A general order of present and future events - John 5:25-28

John 5:25-28 "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; 27 and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment."


Introduction:
In today's post we want to uncover the basic ordering of present and future events as they are communicated by Jesus in His conversation in John 5:25-29.  I view the post below as a thumbnail sketch to get our thoughts in order about what Jesus and the remainder of the New Testament lays out with regards to major events.  Let the reader understand that as the progress of God's revelation in scripture unfolds, further and further detail is added.  Much like a sunrise on a given morning, the fingers of sunlight that reach their way across every valley, tree and home slowly but surely unfolds one detail after another.  Undoubtedly Jesus Christ the Son is presenting what will be the standard general order of present and future events that are explained in further detail in later portions of the New Testament.


1. Spiritual resurrection from spiritual death now and physical resurrection later. John 5:25
Jesus states "an hour is now coming and now is". Jesus first of all speaks about what will be the believer's future resurrection at His return (and quite possibly those saints raised when Christ raised from the dead) in the statement "the hour is now coming". In seamless transition Jesus then chooses to use the language of death and resurrection ("now is") to describe the born-again experience of regeneration unto saving faith in the life of believers right now.


John Phillips on page 108 of his commentary on John notes: "The Lord's words, however, are not to be restricted to the coming literal resurrection of dead people from their graves at the sound of his voice-in itself a comprehensive claim to Deity-but they include the giving of the life of God to people, spiritually dead, who likewise hear his voice."


We can think of Jesus' opening statement as referring to the beginning point and culminating point for the Christian. The beginning point refers to the new birth or spiritual resurrection, whereby the sinner is saved in their human spirit by the Spirit's work of regeneration in saving faith. The culminating point is of course the believer's physical resurrection that will occur at Christ's coming for them in the rapture to raise those who died in Jesus out of the ground. Those saints who are living at that point will have their bodies transformed into a resurrection body. Posts in the future will speak more thoroughly on this point.




2. Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead as proof of His Deity. John 5:26
Jesus is alluding to what will be His own resurrection from the dead. His Pre-existent Divine life is viewed here too.  The fact is that He is capable of overcoming death speaks of Him as God, with His ability to experience death referring to His full humanity. Thus as God He has life in and of Himself and as man He will be crucified but raise bodily from the dead.


3. Jesus' 2nd coming as the Judge. John 5:27
Now we see Jesus referring to the events surrounding His second coming.  Clearly the believer's regeneration or spiritual resurrection in saving faith is connected to Christ's resurrection, since that same power that raises Him from the dead is identical to what brings sinners to saving faith - namely the Holy Spirit. (1 Peter 1:3-4).


4. The resurrection of the righteous and the wicked. John 4:28-29
As the passage closes, we see perfect symmetry between the beginning and end.  The believer is viewed as experiencing a spiritual resurrection, which is tied to Christ's resurrection and thus includes a future physical resurrection for them by Christ at His second coming. (John 5:24, 28)  Again let the reader be reminded by what was noted at the beginning of this post, namely that Jesus is laying  out a general order of events and is not going into exquisite detail like what is stated later on in the New Testament.


From what we can tell in John 5:29, the wicked unbeliever who dies in his sins will also be resurrected as well, but not in the resurrection of the righteous.  Rather there will be a second, later resurrection.  Daniel 12:2 describes the difference: "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt."  According to John 5:29, this second resurrection will be one unto judgment.   

The leading of the Holy Spirit

Acts 1:1-2 "The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen."


Whenever one travels through the book of Acts, reference is made to the Person and work of the Holy Spirit roughly 40 times.  Out of those instances, one of the main ministries we find ascribed to the Holy Spirit is the ministry He has in leading the church and Christians. In today's post we want to consider what the Book of Acts has to teach us about the leading of the Holy Spirit.


