With the end of the classes drawing near, we seem to have formed a good routine with all being well adjusted to the schedule. The comradeship of the students is obvious and growing. That is especially seen with the ones staying for the whole week while it is seen to a lesser degree with those who have to go home each night and those who have only come for a few days of the class. They all seem to have a good working relationship and a respect for one another by virtue of their shared labor in the Lord. We have heard from a number of brethren that wanted to be here through the week, but have been unable to join us due to sickness. Kathy, Rody and Tessie’s daughter who is a doctor, told us that the hospitals are full and overflowing due to an influenza bug that has hit the area very hard. I thought today would be our lowest number as we began the morning with about 30 in attendance. However, by late morning, we had well in excess of 100 – probably somewhere in the range of 120 to 130.
The Epistles of Peter class covered the first two chapters of 2nd Peter today. In the first chapter, we noted the character of a Christian as Peter commanded readers to grow in the traits commanded in 2 Peter 1:5-7. The author said if they “are yours and abound,” it will make one’s calling and election sure. The most time in the morning class was spent examining the inspiration discussed in the closing part of 2 Peter 1. We went into great detail looking at the fact that the OT Scripture was inspired by the Holy Spirit, with God protecting its content, thus ensuring the truth was delivered. However, Peter shows that the final revelation of God through the gospel brought the full light of truth to us so that we may clearly see His complete will.
In the second chapter, we noted from the context that the “false teacher” of this text is so identified because his teaching is false. We saw that the term “false teacher” is not reserved for one who has an exceptionally corrupt character or false motives. The text parallels it with the term “false prophet” regarding those in the OT. It is not that the term “false prophet” was reserved for an exceedingly wicked few, since the term “false prophet” is never found in the OT. So, how are we to recognize a “false prophet” from the OT? The very simple fact is that we recognize one as a “false prophet” in the OT when he prophesied falsely. In the same way, we recognize a “false teacher” by seeing that he teaches falsely. Though the corruption or evil mentioned in the text may be present or may develop over time, the false teacher is identified in the first few verses by the destructive nature of his teaching or the destruction he brings on all who follow his teaching. The effect of the error taught by Bob Owen and Ed Harrell in the US, denying that one is a “false teacher” on the basis of teaching falsely, has had devastating effects on brethren in many places as it has caused many to look lightly on those teaching error and has resulted in the destruction of souls.
We had no time for Rody and Jonathan to do their normal part of leading the discussion and clarification period to end the morning session. Instead, we had two more young men that made known their desire to be baptized into Christ. So, Rody used some points covered in the class and extended the invitation for any who desired to obey the gospel. The two young men responded and were baptized. After that, a Pentecostal preacher asked to talk with Rody and it appears that he may also be very close to obeying the gospel. Please keep these new brethren in your prayers as well as the Pentecostal preach that he might obey the Lord before it is too late!
In the afternoon session on Premillennialism, we started with four basic questions:
· Does the Bible teach the “rapture – revelation” distinction claimed in Premillennialism?
· When and what is the tribulation of the Bible?
· When will the righteous & unrighteous be raised from dead?
· Does Bible teach literal 1000-year reign of Christ on earth?
We noted specific passages that denied premillennial teaching in each of those areas. This was the first time some of these men have been involved in a detailed examination of the false doctrine of Premillennialism. Some have been confused by the teaching received while in the denominations and have expressed that these principles help them to more clearly see the truth and enable them to teach others as well.
In the last hour of the afternoon session, we finished the examination of Premillennialism by looking at Psalm 110 and the use of that psalm in the NT. We surveyed the NT use of this psalm to see at what point Jesus “sat down at the right hand of God” (picturing the coronation or beginning of Jesus’ reign as King of His kingdom) and how long that reign lasted. We saw that it began after His Ascension (Mk. 16:19; Acts 2:33-36; 7:55) and will end at His coming in the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:24-26). We noted numerous cases in the epistles of Paul and in Hebrews showing that Jesus is presently in that reign “at the right hand of God.” We noted that the reign of the Messiah was not to be in the absence of enemies, as Premillennialism teaches, but that He was to rule “in the midst of His enemies. We also considered what the NT teaches concerning when Christ became the “High Priest after the order of Melchizedek” per Psalm 110. When properly understood and applied, Psalm 110 and its fulfillment clearly shows the basic errors of both Premillennialism and the “A.D. 70 Doctrine” (also called “Realized Eschatology”).
I left a little early this afternoon to let Rody and Jonathan have more time to discuss the material covered on Premillennialism with the students in their dialects. I had to return earlier to the hotel to not only to write this report, but also get my bags ready to send ahead to Angeles City tonight. If we carried in excess of 7 kilos on the flight, we would have to pay about double the cost of our tickets! So, we were planning to send the bags ahead by bus and keep only what we have to wear and use tomorrow morning. It was a great plan, however, at about 5pm, we found out that the last bus to that area was about to leave before we could possibly get our bags there. So, we have to come up with a new plan or pay a huge amount for of baggage to fly with us. Our class in the morning will only be much shorter in length since the only flight we can take to Angeles City leave here just after noon. The Lord willing, I will report on the classes tomorrow from Angeles City, the place for next week’s classes on 1st - 2nd Timothy and Titus. God bless!
