Explores the doctrine of the Trinity, its history, and several opposing views. The main problem in the issue is the language we use to express it. Takes a look at the Biblical and pre-Nicene expressions of this Christian truth.
e-reader version on SCRIBD (15118068)
Revelation: A Bible Interprets Bible View
A verse by verse commentary on this fascinating book of Scripture. There is also a page on the related subject of the Preterist school of interpretation.
Are the four Gospel accounts of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ contradictory? Much confusuion is caused by comparing the accounts, but they do match up, if you know what to match. A synopsis of the order of the events on that Resurrection morning.
"Monoevangelion": A new harmony of the four Gospels into a single narrative. Introduces innovative new ideas to create a free-flowing text. Puts to use the above harmony of the Resurrection.
Dual column format:
e-reader version on SCRIBD (15118506)
Predestination
Discusses the predestination versus free will debate. Does man have any say in his eternal state? If he does, does this rob God of His sovereignty? Or are some people actually born to die and go to Hell, guilty of sins they had no chance to repent of?
e-reader version on SCRIBD (15120064)
Altar Calls, Baptism and Conversion
Altar Calls have become a popular method of evangelism, seemingly replacing baptism as the symbol of a person's receiving of Christ. It has come under fire by many, such as Calvinists and Campbellites as not being scriptural, and not producing true conversion. What is the cause of this, and why is the altar call so prominent now, and what alternative is there for evangelistic rallies?
CCM Controversy
A discussion of various arguments against contemporary music in general, and especially its use in the Church. This has become one of the most highly charged issues in modern evangelicalism. A Biblical answer to critics who regard all modern music as apostasy. Must reading!
e-reader version on SCRIBD (15119924)
Psychology, Biblical Counseling, and the Emotional Health 'Gospel'
Discusses yet another controversy in the evangelical church regarding the validity of psychology
and its terms, and the role of the Bible in counseling.
Abundant Life", Christian "Victory" and our Responses to Suffering and Negative Emotions:
Picking up on where "psychology" began; this discusses, with more detail how many Christian leaders who do accept psychology also have been influenced by the emotional health gospel (as much as those who don't). This teaching's simplistic "pat answers" some have turned into a multi-million dollar industry through appealing language. This actually makes Christian growth hearder that it already is, and the teaching, by misunderstanding various scriptures and terms like "victory" fosters coldness and harsh judgments towards the suffering.
Doctrinal Correctness: How gross error can be hidden behind truth in the Right Wing version of "PC"
Exposes a lot of the error in Fundamentalism as well as the Right in general, especially as they are judgmental of others.
Covers this horrific event (visible from my roof) and the ensuing political and religious arguments that followed. Includes discussion of Islamic extremism.
Sabbatarianism and the "Faith of Abraham"
An examination of the claim that true believers are required to keep various laws in order to be in God's will today.
Sola Scriptura vs. Catholic "Tradition"
Discusses the claims of catholicism, particularly the Eastern Orthodox Church (which maintains an even greater claim of perfectly preserving the apostolic faith than the Roman Catholic church which has admittedly added doctrines), of an "oral apostolic tradition" that includes various doctrines and practices that are not found in the New Testament, and the dismissal of "Sola Scriptura" (The Bible alone as the rule of faith and practice) because of the "thousands of Protestant sects" it has supposedly created.
OTHER RELIGIONS/PHILOSOPHIES
Discusses some of the claims made by the nonreligious world regarding God, Christianity and the Bible. Is the Bible or its one God destructive, barbaric, and just a tool of neurotic control mongers? What is it all about anyway? Just Hell and damnation? Or just peace and love? Or does it address what really is man's problem, and what is its solution?
Examines Jewish-Christian relations, and the claims that Christians witnessing to Jews is "anti-semitic".
Examines Islam's claim to be the true successor to both Judaism and Christianity
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
My Background:
My name is Eric Bolden. I am a born again evangelical layman who has been serving the Lord for about 12 years. While I did have the influences of a Baptist grandmother (Bethany Baptist in Brooklyn, pastored by Rev.William Jones), and a charismatic godmother (storefront in the South Bronx), I was basically raised in an agnostic home, and in my teens became antagonistic towards Christianity and its claims to truth (and also the politics of some). It was in 1986, at the age of 20, that I began really paying attention to the Plain Truth and Good News magazines, published by Herbert W. Armstrong, who at this time, had started excerpting his new booklet Who or What is the Prophetic Beast in the magazines. I was so fascinated by the prophecies of Revelation. How things that would take shape in the future were predicted, in symbolic form in Revelation(as well as Daniel ). For the first time, I saw REASON for belief in the Bible! I was also impressed by some other doctrines I saw, but then there were others which troubled me, so I kept at arms length from the group. I eventually met a street evangelist named Leo, who used to preach in Times Square during lunch, and over time, he showed me the errors of this group from the Bible, and I began moving towards orthodox evangelicalism. By mid-1988, I had pretty much accepted most mainstream Christian beliefs, and the "new birth".(Armstrong's entire organization later followed, a few years after he died!). I now live in New York with my wife, Wanda and we fellowship at a local independant church
My experiences on the outside of the faith, looking in, made me see that there are many problems in the Church that we need to address, which are hurting our witness to the world. The Gospel needs to be clarified. This is the goal of my ministry.
Around the time I became interested in the Bible, I also began writing about my concerns. I have decided to share some of them on my page. The index is available in the first link below. Subjects include a treatise on the Trinity for believer and unbeliever alike; a commentary on Revelation, a discussion of predestination, the psychology debate, a short summary of arguments in the Contemporary Christian Music controversy between modern evengelicals and old line Fundamentalists.
GOD:
There is one God, the Father; almighty, invisible, uncreated, and the Creator of all reality. Within His divine nature is also His only begotten Son, the Word incarnate in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth; and the Holy Spirit, the personal power of God in the lives of believers. Father, Son and Spirit are neither three separate "beings" acting in unity, nor one sole person acting three roles, but rather the personal ways the one God works in the world. Neither is God a "person" in a human sense (apart from the incarnate Son), and neither is God an abstract force or sentiment. He is the great and almighty Creator who is above our comprehension; the universe not being able to contain Him (1 Kings 8:27)
Man and the plan of salvation:
Man was created good, but has fallen (become corrupted with a self-serving nature that likes to break God's commands and thus falls short of His standard (i.e. sins)). Because of this, we are not naturally fit to live with Him in eternity, and therefore would be sent out of His presence upon death and judgment. God provided for this by sending His Son to live a perfect life and die to pay the penalty our sins deserve, and then rise again to glory. (Why did he use a sacrificial system? Perhaps to demonstrate the severity of sin). This is not intended to be the promotion of one "religion" over others, but the full proclamation of the one God who was present in the suffering savior redeeming men to Himself. (2 Corinthians 5:19)
The church is not supposed to be just another religion, but rather fellow believers united in Christ, worshipping Him, learning about Him and experiencing Him in one another. This is what the true church continues to be, despite the institutions built around it.