Harbor lights and the Holy Spirit
Years ago I heard a wonderful preacher relate how harbor lights enable us to picture the various ways and methods the Holy Spirit uses in leading the Christian.  In the picture above you see a modern day example of this notion of "harbor lights". The idea is a fairly simple one: To guide a ship safely into a harbor or up alongside a pier, a series of lights will line the length of the dock or pier.  If the approaching captain sees more than one "harbor light", they know they are heading straight into the pier. However if they are aligned in the same direction as the pier or harbor, they will look at the row of lights head-on and see what appears to be one light, rather than a set of lights.  In dark or foggy nights, such a system along with a light house can be useful in guiding small and large sailing vessels to their intended destination.  In the Book of Acts we can discern the following "harbor lights" used by the Holy Spirit in leading and guiding individual Christians and the church as a whole.


1. Passages of scripture.
The whole book of Acts is one of the 65 other books of scripture inspired by the Holy Spirit to instruct and equip the church.  If we were to liken the scripture to the lighthouse in the above illustration, we could say the scripture is the chief way in which the Holy Spirit speaks and guides His people.  Jesus said the Spirit would bring back to remembrance to the Apostles all the things He had taught them. (John 16:12-13) Certainly Luke's composition of the Book of Acts under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost is proof positive of this truth.  In Acts 15:28 we see the Jerusalem Council laying down instructions that were tantamount to scripture, being that they made it into the Book of Acts itself and constituted what was to be universally used in all the Gentile churches.  Without the scriptures, no one could hear what the Spirit is saying at all to the churches.  It is the believer's lamp unto their feet and light unto their path. (Psalm 119:105)


2. Promptings. Acts 8:29
In Acts 8:29 we see the Holy Spirit's work of prompting: "Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.”  This harbor light is the Spirit's activity within the Christian.  As the Christian takes in the scriptures and heeds them, they begin to cultivate the ability to discern and understand those promptings of the Spirit. 


The Holy Spirit certainly can guide us when and where to go.  For example consider Acts 8:29 "Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” There will be of course those promptings whereby the Spirit hinders or says "wait".  Consider please Acts 16:7 "and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them." Why would the Spirit hinder the Apostle from making headway into a region that needed to hear the Gospel? As Luke writes on, we see the Spirit first had Paul to go into the regions of Macedonia in Acts 16 and 17.  In Acts 18:19 the Spirit evidently opens the door for Paul and his companions to enter into the regions of Asia Minor, as seen by their presence in Ephesus.  Such promptings are designed by the Holy Spirit to strategically place His people at various points and places so as to effect His Sovereign purposes in and through them. 


Such promptings by the Holy Spirit enables the Christian to think more clearly on a matter.  For example, in the wake of Paul's following the Spirit's leading, he realizes that the goal of His missionary strategy is to press into the western most boundaries of the Roman empire where the Gospel had not yet been preached. (Acts 19:21) Certainly the apostles would always check such promptings within the context of the study, preaching or hearing of God's word, as evidenced by the nearly twenty messages we find strung throughout the book of Acts.  So with passages of scripture, the Spirit leads with inner promptings, but notice also how He leads through...


3. People
Acts 20:22-23 states: "And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me." Clearly the Spirit was warning Paul of what laid ahead. How is it that the Holy Spirit was "testifying to Paul" in every city? Consider Acts 21:4 "After looking up the disciples, we stayed there seven days; and they kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem."


Why would the Spirit seem to be on the one hand leading Paul eventually to Jerusalem (as He does so in Acts 21-23) and yet be speaking through people to seemingly dissuade Paul from entering into Jerusalem? The Spirit's purposes are to test Paul and to verify through people the calling of Paul.  Clearly the Spirit's ultimate purpose was to get Paul to Jerusalem so that he would eventually end up testifying about Jesus in Rome. (Acts 23:11) The Spirit always affirms His will through passages of scriptures and confirms His will through promptings, people and one more area....


