The Methodology of our Eschatology
The Problem
The predicament that motivated this twenty year research project is the systemic breakdown of Biblical true-Truth from the continual progressive lack of good honest teaching in Revelation and Eschatology in general. In most American Churches and ministries, there is a decreasing sense of a focus on what God’ really said, a lack of spiritual maturity as demonstrated by a lack of character, involvement and interest of deeper spiritual things. This is occurring at an epidemic rate while bad fads and dangerous trends are replacing solid Bible teaching and discipleship.
There is just too much bad and false teaching on this subject! There is too much sloppy exegesis and fraudulent Bible study and grandstanding and in conjunction too much reading in “Eisegesis” to glean what people want out of God’s Word. Thus, God’s people are attacking, even raping God’s word to create their own word and in the process distract His children away from perusing a deep spiritual formation with Christ by chasing nonsense and trivialities of man’s ideas are trivialities not following God’s (Acts 17:11; 2 Corinthians 4:2; and 2 Timothy 2:15; Revelation 22:18-19)!
The Problem of Eisegesis
http://www.churchleadership.org/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=67933&columnid=4624
As serious students of God’s Word the Bible we must know this great axiom, that to engage in honest and effectual Bible exposition, context, context and…one more…context, the historical, genre, textual…what does that term mean not just in the original language, but by the context of the language structure, what did it mean to the person who penned under God’s inspiration and who originally heard and read it…what does it mean elsewhere in Scripture… and so on…. Not what a madman in a suite is screaming on TV, thus we are relaying the research on this for your examination…
Our M.O. “modus operandi” is simply to seek out what the Bible has to say on Eschatology. We have no ax to grind, no view to prove, we engage the Bible as humble learners. Thus, we seek the most honest and effectual approach is to engage the Bible without a preconceived view, to carefully research what is being said in context, word meaning, genre… Thus, an inductive exegetical approach is undertook, along side of deductive research to see what did that mean to the original writers and hearers and readers of it, not what we may think today. In this way, we can get a better picture of End Times and better embrace God’s most precious Word!
Our focus primarily a critical and scholarly evaluation on the text and its context from the view of how it was understood in the time and culture from rigorous and sustained exegetical analysis (that is why this took 20 years). We will also consider the diachronic approach (i.e. the text’s phenomena interpretive history with its change through time, i.e. all the various views). The Inductive method that is employed is logical induction arising from inductance reactance of word meaning and context, and sentence structure proceeding from particular facts to a general conclusion. It is our attempt to take the principle inductive questions and seek what does the text plainly say, what does it mean and how does it apply today and weave it into a conversational presentation annotations and built points. Then, this induction is compared to logical deduction; “deductive reasoning” inferences from general principles from historicity, compared to others research evidence. We will also explore both the salient as well as the convergent and divergent views. I do not believe anyone has seriously done this; layout all the main views side by side next to the inductive and deductive research for each passage and then you can then make your own determinations.
Our point is to focus on what God says not what man says… we are the triviality when we distract others from Him. He is Sovereign… Thus, we look to Matthew 24, what Jesus clearly stated as our template, not heretical preachers or even what our denominations stated or what is popular…
The findings clearly show the more time in spiritual formation the increased joyful spiritual focus on Christ and effectual Christian living of the individual. Also what was asked is why is Eschatology important and how and why it is not important. The results of these questions were taken into account to the necessity of education of End Times precepts.
The Essential Inductive Questions
- What does this passage say?
- What does this passage mean?
- What is God telling me? How am I encouraged and strengthened?
- Is there a sin in my life for which confession and repentance is needed?
- How can I be changed so I can learn and grow?
- What is in the way of these precepts affecting me?
- What is in the way of my listening to God?
- How does this apply to me? What will I do about it?
- What can I model and teach?
- What does God want me to share with someone?
The Deductive Reasoning is as Follows
- What does the word mean?
- What is the textual context?
- What is the genre context?
- What is historical context?
