Theology Simply Profound

08/29/2024

https://www.midamerica.edu/podcasts/marscast/262/233-from-pilgrim-to-seeker-reimagining-bunyans-allegory-for-today

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Compton once again explores the use of fiction in apologetics, featuring guest Rob McKenzie, an elder at Westminster OPC in Countryside, IL, and co-host of the "Theology Simply Profound" podcast through Reformed Forum. Rob discusses his book Seekers Progress, a modern tak...

06/20/2024

Hebrews 11 is known as the chapter of faith. There is much to be learned but I want to point out that the writer says that the promise of land that was to be given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was not something that was of this Earthly creation and temporal but of the New/Heavenly Creation and is eternal.
In fact, this promise is also described as a city that is not made by anyone from this world but is created and made by God. This heavenly country, this God-made city is better than any Earthly inheritance.
Then at the end of this chapter, the writer makes it clear that this inheritance is not just for them and those of the Old Covenant but for all of us who had come after and were part of the New Covenant.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off [e]were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

06/15/2024

If you read Hebrews 9 you will see; that Jesus was born under the law kept the law perfectly. As a Jew he kept the Law of Moses perfectly but that law was a reflection of the true law of God. As Paul says in Romans 2:14-29; the Gentiles were still under the law of God but not under the Mosaic Law. Jesus kept the Law of God perfectly for all who believe. The sacrifice of Christ was not made in the Temple itself, His blood of His sacrifice was brought into the true Heavenly reality and accepted once for all. The earthly temple of Israel was a type and shadow copy of that Heavenly reality. With the finished work of Christ we see that the Old Covenant has been both fulfilled and made obsolete. The New Covenant has come. It is this New Covenant that Christ is the High Priest of and that He mediates. The temple described in Hebrews 40-48 is given in full description as the perfect temple in language that those who were familiar with the temple in Jerusalem could understand and for believers after to be able to compare with the true Heavenly temple, the true faithful high priest who offers Himself as the sacrifice and who now mediates a better covenant. He is the high priest of a better priestly system. Believers also are priests not according to the Old Covenant but of the New Covenant.

06/13/2024

One of the many reasons why it is impossible for there to be a future Temple as described in Ezekiel is that according to Ezekiel the priestly system that is used in that temple describes the Levitical Priesthood. Jesus is the High Priest of a different Priesthood and this Priesthood is associated with a better Covenant. It has been said by some Dispensationalists that because of a few changes to the Levitical Priesthood that this will allow Jesus to function as the High Priest in the Millennium. That is impossible, just look at Hebrews 8;
3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. 4 For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; 5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
The Temple along with everything that functioned in that Temple was a shadow, a type of the perfect that was to come. As Jesus said that temple would be destroyed and in three days He would raise up a new temple, The New Temple, Himself as the fulfiller of the Old Covenant and the High Priest of a New and Better Covenant. To then get to a future Earthly Kingdom with a rebuilt temple that functions under the Law of Moses in even an amended Levitical system is an impossibility for our High Priest who functions as the perfect High Priest who is the perfect, one time, sacrifice.

06/12/2024

Dispensationalism has traditionally taught that in the Millennial Kingdom, there will be the functioning temple that is described in Ezekiel. It has been pointed out that Ezekiel speaks of all the sacrifices, including sin offerings, being part of that temple. Covenant Theology points out that Jesus is the final sacrifice and that it would be going backward to the types and shadows that pointed to Christ to reintroduce the sacrifices of the Mosaic Covenant. But it is more than that. Dispensationalism teaches that Jesus functions as the high priest of the new temple. But Hebrews tells us in 7:11-13 that Jesus is of a different priesthood, the order of Melchizedeck. Only a priest from the Levitical Priesthood can function as High Priest, this would exclude Jesus because He was of Judah and as has been said is of a better/different priesthood. More than this, Hebrews tells us that because the priesthood was changed the law itself had to be changed. Ezekiel's Temple is given to us with the Levitical Law being used to help the readers understand but if this is speaking of the Millennial Kingdom then Jesus would be ruled out as High Priest. More than this, you would have two different High Priests, under two different law systems functioning in the same kingdom.
11 Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has [b]officiated at the altar

05/15/2024

https://www.midamerica.edu/podcasts/marscast/244/215-unpacking-theology-in-sci-fi-storytelling-with-richard-coffeen

In today’s episode, Dr. Andrew Compton concludes his series on teaching theology through fiction by engaging with author Richard Coffeen, a PCA pastor serving in the Chicago metropolitan area. Coffeen has penned an intriguing science fiction novel that, much like the works of Brian Godawa, blends ...

02/08/2024

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