2015 Chafer Conference

The most significant question that anyone can ask is, “What must I do to be saved?” The only authoritative answer is found in the Bible. To most Christians the words save and salvation immediately call to mind the meaning of deliverance from the lake of fire after death or perhaps “go to heaven when you die.” But this idea of salvation is not the most common meaning of those terms in the Bible. The various Hebrew words translated, “to save,” or, “salvation,” rarely relate to personal salvation from eternal judgment or ultimate entrance into heaven. The New Testament words save and salvation also have a variety of meanings in different passages. If one assumes that every occurrence of the word save or of the word salvation refers to deliverance from the lake of fire, it will inevitably lead to an incorrect interpretation of many passages. It is important to understand that most of the time when the words save and salvation appear in Scripture they mean something other than, “final deliverance from the lake of fire.” Click here to download the Visualized Bible Verses ZIP file, compliments of James F. Myers Ministries.

Part 2 In this session entitled "The Middle East Meltdown" we are going to focus our attention on the famous prophecy found in Ezekiel 38‒39. However, it's a meltdown only from the human point of view, not the divine perspective. A subtitle for this presentation could be "The Coming Islamic Invasion of Israel." There’s a very interesting Chinese saying that says, "May You Live in Interesting Times." I think the time period that we’re living in now would qualify as interesting. Given the choice, there isn’t a time period in history that I would rather be living in than now. Why? The Lord seems to be setting the stage for His return as never before. One of these major stage-setting trends that we are currently seeing is the rise of a coalition of nations that harbors a hostile intent toward Israel. No matter which presidential administration comes into office in this nation and no matter how the calendar turns, this is an issue that doesn’t seem to go away.

Jonathan and Valerie Brown are missionaries in the Brazilian jungle. They are planting churches among the Yanomami people. For more information about the missionary organization they represent, visit: www.crossworld.org Donations can be mailed to: CrossWorld Headquarters 10000 N Oak Trafficway Kansas City, MO 64155-2012 You can reach the Browns via email at: jon.brown@crossworld.org

For additional information for Ukraine for Christ, or to donate to Luda's ministry, visit: www.give.cru.org/2726601

Visit the Disciple Makers Multiplied website for additional information. www.dm2usa.org

Visit the Camp Arete website for more information: www.camparete.com

In this session entitled "The Middle East Meltdown" we are going to focus our attention on the famous prophecy found in Ezekiel 38‒39. However, it's a meltdown only from the human point of view, not the divine perspective. A subtitle for this presentation could be "The Coming Islamic Invasion of Israel." There’s a very interesting Chinese saying that says, "May You Live in Interesting Times." I think the time period that we’re living in now would qualify as interesting. Given the choice, there isn’t a time period in history that I would rather be living in than now. Why? The Lord seems to be setting the stage for His return as never before. One of these major stage-setting trends that we are currently seeing is the rise of a coalition of nations that harbors a hostile intent toward Israel. No matter which presidential administration comes into office in this nation and no matter how the calendar turns, this is an issue that doesn’t seem to go away.

Dr. Tommy Ice's presentation for the 2015 Chafer Conference Visit Dr. Ice's Pre-Trib Research Center website for more information: www.pre-trib.org

Demonstration of Logos Bible Study software by national Logos representative, Tony Ortiz www.logos.com

What happens if a person only trusts Jesus Christ for salvation from sin and never tells anyone? Are they only half saved or not saved at all? Will they still go to heaven when they die? Does the reception of salvation really involve two parts or maybe even three: faith in Christ, public confession of that faith, and submission to Christ’s Lordship? Many have learned a method of gospel presentation called “The Roman Road” which included Rom 10:9-10 as the key verse for how to be saved. Based on that verse many have been taught that a person must not only believe in Jesus, but also must publically confess their faith or they are not saved. And some also add that this confession specifically emphasizes submission to the authority or Lordship of Jesus. Aside from the question of the necessity of public confession, a second popular teaching seeks support from this verse in making a distinction between a “head” belief and a “heart” belief. According to this view, a person must not only understand and affirm the gospel intellectually, a head belief, but in addition must have a heart belief, usually understood to be a commitment to Christ or something equivalent.

Dr. Bruce Baker's presentation on The Problem of Sin and its Cure

Nate's book, Biblical Greek: Beginning the Adventure, formatted for printing, is available here. For electronic devices, his book is available here.

Learning to Use Passage Lists, Searches, and New Logos Tools by John Brumett

Updates on Chafer Theological Seminary and future plans by Chafer board members Charlie Clough and Clay Ward. Click on the "notes" link below to view the CTS white paper Charlie presented.

Dr. Bruce Baker's presentation on Spiritual Maturity

Logos Bible Study Software demonstration by national Logos representative, Tony Ortiz

Second Corinthians 13:5, one of the most hotly contested verses in the entire Bible says, "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" Most understand this verse as exhorting the idea of perpetual self introspective spiritual analysis in order to ascertain if one is truly a Christian. This point of view emanates from interpreters who adhere to Reformed Theology, Lordship Salvation, or Hyper Calvinism. These systems place a high premium on perseverance in good works as the authenticating sign of being a genuine believer. In other words, they teach that all true believers will inevitably persevere in good works. Thus, ever increasing good works demonstrate the genuineness or authenticity of an individual's spiritual status as a true child of God. If the good works are not plentiful in someone's life, then perhaps they are not a true child of God. Perhaps they are a mere professor of Christ rather than an actual possessor of Him. Thus, in this system, 2 Corinthians 13:5 means that we should engage in chronic spiritual inventory in order to ascertain the abundance of a changed life and good works. If they are not present, then perhaps we were never saved in the first place. www.slbc.org www.thewordonpolitics.com bestmin.org

The unpardonable sin is otherwise known as the blasphemy of the Spirit. It is specifically mentioned in the parallel passages of Matthew 12:30-32, Mark 3:28-30, and Luke 12:10. It is conspicuously absent from the book of Acts and the Epistles, which strongly suggests the limited time frame in which this particular sin could be committed. Jesus Himself is the originator of the unpardonable sin. Before singling out the great danger of committing the blasphemy of the Spirit directed toward some Pharisees who attributed His powers of exorcism to Satanic activity, Jesus takes great pains to describe the height, length, width, and depth of His forgiveness toward any and every other sin (Matt 12:38-40; Mark 3:28-30). The unpardonable sin is therefore a singular and extraordinary category of unbelief that is anchored in the Gospel period when the historical Jesus walked the earth. It cannot be committed today. Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer sharply writes, “When considering the subject of the blasphemy of the Spirit, it may well be noted that, quite beyond human explanation, men do not swear in the name of the Third Person. From this fact, it may be concluded that there is now and ever has been a peculiar sanctity belonging to the Holy Spirit. His very name and title implies this.”

Dr. Bruce Baker's first presentation for the 2015 Chafer Pastor's Conference

Dr. Dean's training on several advanced Logos features.