Evangelical Bible Doctrine: Articles in Honor of Dr. Mal Couch

By Dr. Keith Sherlin and Dr.Paige Patterson

Over twenty-one faithful evangelical Bible teachers have joined together in this work to both honor the legacy of Dr. Mal Couch as well as to promote a solid, sacred, and safe theological manual for the body of Christ. Colleagues and friends of Dr. Couch, such as Dr. Wayne House, Dr. Norman Geisler, Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum, Dr. Timothy Demy, and more, along with many of Mals students and disciples, set forth in this work a biblical and practical theology. The first half of the book covers all twelve of the major biblical doctrines of Christianity. The last half covers some of the hottest theological topics and practical issues that present-day believers ought to be aware of in order to properly defend the faith. In chapter 25 you will meet many of the disciples in Christ that Mal taught over the years as they express their gratitude for this godly giant of the faith. So if you are curious about what a holistic evangelical faith looks like, and even curious as to how dispensationalism fits within orthodox evangelicalism, this book will provide for you a solid resource for many years to come.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 10, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504964968

Dr. Keith Sherlin

Keith Sherlin earned a B.A. from North Greenville University; a M.T.S. from Tyndale Theological Seminary; a M.A. with high honors from Trinity Theological Seminary; a Th.D from Scofield Theological Seminary under the guidance of Dr. Couch; and a Ph.D (ABD) with Trinity Theological Seminary. He is an author of several books, and has taught at both Tyndale Seminary and Scofield Seminary. He has served as a pastor/elder in several churches. Additionally he has served in the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s Search for Jesus Ministry. In the common grace field he has also served as a county sheriff’s deputy, state chief of public safety, and as a judge in South Carolina. Kenny Rhodes is an ordained Southern Baptist pastor with over 24 years in the ministry. He has served as a Youth Pastor, Worship Pastor, and Sr. Pastor. He presently serves as Pastor and President of Mable Ave Ministries, a para-church and church planting organization. He also serves as President and Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Scofield Graduate School and Seminary, Modesto, CA. Pastor Kenny has two earned doctorates, DRE (religious education) and PhD (theology/apologetics). Kenny has been married to Tami since 1994 and they have three wonderful children: Tajiana (19), Micaela (16), and Kent (15), who all serve the Lord.

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© 2015 Dr. Keith Sherlin. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 12/09/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-6497-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-6498-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-6496-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015920107

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Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®). Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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CONTENTS

FOREWORD

EDITOR’S PREFACE: HONORING THE HONORABLE MAL COUCH

WHY THE NEED FOR THIS BOOK?

MAL COUCH: A QUINTESSENTIAL PASTOR AND THEOLOGIAN

ONE GIANT AMONG MANY GIANT ORTHODOX SPIRITUAL FATHERS

ALIGNMENT WITH EARLY CHURCH FATHERS (30 – 500 AD)

ALIGNMENT WITH THE REFORMERS (1400’S – 1700 AD)

ALIGNMENT WITH THE MODERN POST-REFORMATION EVANGELICAL LEADERS (1750 – PRESENT DAY)

MAL COUCH’S PLACE IN EVANGELICAL HISTORY & OUR CONTINUATION OF THAT SPIRITUAL TORCH

THE ESSENCE OF MAL COUCH’S DOCTRINE

CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 1: THEOLOGY PROPER

WHAT IS THEOLOGY?

SOURCE

DIVISIONS

THEOLOGY PROPER

THE PRIORITY OF THEOLOGY PROPER

CAN GOD BE KNOWN OR DEFINED?

