The Stone – Campbell Restoration Movement

The Stone – Campbell Restoration Movement

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A few readers of this blog are aware that I was raised in the Plymouth Brethren assemblies. The Brethren went beyond the Protestant Reformation by attempting to restore primitive Christian practices and the kind of church government outlined in the New Testament. Many more readers are aware that I pastored a church in Florida for ten years which was affiliated with the Stone – Campbell Restoration Movement, the division known as the “Independent (or Unaffiliated)…

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“Equal with God?” (John 5)

“Equal with God?” (John 5)

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John 5:16-18 (LGV) 16 And because of this the Judeans were pursuing Jesus and were seeking to kill Him, because He was doing these things on a Sabbath. 17 But Jesus replied to them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” 18 The Judeans then increasingly sought to kill Him because not only was He breaking the Sabbath but was also calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God! In…

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5. The Son begotten out of God (John 1:13)

5. The Son begotten out of God (John 1:13)

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In his book, “The Birth of Jesus or the Birth of Christians, An inquiry into the Authenticity of John 1:13,” Catholic theologian Denis S. Kulandaisamy outlined the history of controversary concerning John 1:13. He gave a detailed summary of the scholarly works and their reasoning in favor of the singular reading, “who was begotten” (referring to the Son of God) as opposed to the majority reading, “who were begotten,” (referring to Christians). This variant reading…

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4. The Collective Son of God in 1 John

4. The Collective Son of God in 1 John

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In part 1 of this series three important clauses were considered consisting of πᾶς + substantive singular participle. These are incorrectly translated in English versions as “whoever _________.” But these should not be translated as referring to individuals who meet a particular requirement, but instead as referring to the whole collective group as a single entity characterized by the participle: 1. The expression πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων (“whoever believes”) should be “the entire believing [entity].” (John…

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Heavily Biased and Selective Scholarship of “Biblical Unitarians”

Heavily Biased and Selective Scholarship of “Biblical Unitarians”

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Several non-Trinitarian churches and organizations share many doctrines in common with 4Winds Fellowships, including those who call their non-Trinitarian theology “Biblical Unitarianism.”[1] However, on the most important doctrine of all – who is Jesus Christ – there is a world of difference. “Biblical Unitarian” authors give the outward appearance of scholarship, but in reality, their method of historical research is heavily subjective and selective. They do not provide unbiased research into the original source material…

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3. The “Firstborn Ones?” Israel the “Firstborn?”

3. The “Firstborn Ones?” Israel the “Firstborn?”

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The Apostle Paul used the “body of Christ” metaphor as his way to identify the collective Son of God. He used this term for the local church, all baptized Christians within a local community in fellowship with one another, with Jesus Christ as the head of the body. That this is local is evident from his following statement which can only apply to a local setting, not to all Christians everywhere. 1 Cor. 12:24-27 (NKJV)…

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2. The “Mystery” of the Son and His “Body”

2. The “Mystery” of the Son and His “Body”

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Eph. 1:9 (LGV) 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good intent which He planned within Himself 10 for the administration of the fullness of the appointed times, to sum up everything together in the Anointed – what is in the sky and what is on the land — in Him. Paul explained that the goal of God’s ultimate plan for this creation, which He devised within Himself,…

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1. “Whoever” Individually vs. “The Whole” Collectively

1. “Whoever” Individually vs. “The Whole” Collectively

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The New Testament contains a common, theologically significant, expression which is incorrectly translated in most English versions. This provides false implications which affect more than one theological point. The expression πᾶς + substantive singular participle is translated either as “whoever believes,” “whoever is born/begotten” (of God, or of the Spirit), or “whoever loves.” 1. The expression πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων (“whoever believes”) appears in John 3:15,16, John 12:46, Acts 10:43; Rom. 10:11; 1 John 5:1. 2….

