Lee Strobel's accidental scoop! Leading Conservative text critic Daniel B. Wallace is not conservative in reality!

     So I was at a flee market the last source of intellectual freedom in America.  I found a book by Lee Strobel.  In fact it was a signed copy!  For only 3$!  As an apologist I am interested in what strobel has to say.  Not only does he have a talent for gathering information with his journalistic skill but he also has talent in his presentation. We  are looking at his book "The case for the Real Jesus" However, the hidden apologetic issue which I have found is textual criticism.  One of the most popular conservative text critics of our time is a man named Daniel Wallace, Wallace was not from my academic circle (SBTS) and as a result I just didn't notice his work until after I had written my book. So I was surprised at what I saw when I read this interview.  Let's see what I have gleamed from this interview.

 "How would you answer Robert Funk who wrote with his Jesus Seminar coauthors: "Why, if God took such pains to preserve an inerrant text for posterity, did the Spirit not provide for the preservation of original copies of the Gospels?
  Wallace chuckled, "Judging by how the mediaeval church worshipped all sorts of relics, it's a good thing God didn't do that!' He said ' Enough pieces of Jesus cross have been found to build the Rose Bowl. What kind of Chaos would we have if people claimed to have an original of a popular book?  Or if we actually did have the originals intacted[sic], what would happen?  My guess is that those manuscripts would be venerated but not examined.  They would be worshipped But not studied" pg. 72
       So the first thing we notice is that Wallace presupposes  that God did not preserve perfect copies of the gospels.  How does he have that super power to know if there were ever perfect copies made?  He can only make claims about the surviving manuscripts which he has found.  Wallace then speculates that if they had survived, then they would become idols.  The inverse of this says that by not having perfect copies God is eliminating idolatry,  Of course this is poppycock. For one thing Wallace boast about the massive amount of idolatry in the mediaeval era. Typically many a liberal has made the accusation that those who view the KJV or the TR as the original text are idolators.  But how does Wallace treat his own manuscripts?  


"Wallace with unruly grey hair and a greying Goatee, couldn't resist showing me his prized possession.  Carefully removing a thick Volume from the bookshelf, he opened it on his desk.  It was one of the 450 modern reproductions of Codex Vaticanus, A manuscript dating less than 250yrs after the New Testament was written.  Some say the original codex was among the 50 Bibles that emperor Constantine ordered to be produced after the Council of Nicea.
Wallace gently turned the vellum pages to show me the columns of Greek neatly fitted written in uncial (or capital) letters, stealing a glance at my reaction to see if I registered appropriate appreciation for the manuscripts beauty, history and significance.  The truth was that I was awestruck.  So detailed was this copy, meticulously handmade at the Vatican, that it even featured holes in the pages at the same spots where the actual manuscript is worn through." pg 71
  It is interesting how they went from criticizing Roman catholic idolatry to giving hyper dulia to A roman Catholic artifact! Especially since a lot of the drooling is over the artistic furnishing of the copy instead of it's "self evident accuracy".  But in reality the real document is not so neatly put together.

"J.H. Ropes describes the quality of the codex: Codex Siniaticus is carelessly written, with many lapses of spelling due ti the influence of dialectal and vulgar speech, and many plain errors, and crude vagaries. Omissions by homoeoteleuton abound, and there are many other careless ommissions.  All these gave a large field for the work of correctors, and the manuscript does not stand by any means on the same level of workmanship as B."
 Paul D. Wegner The Journey from the Texts to the Translations


"First of all," he said rather than having one stream of transmission, we have multiple streams."pg. 81
        This admission seems small. But it opens up a can of worms for the Original Autographs Onlyist.
They start off with the presupposition that since they do not personally see uniformity in their collection of manuscripts that preservation is impossible. but truth be told there are many streams and some they have not observed.  Any of these could preserve the text and perhaps if one text is hidden another is available to that specific generation. What if there were perfect copies in those centuries available to people that were burnt up for the current generation? This may be akin to basketball when someone makes a halfcourt to fullcourt shot.  It may be very rare, but it happens. Because copying a manuscript is a human feat.  Most manuscripts may not be perfect but some can be. Especially when we consider multiple streams. who says that the scribe can only copy with one manuscript?  Just as much as collation can lead to confusion, collation can indeed lead to purification.