A BASIC DEFINITION

APPREHENDING GOD

LANGUAGE ABOUT GOD

FAITH AND REASON

THE ‘DOXA’ AND ‘SOTERIC’ KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IN CREATION - GOD’S GLORY

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IN CREATION - GOD’S GOODNESS

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IN CREATION - GOD’S GREATNESS

DYNAMIC POWER

THE DIVINE PERSON

SPACE/MATTER/TIME— UNIVERSE

THREE-DIMENSIONS (SPACE)

PAST–PRESENT–FUTURE (TIME)

SOLID–LIQUID–VAPOR (MATTER)

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IN THE CONSCIENCE – SENSUS DIVINITATIS

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IN CREATION AND CONSCIENCE REJECTED

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD RESTORED

SELF-KNOWLEDGE AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

CHAPTER 1 CONTINUED IN SECTION B

GOD’S BEING – THE EXISTENCE/ESSENCE OF GOD

THE LAWS OF THOUGHT

THE LAW OF NECESSARY BEING OR THE LAW OF ‘THE ONE WHO IS’

THE TRI-UNITY OF GOD

THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRI-UNITY OF GOD 176

THE TRI-UNITY AND THE NICENE CREED (325 A.D.)

BIBLICAL EVIDENCE FOR THE TRINITY

ONE SUBSTANCE (SUBSTANTIA)

THREE SUBSISTENCES (SUBSISTANTIA)

GOD THE FATHER

GOD THE SON

JESUS CONCERNING HIS DEITY

JOHN CONCERNING CHRIST’S DEITY

PAUL CONCERNING CHRIST’S DEITY

HEBREWS

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT

PREPOSITIONS OF THE ECONOMIC TRINITY

THE DOCTRINE OF PERICHŌRĒSIS/CIRCUMINCESSION AND MUTUAL INDWELLING

CHAPTER 1 CONTINUED IN SECTION C

GOD’S BEING – THE ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES OF GOD: GOD’S GREATNESS

DIVINE ATTRIBUTES

VIA TRIPLEX (THE TRIPLE WAY)

DEFINING ESSENCE

PRIMARY SUBSTANCE – INDIVIDUAL

SECONDARY SUBSTANCE – DEUTRA OUSIA (SPECIES/KINDS)

THE WAY SPECIES ARE ALIKE – GENUS

WHAT AN INDIVIDUAL IS – GENUS + DIFFERENCE = SPECIES

THE PREDICATION OF BEING: THE ANALOGICAL USE OF BEING

ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE

ASEITY/SIMPLICITY (EXODUS 3:14; JOHN 5:26, 14:6; ACTS 17:25, 28) GOD IS ENS A SE, BEING OF ITSELF AND ENS NON AB ALIO, BEING NOT FROM ANOTHER.

SPIRIT/PERSONA (ACTS 17:28-29; JOHN 4:24; 1 TIMOTHY 1:17, 6:15-16)

INFINITY/ETERNALITY (PSALM 90:1-2, 147:5; JOB 11:7)

DYNAMIC IMMUTABILITY (MALACHI 3:6; HEBREWS 13:8)

INCOMPREHENSIBILITY (PSALM 145:3; ISAIAH 40:28; ROMANS 11:33)

OMNIPRESENCE/IMMENSITY (JEREMIAH 23:23-24; PSALM 139)

OMNIPOTENCE (GENESIS 17:1; REVELATION 19:6)

OMNISCIENCE (1 JOHN 3:20; PSALM 139; PSALM 147:4; ISAIAH 40:26-28)

SIMPLICITY AND KNOWLEDGE

FOREKNOWLEDGE AND PREDESTINATION

GOD’S WILL AND MAN’S WILL

PERFECTION (MATTHEW 5:48; PSALM 18:30)

CHAPTER 1 CONTINUED IN SECTION D:

COMMUNICATING GOD – THE MISSIONAL ATTRIBUTES: GOD’S GOODNESS

LOVE (1 JOHN 4:8-9; ISAIAH 63:9)

GOODNESS (MARK 10:18; NAHUM 1:7; EXODUS 33:19; PSALM 34:8)

GRACE (PSALM 86:15; PSALM 116:5; EPHESIANS 1:6-7; EPHESIANS 2:7; 1 PETER 5:10)

RIGHTEOUSNESS (PSALM 11: 7; PSALM 89:14; PSALM 45:6; ROMANS 3:25)

HOLINESS (ISAIAH 6:1-5; 1 PETER 1:15-16)

ELOHIM (EL) – GOD (GENESIS 1:1; 17:3; EXODUS 3:1; 6:3; DEUTERONOMY 5:26; PSALM 7:9)