4. Personal situations.
As you come to the end of the Book of Acts, Paul is clearly recognizing by now that he is where he needs to be.  Under house arrest in Rome, Paul takes the cue from his situation that the Spirit has brought him to Rome to preach the Gospel unhindered. (Acts 28:31) Oftentimes the Spirit will lead you and I through something that is far from comfortable and oftentimes painful. However the Spirit's dealings with us is with the view of us as having completed the task.  The whole process by which the Spirit was taking Paul was from the vantage point of Acts 28.  Every trial, imprisonment, beating, hardship, storm, all of it, was engineered by the Sovereign Lord to guide Paul strategically through and to lead Him to the place He had known from the beginning Paul would be.


Conclusion:
As always, the Spirit's promptings, people and particular situations, when lined up perfectly with passages of scriptures, provide an effective way for the Christian and the church to follow.

Three kinds of death: Spiritual-Physical-Eternal

Ecclesiastes 12:1 "Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”


Introduction:
In the dust jacket of his 1956 book "immortality", we find the following brief description of Dr. Lorraine Boettner: Dr. Boettner was born on a farm in Northwest Missouri. He is a graduate of Princeton Theologicall Seminary (Th.B., 1928; Th.M, 1929), where he studied systematic theology under the late Dr. C.W Hodge. Later on the summary says: He taught Bible for eight years in Pikeville College, Kentucky."1 


Dr. Boettner was a Biblically sound theologian, writer and teacher who was heralded by all who read his books and listened to his teachings. I have found his work to be generally helpful, and the piece I will be quoting from today is an example of how clear he can make any subject. The portion deals with the subject of "Three kinds of death: physical, spiritual and eternal." I think the reader will find what Dr. Boettner has to say to be illuminating and instructive.


1. Spiritual death means the separation or alienation of the soul from God. It is the principle the condition in which the Devil and the demons are, but since in this world man's descent into evil is restrained to some extent by common grace, it has not yet proceeded to such a degree of depravity as is found in them. This was the primary penalty threatened against Adam in the Garden of Eden. Since man can only truly live when in communion with God, spiritual death means his complete undoing and the continuing worsening of his condition. Later on Dr. Boettner  writes: The opposite of spiritual death is spiritual life. It was this to which Jesus referred when He said to Martha: 'I am the resurrection, and the life: He that believeth on me, though He die, yet shall He live; and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die,' John 11:25,26. Mr. Boettner then quotes John 5:24 to further demonstrate his point.




2. Physical Death means the separation of the soul from the body. This, too, is a part of the penalty for sin, although, as indicated in the preceeding section, it is not the important part. In contrast with the angels, man was created with a dual nature, a spirit united with a body. He receives information through the avenue of the senses. His body is the organ through which he makes contact with other human beings and with the world about him."2


Later on Dr. Boettner writes: "At death man's body, which is composed of some thirty different chemical elements, returns to the earth from which was taken. This phase of death, too, was conquered by Christ when He made atonement for the sins of His people, for they eventually receive a gloriously restored resurrection body."


3. Eternal death is spiritual death made permanent. 'This,' says Dr. Berkhof (another conservative theologian), 'may be regarded as the culmination and completion of spiritual death. The restraints of the present fall away, and the corruption of sin has its perfect work.


Later on Dr. Boettner says regarding physical death vs eternal death: "The first death is physical, and it awaits every human being. The second death is spiritual, and it awaits only those who are outside of Christ. It is the eternal separation of the individual from God, and it results in the eternal punishment of those whose names are not written in the Book of life (Rev. 20:12-15). In another connection the Bible speaks of a new birth, which in reality is a spiritual re-birth: 'Ye must be born anew,' John 3:3,7. Those who are born only once, the physical birth, die twice, a physical and a spiritual or eternal death. Those who are born twice die only once, the physical death. These latter are the Lord's redeemed."


As Dr. Boettner writes on regarding some amazing insights into what the scripture teaches on the this subject, we come to this concluding thought: "As a result of the redemption accomplished by Christ the death of the body becomes for His people the gateway to heaven, a transition by which they move out of the body and into the presence of the Lord. It has lost its sting. 'Death is swallowed up in victory," 1 Corinthians 15:54.



