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Monday, August 10, 2020

DENOMINATIONS: WHAT KIND OF CHRISTIAN AM i?

 

DENOMINATIONS: WHAT KIND OF CHRISTIAN AM i?

 

Russell Earl Kelly, PHD

August 10, 2020

 

There are many different Christian denominations. Each has its own distinctive set of beliefs.

 

The following facts will attempt to place you in a Christian church which agrees with you.

 

BAPTISM:

Water baptism is essential for salvation.

YES: Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Church of Christ

NO: Baptist, Charismatic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Reformed, +++

 

BAPTISM:

The manner of baptism can be sprinkling, pouring or immersion.

YES: Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian

NO: Baptist, Charismatic, Church of Christ

 

BAPTISM:

Immersion only.

YES: Baptist, Charismatics, Church of Christ +++

 

BIBLE:

The Bible is inspired by God and (at the least) its originals were without error in theology, history and science. Biblical miracles were real. Prophecy predicts the future.

        YES: CONSERVATIVE

        NO: LIBERAL

        PARTIAL: MODERATE

 

BIBLE:

The King James Version of the Bible is the most accurate.

        YES:  CONSERVATIVE, FUNDAMENTALIST

        NO:  LIBERAL, MODERATE

 

CHURCH:

When Israel rejected Christ at Calvary, God replaced national Israel with “spiritual Israel,” the Church. Unfulfilled O. T. prophecy concerning national Israel must be either ignored or spiritually re-interpreted in terms of the new covenant Church.

YES: (Most) Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Church of Christ, Methodists, Presbyterians

NO: Conservative Dispensationalists among many denominations, especially Baptists and Charismatics

 

ETERNAL SECURITY:

Believers will be punished as disobedient children, but they cannot fall from grace.

YES: (Due to predestination) Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Reformed. (Not due to predestination) Baptists

NO: (Arminianism) Methodists, most Charismatics, Church of Christ, Freewill Baptists +++

 

FREE-WILL:

Man has free-will both to accept God’s offer of grace for salvation and also to subsequently reject God’s grace and fall from a position of justification by faith.

YES: (Arminians) Methodists, most Charismatics, Freewill Baptists, Church of Christ +++

NO: (Predestinationists) Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Reformed. Baptists reject the ability to use free-will and fall from grace after justification by faith.

 

ISRAEL:

God has only temporarily rejected national Israel and is now focusing on the Church. The nation of Israel is still prominent in prophecy as God’s chosen nation.

YES: Literalists, dispensationalists in many denominations, especially conservative fundamental Baptists and Charismatics

NO: (Most) Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Reformed

 

LIBERAL THEOLOGY:

Do not read the Bible as an accurate truthful book. Read it to discover the real Jesus. Biblical miracles are not true. Prophecy is not possible. Jesus was not Deity.

YES: Almost every denomination has churches which follow liberal theology.

NO: The Bible cannot be a compilation of errors and also reveal the truth about Jesus.

 

MILLENNIUM:

Based on a literal interpretation of Revelation 20 and O. T. prophecy, Christ will reign on Earth for 1000 years prior to the final judgment and eternity.

YES: Conservative dispensationalists among all denominations, especially Baptists and Charismatics

NO: Most other churches

 

PREDESTINATION:

No free will concerning one’s final salvation. God has predetermined and elected those who be saved individually before they are born.

YES: Roman Catholics (Augustine, Aquinas), Anglicans, Lutherans (Luther), Presbyterians, Reformed (Calvin), early Baptists

NO: (Arminians) Methodists (Arminius, Wesley), most Charismatics, most modern Baptists (only before being saved)

 

SECOND COMING:

Jesus could return at any moment to “catch up” His Church and keep it out of great tribulation. This is the first of two phases of His second coming.

YES: Conservative dispensationalists among all denominations, especially Baptists and Charismatics

NO: Most other churches

 

SECOND COMING:

Jesus will return only once at the end of a period of great tribulation.

YES: Most churches

NO: Conservative dispensationalists, mostly Baptists and Charismatics

 

TRINITY:

One God revealed to man in 3 Persons.

YES: Moderates and Conservatives

NO: Most liberals; Unitarian

Friday, August 07, 2020

DISPENSATIONALISM AND THE LAW: AUG 2020

 

 

 DISPENSATIONALISM AND THE LAW

 

CT: The error is in the dispensational teaching the Old Testament moral law does not apply in the current dispensation of grace.

 

RK: Does England, France, Germany, Spain have laws similar to the Ten Commandments? YES! Are U.S. citizens under those laws while in the U.S.A? NO!

 

The moment the Declaration of Independence was signed, the United States declared itself free of English law --- all of it – good and bad – moral and immoral! Isn’t that true?

 

The moral law is written in conscience and nature (Rom 1:18 thru 2:16) and is found throughout the Mosaic Law with was only given to Old Covenant national Israel. And Israel was forbidden to share its covenant law with others (Gentiles; Deu 7:2). Why is that so hard to grasp?

 

CT: (In the book of Hebrews we learn that the ceremonial law has been lifted, that is not the issue.)

 

RK: The issue is your unbiblical limited definition of “law.” To a Hebrew law was the total revealed will of God from Genesis to Malachi (Rom 3:19-20). To a Gentile law was nature and conscience.

 

RK: If you carefully read all of Matthew 5, especially 5:19, you will discover the “law” refers to the “whole law” – commandments, judgments and statutes. We are either under ALL of the law, or NONE of it --- as it stood in covenant form to Old Covenant Israel.

 

Rom 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” God’s law written in our hearts is the revealed will of God for believers.

 

CT: And Ryrie teaches that we should presume that no Old Testament commands remain valid unless they are explicitly repeated in the New Testament. (Charles C. Ryrie, "The End of the Law", Bibliotheca Sacra, 1967, pp.239-242.

 

RK: Correct and very true. Why? Because the believer is DEAD TO LAW, buried and resurrected with Christ!! (Romans 6:5-7; 7:4; Col 3:1-2). The law cannot tell a dead person what to do!!! That part of the Law which applies to new creations in Christ has been repeated after Calvary in terms of grace and faith. The ‘Thou shalt nots” have been replaced with “Thou shalt” with spontaneous obedience of new creatures in Christ.

 

CT: Think about that. The words of Christ Himself are certainly to the contrary:

17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5:17-19)

 

RK: You contradict yourself by quoting 5:19 and ignoring the examples from the judgments and statutes found in 21-48.

russkellyphd@yahoo.com

www.tithing-russkelly.com/theology