Preterist Viewpoint

 1  Some Things I’ve Learned and How I Learned Them

      http://tinyurl.com/zavzucsn

This essay tells about some of the hindrances we often face in acquiring new understanding.  Those hindrances often effectively block our ability to learn.  The essay also discusses how our culture can be detrimental to our well-being when we are not sufficiently aware of the forces at work.  Finally, the essay addresses some of the psychological factors at work that often cause us to fall into patterns that hold us back.

 2  Why I Am A Theist Rather Than An Athiest Or An Agnostic

       http://tinyurl.com/yckp7uk7

        This essay explains the key reasons I am a theist rather than either an atheist or an agnostic. It is composed of two parts. The first part explains the philosophical and scientific basis for my belief. The second part provides additional rationale based on evidence from the Bible that seems convincing to me. Such biblical support would, of course, be valid only to the extent that there is sufficient evidence to support the conclusions reached. However, that would be true for the philosophical and scientific part as well, would it not?

 3  End of the Age

     https://tinyurl.com/326zkkb5

This essay discusses highlights from "Establishing God's Eternal Kingdom" by focusing upon some very key principles to keep in mind when reading Daniel, the Olivet Discourses, and John's Revelation.  For example, they each discuss the same thing, the end of the age; that is, the end of the Jewish Old Covenant epoch or economy.  They each pertain primarily to things that were imminent upon the Jewish people of the first century.  It explains why John must have written his Revelation before 67 A.D. and how to interpret the riddle given in Revelation 17.

4  Failure of Futurist Eschatology

     http;//tinyurl.com/bd53fr39

The tenets of futurism derive mainly from a culture that makes false assumptions about language and about doctrines. All the while the culture defends itself and its assumptions through entrenched institutional norms. Those norms actually oppose scriptural admonitions.

 5  The Future of Israel

       http://tinyurl.com/2hfb6pjc

This essay is the result of a study undertaken several years ago to respond to several popular works that advance the idea that the Scriptures are to be literally interpreted and that the Lord Jesus Christ will one day return to the earth and rule over a restored nation of Israel—all in a literal sense.  This view is advocated by J. Dwight Pentecost in his book entitled "Things to Come" (a reprint of his doctoral dissertation), by Tim LaHaye in his "Left Behind" series of books, by Hal Lindsey in his earlier work, "Late Great Planet Earth," and by many others.

 6  Establishing God's Eternal Kingdom

      http://tinyurl.com/4nya5mf8

This essay examines the prophecies of Daniel, the Olivet discourses of the Lord Jesus, and John's Revelation and shows that the promised kingdom that Christ was to reign over has already been established.

 7  The New Heaven And The New Earth

      http://tinyurl.com/5n93ds9z

This essay discusses how heaven and earth relate to the subject being addressed in the book of Revelation as well as in the Olivet Discourse.  Doing this requires that one considers such things as Israel’s culture as embodied in the Mosaic Covenant as well as how both the Mosaic Covenant and cosmology play a part in Israel’s world view.  The subject suggested by the title of this essay was a part of Isaiah’s prophecy to Israel as well as our Lord Jesus’ Olivet Discourse pertaining to the future course of world events.

 8  The Second Coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ

      https://tinyurl.com/288tdjaz

This essay discusses the second coming of Jesus and associated events such as the end of the age, the resurrection, the end of death, and how each is related. It examines how language is misused in interpreting Scripture. It shows how the resurrection of the dead fulfills 'the hope of Israel' and for which the Apostle Paul was bound in chains. Understanding the resurrection correctly requires that death, likewise, is understood correctly. The essay discusses death, resurrection, the end of the age, and how each of these connects with the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Scriptures often connect things that cannot be seen with things that can be seen, and thus uses that which is observable by the eye to validate that which can't be seen by the eye. However, Scripture declares the unseen to be more significant. "We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2nd Corinthians 4:18)

 9  Tongues Are A Sign

      http://tinyurl.com/7y32xe7k

The miraculous gift of tongues seems to be one of those Bible topics that exhibit a wide degree of difference in understanding among professed Christians.  This study looks at what the Bible teaches about tongues while addressing some of the many errors commonly made.  For example, were the tongues of Pentecost different from the tongues experienced by the church at Corinth?  What was the purpose of tongues to begin with?  Have tongues ceased as some advocate and as others deny?  I explore all of these questions and more.