- Does it change anything?
- Does it indicate anything?
- What have others researched and taught on this passage?
- How does it add to your (and our) understanding?
Eschatology is important, why we have spent 20 years carefully researching and studying this, what is not important is crazy made up theory’s to satisfy ones pride…so we are not growing in the Faith and Fruit instead arguing with one another as the Gospel goes unnoticed…
Primary Sources, References and Resources used:
- The New American Standard New Testament Greek Lexicon from online and PC software based on Thayer’s and Smith’s Bible Dictionary, Kittel, Colin Brown and the “Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.”
- Richard J Krejcir. Into Thy Word. “Into Thy Word Bible Study Method.” Writers Club Press. 2000.
- Augustine. The City of God
- Calvin, John. The Institutes of the Christian Religion
- The Works of Early Church Fathers
- The Works Eusebius
- The Works of Justin
- The Works of Josephus
- Alan Johnson, Expositors Bible Commentary, I, II, Revelation. Zondervan. 1981, 1994.
- Arthur Ogden, The Avenging Of The Apostles & Prophets, Ogden Publications, 1985
- Barclay, William. Daily Study Bible: The Revelation of John. John Knox Press, 1977
- Caird, G.B. Harper’s New Testament Commentaries: Revelation of St John, Hendrickson Publishers, 1987
13. Charles, R.H. International Critical Commentary: Revelation of St John, 1920
14. Craig S. Keener. The IVP Bible Background Commentary. Inter Varsity Press. 1993.
15. The Expositors Greek Testament, Eerdmans, 1979
16. Foy E. Wallace Jr., The Book Of Revelation, Wallace Publications,1966
17. G.B. Caird, A Commentary on the Revelation of Saint John the Devine, Harper and Row, 1966
18. Gerhard Krodel, Revelation, Augsburg, 1989
19. G.R. Beasley-Murray, The Book of Revelation, Eerdmans NCB, 1978
20. Halley’s Bible Handbook. Regency. 1927.
21. Hodge, Charles. Systematic Theology, Hendrickson, 1999
22. J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come, Zondervan, 1958
23. Jerome H Smith, Ed. The New Treasury of SCRIPTURE Knowledge. Thomas Nelson. 1992.
24. Jim McGuiggan, The Book Of Revelation, Montex, 1976
25. John F. Walvoord, Revelation, Bible Knowledge Commentary, Victor Books, 1983.
26. George Eldon Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament, rev. ed. ed. Donald A. Hagner, Eerdmans, 1993
27. Merill C. Tenney, Interpreting Revelation, Eerdmans, 1957
28. The Moffatt, New Testament Commentary: Revelation of St John, Eerdmans, 1997
29. Morris, Leon. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries: Revelation of St John, Tyndale, 1969, 1984
30. New Geneva Study Bible. Thomas Nelson. 1995.
31. Philip Schaff, History Of The Christian Church, Vol. I, Eerdmans, 1910,1985
32. R.C. Sproul. Essential Truths of the Christian Faith. Tyndale. 1992.
33. Sturgeon’s Devotional Bible. Baker Books. 1964.
34. Warren Wiersbe. With the Word. Oliver Nelson. 1991.
35. Research at the Scholarly Archives at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA; Years of study & teaching notes; Seminary notes; Prayer
The primary exegete is Rev. Richard Joseph Krejcir, M.Div., Ph.D., is the founder and Director of Into Thy Word Ministries, a missions and discipling ministry. He is also the theologian in residence, at the Francis Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership. www.churchleadership.org/ He is the author of several books including, Into Thy Word, and A Field Guide to Healthy Relationships. He is also a pastor, teacher, and speaker. He is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California (M.Div.) and holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Practical Theology in London, England (Ph.D). He has garnered over 20 years of pastoral ministry experience, mostly in youth ministry, including serving as a church growth consultant.
Do you read from the Bible or read into the Bible? Do you know the difference?
Thank-you for all for your attention and contributions and be blessed!