"For ye must long, saith He, for heaven, and the things in heaven; however, before heaven, He hath bidden us make the earth a heaven...it is possible even while abiding here, to do all, as though already placed on high....He hath enjoined each one of us, who pray, to take upon himself the care of the whole world. For He did not at all say, 'Thy will be done' in me, or in us, but everywhere on the earth; so that error may be destroyed, and truth implanted, and all wickedness cast out, and virtue return, and no difference in this respect be henceforth between heaven and earth." - St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew

Gary DeMar tries to make sense of prophetic prognosticators on Ezekiel 38-39

It’s good to see that someone agrees with me that Gog in Ezekiel 38 and 39 is not Russia: “Gog is not a present or future leader from Russia,” writes Joel Richardson author of The Islamic Antichrist. “Russia is not spoken of in biblical prophecy. Despite all of the hype and discussion that has been devoted in recent years to casting Russia as the leader of a soon-coming invasion of Israel, the Bible nowhere expresses any such thing.” Richardson still agrees with many end-time prophecy writers that “the Bible clearly predicts just prior to the return of Christ that the nation of Israel will enter into a comprehensive peace treaty or ‘covenant’ with surrounding nations. He agrees that the covenant will be mediated by the man who Christians call ‘the Antichrist.’” While Richardson is correct that Ezekiel 38 and 39 are not describing modern-day Russia, he is incorrect that these two prophetic chapters are dealing with modern-day Middle East.

If the battle described in Ezekiel 38–39 does not refer to modern-day nations that will attack Israel, then when and where in biblical history ... Continue Reading

Posted by Guest - 9/14/2009 | Link to this post | Print this post | 1 Responses

Eric Holmberg invites Christians to displace the pool of popular culture with the culture of heaven

“Extraordinary how potent cheap music is.” Noel Coward

Imagine a hot summer day as a young family cools off in the shallow end of a community pool. Suddenly, the father notices a group of people, obviously dirty and intoxicated, jumping in at the other end. Thanking God for chlorine, he instinctively places himself between them and his two young children. His disgust turns to alarm, however, when a straggler appears and begins to empty a large drum of what looks (and smells) like raw sewage into the water. He stares in disbelief as the rabble splash about in the widening circle of filth.

Quickly, he gathers up his children and climbs out of the pool. “Hey!,” he yells to the other end. “What do you think you’re doing?!”

“Having fun,” the straggler responds, throwing down the now empty drum. “What’s it to you?”

“You’re polluting our water with your filth!”

“Look, buddy, it’s our water, too,” shouts back one of the swimmers, his friends laughing and nodding in agreement. “If you don’t like it, don’t swim down here. You’ve got your own end … stay there.”

“Yeah! And mind your own business!” echoes the polluter, walking a new drum to the edge of the pool and removing its lid.

Today, a similar scene is being played out in the “communal pool” ... Continue Reading

Posted by Eric Holmberg - 7/30/2009 | Link to this post | Print this post | 0 Responses

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A Sociology of Missions

George Grant invites us to remember the faith and feats of 19th century pioneer missionaries

The last mandate of Christ to His disciples—commonly known as the Great Commission—was to comprehensively evangelize the whole the world. He said: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20).

The implications of this mandate are revolutionary and have literally altered the course of world history. Jesus asserted that all authority in heaven is His (Psalm 103:19). The heights, the depths, the angels, and the principalities are all under His sovereign rule (Psalm 135:5-7). But all authority on earth is His as well (Psalm 147:15-18). Man and creature, as well as every invention and institution, are under His providential superintendence (Psalm 24:1). There are no neutral areas in all the cosmos that can escape the authoritative regency (Colossians 1:17).

On that basis, Christ says, believers ... Continue Reading

Posted by Dr. George Grant - 7/24/2009 | Link to this post | Print this post | 0 Responses

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The Fifth Empire

R.C. Sproul Jr. takes us to the end of history: a one-world government belonging to the King of Kings

Some time ago a group of intrepid students, some young and some not so young, gathered together in my basement to study a bit of American history. For our first time together we began by looking at Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzer's dream of the great statue. There Daniel gave the king of Babylon roughly a thousand years of world history before it happened. He foretold the fall of the Babylonian empire to the Medo-Persian empire. He saw that next would come on the scene a nation that would conquer all the known world, as Alexander the Great would do for Greece. He saw that Rome would follow on the heels of the Greek empire, and in turn that it would be divided.

Before we set about to look at modern American history, I wanted us to be certain we had a sound view of history. I wanted us to remember, as Daniel so powerfully made known, that our God controls all of history, that our God reigns. That reign is certainly not restricted to "spiritual" matters. Nor is His rule restricted to Palestine, or other "special" lands, as some see America or England. I... Continue Reading

Posted by Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr. - 7/15/2009 | Link to this post | Print this post | 2 Responses

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Good Friday as Conquest

P. Andrew Sandlin looks at Good Friday as as a celebration of conquest

Message delivered at San Lorenzo Valley First Baptist Church's Good Friday Service, April 10, 2009

There are numerous and momentous implications of our Lord’s death that we celebrate today. I draw attention this afternoon to just one of them: Christus Victor. This view emerged very early in the church, and with good reason — the Bible teaches it. It means “Christ is Victor.” Satan and sin are our enemies. In dying on the Cross, Jesus vanquished these enemies. Jesus’ death defeats the Devil.