Endnotes:
1. Loraine Boettner. Immortality. 1956.


2. Just as a minor point, I would assert that human beings are three-part beings (body, spirit and soul). 

Evaluating the recent Ken Ham vs Bill Nye debate on Evolution vs Creationism

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Introduction: On Tuesday night, February 4, 2014 a major debate took place between two public figures regarding the question: "Is creation a viable model of origins in today's scientific era". Tom Forman from CNN moderated the debate, Bill Nye "The Science Guy" (pictured on the right) advocated the position that creation is not a viable model for origins. Ken Ham, CEO of "Answers in Genesis Ministries" (pictured on the left) represented the affirmative answer to the question. The point of today's post is to simply evaluate the debate along the lines of their respective approaches to origins and science, the overall strengths and weaknesses of each side's position with a final section on where this blogger stands on the issue.

1. Bill Nye and Ken Ham's respective approaches to origins and scienceWhen we examine the approaches Nye and Ham take on the issue of origins and science, we find obvious differences and a surprising similarity. Bill Nye of course advocates that the universe, life and humanity arose from materialistic processes. Such a position, called "materialism" or "naturalism", is the majority report among the scientific community. Ken Ham on the other hand takes the position that the universe, life and humanity arose from the intervention and creative abilities of The All-Powerful, Intelligent God as revealed in the Bible.

As the debate began, each man had 30 minutes to lay the ground work for their respective approaches. Ken Ham made the distinction between "origins science" and "operational science". Such a distinction, according to Ham, recognizes that whatever events transpired in history to originate the universe, life and humanity were not witnessed, nor are repeatable, and thus frame how we will interpret the data and evidence of science. For Ham, two views of origins science were represented in the debate: his view of creationism vs Bill Nye's naturalistic narrative of origins.

It was clear that Nye disagreed with Ham's two-fold distinction and rather opted for placing origins and the everyday task of the scientific method together. Hence, throughout the debate Nye clearly equates naturalism with science, and science with naturalism. In the course of the debate Nye clearly demonstrated that the Big Bang theory and the biological reckoning of evolution sit upon the same naturalistic premises.

Towards the end of the debate, Bill Nye quite ably spelled out how evolution is a "bottom's-up" approach, meaning that by the mechanism of natural selection, the universe and life itself proceed from the less complex to the greater complex, with the best and strongest out-doing the lesser and the weaker. Ken Ham likewise did an excellent job in summarizing his stance as the "Top-down approach", talking about how God is the Ultimate origin of the universe, life, humanity, man, woman, marriage, sin, death and government. Essentially Ham re-produced from memory a working outline of the first 11 chapters of Genesis as the basis for his approach to origins and science.

As I said a moment ago, both men clearly had differences in their respective approaches to origins and science, however there was one clear point of similarity that is worth pointing out to the reader. In the study of the respective positions held on the relationship between science and Christian theology at the worldview level we find four major views, with two of them representing extremes and two representing middle approaches.

The first is that the worldviews undergirding science and faith are in conflict. The second view, a mediating position, states that the realms of science and faith are somewhat compatible. The third view, another mediating position, states that both are in concordance or in a high-level of compatability with one another. Then the fourth, which represents the other extreme opposite of conflict, is that both the realms of faith and science are essentially one and the same or what is called a compromise. In this fourth viewpoint, faith or theology is to be revised in light of the latest scientific discoveries. The four views can be diagrammed below with Nye and Ham identified as fitting under the conflict position:

A diagram of Science & Theology at the worldview level - an overview of how their relationship is viewed 
CONFLICT ---SMALL COMPATIBILITY--CONCORDANCE---COMPROMISE
Bill Nye & Ken Ham hold to a conflict view. Let the reader note this similarity since it explains why both men were at many points talking past one another. In typical debates on the subject of origins, whenever both opponents hold to a conflict view, the likelihood of each one convincing the other (outside of the Holy Spirit's illuminating work of course) is diminishingly small.