"How do we define infallibility?' I asked"
"My Definition of infallibility is the Bible is true in what it teaches. My definition of inerrancy is true in what it touches. So infallibility is a more foundational doctrine, which says the Bible is true with reference to faith and practice.  Inerrancy is built on that doctrine and it says that the Bible is also true with reference to faith and practice. Inerrancy is built on that doctrine and it says that the bible is also true when it comes to dealing with historical issues, but still have to look at it in light of 1st century historical practices." pg. 75

INFALLIBIL'ITY (websters 1828 dictionary)

INFAL'LIBLE, adjective [Latin fallo.]1. Not fallible; not capable of erring; entirely exempt from liability to mistake; applied to persons. No man is infallible; to be infallible is the prerogative of God only.2. Not liable to fail, or to deceive confidence; certain; as infallible evidence; infallible success. To whom he showed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs--"
INER'RABLE, adjective [in and err.] That cannot err; exempt from error or mistake; infallible.

    We see that there is no original distinction between infallibility and inerrancy. not to mention that his definition of infallibility is rather limited by comparison to infallibility.  
What does Jesus say on this topic?
Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Article XI (Chicago statement)

• We deny that it is possible for the Bible to be at the same time infallible and errant in its assertions. Infallibility and inerrancy may be distinguished, but not separated.

"What if you found an incontrovertible error in the Bible" I asked, "How would you react?"
"He thought for a moment, then replied: "I'd say, well, I guess I have to make some adjustments about what I think about the top level of the pyramid. But it would not effect my foundational view of Christ. I don't start by saying 'If the Bible has a few mistakes I have to throw it all out.' Not a logical position.  We don't take that attitude towards Livy, Tacitus Suetonius, or any other ancient historians writings. For instance, does the 1st century Jewish historian Josephus need to be inerrant before we can claim that he got anything right?" pg. 75-76
  How could the Bible be able to have errors if it is not able to have errors?  If you are a born again christian your presuppositions are fixed by a spiritual change alongside an eternal covenant, To renege is basically apostasy.
Matthew 4: 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."
2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

Article VII (Chicago statement)

• We deny that inspiration can be reduced to human insight, or to heightened states of consciousness of any kind.

"So it's not necessary for a person to believe in inerrancy to be a christians?" "However, I wouldn't consider inerrancy to be a primary or essential doctrine for saving faith.  It's what I call a 'protective shell' doctrine.  Picture a concentric, with essential doctrines of Christ and salvation at the core.  A little bit further out are some other doctrines until, finally, outside of everything is Christianity." pg. 76
  So there is a question people forget to ask in this process of common thought.  Is salvation exactly the same as the christians religion?
Obviously I have implied that the two are not synonymous even though they are often common. Christian is about "religion" it is about "works".
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work."
 So the condition of receiving salvation is faith in the Gospel of Christ.
  So this is a ruse.  Much like the strategy of Satan.
Genesis 3:1Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:"
  The question is an offensive tactic to "move the goal post" Just as being able to eat from a tree was not questioned.  The question of salvation over inerrancy was an attempt to muddy the waters and bring emotions to the topic that were alien to the subject.  This tactic implies that the position was weak.
 "I wouldn't consider inerrancy to be a primary or essential doctrine for saving faith."
You may notice the language here subjective.  this is not a manuscript issue it is a theological issue! It needs the input of scripture.
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you."

   So the Word of God brings us assurance of salvation.  It is not the spiritual transformation, yet we can only know salvation through the Word of God.  If the Bible can be wrong then salvation can be wrong.
Then if you do not know how to be saved then you might not have gotten saved!? This is why Jesus has assurance of scripture.