 10  Till We All Come to the Unity of the Faith

      https://tinyurl.com/yj89ats8

This paper examines what the Scriptures teach regarding the transitional gifts mentioned in 1st Corinthians 12:28 and those mentioned in Ephesians 4:11, the specified conditions that would result in the cessation of that which is partial, and the change that would result.  The paper addresses the change from the types and shadows of the Old Covenant to the realities of the New Covenant.

11 The New Covenant

      https://tinyurl.com/ssc527uh

        Understanding the New Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah and the subsequent fulfillment of that prophecy requires that several related ideas be connected that may at first glance appear unconnected. However, it is through making those connections that actually provides the framework for understanding precisely how and when the fulfillment of the New Covenant occurs as well as the nature of the New Covenant.

12  On Following Traditions

       https://tinyurl.com/7scfdk22 

       From the earliest days of Christianity tradition has opposed the open examination of evidence that questions any part of that tradition. Traced back far enough traditions are found to represent the lengthened shadow of one or more charismatic individuals from the past. Such traditions have been destructive of fundamental Christian teachings. This essay examines the many ways traditions have distorted the faith and ethics of many who profess belief in God and in His revelation to mankind through God’s written Word.

13  Bible Teaching on Divorce

      http://tinyurl.com/527894y8

Many believe sexual infidelity to be the only scriptural reason a person may divorce their spouse.  This study examines what the Bible teaches regarding divorce.  It looks very carefully at those passages of Scripture that are often cited as well as others that have a bearing upon how the teaching of the Bible on divorce should be understood.  The study includes some introductory observations regarding the nature of scriptural communication and the problem of determining the proper interpretation.

14  I Suffer Not a Woman to Speak

      http://tinyurl.com/h3b6wwhs

Many see in two Bible passages (1st Corinthians 14 and 1st Timothy 2) sufficient cause to restrict the ministry of women, some even going so far as to believe that it is improper for women even to talk in a Christian assembly.  This study examines those Scripture passages and shows that neither passage, either individually or collectively, actually teach such a doctrine.  Indeed, it is shown that quite the opposite is true.

15  On Having Authority on Her Head Because of the Angels

      http://tinyurl.com/2svsxejb

This essay explains why the common interpretation of 1st Corinthians 11:10 is not actually what the Scriptures teach, but that the actual meaning is quite the opposite to that usually attributed to it.

16  Scriptures Improperly Understood

http://tinyurl.com/2pht2jdr

This essay cites over a dozen different passages of Scripture that are often misunderstood and misused for a variety of purposes.  Each Scripture passage is cited with an explanation as to the actual meaning of the passage.

17  Eternal Destiny of Not Accountable

      http://tinyurl.com/hkhykp7e

This essay examines what the Scriptures teach regarding the eternal destiny of the unborn, those who die perhaps before becoming intellectually developed, and those whose mental facilities never developed normally.  How should we think about the eternal destiny of such individuals?  Is there any comfort in the Scriptures for those who have experienced an abortion?  Has God made provision for the eternal destiny of those who have or had no capacity for responding to the light of God?  This paper examines some of the issues associated with these questions.

18  Who Is A Christian

http://tinyurl.com/yckkzsfv

This essay discusses problems associated with our terminology and the use of the word "Christian."  Answering the question "Who is a Christian?" today is much different than it would have been for people in the first century of the Christian era.  Unlike the situation in the first century, answering the question today, for many people, requires making a value judgment.

19  Examination of Dispensational Teaching

      https://tinyurl.com/59j2e34j 

This essay explains why dispensationalism as a scheme of Bible interpretation is based upon false premises and is quite easily shown to be so.

20 Keys to Understanding the Scriptures (future essay)

21 HHS Class of 1959 Reunion After Dinner Talk

https://tinyurl.com/yp6z6z34

This is a transcription of the after dinner talk given at the occasion of the Handley High School Class of 1959's 50th Anniversary Reunion.