2. The strength's and weaknesses of each side's presentation
In reflecting on various portions of the debate, the weaknesses of each side will first be noted, followed by a few strength's on each side. In regards to Nye's weaknesses in his position, the repeated statement of the earth being only 4,000 years old as his basis for critique of Ham was an oversight. As this reviewer kept listening to his side and watching the visuals he presented, I kept wondering if he had in mind the 17th century Bishop James' Usher's calculation of the beginning of creation as being 4004 b.c. As this was a major weakness for Nye, the related weakness of Ham not pointing that out to Nye was also notable.

About two hours into the debate when asked about the issue of the origin of human consciousness, Nye's inability to give an answer to that question clearly shows the limitations of his naturalistic worldview to account for consciousness' existence. There was a point in the debate where Nye challenged Ham to explain how the Ark could had made it through a year-long world-wide flood by citing the construction of a 19th century wooden schooner that sank in the high seas. Ham could had cited findings conducted on scientific studies of the Ark in showing how it was built to withstand such pressures that are contained on his website. Unfortunately Ham ended up not addressing Nye's point. Flood Geology and the belief in a worldwide flood represents a cornerstone in the Young Earth position. Most likely the time constraints of the debate explain why Ham did not further silence Nye's objections.

Other points could be cited from each side in regards to weaknesses here and there, however let me note something to the reader about what can happen in the context of a public debate. Having participated in public debates in the past, there are those moments and opportunities that are easily missed. I know some other people in commenting on the debate have leveled undo criticism against Ken Ham. To counter-balance my above assessment on the weaknesses of each man's presentation, I can testify first-hand that both men are probably thinking through what they could of said but didn't.

With regards to the strengths for each side, Ham did a fantastic job of answering Nye's point of the problem of reconciling the age problem of cosmic distances and the age of the universe by pointing out that Big Bang Cosmology also has the same problem. To me that was one of the smartest and most strategic moves in the debate. Ham's video interviews of legitimate and published scientists who were creationists demonstrated, at least indirectly, that creation science can both explain and predict, something of which Nye chose to ignore. Nye's choice to not include statements from such evolutionists as Daniel Dennett, Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens was wise on his part, being that those men are far more corrosive in their public outcry against creationism than Nye.

Nye of course kept challenging Ham to produce one example of creationism making consistent predictions about the course of biological life or outcomes of physical processes in the universe. Ham had of course early on in the debate shown that certain creation scientists, with earned PhD's and tenured positions and peer-review had invented things such as medical equipment and satellites.

Both men seemed at one point in the debate to be lobbing list upon list of evidences for their respective positions. It was very clear that both men at times were talking past one another, however both men were able to avoid the ad hominem or attack on each other's character that can typically characterize such exchanges. Though some may not agree, Ham's repeated presentations of the Gospel and showing the redemptive direction that creation points towards was clearly a major strength in his case from a Christian perspective.

So did Ken Ham demonstrate that creationism is a viable model for origins in today's scientific era?

So much more could be pointed out about the 2 hour and 45 minute debate. Of course the big question is: so who won? When assessing a debate, its not like looking on a score board to determine a winner or a loser. Rather we must consider the original question that framed the debate and determine whether or not the question was successfully answered by Ken Ham. Many people felt that having the debate at the creation museum was a major disadvantage for Bill Nye. However the burden of proof laid on the shoulder's of Ken Ham, and so in reality having the venue to be Ken Ham's creation Museum was fitting when considering the topic for that night.

If we refer back to the original question that framed the debate: "Is creation a viable model of origins in today's scientific era?", then it would be the assessment of this Blogger that Ken Ham demonstrated that creationism can indeed explain and predict. The high point in the debate for Ham's presentation has been already mentioned: namely in how he dealt with the question about the origin of human consciousness. Nye's inability to answer the question and to brush it aside demonstrates that Ham's creation model is indeed a viable model for origins in the 21st century context.