"Wallace has been subjecting the New Testament text to scrutiny for decades. "Has your scholarship shaken your belief that the bible is trustworthy?" I asked"
"No, not at all. But it has caused me to see it in a different light," he said 'For example, I thought when I started out when I saw the words of Jesus, they must be exactly those words that he uttered.  But historians of that day, were trying to accurately get the gist of what was said."...."So the Gospels contain a summary of what was said.  And if it is a summary maybe Matthew used some of his own words.to condense it.  That doesn't trouble me in the slightest, it's still trustworthy."pg. 78
  It may not be obvious but Wallace here subtly moves the goal post. When the question is asked about "reliability" an unbeliever may find the Bible to be reliable is some aspects.  This is not a position that takes faith.  The apostle by the way were not reknowned scholars..  They were fishermen,  Matthew and luke had an education so that they could write, but they were not properly historians. No, they were apostles! All the authority that they had rested in the fact that they wrote down what God wanted them to write.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
1 john 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."

article XIII  (Chicago statement)

• We deny that it is proper to evaluate Scripture according to standards of truth and error that are alien to its usage or purpose. We further deny that inerrancy is negated by biblical phenomena such as a lack of modern technical precision, irregularities of grammar or spelling, observational descriptions of nature, the reporting of falsehoods, the use of hyperbole and round numbers, the topical arrangement of material, variant selections of material in parallel accounts, or the use of free citations.

Article XV (Chicago statement)

• We deny that Jesus' teaching about Scripture may be dismissed by appeals to accommodation or to any natural limitation of His humanity.

"Remarkably. the New Testament writers didn't even know they were writing scripture, So obviously God's work was behind the scenes. In the end, I think this is a greater miracle than a Bible coming down from heaven on golden tablets, because the books of the Bible are a collective product that men embraced on their own immediately and often only much later- recognizing that there was another author behind the scenes. It wasn't until one of the final books of the New testament was written that Peter uses the word scripture in referring to Paul's letters." pg. 74
Galatians 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."
matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
luke 1:3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,"
2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

"For some it's almost like a magic wand approach, where the Bible is treated like a modern scientific and historical textbook that's letter perfect. Some Christians would say for example, that the words of jesus are in red letters because that's exactly what he said." pg. 74 Daniel P. Wallace
1 timothy 6:20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:"
job 32:8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.9 Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment."
Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
   Many of Daniel Wallace's mindset may look at a fundamentalist and say "Somebody didn't get the memo"
  But when I read statements like this I also think "Somebody didn't get the memo" !
The supernatural is an essential element to the Christian worldview,  Many christians like to play an apologetic game.  They try to go as far as they can playing the rules of atheism in hopes of getting respect and popularity.
Now it can be acceptable to play on atheistic reasoning in an apologetic encounter.  But at some point a believer has to BELIEVE!
John 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing."

"At times, some made it the litmus test for whether a person is a Christiaan., Wallace said. "Theologian Carl F.H. Henry argued against this in 1976.  He urged young evangelicals to recognize that while inerrancy is important, it's not on the levels of certain other crucial truths-and belief in inerrancy should not be used as an excuse not to engage seriously with history.  Still sometimes christians put a roadblock in front of somebody, they can't become a Christian until they believe in inerrancy" pg 78-79
Article XII (Chicago statement)

• We deny that biblical infallibility and inerrancy are limited to spiritual, religious, or redemptive themes, exclusive of assertions in the fields of history and science. We further deny that scientific hypotheses about earth history may properly be used to overturn the teaching of Scripture on creation and the flood.

"Keep in mind that the first christians didn't have a new testament. All they had was the Old Testament and the proclamation of the eye-witnesses to the resurrection.  And Christians down through church history have not always believed in innerrancy.  It really became a major issue during the Reformation and especially in the 20th century debates between modernism and fundamentalism. So it is possible to be a Christian without holding to inerrancy or even infallibility."pg. 76
 "That the Bible is the word of God, inerrent and is of supreme divine authority, was a conviction held by all  christians and christian teachers thrugh the first 1700 years of church history.  Except int he case of certain free-thinking scholastics. such as abelard, this fact has not really been contested by many scholars." pg. 357 Robert D. Preus.  Norman Geisler edit.   "Inerrancy"  The view of the Bible held by the church: The early church through Luther

Article XVIII (Chicago statement)

• We deny the legitimacy of any treatment of the text or quest for sources lying behind it that leads to relativizing, dehistoricizing, or discounting its teaching, or rejecting its claims to authorship.

