be made not from scripture, not even from philosophy, but simply from the possible negative effects of preaching annihilation. The two most common, which are fairly similar, are that annihilationism hampers missionary zeal, and that if you preach annihilationism, people will be less likely to repent.

An Easy Form Of "Bible Contradiction" To Explain - Acts 9:7 and 22:9 As An Example

There are all kinds of supposed bible difficulties that we have to deal with in defending the reliability of the bible. Some seeming contradictions can be a challenge to resolve, and perhaps require some speculation. Other difficulties can be pretty smoothly resolved with some work and study. And some are just really simple, and here is one variety that is easy to deal with.

Why The Metaphorical View Of Hell Falls Short

Here's another piece of "The Bible Teaches Annihilationism." Since so many believers today believe that while Hell is a place of eternal torment it is not a place of literal fire, I figured I should deal with this view. Unlike the overall doctrine of eternal torment, this one is relatively quick and easy to address.

Calvinists And (Most) Arminians Agree On More Than You Think - Part I

FORMERLY TITLED: "WHY CALVINISTS AND ARMINIANS BOTH CAN BELIEVE IN A SOVEREIGN GOD."

This post was originally written to stand alone, but is now the first in a series titled "Calvinists And (Most) Arminians Agree On More Than You Think." This series will discuss...well, just read the title :) I refer to "(Most) Arminians" because there may be some who do not view God as being fully sovereign, and therefore do not agree with Calvinists about much, despite the fact that Arminian doctrine does allow for an equally powerful and sovereign God (which is the central point of Part I...).

The issue of God’s sovereignty is a big issue in the debate over Calvinism and Arminianism and everything in between. I am definitely NOT trying to settle that debate here. I am, however, going to try to make a point and clear up a bit of a misunderstanding so as to foster some degree of unity between both sides.

An Explanation of My Controversial (Though Orthodox and Completely Biblical) Eschatological Views - Part 2

II. PRETERISM (PARTIAL)

A. What Is Preterism (Partial)?

The belief of preterism, often called partial preterism, is the belief that some prophecies made in the New Testament that are believed by many to refer to the end of the world actually refer to events that have since occurred (fulfilling the prophecies). They predominantly revolve around the fall of Jerusalem and second destruction of the temple in AD 70.

An example would be what is known as the “Olivet discourse,” which is the conversation Jesus had with His disciples on the Mount of Olives in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Jesus speaks of his “coming,” of all kinds of signs, the end of the age etc. It is typically believed that it speaks of the end of the world, but I as a preterist hold that He is talking about the fall of Jerusalem.