With Ham's numerous examples of what creationists have done in recent times as well as citing creationist scientists of the past (such as Isaac Newton, James Maxwell and Michael Faraday), Ham made his case. Ham did an excellent job in representing the young earth creationist position and defending it against a seasoned and articulate spokesperson for the often-times militant viewpoint of naturalistic biological evolution.

3. Where this blogger stands on the issue and conclusion
I will make my comments brief in this final section, being that the point of this post is to assess the recent debate. For quite a number of years I had held the belief that the universe, life and humanity itself was billions of years old. I was at one time an advocate of Big-Bang Cosmology and yet never embraced the evolutionary account of origins as articulated by Bill Nye. Thankfully the Lord began showing me through the scriptures the inconsistency I had in advocating Big Bang Cosmology on the one hand and belief in a world-wide flood and denial of naturalistic biological evolution on the other. Years ago I abandoned my particular position on old earth creationism in favor of the young-earth model that is similar to the one articulated by Ken Ham. I mention this to state that there is no such thing as a position of neutrality on this subject.

One's worldview will function like a pair of tinted glasses when viewing a given body of evidence. Does that mean we can never know the truth whether it be in theology or science? No. But what it does mean is that we must take into account that one's worldview does shape one's approach to life and knowledge. Truly whichever worldview is able to most comprehensively and coherently account for why things are the way they are is the worldview to embrace. For this blogger, a worldview built from scripture, with particular emphasis on the young earth perspective, is the best account for the origin of the universe, life and humanity. The Ultimate Cause for all things derives from One All-powerful, all knowing Triune God of scripture.

How physical death, heaven & hell relate to the study of "last things"

Hebrews 9:27-28 "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, ²⁸ so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him."


Introduction: how eschatology or "study of last things" deals with both now and later
Whenever people hear the topic of "Bible prophecy" or what has been termed by Bible teachers "eschatology" (the study of last things), immediately most people assume the discussion is going to turn to future events.  Although the vast majority of subjects covered by eschatology deals with things "yet to come", there are other areas that deal with the "here-and-now". What particular "now" areas are included in the study of "last things"? Generally speaking three principle areas:
1. Physical death
2. Heaven and Hell
3. The details of intermediate state, which include #1 & #2. 


Defining and picturing the intermediate state in relationship to the study of "last things"
Theologian Walter E. Elwell gives the following definition of the intermediate state: "This refers to the condition of the person between the time of death and the resurrection. The traditional orthodox view is that believers experience a state of bliss in the presence of the Lord, while unbelievers are tormented by separation from the presence of God."1


So in trying to picture what Dr. Elwell and the remainder of this post is talking about, I offer up the simple diagram for the reader (notice I have purposefully left out other details such as the rapture, tribulation period and the millennium for simplicity's sake):


physical death________________________Christ's        Final
                                                                     2nd coming Judgment


believer's in heaven----------------------------------.R
unbeliever's in hell-------------------------------------------------------.R


The letter "R" in each line represents "resurrection". The dotted lines of course represent the continuing lives of both the righteous and the wicked apart from their physical bodies between their physical "death" and respective "resurrections".


What notable Bible teachers and theologians have said about death, heaven and hell and last things
Notable theologians and pastors have observed how the Bible connects death, heaven and hell with the study of last things. Baptist theologian A.H Strong writes: "As preparing the way for the kingdom of God in its completeness, certain events are to take place, such as death, Christ's second coming, the resurrection of the body, the general judgment. As stages in the future condition of men, there is to be an intermediate and an ultimate state, both for the righteous and for the wicked."2 Strong later writes: "Physical death is the separation of the soul from the body. We distinguish it from spiritual death, or the separation of the soul from God; and from the second death, or the banishment from God and final misery of the reunited soul and body of the wicked."3


Dr. William G.T Shedd explains what eschatology is in relation to these subjects: "Eschatology is that division of Dogmatics (old name for systematic theology) which treats of the Intermediate or Disembodied state, Christ's Second Advent, the Resurrection, The Final Judgment, Heaven and Hell." 4