"Barth and the host of Neo-orthodox writers who followed him either deny or dismiss as irrelevant the concrete history of the facts of the gospel narrative.  The resurrection of Christ is a case in point.  The neo-orthodox profess faith in the resurrection but they effectively remove it from the realm of concrete history into a sort of super history, which is not to be confused with historical facts. Historical events have no religious or theological significance Neo-orthodoxy can deny the historicity of  the recorded circumstances surrounding biblical events and still maintain that those events legitimately occurred  in Heilsgeschichte* or  the history of salvation.  Barth adopts this approach to every historical fact of the Biblical revelation of God's saving grace." Alan Cairns Dictionary of theological terms "neo-orthodoxy" pg. 288
  Now I am not here to accuse Wallace of Neo-orthodoxy.  But the influence of the neo-orthodox movement over New-Evangelicals was massive. It begs the question of whether this influence led Scholars like Dr, Wallace away from biblical inspiration.


An Accurate classification of Daniel Wallace' view of scripture
"The view of a section of the New Evangelical movement that inerrancy is an inappropriate word to describe the witness they limit it's infallibility to matters of Christian faith and practice.  Prominent names associated with this group include F.F. Bruce, George Eldon Ladd,  G.C.Berkouwer
, Daniel P. Fuller, and Bruce Metzger(Richard J. Coleman, Issues of Theological Conflict p.11) Accepting the classic liberal position that the bible is culturally and historically conditioned, this group agrees with Fuller's claim that scripture  contains much that is non-revelational.  Such material does not rise above the level of the knowledge- or ignorance or superstition- of it's time and place of origin." Alan Cairns Dictionary of theological term pg/ 264-265 "Limited infallibility"

      In the final analysis Daniel Wallace's theology is a symptom of the disease in Neo-Evangelical Seminaries. It should be obvious that the Original Autographs Onlyist is false because it is unbiblical.
Yet many of these scholars trangress even their own convictions developed in the Chicago statement on biblical Inerrancy.
2Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?"
Modern textual criticism denies inspiration.  Worse yet it takes authority over scripture.  So it surpasses an apologetic approach to becomes a religious axiom.  Here Wallace flirst and finally trespasses the border of Inerrancy. His approach lacks any fundamental integrity.
James 3:1My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation."
  To some this article may seem strict. But a man who is a teacher, a teacher to teachers and more. must be held to a higher standard.

Chicago statement on biblical inerrancy

The Short Statement

1. God, who is Himself Truth and speaks truth only, has inspired Holy Scripture in order thereby to reveal Himself to lost mankind through Jesus Christ as Creator and Lord, Redeemer and Judge. Holy Scripture is God's witness to Himself.
2. Holy Scripture, being God's own Word, written by men prepared and superintended by His Spirit, is of infallible divine authority in all matters upon which it touches: it is to be believed, as God's instruction, in all that it affirms; obeyed, as God's command, in all that it requires; embraced, as God's pledge, in all that it promises.
3. The Holy Spirit, Scripture's divine Author, both authenticates it to us by His inward witness and opens our minds to understand its meaning.
4. Being wholly and verbally God-given, Scripture is without error or fault in all its teaching, no less in what it states about God's acts in creation, about the events of world history, and about its own literary origins under God, than in its witness to God's saving grace in individual lives.
5. The authority of Scripture is inescapably impaired if this total divine inerrancy is in any way limited or disregarded, or made relative to a view of truth contrary to the Bible's own; and such lapses bring serious loss to both the individual and the Church.