YAHWEH – LORD (6,805X) (GENESIS 2:4; 4:1; EXODUS 3:14-15; 6:3; 1 SAMUEL 12:22; ISAIAH 42:8)

ADONAI – LORD (GENESIS 15:2; EXODUS 4:13; JOSHUA 3:11; 1 KINGS 22:6; ZECHARIAH 9:4)

EL BETHEL – GOD OF THE HOUSE OF GOD (GENESIS 31:13; 35:7)

EL ELYON – GOD, THE MOST HIGH GOD (GENESIS 14:18–22)

EL OLAM – THE GOD OF ETERNITY (GENESIS 21:33)

EL RO’I – GOD OF SEEING OR GOD WHO SEES ME (GENESIS 16:13)

EL SHADDAI – GOD OF THE MOUNTAINS, OR GOD ALMIGHTY (GENESIS 17:1; EXODUS 6:3; RUTH 1:20; JOB 5:17; PSALM 68:14; ISAIAH 13:6; JOEL 1:15; NUMBERS 24:4, 16; ISAIAH 13:6; EZEKIEL 1:24; JOEL 1:15; PSALM 68:15; 91:1; JOB 5:17–40:2; GENESIS 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 43:14; 48:3; EXODUS 6:3; EZEKIEL 10:5; JOB 8:5; 13:3; 15:25)

CHAPTER 2: BIBLIOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

INSPIRATION

INERRANCY

ALLEGED ERRORS

AUTHORITY

CANONICITY

CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 3: ANGELOLOGY

THE REALITY OF ANGELS

NAMES OF ANGELS

NAMES OF DEMONS

ORIGIN OF ANGELS

TIME OF THEIR CREATION

ANGELS WERE ALL ORIGINALLY CREATED HOLY

ORIGIN OF DEMONS

CLASSIFICATION OF ANGELS

NATURE AND ATTRIBUTES OF ANGELS

TYPE OF BEING

NATURE OF ANGELS

POPULATION OF ANGELS

TYPES OF ANGELS

THE ABODE OF ANGELS

ACTIVITIES OF ANGELS

ACTIVITIES OF DEMONS

DEMON POSSESSION

DOCTRINE OF SATAN

EXISTENCE, ORIGIN AND NATURE OF SATAN

NAMES OF SATAN

ACTIVITIES OF SATAN

JUDGMENT OF SATAN

THE CHRISTIAN’S VICTORY OVER SATAN

CHAPTER 4: ANTHROPOLOGY: THE IMAGO DEI IN MAN

THE IMAGO DEI AND THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE

THE IMAGO DEI AND CIVILITY

THE IMAGO DEI AND HUMAN GOVERNMENT

THE IMAGO DEI AND SEXUALITY

THE IMAGO DEI AND WORSHIP

CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 5: HAMARTIOLOGY

TEMPTATION BY THE SERPENT (GEN. 3:1-5)

IDENTITY OF THE SERPENT (GEN. 3:1A)

SATAN’S TACTICS (GEN. 3:1B, 4-5)

ADAM AND EVE’S MISTAKES (GEN. 3:2-3)

THE SIN OF ADAM AND EVE (GEN. 3:6)

THREE AVENUES OF TEMPTATION (GEN. 3:6A)

PERVERSION OF MALE HEADSHIP (GEN. 3:6B)

RESULTS OF THE SIN (GEN. 3:7-13)

RELIGION (GEN. 3:7)

BROKEN FELLOWSHIP (GEN. 3:8-10)

DENIAL OF RESPONSIBILITY (GEN. 3:11-13)

REVERSAL OF THE CREATION HIERARCHY (GEN. 3:11-13)

IMPOSITION OF DIVINE JUDGMENTS (GEN. 3:14-19)

JUDGMENT UPON THE SERPENT (GEN. 3:14-15)

PHYSICAL ALTERATION (GEN. 3:14)

PROTOEVANGELIUM (GEN. 3:15)

JUDGMENT UPON THE WOMAN (GEN. 3:16)

PAINFUL CHILDBIRTH (GEN. 3:16A)