Dr. A.A Hodge in his outlines of systematic theology writes similarly as doctors Shedd and Strong above regarding the relationship of physical death to that of last things.  However Dr. Hodge raises and answers the following question: By what forms of expression is death described in the Bible?" Dr. Hodge's answers are indeed illuminating:


1. A departure out of this world - 2 Timothy 4:6


2. A going the way of all the earth. - Joshua 23:14


3. A being gathered to one's fathers and people. Judges 2:10 and Deuteronomy 32:50


4. A dissolving of the earthly house of this tabernacle. 2 Corinthians 5:1


5. A returning to dust. Ecclesiastes 12:7


6. A sleep - John 11:11


7. A giving up of the ghost. Acts 5:10


8. A being absent from the body and present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8


9. Sleeping in Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 4:4


Drawing some conclusions regarding how death, heaven, hell (i.e the intermediate state) relates to last things
We aimed today to get some thoughts together about how the current physical deaths of believers and unbeliever's relate to eschatology or the study of last things. Much has been said and quoted along with a simple diagram to aid the reader in visualizing this important subject. Above reflection on the opening passage of today's post makes this writer think of an old distinction that years ago was drawn in describing the differences between a Christian and non-Christian as it relates to the subject of the intermediate state and eschatology.


If you die once and are born twice, you are a Christian.  However if you are born once and die twice, then biblically speaking you are a non-Christian. My prayer today would be dear friend that in the reading of this post, you are among that company who have been born twice and only have to die once.



Endnotes:
1. David Horton, General editor., Walter Elwell. The Portable Seminary - Master's level overview in One Volume. 2006. Page 193


2. Augustus H. Strong. Systematic Theology. Page 981.


3. Augustus H. Strong. Systematic Theology. Page 982.


4. W.G.T Shedd. Dogmatic Theology - Volume II. Page 591.

Divine guard-rails and center-line for Bible prophecy

 
Acts 1:7-8 "He said to them, 'It is not for you to know the times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; (8) but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the remotest part of the earth."

Matthew 25:13 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 “But we do not want you to be uninformed brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest of those who have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.”

The Divine guard-rails and center-line for Bible prophecy
When we approach the subject of future things, or last things or what Bible teachers call "eschatology” (the study of last things), we gain from scripture two sets of guard-rails and a centerline that keeps our Christian faith from going off into two ditches.


Guard-rail #1 "God's unrevealed will" in prophetic matters
Acts 1:7-8 gives us that first guard-rail, what we could call the “unrevealed” guardrail. In other words, there are elements about Bible prophecy, or eschatology or last things that are “unrevealed” by God to His people. For example Jesus tells His disciples in Matthew 24:36 that “no man knows the day nor the hour” of His appearing. Such things God has hidden from men so that they may ever be in a mode of dependence upon Him. Sadly many well-meaning people have tried to pry and transgress such a guardrail by setting dates and running calculations on the time of Christ’s return. The result of such folly has led to the ditch of heresy and error. 


Guardrail #2 "God's revealed will" in prophetic matters
The second guard-rail of prophecy, last things or what is called “eschatology” has to do with those elements which God has revealed. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 is a prime example of things God would have his people to know. Knowing and understanding the Bible’s ordering of prophetic events is designed to stir up hope and faith. God reveals such things through His word. Ironically, vast portions of God’s church have gotten comfortable not knowing what the Bible teaches on “what’s next” so-to-speak. If the first guardrail of God’s unrevealed will prevents one from falling into the ditch of error, then the second guardrail of needing to know prevents the church from falling into complacency.


