Richard L . Mayhue | The Master's Seminary (original) (raw)

Papers by Richard L . Mayhue

The biblical phrase "Day of the Lord" is a key phrase in understanding God's revelation about the... more The biblical phrase "Day of the Lord" is a key phrase in understanding God's revelation about the future. The NT writers' use of this phrase rested upon their understanding of the OT prophets. A survey of the OT indicates that it was used by the prophets when speaking of both near historical and future eschatological events. The NT writers picked up on the eschatological use and applied the phrase both to the judgment which will climax the Tribulation period and the judgment which will usher in the new earth.

New Testament Essays In Honor of Homer A. Kent, Jr., 1991

The biblical phrase "Day of the Lord" (DOL) stands as a key term in understanding God's revelatio... more The biblical phrase "Day of the Lord" (DOL) stands as a key term in understanding God's revelation about the future. The NT writers' use of DOL rested upon their understanding of the OT prophets. A survey of the OT indicates that it was used by the prophets when speaking of both near historical and future eschatological events. The NT writers picked up on the eschatological use and applied DOL both to the judgment which will climax the Tribulation period and the judgment which will usher in the new earth.

The Master's Seminary Journal, 2011

The biblical phrase “Day of the Lord” (DOL) stands as a key term in understanding God’s revelatio... more The biblical phrase “Day of the Lord” (DOL) stands as a key term in understanding God’s revelation about the future. The NT writers’ use of DOL rested upon their understanding of the OT prophets. A survey of the OT indicates that it was used by the prophets when speaking of both near historical and future eschatological events involving God’s wrath. The NT writers picked up on the eschatological use and applied DOL both to the judgment which will climax the Tribulation period and the judgment which will usher in the new earth. This view is not only compatible with but also strengthens the case for Futuristic Premillennialism and a Pretribulational Rapture.

The Healing Promise: Is it Always God's Will to Heal?, 1997

A ll rights reserved. 'NIV' is a registe red trademark of International Bible Society. UK tradema... more A ll rights reserved. 'NIV' is a registe red trademark of International Bible Society. UK trademark number 1448790. Scripture quotations marked 'KJV' are taken from the Holy Bible, the King James Version.

The Healing Promise: Is it Always God's Will to Heal?, 1997

A member of the Hodder Head line G roup. All ri ghts reserved. 'Ntv' is a registered trademark of... more A member of the Hodder Head line G roup. All ri ghts reserved. 'Ntv' is a registered trademark of In ternatio nal Bible Society. UK trademark number 1448790. Scripture quotations marked 'l(J v' are taken from th e Holy Bible, the King James Version .

Think Biblically! Recovering a Christian Worldview, 2003

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system ... more All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocoPy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided by USA copyright law.

To seek to do and to teach: Essays in Honor of Larry D. Pettegrew, 2022

Coming to Grips with Genesis, 2008

Winona Lake, Indiana. Subsequently, he participated as a member of my Th.M. thesis committee and ... more Winona Lake, Indiana. Subsequently, he participated as a member of my Th.M. thesis committee and my Th.D. dissertation committee, all at Grace. This stalwart of the faith not only taught me throughout my student days, but he also then became a senior colleague in my junior teaching days (Greek and New Testament) at Grace where he always sought to be a personal encouragement. Some of my most treasured memories come from the times when he was a faculty prayer partner. Over the ensuing years, I have been immeasurably enriched by knowing "Jack" Whitcomb as a theological mentor and friend. Throughout his Christian life, Dr. Whitcomb has taken 2 Timothy 4:7-8 and Jude 3 seriously in his teaching and writing ministries. While indefatigably contending for the once-for-all-delivered faith, passionately fighting the good fight, and relentlessly holding high the Holy Scriptures, he has been running the race non-stop as a brilliant and articulate spokesman for the cause of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, especially in the matters of creation, 1 the Genesis Flood, 2 and the historicity of the Old Testament. 3 106 Coming to Grips with Genesis As a tribute to this special man who has contributed so much to my life over the past four decades, I gladly take pen in hand to write affirmingly on a theme for which he has expended much of his energies-the validation and defense of a young earth. With this chapter, I salute you, Dr. Whitcomb, because you have selflessly devoted your ministry to the glory of God as recited in His absolutely inerrant and wholly sufficient Word-the Bible-which provides the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). The Question Is nature the 67th book of the Bible? Providing the answer to this provocative query demands much more time and effort than might be realized at first hearing. It involves matters of: (1) canonicity; (2) the correct interpretation of Psalm 19, Acts 14, Acts 17, Romans 1, and Romans 10; (3) the unique authority of Scripture; (4) the character similarities and differences between general and special revelation; (5) man's fallen mind and the empirical approach to science; (6) proper hermeneutical principles of biblical interpretation; and (7) a biblical worldview. This significant question should not be taken lightly nor answered quickly. Yet, this appears to be the manner in which Dr. Hugh Ross 4 has treated this matter. In a discussion whose length falls short of three full pages, this popular author, uncritically and without reservation, writes what appears to be intended as a self-evident axiom, "The facts of nature may be likened to a sixty-seventh book of the Bible." 5 What is the reader to make of Ross's assertion? Is he right? Or, is he wrong?