The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy

Articles of Affirmation and Denial

ARTICLE I

• We affirm that the Holy Scriptures are to be received as the authoritative Word of God.
• We deny that the Scriptures receive their authority from the Church, tradition, or any other human source.

ARTICLE II

• We affirm that the Scriptures are the supreme written norm by which God binds the conscience, and that the authority of the Church is subordinate to that of Scripture.
• We deny that Church creeds, councils, or declarations have authority greater than or equal to the authority of the Bible.

ARTICLE III

• We affirm that the written Word in its entirety is revelation given by God.
• We deny that the Bible is merely a witness to revelation, or only becomes revelation in encounter, or depends on the responses of men for its validity.

ARTICLE IV

• We affirm that God who made mankind in His image has used language as a means of revelation.
• We deny that human language is so limited by our creatureliness that it is rendered inadequate as a vehicle for divine revelation. We further deny that the corruption of human culture and language through sin has thwarted God's work of inspiration.

ARTICLE V

• We affirm that God's revelation in the Holy Scriptures was progressive.
• We deny that later revelation, which may fulfill earlier revelation, ever corrects or contradicts it. We further deny that any normative revelation has been given since the completion of the New Testament writings.

ARTICLE VI

• We affirm that the whole of Scripture and all its parts, down to the very words of the original, were given by divine inspiration.
• We deny that the inspiration of Scripture can rightly be affirmed of the whole without the parts, or of some parts but not the whole.

ARTICLE VII

• We affirm that inspiration was the work in which God by His Spirit, through human writers, gave us His Word. The origin of Scripture is divine. The mode of divine inspiration remains largely a mystery to us.
• We deny that inspiration can be reduced to human insight, or to heightened states of consciousness of any kind.

ARTICLE VIII

• We affirm that God in His Work of inspiration utilized the distinctive personalities and literary styles of the writers whom He had chosen and prepared.
• We deny that God, in causing these writers to use the very words that He chose, overrode their personalities.

ARTICLE IX

• We affirm that inspiration, though not conferring omniscience, guaranteed true and trustworthy utterance on all matters of which the biblical authors were moved to speak and write.
• We deny that the finitude or fallenness of these writers, by necessity or otherwise, introduced distortion or falsehood into God's Word.

ARTICLE X

• We affirm that inspiration, strictly speaking, applies only to the autographic text of Scripture, which in the providence of God can be ascertained from available manuscripts with great accuracy. We further affirm that copies and translations of Scripture are the Word of God to the extent that they faithfully represent the original.
• We deny that any essential element of the Christian faith is affected by the absence of the autographs. We further deny that this absence renders the assertion of biblical inerrancy invalid or Irrelevant.

ARTICLE XI

• We affirm that Scripture, having been given by divine inspiration, is infallible, so that, far from misleading us, it is true and reliable in all the matters it addresses.
• We deny that it is possible for the Bible to be at the same time infallible and errant in its assertions. Infallibility and inerrancy may be distinguished, but not separated.

ARTICLE XII

• We affirm that Scripture in its entirety is inerrant, being free from all falsehood, fraud, or deceit.
• We deny that biblical infallibility and inerrancy are limited to spiritual, religious, or redemptive themes, exclusive of assertions in the fields of history and science. We further deny that scientific hypotheses about earth history may properly be used to overturn the teaching of Scripture on creation and the flood.

ARTICLE XIII

• We affirm the propriety of using inerrancy as a theological term with reference to the complete truthfulness of Scripture.
• We deny that it is proper to evaluate Scripture according to standards of truth and error that are alien to its usage or purpose. We further deny that inerrancy is negated by biblical phenomena such as a lack of modern technical precision, irregularities of grammar or spelling, observational descriptions of nature, the reporting of falsehoods, the use of hyperbole and round numbers, the topical arrangement of material, variant selections of material in parallel accounts, or the use of free citations.

ARTICLE XIV

• We affirm the unity and internal consistency of Scripture.
• We deny that alleged errors and discrepancies that have not yet been resolved vitiate the truth claims of the Bible.