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Mistranslation of John 1:3-4

Mistranslation of John 1:3-4

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Baptist Greek scholar, A. T. Robertson, noted in his Word Pictures in the New Testament that there are two ways of punctuating and reading John 1:3-4. The old Greek manuscripts did not have punctuation, which at times allows more than one way of reading a particular passage, particularly the exact point where a sentence ends and a new sentence begins. This is because often in Greek a sentence begins with a dependent clause rather than…

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The Son personally came down from Heaven (John 3:13)

The Son personally came down from Heaven (John 3:13)

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While describing the role of the “Word” (Logos) in the creation, that He was “with God” in the beginning, that He was “the only-begotten of the Father” who “became flesh,” John briefly called John the Baptist as a direct witness to Jesus’ pre-human existence. John 1:15 (NIV) 15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because…

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Unitarian Struggle to Assimilate John’s Prologue

Unitarian Struggle to Assimilate John’s Prologue

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The connection between the opening statement of Genesis and the opening statement of John’s Gospel has not been questioned throughout Christian history until rather recently. Certain modern Biblical Unitarians, finding seriously problematic the usual explanation of John’s prologue by men like Anthony Buzzard, have developed an entirely new interpretation. Bill Schlegel claims instead that “in the beginning” in John’s Gospel refers to “the beginning” of the renewed creation, not “the beginning” of the six days…

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Jesus’ Riddle that stumped the Unitarian Pharisees

Jesus’ Riddle that stumped the Unitarian Pharisees

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It is evident from John’s Gospel that the scribes and Pharisees had big problems with Jesus’ claims about Himself. These included His statements that He came down from heaven[1] and that He was the Son of God (God was His Father), which they concluded made Him “equal with God” in essence.[2] Jesus affirmed this also by claiming to have “issued forth out of God.”[3] Yet, John is not alone among the Gospel narratives which quote…

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9. False Prophets are a Sign the End is Near

9. False Prophets are a Sign the End is Near

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The very first thing Jesus warned His followers to expect after His ascension was deception. Matt. 24:3-6 (NKJV) 3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For…

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8. “Come out of Her My People”

8. “Come out of Her My People”

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The identity of Mystery Babylon in Revelation 17-18 is disputed by many. Some claim she is Jerusalem, others Rome, New York city, the United Nations, Washington DC, or the United States. A few interpreters claim that the ancient city of Babylon in Iraq will be rebuilt in order to fulfill this prophecy. However, most of these identifications and interpretations are the result of a very narrow historical perspective, looking at prophecy merely in relation to…

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6. 1 Tim. 3:8-16 Qualifications of “Servants” of Local Assemblies

6. 1 Tim. 3:8-16 Qualifications of “Servants” of Local Assemblies

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Paul followed the instructions regarding “supervisors” in 1 Timothy 3 with instructions regarding both male and female “servants” of the assembly. Most translations use the term “deacon” as a title, a transliteration of the Greek word διάκονος (diakonos). This is a noun derived from the verb διάκω and means to run errands.[1] This term is to be distinguished from the term δοῦλός (doulos) which means a slave. Both terms refer to someone under the authority…

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5. 1 Tim. 3:1-7 Qualifications of “Supervisors” of Local Assemblies

5. 1 Tim. 3:1-7 Qualifications of “Supervisors” of Local Assemblies

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In the first chapter of 1 Timothy, Paul reminded Timothy of the primary reason that he stationed him at Ephesus, to rein in the current elders and to caution them not to teach anything contrary to, or in addition to, what Paul had personally taught them.[1] Yet he also wanted Timothy to be on the lookout for other men who showed potential for holding the office of “Supervisor” in the local assembly. In his second…

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4. 1 Tim. 2:8-15 The Second Priority, Rescuing Eve