The Master's Seminary Journal, 2023

This essay explores elements of integrity which explain why a unified theology is an imperative f... more This essay explores elements of integrity which explain why a unified theology is an imperative for The Master's Seminary (TMS) and for training pastor-teachers. Biblical, educational, and ecclesiastical integrity all contribute to training pastorteacher in accord with the primary purpose or intent of TMS. The concluding remarks prescribe both a preventative approach to avoid or correct doctrinal drift and a suggestive reading list related to this subject.

Unmasking Satan: Understanding Satan's Battle Plan and Biblical Strategies for fighting Back... more Unmasking Satan: Understanding Satan's Battle Plan and Biblical Strategies for fighting Back © 1988, 2001 by Richard Mayhue Published by Kregel Publications, a division of Kregel, Inc., PO Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501. For more infor-mation about Kregel ...

The Master's Seminary Journal, 1995

Isaiah 53:4-5 raises the question, "For what did Christ atone?" or more specifically, "Is physica... more Isaiah 53:4-5 raises the question, "For what did Christ atone?" or more specifically, "Is physical healing in the atonement?" Outside Isaiah 53, Scriptures touching on Christ's atonement in Leviticus and Hebrews deal only with sin, not sickness. The context and language of Isa 53:3-12 address sin alone. A broad range of Scriptures teach that Christ died to deal with humankind's sin dilemma. Matthew 8:16-17 uses an illustration of physical healing to demonstrate a spiritual truth about the Christian's resurrection hope of being sinless and thus in perfect health. First Peter 2:24, studied in both broad context (2:18-25) and narrow (2:24-25), reasons that Christ atoned for sin, not sickness. Therefore, the conclusion is that physical healing is not in the atonement, but rather comes through the atonement after resurrection, because only then does the atonement eliminate the moral cause of physical infirmities, which is sin in one's personal experience.

The Master's Seminary Journal, 1997

Dr. Jack Deere, the well-known noncessationist author of the previously published Surprised by th... more Dr. Jack Deere, the well-known noncessationist author of the previously published Surprised by the Power of the Spirit, has proposed in his sequel, Surprised by the Voice of God, that humble, obedient Christians who seek to have an intimate walk with God should regularly hear God speak outside of Scripture through various means such as an audible voice, impressions, dreams, and/or visions. The author even suggests that a Christian’s experience today could exceed the most spectacular moments in the first-century church at Jerusalem as recorded in Acts. Deere’s attitudes toward those who disagree with his theological posture on these issues (cessationists) and his proposals are examined in regard to their logical validity, hermeneutical propriety, anecdotal proportions, exegetical precision, and theological persuasion. This reviewer has concluded that Deere unfortunately attempts to make too much out of too little and thus fails to present a convincing case for his own Third Wave convictions when Scripture, not experience, is the arbiter.

The Master's Seminary Journal, 1994

Dr. Jack Deere, a former professor at Dallas Theological Seminary and a highly visible convert fr... more Dr. Jack Deere, a former professor at Dallas Theological Seminary and a highly visible convert from the cessationist to the noncessationist position regarding miraculous acts of God through men, recounts his journey in Surprised by the Power of the Spirit. He reasons that cessationists have argued more from silence than from Scripture, have twisted Scripture, and have no one single Scripture passage that proves their point. In this brief analysis of his work, it is apparent that Deere, not cessationists, has made these interpretive errors in coming to his biblically unfounded conclusion that the miraculous acts of God have continued beyond the apostolic age—but with lesser quality and frequency.