ARTICLE XV

• We affirm that the doctrine of inerrancy is grounded in the teaching of the Bible about inspiration.
• We deny that Jesus' teaching about Scripture may be dismissed by appeals to accommodation or to any natural limitation of His humanity.

ARTICLE XVI

• We affirm that the doctrine of inerrancy has been integral to the Church's faith throughout its history.
• We deny that inerrancy is a doctrine invented by Scholastic Protestantism, or is a reactionary position postulated in response to negative higher criticism.

ARTICLE XVII

• We affirm that the Holy Spirit bears witness to the Scriptures, assuring believers of the truthfulness of God's written Word.
• We deny that this witness of the Holy Spirit operates in isolation from or against Scripture.

ARTICLE XVIII

• We affirm that the text of Scripture is to be interpreted by grammatico-historical exegesis, taking account of its literary forms and devices, and that Scripture is to interpret Scripture.
• We deny the legitimacy of any treatment of the text or quest for sources lying behind it that leads to relativizing, dehistoricizing, or discounting its teaching, or rejecting its claims to authorship.

ARTICLE XIX

• We affirm that a confession of the full authority, infallibility, and inerrancy of Scripture is vital to a sound understanding of the whole of the Christian faith. We further affirm that such confession should lead to increasing conformity to the image of Christ.
• We deny that such confession is necessary for salvation. However, we further deny that inerrancy can be rejected without grave consequences, both to the individual and to the Church.

Biblical Historical Science Volume 2

This continues the series of Biblical historical science.  It is a biblical epistemology and philosophy of science. Take the journey to a biblical understanding of academic subjects.

Hidden in the basement of Western Science is a ton of Scientific research which leads us to a younger age of the earth.
http://biblesmack.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-mature-look-at-age.html

Noah's ark was not a toy in the bathtub, it was one of the greatest instruments every forged by man.
http://biblesmack.blogspot.com/2015/08/from-ark-to-zoo-biblical-view-of-zoology.html

While many creationists abandoned the canopy theory the facts of nature have not.
http://biblesmack.blogspot.com/2012/11/lets-put-canopy-back-up-defense-of.html

A biblical vs evolutionary anthropology
http://biblesmack.blogspot.com/2013/12/oh-what-is-man.html

A defense of biblical sociology
http://biblesmack.blogspot.com/2014/03/are-we-cursed-by-god-with-racism-and.html

There is a perfect Bible on God's green earth!
 http://biblesmack.blogspot.com/2023/01/preserved-inerrancy.html

A list of verses that support general atonement

 

ps. 117 O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord."

Isaiah 50:2 (King James Version)
2Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.


Isaiah 53:6 (King James Version)
6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Here we see what will be a continuous pattern. a link between sin nature and atonement. Here we see all who have gone astray linked with all who Jehovah has laid the iniquity of on Christ.

Isaiah
5 9 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

Matthew 18:11

For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

luke 9:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.


John 1:7 (King James Version)
7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

John 1:29 (King James Version)
29The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

John 3:16-17 (King James Version)
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

John 4:42

And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

John 6:51 (King James Version)
51I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Acts 17:30-31 (King James Version)
30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Romans 3:22-24 (King James Version)
22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Romans 5:18 (King James Version)
18Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Romans 11:32 (King James Version)
32For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

1 Corinthians 15:22 (King James Version)
22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Here we see a parallel comparison. As powerful as Adam's curse just as invasive is Christ blessing.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 19 (King James Version)
14For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
15And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Colossians 1:20 (King James Version)
20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

1 Timothy 2:1-6 (King James Version)
1I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

1 Timothy 4:10-11 (King James Version)
10For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
11These things command and teach.

titus 2:10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Titus 3:4

But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.


