Sam A. Smith According to the Bible, there has never been but one means of eternal salvation: salvation by grace, through faith in Christ. However, that should not be interpreted to mean that the temporal relations in the application of the various elements of salvation (justification, regeneration, indwelling, sanctification, etc.) are uniform in redemptive history. … Continue reading Were the Old Testament Saints Regenerated and Indwelt by the Holy Spirit Prior to Christ’s Death on the Cross?
Hermeneutics
The Non-Christian, Anti-cosmic Roots of Amillennialism (Realized Eschatology)
Sam A. Smith (Due to the length of this article, only a brief introduction appears here; to read the entire article, click or tap HERE.) As the Church expanded into the Greek and Roman world, Christianity was, over time, quite literally transformed into a non-Jewish and somewhat anti-cosmic religion. While some modern religious scholars seem … Continue reading The Non-Christian, Anti-cosmic Roots of Amillennialism (Realized Eschatology)
Were the “Lost Gospels” Really Lost, or Simply Rejected?
By Sam A. Smith For all of the attention currently being given to the subject of “lost gospels,” there simply are no lost gospels. There are of course, numerous post-New Testament writings that purport to be gospels. Almost all of those documents were composed between the mid-second century and the close of the third century … Continue reading Were the “Lost Gospels” Really Lost, or Simply Rejected?
Why Biblical Prophecy Should be Interpreted Normally/Objectively
Of the two major interpretive systems only Dispensationalism subscribes to a consistently normal/objective (literal) interpretation of Scripture. In other words, Dispensationalism represents a truly exegetical method of interpretation. By literal interpretation, dispensationalists do not mean that one should ignore figures of speech or various literary devices like symbols. Literal interpretation requires that these forms be … Continue reading Why Biblical Prophecy Should be Interpreted Normally/Objectively
Biblical Future Prophecy –Part 3: Understanding Apocalyptic Literature
[This is the third in a series of articles on biblical future prophecy. The material has been adapted from the author’s book, What the Bible Says About the Future, second edition, 2011, by Sam A. Smith. To jump to the next article in this series tap or click here.] The word “apocalyptic” comes from the … Continue reading Biblical Future Prophecy –Part 3: Understanding Apocalyptic Literature
Biblical Future Prophecy –Part 2: How Interpretive Frameworks Affect Our Understanding of Future Prophecy
[This is the second in a series of articles on biblical future prophecy. The material has been adapted from the author’s book, What the Bible Says About the Future, second edition, 2011, by Sam A. Smith. To jump to the next article in this series tap or click here.] Scripture in general, and future prophecy … Continue reading Biblical Future Prophecy –Part 2: How Interpretive Frameworks Affect Our Understanding of Future Prophecy
The Importance of a Dispensational Perspective
What is a “Dispensation”? A dispensation is a historical era in which God has particular expectations of man. Each dispensation includes a test to see if man will fulfill the divine expectation. In each dispensation man fails due to his sinfulness. The dispensations are not means of salvation; rather, they are a means of blessing. … Continue reading The Importance of a Dispensational Perspective
Principles of Basic Biblical Interpretation
Hermeneutics is the philosophy of interpretation. It’s called a “philosophy” because it begins with self-evident truths and applies those truths in a logical manner. This is only a survey of the subject. A complete discussion of hermeneutics would include specific issues in the interpretation of every literary genera included in the Bible. While the principles … Continue reading Principles of Basic Biblical Interpretation
Why Amillennialism Isn’t Biblical
Amillennialism views the millennial kingdom as a present reality, while acknowledging that some elements associated with the millennium are still future. Thus, amillennialists view the age between the first and second advents of Christ as fulfilling the prophecies of both the tribulation and the millennium. Typically they view Satan as having been bound at the … Continue reading Why Amillennialism Isn’t Biblical
John Calvin and a Lesson from Sudoku
Sudoku has become popular in the last few years. Almost everyone has seen people sitting in coffee shops or fast food restaurants penciling in the numbers. Since I am an early riser, and since I usually take my breakfast at a local restaurant, I have become an avid “Sudoku spectator.” I say “spectator” because I … Continue reading John Calvin and a Lesson from Sudoku
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