The Master's Seminary Journal, 2009

This introductory essay overviews the indispensable theme of Christ’s penal substitution on Golgo... more This introductory essay overviews the indispensable theme of Christ’s penal substitution on Golgotha’s cross. The subject unfolds in two parts; the first section provides background and context for this essential theological truth. The second section reasons that three compelling biblical necessities require a true believer in Jesus Christ to understand scripturally and accept the Savior’s penal substitution on behalf of redeemed sinners, especially oneself. The landscape/backdrop for this article provides (1) a definition of “Christ’s penal substitution,” (2) statements by representative defenders and objectors to this doctrine, and (3) an introduction to subsequent and more focused writings in this issue of TMSJ. Then follows the proposition that Scripture must necessarily be understood as consistently (in both OT and NT) teaching Christ’s penal substitution, which rests on three convincing biblical lines of thinking: (1) revelational evidence, (2) lexical evidence, and (3) theological evidence. The writer thus concludes that this teaching is clear, not obscure, thoroughly biblical, not humanly contrived, and essential to personal salvation, not optional.

The Master's Seminary Journal, 2006

Brian McLaren, though not speaking officially for all who identify with the “emergent movement,” ... more Brian McLaren, though not speaking officially for all who identify with the “emergent movement,” nonetheless has become the most visible and widely-read proponent. Therefore, a review of his signature volume, A Generous Orthodoxy, serves to identify representative features of this recent religious phenomenon. The central question to be addressed must be, “Is it of God or is it of man?” Five significant characteristics of McLaren’s “conversation” lead this reviewer to conclude the latter, not the former. These qualities include:(1) An Eclectic Church; (2) An Ecumenical Church; (3) An Earthbound Church; (4) A Scripture-Doubting Church; and (5) A Resisting-Biblical-Authority Church . Therefore, the Emerging Church Movement should be rejected as another failed attempt (no matter how sincere or learned) to improve on “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

The Master's Seminary Journal, 2010

This introduction to the much neglected and frequently misunderstood theme of biblical sanctifica... more This introduction to the much neglected and frequently misunderstood theme of biblical sanctification serves as the foundation upon which the subsequent four essays rest and out of which they arise. First a “primer on sanctification” defines the comprehensive biblical basis for and the implications of sanctification for the Christian’s life temporally and eternally. Second, a Scriptural perspective on sanctification highlights the various patterns of sanctification in one’s Christian journey. Third, biblically emphasized particulars of sanctification help to distinguish between the past, present, and future elements of a Christian’s experience. Ultimately, this essay concludes that sanctification in its full biblical breadth encompasses a Christian’s beginning in salvation and a Christian’s continuation in growing to be like Christ which reaches perfection with a true believer’s glorification after death.

The Master's Seminary Journal, 1992

Dr. John H. Gerstner, a recognized scholar with impressive credentials, has issued a call for dis... more Dr. John H. Gerstner, a recognized scholar with impressive credentials, has issued a call for dispensationalists to admit the glaring gaps between their system and orthodox Christianity. However, his presentation of dispensationalism contains shortcomings that necessitate this special review article to point out some of these and to challenge dispensationalists to publicize a greater clarification of their position. Many of the assumptions that undergird Dr. Gerstner's case against dispensationalism are in error. These faults are magnified by a number of major weaknesses in his argument.
A review of the book shows how the author's treatment of his subject deteriorates even more through ten representative theological misstatements.
The work is of such a misleading nature that a retraction of some kind seems to be in order.

The Master's Seminary Journal, 1998

The plethora of literature produced in the last two decades on the basic nature of hell indicates... more The plethora of literature produced in the last two decades on the basic nature of hell indicates a growing debate in evangelicalism that has not been experienced since the latter half of the nineteenth century. This introductory article to the entire theme issue of TMSJ sets forth the context of the question of whether hell involves conscious torment forever in Gehenna for unbelievers or their annihilation after the final judgment. It discusses historical, philosophical, lexical, contextual, and theological issues that prove crucial to reaching a definitive biblical conclusion. In the end, hell is a conscious, personal torment forever; it is not “just for awhile” before annihilation after the final judgment (conditional immortality) nor is its final retribution “never” (universalism).