MARITAL CONFLICT (GEN. 3:16B)

JUDGMENT UPON THE MAN (GEN. 3:17-19)

PAINFUL TOIL (GEN. 3:17-19A)

DEATH (GEN. 3:19B)

GOD’S GRACIOUS PROVISION (GEN. 3:20-24)

HUMAN PRESERVATION (GEN. 3:20)

ATONEMENT (GEN. 3:21)

ACCESS BARRED TO THE TREE OF LIFE (GEN. 3:22-24)

CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 6: CHRISTOLOGY

THE DEFINITION OF CHRISTOLOGY

THE ETERNAL PRE-EXISTENCE OF CHRIST

ADDRESSING THE ‘FIRST-BORN’ ISSUE

THE INCARNATION

THE MEANING OF KENOSIS

SO WHY DOES THE KENOSIS DEBATE REALLY MATTER?

WHAT IS THE HYPOSTATIC UNION?

THE PECCABILITY/IMPECCABILITY OF CHRIST

PECCABILITY

THE IMPECCABILITY OF CHRIST

CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 7: PNEUMATOLOGY

THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

THE HOLY SPIRIT’S MINISTRY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

THE HOLY SPIRIT’S MINISTRY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

CHAPTER 8: SOTERIOLOGY

A DISPENSATIONALIST PERSPECTIVE OF SOTERIOLOGY: THE GODHEAD’S WORK OF REDEMPTION

MY INITIAL INTRODUCTION TO DR. MAL COUCH & A GRACE CENTERED THEOLOGY

LEARNING A THEOLOGICAL DIVINE TENSION: GOD IS SOVEREIGN AND MAN IS RESPONSIBLE

MAL COUCH AS BOTH A DISCIPLE AND A DISCIPLE MAKER

GOD’S SOVEREIGN TRIUNE WORK OF ELECTION, ATONEMENT, AND EFFECTUAL APPLICATION OF GRACE UNTO SALVATION

ACCUSATIONS AGAINST DISPENSATIONALISM’S VIEW OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY IN GRACE

THE CONCERN WITH GERSTNER’S CRITIQUE AND SIMILAR TYPE OF CRITICISMS

DR. MAL COUCH’S VIEW OF GOD’S TRIUNE SOVEREIGN WORK OF GRACE

DR. J. DWIGHT PENTECOST VIEW OF GOD’S TRIUNE SOVEREIGN WORK OF GRACE

DR. CHARLES C. RYRIE’S VIEW OF GOD’S TRIUNE SOVEREIGN WORK OF GRACE

DR. JOHN F. WALVOORD’S VIEW OF GOD’S TRIUNE SOVEREIGN WORK OF GRACE

DR. LEWIS SPERRY CHAFER’S VIEW OF GOD’S TRIUNE SOVEREIGN WORK OF GRACE

SUMMARY OF KEY TRUTHS FOR GOD’S WORK OF REDEMPTION

APPENDIX: FOR WHOM DID CHRIST DIE?

CHAPTER 9: ZOEOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

RATIONALE FOR A DISPENSATIONAL THEOLOGY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

GOD’S PROVISION FOR THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

REGENERATION

JUSTIFICATION

BAPTISM AND SANCTIFICATION

INDWELLING

THE BELIEVER’S POSITION IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

THE BELIEVER’S PROBLEM IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

MOTIVATION

IMPEDIMENTS

THE INTERNAL STRUGGLE

THE BELIEVER’S PROGRESS IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

PRESENT YOURSELF TO GOD

DO NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT

WALK BY THE SPIRIT

THE WORD

THE FILLING OF THE SPIRIT

SUMMATION

CHAPTER 10: ECCLESIOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

THE CHURCH DEFINED

TABLE 10.1 SOME DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN GENTILES, ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH

