William Jr. > Recent Status Updates

Both appendices were helpful and provide a personal testimony of searching for truth and finding it in Christ. Acknowledgment page and Author bio were informative. Great read for sure. I will certainly be writing a book review on my old book review and recommendation blog. Time to dust the old blog.

Ch. 13 - Eternity vs. Five Glorious Days. Pastor Vaughan's finest chapter yet! And what a fitting final chapter to a great book. A compelling appeal to the readers and a gracious presentation of the Gospel.

Ch. 12 - The Gospel vs. the LDS Gospel. Excellent exposition of the meaning of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection - though the heaviest (and appropriate) treatment of this chapter lies squarely on the cross of Christ. John Stott's thoughts are spot on, too. I would add Ch. 12 as part of my most favorite of chapters in this book thus far. Great call to repentance and faith, too. I expected this. Great chapter.

...works-based, law-keeping, best effort, and contingent upon man instead of God's grace and mercy and faithfulness. This is truly one of the most fundamental of issues across all false-theology vs. Biblical theology. Thank the Lord for Pastors Mallinak and Vaughan. I can't wait to get to the finish line with this book. :-)

Ch. 11 - A Better Covenant vs. Broken Covenants. This was short survey of the various covenants as seen in the Bible. Breathtaking. CH. 10 and CH. 11 are some of my most favorite chapters, thus far. Splendid and significant overview that gets to the heart of the issues, no doubt. The use of the name Yahweh disappoints but then the true name of God, Jehovah was immediately referenced in Ch. 10. LDS' soteriology is...

Ch. 9 - Christ vs. the LDS Christ. A good survey of the Biblical Christ although argued from a creedal position. "Yahweh" is not God's name. Not my favorite chapter for sure but the main point of contrasting the Biblical Christ vs. the LDS Christ is very good.

Ch. 8 - The Triune God vs. The Heavenly Father. Excellent theology displayed here. "Since God is higher than us, outside the realm of our experience, we shouldn’t expect to find an illustration that explains him." Great comparative and contrasting study.

Ch. 7 - Apostles and the Quorum. An interesting chapter on the Apostolic "Successionism" [my terminology]. The "baptism of John" should have been explored. A few other minute details are ever so slightly different from my personal vantage point but overall this is a great and helpful chapter with a sober warning that LDS proponents need to consider.

...trumps truth - or that objective truth is secondary or excused so long as there is the claim of "personal revelation." "When you find the treasure of Scripture, it is an easy and obvious choice that you would trade the imitation for the genuine as quickly as possible."

Ch.6 - The Bible vs. BOM Cont'd - This chapter was written by Pastor Mallinak (as the previous one was, too): "First, the Book of Mormon has a very different moral standard than the Bible, and second, the Book of Mormon displays a very different glory than the glory revealed in the Bible." - Another great treatment of the topic. Nephi slaying Laban, the curse of the "skin of blackness" demonstrates that revelation...

Ch. 5 - The Bible vs. The Book of Mormon (BOM). Pastor Mallinak hits the nail on the head on this chapter. The manuscript evidences provides a historical verification for the English Bible's translation vs. the BOM cannot be objectively verified. Both books differ in themes, styles, storylines, prophetic messages, and prophecy. The fact that the authors would read the BOM and offer challenges demonstrates love & care

Ch. 4 Apostasy vs. The Great Apostasy. Powerful chapter on the church's perpetuity. I would add immersion (believer's baptism) in the definition of a church (but then again, this is my ecclesiology) vs. merely salvation (though salvation is the most significant aspect of church membership). Salient arguments against The Great Apostasy are presented here. Main point - either Jesus is right or J. Smith; both can't be..

...objectively enough (for me). But those two disagreements are personal to me and I have read a lot more materials that I disagree more with than this book. Another great quote: "The sincerity of our faith is worthless if the object of our faith is false."

Ch. 3 - Objective Truth vs. Subjective Truth. Several great quotes - "Truth is truth regardless of our feelings about it." "...not long after that, Pilate sent The Truth to the cross." A couple of areas of disagreement: Quoting Ps. 139 and not including the superscript is a no no (them words are part of the MT in v.1) - also the generic "general agreement" of manuscript evidences doesn't validate the Scriptures...

Ch. 2 - Believing vs. Doing - excellent chapter emphasizing the importance of the root and fruit of salvation. I ever so slightly disagree with Brandon's idea that salvation enters one into the church (we most likely do not share the same ecclesiology) BUT this chapter is spot on concerning grace vs. works salvation. Excellent treatment of a restored or supposedly corrupted gospel. Brandon's analogies are great!