The Divine center-line in prophetic matters: "Be ready!"
Complacency and heresy are two ditches that can be avoided in matters pertaining to last-things (eschatology) providing we heed the boundaries of God’s unrevealed and revealed will. But now what about the center-line? Just as a center-line prevents head-on collisions and keeps everyone in order on a literal road, God’s center-line of “alertness” keeps God’s people on the road of faith. Sometimes Bible teachers will use the phrase “already-not yet” when discussing eschatology or the study of last things. On the one hand we are “already” experiencing some of the things promised pertaining to God’s New Covenant. We are “already” by the Holy Spirit fore-tasting the Kingdom to come. We are “already” in Christ seated in the heavenly realms, positionally by the Gospel exercising authority in spiritual matters. However we have “not-yet” seen our Lord return, for He has yet to return. We have “not-yet” seen the New Covenant fully manifest, and won’t until the Lord returns and fulfills it completely and entirely in the saving of the nation of Israel .

Thus we need to be “on the alert”. Matthew 24:42 and Matthew 25:13 has Jesus issuing this instruction: “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” The center-line that God has prescribed in Bible prophecy is that of “being ready” or “alert”. Why? One word – faithfulness. The Father by the Holy Spirit He has sent in Jesus’ name is currently preparing the bride, the church, for the Son. Only the Father knows when the Son will come and “catch-up” or “take up His bride”. Until then, we must be about our Father’s business and occupy until Jesus comes. That center-line is where we need to be as we begin to think more from the vantage point of keeping our eyes fixed on things above, where Christ is, rather than on the things here below. (Colossians 3:1-3)

Conclusion:
The point of today’s post was to aid the reader in understanding the general texture of the subject of Bible prophecy, last-things or what is called by Bible teacher’s
"eschatology”. We chose to employ the idea of how God has designed Bible prophecy to keep the Christian’s faith on the road of faithfulness. There are something He has not revealed to protect the believer from error. There are other areas that God has revealed to prevent the church from falling into complacency. Then there is the centerline of “alertness” that we are to occupy in order to be faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ until He returns.

P2 What Southern Baptists teach about the Bible - The later years

2 Peter 1:20-21 "But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."

Introduction:

Today's post, like yesterday's, has taken much of its material from the SBC website's section that details the Biblical heritage of Baptist's beliefs about the scriptures. (http://sbc.net/aboutus/heritage/default.asp.)

I think you will find the quotes below to be illuminating and encouraging to your own faith. Yesterday we looked at three key figures from the beginning days of the SBC in the 19th century: John L. Dagg and James P. Boyce and John Broadus. In today's post we will consider further statements from  leaders in the SBC during the 20th century. Such statements can prove instructive and helpful in understanding what great Godly Christian thinkers of the past have taught about the scriptures. Enjoy, be edified and encouraged for the glory of God in Christ! 

1. J.M. Frost
Corresponding Secretary, Baptist Sunday School Board"We accept the Scriptures as an all-sufficient and infallible rule of faith and practice, and insist upon the absolute inerrancy and sole authority of the Word of God. We recognize at this point no room for division, either of practice or belief, or even sentiment. More and more we must come to feel as the deepest and mightiest power of our conviction that a "thus saith the Lord" is the end of all controversy."
--Baptist: Why and Why Not (1900)

2. J.B. Tidwell
Chairman, Bible Department, Baylor University, (1910-1946)

"These writers certainly claimed that what they say is of God. To them the inspiration is not just plenary but verbal. They were not left to choose their words promiscuously (that is, at their own whim). Their individuality was preserved, but the words used were given them of God. Not just the thought came from God, but every word with every inflection. Every verse and line, and even upon the tense of the verb, every number of the noun, and every little particle they regarded as coming from God and demanded in the pain of grave disaster that we should preserve it in its entirety."
--Thinking Straight About the Bible, or Is the Bible the Word of God (1935)

3. Herschel Hobbs President, Southern Baptist Convention
Chairman, Baptist Faith and Message Committee (1963)Infallible has two meanings; one is "without error" the other that "it fulfills its intended function." A dull knife can be an infallible knife if you use it to cut butter. You will weaken the statement by putting in that word. I know it's your pet word, and it's the pet word of a lot of people, but it isn't as strong as the words "without any mixture of error."
--from Interview Concerning Hobbs' Defense of Baptist Faith and Message Wording on the Bible