PRACTICES ESTABLISHED

THE CHURCH AS AN ORGANISM

THE CHURCH AS AN ORGANIZATION

CHARACTER QUALIFICATIONS OF ELDERS

TABLE 10.3 BIBLICAL CHARACTER QUALIFICATIONS FOR ELDERS

THE MINISTRY OF ELDERS

OPERATING GUIDELINES FOR ELDERS AND THE FLOCK UNDER THEIR CARE

THE SELECTION OF ELDERS

BIBLICAL GUIDANCE ON DEACONS

FORM, FUNCTION AND FREEDOM

CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 11: ISRAELOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

A. DEFINITION OF TERMS

B. THE SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPORTANCE OF THIS STUDY

C. THE PLACE OF ISRAELOLOGY IN SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY

A DISPENSATIONAL ISRAEOLOGY

A. ISRAEL PAST

B. ISRAEL PRESENT

C. ISRAEL FUTURE

CHAPTER 12 SECTION A: ESCHATOLOGY – AN ENIGMA OR AN ENLIGHTENMENT FOR OUR EDIFICATION?

INTRODUCTION: MY JOURNEY TO PROPER PROPHECY CONVICTIONS

AGNOSTIC APPROACHES DISHONOR GOD

THE DICTIONARY BY A DEVOUT DOCTOR THAT DEFINED FOR ME A DOCTRINE

THE IMPORTANCE OF A PROPER INTERPRETIVE METHODOLOGY FOR ALL OF SCRIPTURE

ANCIENT METHODS FOR THE MODERN SCIENCE OF PROPER BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION

AN ANOMALISM IN INTERPRETATION ILLUSTRATED THROUGH ACTS 1:11

THE DANGERS OF ALLEGORICAL, ALEXANDRIAN, SENSUS PLENIOR INTERPRETIVE METHODS

A NEW BOOK WITH AN ANCIENT MESSAGE FOR A MODERN JOURNEY

CHAPTER 12 SECTION B: ESCHATOLOGY— AN ENIGMA OR AN ENLIGHTENMENT FOR OUR EDIFICATION?