The biblical phrase "Day of the Lord" is a key phrase in understanding God's revelation about the... more The biblical phrase "Day of the Lord" is a key phrase in understanding God's revelation about the future. The NT writers' use of this phrase rested upon their understanding of the OT prophets. A survey of the OT indicates that it was used by the prophets when speaking of both near historical and future eschatological events. The NT writers picked up on the eschatological use and applied the phrase both to the judgment which will climax the Tribulation period and the judgment which will usher in the new earth.

New Testament Essays In Honor of Homer A. Kent, Jr., 1991

The biblical phrase "Day of the Lord" (DOL) stands as a key term in understanding God's revelatio... more The biblical phrase "Day of the Lord" (DOL) stands as a key term in understanding God's revelation about the future. The NT writers' use of DOL rested upon their understanding of the OT prophets. A survey of the OT indicates that it was used by the prophets when speaking of both near historical and future eschatological events. The NT writers picked up on the eschatological use and applied DOL both to the judgment which will climax the Tribulation period and the judgment which will usher in the new earth.

The Master's Seminary Journal, 2011

The biblical phrase “Day of the Lord” (DOL) stands as a key term in understanding God’s revelatio... more The biblical phrase “Day of the Lord” (DOL) stands as a key term in understanding God’s revelation about the future. The NT writers’ use of DOL rested upon their understanding of the OT prophets. A survey of the OT indicates that it was used by the prophets when speaking of both near historical and future eschatological events involving God’s wrath. The NT writers picked up on the eschatological use and applied DOL both to the judgment which will climax the Tribulation period and the judgment which will usher in the new earth. This view is not only compatible with but also strengthens the case for Futuristic Premillennialism and a Pretribulational Rapture.

The Healing Promise: Is it Always God's Will to Heal?, 1997

A ll rights reserved. 'NIV' is a registe red trademark of International Bible Society. UK tradema... more A ll rights reserved. 'NIV' is a registe red trademark of International Bible Society. UK trademark number 1448790. Scripture quotations marked 'KJV' are taken from the Holy Bible, the King James Version.

The Healing Promise: Is it Always God's Will to Heal?, 1997

A member of the Hodder Head line G roup. All ri ghts reserved. 'Ntv' is a registered trademark of... more A member of the Hodder Head line G roup. All ri ghts reserved. 'Ntv' is a registered trademark of In ternatio nal Bible Society. UK trademark number 1448790. Scripture quotations marked 'l(J v' are taken from th e Holy Bible, the King James Version .

Think Biblically! Recovering a Christian Worldview, 2003

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system ... more All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocoPy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided by USA copyright law.

To seek to do and to teach: Essays in Honor of Larry D. Pettegrew, 2022

Coming to Grips with Genesis, 2008

Winona Lake, Indiana. Subsequently, he participated as a member of my Th.M. thesis committee and ... more Winona Lake, Indiana. Subsequently, he participated as a member of my Th.M. thesis committee and my Th.D. dissertation committee, all at Grace. This stalwart of the faith not only taught me throughout my student days, but he also then became a senior colleague in my junior teaching days (Greek and New Testament) at Grace where he always sought to be a personal encouragement. Some of my most treasured memories come from the times when he was a faculty prayer partner. Over the ensuing years, I have been immeasurably enriched by knowing "Jack" Whitcomb as a theological mentor and friend. Throughout his Christian life, Dr. Whitcomb has taken 2 Timothy 4:7-8 and Jude 3 seriously in his teaching and writing ministries. While indefatigably contending for the once-for-all-delivered faith, passionately fighting the good fight, and relentlessly holding high the Holy Scriptures, he has been running the race non-stop as a brilliant and articulate spokesman for the cause of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, especially in the matters of creation, 1 the Genesis Flood, 2 and the historicity of the Old Testament. 3 106 Coming to Grips with Genesis As a tribute to this special man who has contributed so much to my life over the past four decades, I gladly take pen in hand to write affirmingly on a theme for which he has expended much of his energies-the validation and defense of a young earth. With this chapter, I salute you, Dr. Whitcomb, because you have selflessly devoted your ministry to the glory of God as recited in His absolutely inerrant and wholly sufficient Word-the Bible-which provides the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). The Question Is nature the 67th book of the Bible? Providing the answer to this provocative query demands much more time and effort than might be realized at first hearing. It involves matters of: (1) canonicity; (2) the correct interpretation of Psalm 19, Acts 14, Acts 17, Romans 1, and Romans 10; (3) the unique authority of Scripture; (4) the character similarities and differences between general and special revelation; (5) man's fallen mind and the empirical approach to science; (6) proper hermeneutical principles of biblical interpretation; and (7) a biblical worldview. This significant question should not be taken lightly nor answered quickly. Yet, this appears to be the manner in which Dr. Hugh Ross 4 has treated this matter. In a discussion whose length falls short of three full pages, this popular author, uncritically and without reservation, writes what appears to be intended as a self-evident axiom, "The facts of nature may be likened to a sixty-seventh book of the Bible." 5 What is the reader to make of Ross's assertion? Is he right? Or, is he wrong?