1 Peter 3:18 (King James Version)
18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."
even the false teachers going to hell have  had their sins atoned and if they had received it would be saved

2 Peter 3:9 (King James Version)
9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

1 John 2:2 (King James Version)
2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 4:14 (King James Version)
14And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

KFA : Belief principles (rough draft)

 kingdom ministry)
One of the goals of the Ky Family Association is to serve as a Kingdom ministry. While political activism is a part of our scope, we are more than a political group and have definite spiritual component and theology.  However, kingdom service is not the same office as church ministry.  The church in the scriptures is the pillar and ground of truth. They need to make the deeper doctrinal decisions and discussions. The kingdom on the other hand is not separated from the world but pervading the world as the salt of the earth and bring light to a darkened world. The kingdom ministry is more action oriented interacting with the community. So these instances where we take a theological stance are meant to be rare.  However, one of our goals must be to defend Christian faith and conservative christian culture. Thus  we declare the principle necessary to defend our faith and culture.  this first topic to accomplish this is the trinity.

methods)
There are generally 3 different methods used to defend the doctrine of the trinity.  The fideist approach, The Creedalist approach and the Biblicist approach.  The fideist approach refuses to organize the trinity in any coherent way.  Instead it is simply taken by faith and seen as a part of thhe Christian experience.  The problem is that the trinity is an explanation, therefore it has to be reasonable. Meanwhile this technique demeans the rationality of the doctrine.
The creedal aproach takes a consensus of the views ofthe clergy, formalizes them into a ctate ment of axioms and then calculates a harmonization of all previous creeds. This is the typical process of the roman cathoic church and several other catholic tradition churches.  Typically there are 7 ecumenical councils that are looked upon for as an authority on the trinity.  These are well written and rational explanations.  However, these formulas would add propositions not explained in the scripture as well as have contradictions with differing creeds.
The biblicist aproach has a simple definition of the trinity used to explain what has been revealed in scripture. No more, no less.

trinity simple understanding) A Simple definition of the trinity is that 1. God has one essence/substance called divinity or Godhead. 2. Within the God head exist 3 separate persons Father, Son and Hly Spirit. There are other side issues but the doctrine stands or falls on these 2 points.

biblical proof) In Old Testament the plurality of God is seen in genesis 1:26 and exodus 3:6.  Also in psalm 110:1 We see conversation between Jehovah and Adonai implying Christ to be adonai "Lord".
The clearest passage affirming the trinity is in 1John 5:7-10.  Coincidentaly it is the most criticized and attacked text of scripure.  This Authir maintains it's authenticity, Greek studies show that in the verse is grammatically correct in the Greek. But excluding it contradicts the masculine feminine pronouns. in other words if you take out the verse it is bad grammar and if you keep it, then it is good grammar.
There are othe passages implying the trinity.  Matthew 20:19 gives us the trintarian formula as the title of our Baptism. Acts 19:1-6 invokes the holy ghost and the Son as an essential amendment to John's baptism.  Paul also refers to the trinity in 2 Corinthians 13:14.  The most important passage to show how the 3 persons are different is at the baptism of Jesus.
Mark 1:9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
All three persons are in different places doing different actions, thus we do not see modalsim(one person) but three persons(trinitarianism.
 Another good point is that we must not leave the trinity doctrine in isolation, but remember the accompanying doctrines (deity of Christ, Incarnation, deity of the Holy Spirit etc.) one they are verified in scripture they are ready to harmonize. We will discuss this in the next article.

Responding to J.D. Martin's against provisionism

 Why Provisionism is doomed to die unless..

1). It is a negative theology. It is primarily focused on being anti-Calvinist and not Arminian instead of primarily being focused on something positive. Negative movements never last.

Provisionism is an extension of traditionalism that dmonated SBC in the mid 20th Century. It brought an impressive history of magnified the great commission activity and dominated missions among protestants. the most noted theologian of this perspective was "Mr. Baptist Herschael Hobbs" The "New Calvinism" movement took advantage of conservatives through albert mohler who proselytized SBC academic institutions.