4. 1 Tim. 2:8-15 The Second Priority, Rescuing Eve

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As we saw in the previous post in the “Timothy” series, Paul gave his protege a charge which consisted of several specific commands intended to prioritize his teaching to the leaders of the Ephesian assembly. Paul’s initial command, which he prefixed with the words “first of all,” dealt with what Timothy was to teach concerning the Christian community’s stance towards the civil authorities. This topic was first in priority because humble submission to civil authority…

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7. The Mass Apostasy which precedes Antichrist

7. The Mass Apostasy which precedes Antichrist

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In Jesus’ Olivet Discourse (recorded in Matthew 24 & Mark 13) He gave a series of things that must come to pass yet are not necessarily signs that His coming is near. These included many who come claiming to speak and act by the authority of Jesus’ name, yet they are deceivers.[1] There also must be wars, reports of wars, nation against nation, famines, plagues (including mass diseases), and earthquakes in various places.[2] All of…

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6. As in the Days of Noah & Lot

6. As in the Days of Noah & Lot

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Luke 17:26-30 (NKJV) 26 “And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they…

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3. 1 Tim. 1:12 – 2:7 The First Priority of the “Timothy” Charge

3. 1 Tim. 1:12 – 2:7 The First Priority of the “Timothy” Charge

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In the first eleven verses of 1 Timothy, Paul reminded his protégé Timothy of the primary reason he stationed him in Ephesus: “so that you may relay to some not to teach contrary, nor give regard to fabrications and unsubstantiated genealogies which produce disputes instead of the edification of God which is through faith.” The goal was to keep this growing assembly on track, teaching those things that lead to edification and maturing of the…

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5. Ten Toes Rising

5. Ten Toes Rising

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Many so-called prophecy experts have predicted that Russia will invade Israel just prior to the last seven-year time of tribulation. Some of them are now sounding the alarm, most notably Pat Robertson, given Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. They interpret the “God-Magog” war of Ezekiel 38-39 as occurring prior to the coming of the Antichrist. However, this is a misunderstanding of the text. That war does not occur until the very end of the Millennial Sabbath,…

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2. 1 Tim. 1:1-11 Focused on the Real Mission

2. 1 Tim. 1:1-11 Focused on the Real Mission

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The first epistle to Timothy was written after Paul had sent him to Ephesus because of a serious situation that had arisen in this rapidly growing congregation. This church was founded by Paul near the beginning of his third missionary journey. It began as a split from the Ephesian synagogue, and Paul had remained there and taught them a full three years[1] before pressing on to Macedonia and Greece. The first members of the Ephesian…

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1. Introduction: Are You worthy to be a “Timothy?”

1. Introduction: Are You worthy to be a “Timothy?”

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The Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ are those men whom Jesus Himself personally chose, trained, and commissioned to speak authoritatively on His behalf and to be eye-witnesses of His resurrection. We think of the Apostles as all great men, equal to or greater than even Moses and the prophets. Yet their greatness came at an extremely high price. Most of them ended their lives in martyrdom. Having the very high honor of becoming a successful…

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The Many Expeditions of the Son of God (Micah 5:2)

The Many Expeditions of the Son of God (Micah 5:2)

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The Jewish Encyclopedia, which is by no means Christian, has an article on the concept of the preexistence of the Messiah in ancient Judaism. “Preexistence of the Messiah: This includes his existence before Creation; the existence of his name; his existence after the creation of the world. Two Biblical passages favor the view of the preexistence of the Messiah: Micah v. 1 (A. V. 2), speaking of the Bethlehemite ruler, says that his ‘goings forth…

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Why Jesus was called “Son of God” (Luke 1:35)

Why Jesus was called “Son of God” (Luke 1:35)

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Both Trinitarians and Unitarians have missed a very important distinction in the two titles assigned to Jesus throughout the Gospels, “Son of God” and “Son of Man.” Both groups apply both titles to Jesus’ existence from His birth in Bethlehem alone. For Trinitarians, “Son of God” is a title that stems from their interpretation of the virgin birth. When the “Holy Spirit” is said to come upon the virgin Mary, she is said to have…

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