The Master's Seminary Journal, 2023

This essay explores elements of integrity which explain why a unified theology is an imperative f... more This essay explores elements of integrity which explain why a unified theology is an imperative for The Master's Seminary (TMS) and for training pastor-teachers. Biblical, educational, and ecclesiastical integrity all contribute to training pastorteacher in accord with the primary purpose or intent of TMS. The concluding remarks prescribe both a preventative approach to avoid or correct doctrinal drift and a suggestive reading list related to this subject.

Unmasking Satan: Understanding Satan's Battle Plan and Biblical Strategies for fighting Back... more Unmasking Satan: Understanding Satan's Battle Plan and Biblical Strategies for fighting Back © 1988, 2001 by Richard Mayhue Published by Kregel Publications, a division of Kregel, Inc., PO Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501. For more infor-mation about Kregel ...

The Master's Seminary Journal, 1995

Isaiah 53:4-5 raises the question, "For what did Christ atone?" or more specifically, "Is physica... more Isaiah 53:4-5 raises the question, "For what did Christ atone?" or more specifically, "Is physical healing in the atonement?" Outside Isaiah 53, Scriptures touching on Christ's atonement in Leviticus and Hebrews deal only with sin, not sickness. The context and language of Isa 53:3-12 address sin alone. A broad range of Scriptures teach that Christ died to deal with humankind's sin dilemma. Matthew 8:16-17 uses an illustration of physical healing to demonstrate a spiritual truth about the Christian's resurrection hope of being sinless and thus in perfect health. First Peter 2:24, studied in both broad context (2:18-25) and narrow (2:24-25), reasons that Christ atoned for sin, not sickness. Therefore, the conclusion is that physical healing is not in the atonement, but rather comes through the atonement after resurrection, because only then does the atonement eliminate the moral cause of physical infirmities, which is sin in one's personal experience.

The Master's Seminary Journal, 1997

Dr. Jack Deere, the well-known noncessationist author of the previously published Surprised by th... more Dr. Jack Deere, the well-known noncessationist author of the previously published Surprised by the Power of the Spirit, has proposed in his sequel, Surprised by the Voice of God, that humble, obedient Christians who seek to have an intimate walk with God should regularly hear God speak outside of Scripture through various means such as an audible voice, impressions, dreams, and/or visions. The author even suggests that a Christian’s experience today could exceed the most spectacular moments in the first-century church at Jerusalem as recorded in Acts. Deere’s attitudes toward those who disagree with his theological posture on these issues (cessationists) and his proposals are examined in regard to their logical validity, hermeneutical propriety, anecdotal proportions, exegetical precision, and theological persuasion. This reviewer has concluded that Deere unfortunately attempts to make too much out of too little and thus fails to present a convincing case for his own Third Wave convictions when Scripture, not experience, is the arbiter.

The Master's Seminary Journal, 1994

Dr. Jack Deere, a former professor at Dallas Theological Seminary and a highly visible convert fr... more Dr. Jack Deere, a former professor at Dallas Theological Seminary and a highly visible convert from the cessationist to the noncessationist position regarding miraculous acts of God through men, recounts his journey in Surprised by the Power of the Spirit. He reasons that cessationists have argued more from silence than from Scripture, have twisted Scripture, and have no one single Scripture passage that proves their point. In this brief analysis of his work, it is apparent that Deere, not cessationists, has made these interpretive errors in coming to his biblically unfounded conclusion that the miraculous acts of God have continued beyond the apostolic age—but with lesser quality and frequency.

