Stop the Rot

I am a missionary of the Plymouth Brethren. In England they are known as Christian Brethren. Our leading theologian is F. F. Bruce, of whom you will have heard. And I may add that in England our leading men have discarded the Scofield Bible and dispensationalism generally many years ago. We have, as you point out, given dispensationalism to the evangelical world, and I feel guilty whenever I see a dear Pentecostal brother with his Scofield Bible under his arm. I see that dispensationalism is still very strong in North America, as in Ireland, New Zealand, etc. I do what I can to stop the rot.

J. R. Taylor
Argentina

Repudiation

Your publication has been a challenge to my theology (being from a strict dispensational background) and my life. Although Present Truth hasn't transformed me into a strict Calvinist, it has been a contributing factor in my repudiation of dispensational theology. I find that, in the final analysis, we can gain much from both theologies—not because synthesis is the answer, but because I find the Bible to be much more inclusive than either of these theologies (both having much good to offer; each losing much due to blind dogmatism and rationalism).

I trust that our sovereign Lord will continue to form and reform until that day.

Joseph W. H. Lough
Wisconsin

Better Than College

You have helped me build up a Christ-centered theology and have taught me more about systematic theology than I ever learned at college.

I have become disturbed about how many Christian theologians are looking with bated breath to Palestine and the blessing they wish to see God give to the Jew.

Brian E. Sterley
South Africa

Cluttered

While Present Truth and some of your readers do not agree with dispensational teaching, I am still grateful for your magazine. My faith in the Lord and in the Word is such that neither Present Truth nor Scofield will hinder my access to heaven. I pray that both will help me understand the Way and continue to help others along the Way, which, I might add, has become greatly cluttered with theology.

A. Frank Gibbs
Arizona

New Perspective

I would like to express my thanks for the profound influence which Present Truth has had on my theology since I first started reading the magazine several months ago. Having become thoroughly disenchanted with my own experience-centered Christianity, I had found myself having difficulty studying the Bible when all I saw was how far short I fell of what God wants me to be. Since reading your magazine, I have begun to look at the Bible from a whole new perspective, attempting to trace God's provision of His own righteousness to believers in both the Old and New Testament. My wife feels much the same way.

Douglas J. Soleida
Germany

Dangerously Shallow

I always find your magazine interesting, though the approach strikes me as sometimes odd. I pastor a small Baptist church, although I am personally non-denominational in viewpoint. Your eschatology has caused me to examine my pre-millennialism in light of God's Word and to hold it more intelligently. In short, you help me to see how Christians on the other side of orthodoxy (i.e., non-Fundamentalists) think. You are correct that too many of us preach a gospel that is dangerously shallow.

Marvin P. Reem, Pastor
Illinois

"New Testament Eschatology"

I have just completed reading Present Truth on "New Testament Eschatology." This material is a must for every minister. The Christ event as that which fulfills the Old Testament promises and prophecies was very well presented. But the finest aspect was that the Christ event enfolds what is to unfold at the eschaton. Christ-centered, Christ-inspiring! To me, that issue could be summarized as the "schoolmaster" (Gal. 3), driving us to Christ. Please continue to fill that roll.

D. A. Hale, Minister
Australia

The Priesthood of All Believers

I appreciate your magazine and look forward to each issue. I would certainly be interested in seeing some articles on the doctrine of "the priesthood of all believers."

Wayne McLaughlin, Baptist Pastor
Indiana

Blackmail?

I will be glad to resume my contributions as soon as you repudiate your issue on "Election."

John Robbins
District of Columbia

Aggressive Stand

It seems that, more often than not, the presentation of your material comes under fire rather than the material itself. As a regular reader of your magazine, I really appreciate your stand, and not only your stand, but the strength of it also. In a day when indecision and lack of commitment seem rampant, your stand is most refreshing.

Although we do not agree on every point, I am in complete accord with you when it comes to lustification, sanctification and the neo-Pentecostal movement. I consider your opinions to be of high quality and very trustworthy.

If the truth is worthy of belief, then it is worthy of a strong commitment. Part of the problem that we are now facing in the evangelical camp is the wishy-washy stand of prior generations. I think it is time we took a firm and aggressive stand on the truth of God's Word. As the old adage says, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."

Olen Jones, Jr.
California

Hard Time

From indications, the true believers in justification by faith and imputed righteousness are in for a hard time.

D. Scott Schnarr, Bible College Student
South Carolina