Irenic - adj. meaning aiming at peace. This work is essentially written for Mormons, and everyone else will do well to listen in on this "plea." CH. 1 - The Faithful Vessel (Biblical Christianity) and a Glorious Coffin (The Mormon Religion) is illustrated by the faithful vessel of the St. Patrick (1981) vs. the Titanic (1912). Several great short quotes: "To love is to warn," "The truth never fears a challenge."

...all prophecies were fulfilled at Christ's first coming. Again, the dispensationalists do not pit the comings of Christ against each other. Advocates of non-dispen. herm. include: Beale, and N.T. Wright. The conclusion reiterates the 10 principles of Dispensational Herm. and the 7 principles of Non-Disp. Herm. Dr. Vlach is fair and insightful. This book is great because it is succinct, balanced, and informative.

Chapter 6 - the Herm. of Non-Disp. (part 2) - Dr. Vlach explains more non-dispensational hermeneutic and proponents. Storyline Change Language is basically that the promises of restoration are re-interpreted or transformed from literal to spiritual (it appears Christological - they are correct to say that prophecies are fulfilled in Christ but what that means is wrong. It is also wrong to say as some do that all ...

...Woudstra promotes the idea of the diminishing promises of the earthly restoration of Israel to the point that it vanishes. "Typological Interpretation" (advocates: Hanegraaff, Strimple, Wellum and Parker, Storms, O.P. Robertson, Karlberg, LaRondelle, Gerhard Von Rad, Goppelt). In each of these sections, Dr. Vlach offers sound refutations and quotes from fellow dispensationalists: Zuck, Tan, Snoeberger, Blaising.

Chapter 5 - the Herm. of Non-Dispensationalism. Dr. Vlach tackles three significant interpretive principles embraced by non-dispensationalists: The N.T. priority over the O.T. (advocates: Gaffin, Strimple, Ladd); Nonliteral fulfillments of O.T. prophecies (advocates: Hoekema, Goldsworthy, Merkle, Gentry, Wellum, O. Palmer Robertson, Karlberg). Spiritualization (advocates: Ladd, Berkhof, Riddlebarger, Waltke, Merkle)

... page 76 contains in bullet format the main gist of the previous materials covered - 10 Hermeneutical Principles Associated with Dispensationalism.

Herm. of Disp. (part 3) - partial fulfillment of O.T. prophecies are recognized by dispensationalists. Israel and Temple (besides Christ) are examples of O.T. prophecies that exhibit partial fulfillments. "Christ-centered" hermeneutics (insisting on finding Christ beyond the normal interpretive lenses, and "typological interpretation" are unnecessary since a proper hermeneutics already recognizes Christ and types. ..

...to the 7-Year Tribulation period (see footnote 20). Excellent treatment of the the continuities between the O.T. and the N.T. and the Comings of the Lord Jesus.

"The Hermeneutics of Dispensationalism (part 2)" - Both Comings of Christ will fulfill the Scriptures relative or respective to each of the comings. The first coming does not fulfill everything. The original audience (individual or group) remains significant. The N.T. reaffirms the O.T. prophecies, promises, and covenants (though it clearly cancels the Mosaic Covenant). Dr. Vlach limits the Day of the Lord ...

...neither Testaments determine a meaning apart from what is already there in the passage. The N.T. for example may assert a different application of an O.T. passage but that does not re-interpret nor make it irrelevant. There's a harmony between the Testaments vs. transforming the meaning of a previous passage.

"The Hermeneutics of Dispensationalism (part 1)" - Dr. Vlach covers terms such as interpretation, grammar, history, genre, figures of speech (symbols, types and analogies), apocalyptic genres. He explains the consistent contextual interpretation of Old Testament prophecies. "Passage Priority" which is that the meaning in a passage is within the passage itself (whether it is in the O.T. or the N.T. - and that ...

... Again, a very good 10 pages into the book for starters. The general feel of the book is pretty much what this chapter represents. Simple, straightforward summary highlighting distinctions in Dispensationalism. Good job, Dr. Vlach!

... & Geo Politcal Nations. I thought his summary of Covenant Theology's "alledged" Covenants (Redemption, Works, & Grace) was handled excellently in just one paragraph, and his elucidation of the "explicit" Covenants were done well (Noahic, Abrahamic, Davidic, New). I am wondering why no Adamic Covenant or perhaps he would classify that rather as the kingdom-rule on earth by man to the glory of God (moot point). ...

Dr. Vlach summarizes key elements of Dispensationalism's storyline (big picture): Creation, Fall, Redemption & Restoration. Here is 10 short pages highlighting aspects that distinguishes Dispensationalism from other interpretive grids (non-dispensational, like Covenant Theology, and "Progressive Covenantalism"). Mainly, the Kingdom of God, Israel, the "Church" and her distinction from Israel, Covenants, ...