The Master's Seminary Journal, 2009

This introductory essay overviews the indispensable theme of Christ’s penal substitution on Golgo... more This introductory essay overviews the indispensable theme of Christ’s penal substitution on Golgotha’s cross. The subject unfolds in two parts; the first section provides background and context for this essential theological truth. The second section reasons that three compelling biblical necessities require a true believer in Jesus Christ to understand scripturally and accept the Savior’s penal substitution on behalf of redeemed sinners, especially oneself. The landscape/backdrop for this article provides (1) a definition of “Christ’s penal substitution,” (2) statements by representative defenders and objectors to this doctrine, and (3) an introduction to subsequent and more focused writings in this issue of TMSJ. Then follows the proposition that Scripture must necessarily be understood as consistently (in both OT and NT) teaching Christ’s penal substitution, which rests on three convincing biblical lines of thinking: (1) revelational evidence, (2) lexical evidence, and (3) theological evidence. The writer thus concludes that this teaching is clear, not obscure, thoroughly biblical, not humanly contrived, and essential to personal salvation, not optional.

The Master's Seminary Journal, 2006

Brian McLaren, though not speaking officially for all who identify with the “emergent movement,” ... more Brian McLaren, though not speaking officially for all who identify with the “emergent movement,” nonetheless has become the most visible and widely-read proponent. Therefore, a review of his signature volume, A Generous Orthodoxy, serves to identify representative features of this recent religious phenomenon. The central question to be addressed must be, “Is it of God or is it of man?” Five significant characteristics of McLaren’s “conversation” lead this reviewer to conclude the latter, not the former. These qualities include:(1) An Eclectic Church; (2) An Ecumenical Church; (3) An Earthbound Church; (4) A Scripture-Doubting Church; and (5) A Resisting-Biblical-Authority Church . Therefore, the Emerging Church Movement should be rejected as another failed attempt (no matter how sincere or learned) to improve on “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

The Master's Seminary Journal, 2010

This introduction to the much neglected and frequently misunderstood theme of biblical sanctifica... more This introduction to the much neglected and frequently misunderstood theme of biblical sanctification serves as the foundation upon which the subsequent four essays rest and out of which they arise. First a “primer on sanctification” defines the comprehensive biblical basis for and the implications of sanctification for the Christian’s life temporally and eternally. Second, a Scriptural perspective on sanctification highlights the various patterns of sanctification in one’s Christian journey. Third, biblically emphasized particulars of sanctification help to distinguish between the past, present, and future elements of a Christian’s experience. Ultimately, this essay concludes that sanctification in its full biblical breadth encompasses a Christian’s beginning in salvation and a Christian’s continuation in growing to be like Christ which reaches perfection with a true believer’s glorification after death.

The Master's Seminary Journal, 1992

Dr. John H. Gerstner, a recognized scholar with impressive credentials, has issued a call for dis... more Dr. John H. Gerstner, a recognized scholar with impressive credentials, has issued a call for dispensationalists to admit the glaring gaps between their system and orthodox Christianity. However, his presentation of dispensationalism contains shortcomings that necessitate this special review article to point out some of these and to challenge dispensationalists to publicize a greater clarification of their position. Many of the assumptions that undergird Dr. Gerstner's case against dispensationalism are in error. These faults are magnified by a number of major weaknesses in his argument.
A review of the book shows how the author's treatment of his subject deteriorates even more through ten representative theological misstatements.
The work is of such a misleading nature that a retraction of some kind seems to be in order.

The Master's Seminary Journal, 1998

The plethora of literature produced in the last two decades on the basic nature of hell indicates... more The plethora of literature produced in the last two decades on the basic nature of hell indicates a growing debate in evangelicalism that has not been experienced since the latter half of the nineteenth century. This introductory article to the entire theme issue of TMSJ sets forth the context of the question of whether hell involves conscious torment forever in Gehenna for unbelievers or their annihilation after the final judgment. It discusses historical, philosophical, lexical, contextual, and theological issues that prove crucial to reaching a definitive biblical conclusion. In the end, hell is a conscious, personal torment forever; it is not “just for awhile” before annihilation after the final judgment (conditional immortality) nor is its final retribution “never” (universalism).