The most popular approach Ezekiel’s temple throughout Church history has been to spiritualize the text and make the temple represent the Church. The cause of this approach is an early influence of Origen from the Alexandrian school of thought. While the Second Council of Constantinople properly declared Origen a heretic, the Church failed to address his approach to Scriptures, such that elements of his hermeneutics would remain for centuries to come. Pavel Ivanovich Savvaitov, a 19th century professor at Vologda Spiritual Seminary, critiques Origen’s hermeneutic circle:[Read More]
eschatology
What does, “But the one who endures to the end will be saved” mean?
In Matt 24:13, Jesus says the famous words:
But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (ESV)
Perhaps the most common understanding of this passage is that we must endure in good works to the end of our physical lives to be saved from hell. This understanding contradicts Paul’s words in Eph 2:8a:
For by grace you have been saved through faith. (ESV)
Every Biblical Prophecy about ‘Murica
It has been said that about a third of the Bible consists of prophecy, but where does America fit in all of this? Sure, there are passages that talk about “all nations,” but what about America specifically? Will Trump usher in the apocalypse?
I have compiled a list of every single Bible passage that mentions America specifically. They are listed below:
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What is Systematic Theology?
Systematic Theology is a discipline in Christian theology that divides doctrines into categories. Here are the eleven most epic topics of Systematic Theology:[Read More]
Three reasons why you do not want Jeremiah 29:11 to be about you
Have you ever seen a conversation like this take place between two believers?
Believer 1: How is life going, Believer 2?
Believer 2: Oh, life is terrible! My dog left me and I stepped on a LEGO. Things will never get better. Blah blah blah.
Believer 1: Oh no. Be encouraged! The Bible says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Believer 2: Oh, wow! You’re right! Everything is just swell. I think I’ll ride off into the sunset now.
Believer 1 has just quoted Jer 29:11. If we look at the context of this passage, I think we’ll find that he has actually misused this particular verse (though, I’m sure his intentions were good).
Now, Jer 29:11 is a source of encouragement for many believers and I don’t want to rob anyone of encouragement. So, I have compiled a list of three reasons why we should rejoice that this passage is not about us. If Jer 29:11 was indeed about us, then:
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Abundant Eternal Possession
I came so they could have life and so they could have it abundantly.
-Jesus
Eternity lasts forever, so not a single day could be added to or taken away from it. What, then, does Jesus mean when He says that He wants us to have eternal life abundantly? It is not that He wants us to have more eternity, but that He wants us to have more in eternity.
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