Sin enslaves us (Rom. 6:17), and Satan is our captor (2 Tim. 2:26). We’re born into his clutches. We head down the wrong road from the very beginning. Satan and sin snare us. Sin addicts us. We fall into sin and then we despair at the inevitable, destructive consequences, but then we keep on sinning. More ominously, if we persist in sin, we’ll face God’s judgment in the end (Rom. 6:23). Sin separates us from God. It makes us God’s enemy. We’re at w... Continue Reading

Posted by Guest - 4/10/2009 | Link to this post | Print this post | 0 Responses

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Christian Reconstruction?

R.C. Sproul Jr. addresses the question, "Is Christian Reconstruction biblical? Why or why not?"

Tonight I begin a new Bible study titled Loving Your Neighbor. I will begin by beating this dead horse, that he who defines the terms wins the debate. The same applies to the question under consideration. Different people mean different things by the term Christian Reconstruction. Consider these two alternatives. Is it biblical to seek to seize the reigns of government power, and to impose a biblical theocracy on an unwilling people? Precious few if any self-identified reconstructionists would ever agree with such a definition. But what about this- Is it the duty of all Christians everywhere to labor faithfully and honestly to see that every sphere of reality is brought under submission to the Lordship of Christ? Again, even the most strident dispensationalist would be hard pressed to disagree with that.

The right answer is more nuanced, and built upo... Continue Reading

Posted by Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr. - 4/9/2009 | Link to this post | Print this post | 0 Responses

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End-Times Unlocked

George Grant shares an eschatological primer in 11 basic bits

1. Jesus warned His disciples against undue eschatological speculation or fixation. (Mtt 24:43, Mk 13:32, 1 Thes 5:2,4, Acts 1:6-11, Rev 16:15)

2. The “Day of the Lord” is mentioned or alluded to at least 226 times in the OT (Amos 5:18) and 19 times in the NT (1 Cor 1:8, Phil 1:6, 2 Thes 2:2).

3. But, these “Last Days” are not the “End Times.” (Heb 1:2, 1 Ptr 1:20, 1 Jn 2:18)

4. Traditionally, eschatological theology is confined to the “Seven Great Endings.” These are:

a. Death (Gen 2:17, Ps 23:4, Ps 90:6-12, Ps 116:15, Rm 5:12-17)

b. The Intermediate State (1 Cor 15:26, 53, 2 Cor 5:4, 1 Thes 4:14, Heb 2:14-15)

c. The 2nd Coming of Christ (Mtt 25:13, Mk 8:38, Lk 12:40, Acts 1:7-10)

d. The Resurrection of the Dead (Rm 8:23, 1 Cor 15:12-49)

e. The Day of Judgment (Ps 96:13, Eccl 12:14, Mtt 10:14, Mtt 25: 31-46)

f. Hell (Ps 9:17, Mtt 7:13, 2 Thes 1:9, 2 Ptr 2:4, Rev 20:10)

g. The New Heavens and Earth (Isa 65:17, 2 Ptr 3:13, Rev 21:1)

5. The “Millennium” is only mentioned in six verses in a single chapter out of the whole Bible. (Rev 20:1-10). The “Battle of Armageddon” is never actually fought (Ezk 38-39, Rev 16:16). And, there is not a single “Antichrist” but rather many (1 Jn 2:18, 2 Jn 1:7) who have the “spirit of antichrist.” (1 Jn 4:3)

6. The idea of a “Rapture” is not actually mentioned—instead, it is extrap... Continue Reading

Posted by Dr. George Grant - 3/8/2009 | Link to this post | Print this post | 0 Responses

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The World is Not Controlled by the Devil

Gary DeMar: "He rules the world, with truth and grace/ And makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness..."

When error comes, it always rides in on the wings of truth. [1]

Nikita Khrushchev (1894-1971), Premier of the former Soviet Union, described a time in the Communist republic’s history when a wave of petty theft was sweeping through the government-owned plants. To curtail the stealing, guards were placed at factory entrances to watch the laborers as they entered and departed. At the Leningrad timberworks, one of the guards spotted Pyotr Petrovich leaving the yard with a wheelbarrow filled with a bulky sack. A guard became dutifully suspicious.

“Come on, Petrovich,” said the guard. “What have you got there?”

“Just sawdust and shavings,” Petrovich replied.

“Come on,” the guard said, “I wasn’t born yesterday. Tip it out.” Out it came—nothing but sawdust and shavings. So he was allowed to put it all back again and go home.

The same thing happened every night all week, and the guard was getting extremely frustrated. Finally, his curiosity overcame his frustration.

“Petrovich,” he said, “I know you. Tell me what you’re smuggling out of here, and I’ll let you go.”

“Wheelbarrows,” said Petrovich. [2]

Error has been smuggled into the church under the pretense of truth since the beginning of time (Gen 3:1-7). Jesus warned His disciples not to be l... Continue Reading

Posted by Guest - 12/16/2008 | Link to this post | Print this post | 0 Responses

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Constantine and Theocracy

Jamey Bennett offers an unfashionable hip-hip for Constantine

I get questions from time to time about why I label my political views "Constantinian Libertarianism." For the moment, I'd like to give a brief hurrah for Constantine's theocratic impulse, and leave the libertarian discussion aside.

From very early on, the Roman Empire was a theocracy with the emperor being viewed as participating in the divine. Roman Law was theocratic by its very definition as being the will of a deity.

Fr. Alexander Schmemann, in The Historical Road of Eastern Orthodoxy, writes:

“The Roman principality had gradually become a theocratic monarchy, the emperor being the connecting link between God and the world, while the state was the earthly reflection of divine law...the emperor in the world was the same as the sun in heaven; he was a participant in its glorious nature and its representative on earth."

Stories of Augustus being ... Continue Reading

Posted by Jamey W. Bennett - 12/14/2008 | Link to this post | Print this post | 3 Responses

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