2). It lacks historical credibility and instead of acknowledging this seeks to be revisionist and claim Pelagius was the good guy for example. Many Provisisonist feel that Pelagius was not correctly interpretted and the majority would reject the typical definition of those with the label. yet feel the real pelagius would reject the doctrine too. There are dozens of topics where scholars have shown the scholars of the inquisition were not objective and the smearing of the times gave a bad reputation to the inquisition and earned the period the label of the dark ages. Calvinist scholars usually agree when the condemnation is not disagreeing with their agenda.

3). It is shallow. As a negative moment,the only thing that unites it is its anti-Calvinism. Thus, the movement has widely divergent theologies within it that will destroy it from within.The biggest threat isn’t enemies from without but enemies from within." J.D. is conflating on anti calvinisn verses provisionism and then turning around to blame provisionism on his own conflation! For instance provisionist scholars coming from traditionalism by and large reject soteriological apostasy. other movements may join in against calvinism but this does not make them provisionists.

4). It is an internet popular movement with little to no gate keeping. This allows anyone to join and even become a voice and leader even if they are completely unqualified, ungodly, and nearly heretical on other teachings. As long as they are anti-Calvinist non-Arminians they are in. New Calvinism is an internet popular movement and it has tons of gatekeeping problems too. tim keller? Federal Vision? Sry, for not mentioning a dozen others. Anti calvinist movement has the problems of all movements. But you need to show the proof of the movement like the schools. btw, I am generally a provisionist but that does not encapsulate my theology. I identify as a Davidic dispensationalist.

5). It is miopic in scope. Since the one and only message is anti-Calvinism, disciples are not being made and mature Christians are not being formed. It is doubtful any movement can survive that doesn’t organically build up well-rounded leaders and disciple the people. Movements come and go. That is what movements are. The question is over what happens to the local churches. What is the record for local churches who have these principles because the local church is the pillar and ground of truth. Not the academic institutions!

6). YT and FB are the primary if not exclusive means of propagation. YouTube incentives anti-messages of celebrities and Facebook endless quarreling and development of pride, impatience, endless novelty, and overall meanness.

If this is the base of any movement, it is doomed to die. Maybe you think that because Calvinist stores the last time I checked are not carrying leighton flowers material???? I know for a fact last time I checked the Bookstore at SBTS was NOT! So maybe you are really basing this complaint over the fact that since your calvinist circle refuses to read provisionist material you have to blame us for not reading our material.

Recommendation:

Become a positive theology. Grow disciples, teach on way more than just anti-Calvinism, define theological perimeters on other doctrines, censor bad leaders/speakers, acknowledge semi-Pelagian similarities and seek to be as historically grounded as possible. In short, cease to be an internet houg-poug and become a disciple making movement. Lastly, view this message not as an attack but as an unexpected kindness for someone who will actually tell you the truth. SDG 1. The synod of dort did not practice your advice. Typically I have made the joke that you will not find a reformed congregation without 3-4 members writing their own systematic theologies. You new calcinists started the fight against dowens traditions and now you want sympathey that differing people are challenging you. 2. Personally i have developed a (personal but congregation based) confession and as well a theology. http://biblesmack.blogspot.com/2012/02/freedom-baptist-church-confession-of.html https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLavY7tWK07pnrORfGLwYX4R7FExaYdjMz 3. It is time to get the History settled http://biblesmack.blogspot.com/2010/03/case-for-waldenses-ancient-origin.html http://biblesmack.blogspot.com/2009/03/who-is-great-whore-of-babylon.html 

most relevant of all
http://biblesmack.blogspot.com/2019/12/what-do-you-call-someone-who-steals.html for other resources check out my blogged book. http://biblesmack.blogspot.com/2022/09/not-reformed-transformed.html

The Gospel among the OT prophecies

 Genesis 3:14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."
12:7 And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.

Genesis 21:12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Genesis 28:4And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.

genesis 49:9 Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:

micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."

Isaiah 2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Isaiah 7:14Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this."
Isaiah 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;
Isaiah 42: Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
Isaiah 53: Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Daniel 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined."

Zech. 3:1nd he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.2 And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by.6 And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying 7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch."
6:12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The Branch; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. 13 Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;13 The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;14 All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart."


Hebrews 6:17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;"