SOME PRELIMINARY PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES

METAPHYSICS & EPISTEMOLOGY: GOD AS ULTIMATE REALITY PERFECTLY REVEALED HIMSELF IN A WRITTEN REVELATION

JESUS CHRIST’S TRUE BELIEVERS HAVE FAITH IN HIS SCRIPTURES

TRUTH # 1: IMMEDIATE CONSCIOUSNESS IN EITHER HELL OR HEAVEN AT DEATH

IMMEDIATE CONSCIOUSNESS IN HELL OR HEAVEN AFTER THE BODY GOES TO SLEEP/DEATH

TRUTH # 2: CHRIST WILL PHYSICALLY RETURN IN THE FUTURE TO CONSUMMATE HISTORY

CHRIST’S RETURN WILL BE (1) PHYSICAL, (2) VISIBLE, & (3) CLIMACTICALLY MIRACULOUS

TRUTH # 3: CHRIST SHALL RESCUE HIS BRIDE FROM THE TIME OF GOD’S WRATH

TRUTH # 4: A CHRISTOCRACY WHERE CHRIST JESUS RULES OVER THE EARTH AS KING

THE PROMISE/COVENANT STIPULATIONS FOR THE KINGDOM ERA WHERE THE LAND COVENANT AND DAVIDIC COVENANTS ARE APPLIED

SEVEN PROVISIONS OF THE LAND COVENANT FROM DEUTERONOMY 29:2-30:20

SEVEN PROVISIONS OF THE DAVIDIC COVENANT FROM 2 SAMUEL 7:11-16 & 1 CHRONICLES 17:10-14

TRUTH # 5: A NEW HEAVEN & A NEW EARTH INCLUDING A NEW JERUSALEM

TRUTH # 6: GOD’S DAMNATION OF HUMAN REBELS, SATAN, AND HIS DEMONS IN THE LAKE OF FIRE

TRUTH # 7: THE ELECT OF GOD WILL DWELL FOREVER IN PERFECT PEACE AND ILLUSTRIOUS JOY WITH GOD

SUMMARY: ESCHATOLOGY OUGHT TO EDIFY AND ENCOURAGE US

CHAPTER 13: HERMENEUTICS AND INERRANCY

BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE DISCUSSION 784

A CENTRAL ISSUE IN THE DEBATE: ISOLATING INERRANCY AND HERMENEUTICS

THE ROBERT GUNDRY ISSUE

THE MIKE LICONA ISSUE

THE INSEPARABILITY OF INERRANCY AND HERMENEUTICS

IT MAKES INERRANCY INTO A VACUOUS CLAIM

IT IS A DENIAL OF THE CORRESPONDENCE VIEW OF TRUTH

IT DENIES THE PRESUMPTION OF HISTORICITY ENTAILED IN THE HISTORICAL-GRAMMATICAL HERMENEUTIC

IT IS A DENIAL OF EXPLICIT ICBI STATEMENTS ON INERRANCY

IT IS BASED ON THE FALSE ASSUMPTION THAT METHODS CANNOT BE UNORTHODOX

LICONA’S METHOD IS AN EXAMPLE OF METHODOLOGICAL UNORTHODOXY

IT IS BASED ON THE FAULTY ASSUMPTION THAT MEANING IS FOUND IN THE AUTHORS UNEXPRESSED INTENTIONS

CONCLUDING COMMENTS: INERRANCY IS ACTUALLY INSEPARABLE FROM INTERPRETATION

CHAPTER 14: THE HISTORY OF DISPENSATIONALISM

THE 4-STRAND ROPE OF BIBLICAL DISPENSATIONALISM

THE EARLY CHURCH

THE MIDDLE AGES (ACTUALLY BEGINS AROUND 600 WITH GREGORY’S UNITING OF THE MONASTERY WITH THE CHURCH’S MAGISTERIUM)

THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION AND BEYOND

JOHN NELSON DARBY AND THE DAWN OF DISPENSATIONALISM (1800-1875)

THE HISTORY OF THE STRANDS UP TO DARBY

MEETINGS IN THE MORNING: THE NIAGARA CONFERENCES (1876-1897)

A BIBLE AT MID-MORNING; THE PERIOD OF EXPANSION (1898-1921)

HIGH NOON ON SWISS & CHICAGO AVENUES: THE DALLAS/MOODY CONNECTION (1922-1970)

THE GATHERING EVENING STORM (1970-1985)

RAIN IN THE DARKNESS: THE REGRESSION OF PROGRESSIVE DISPENSATIONALISM (1985-PRESENT)

CHAPTER 15: THE KINGDOM OF GOD

THE UNIVERSAL AND MEDIATORIAL KINGDOM OF GOD

THE PARTICIPATION IN THE THOUSAND-YEAR REIGN OF CHRIST

BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MEDIATORIAL KINGDOM

THE REMOVAL OF ALL UNBELIEVERS (6-7, 9-11)

CONCLUSION: THE IMPORTANCE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD DOCTRINE

CHAPTER 16: THE MODERN STATE OF ISRAEL ACHIEVED THROUGH DIVINE PROVIDENCE

INTRODUCTION

THIS IS THE STORY OF THE JEW, THAT STRANGE MAN WHO WILL NOT DIE

BEGINNINGS

PROPHECIES OF RETURN

SPECIFIC BIBLICAL PROPHECIES REGARDING ISRAEL’S RETURN

IMPEDIMENTS TO THE JEWS RETURN TO THE LAND

REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY

THE RETURN TO THE LAND

THE WRATH PROPHESIED BEFORE THE WRATH

THROUGH VIOLENT CONFLICT A JEWISH HOMELAND IS ESTABLISHED

CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 17: THE GREAT COMMISSION

BIBLICAL MISSIONS: THE PAULINE MODEL 913

BIBLICAL MATHETEUOLOGY?

WHY SHOULD WE STUDY THE NEW TESTAMENT APPROACH TO MISSIONS?

WHY WE SHOULD STUDY THE PAULINE MODEL

DOES THE STUDY OF MISSIOLOGY HELP?

SO OF WHAT VALUE IS THE MODEL AND HOW SHOULD IT BE USED?

BIBLICAL MISSIONS (MATHETEUOLOGY)

1. GO TO THE UN-REACHED AREA

2. PREACH THE GOSPEL – VERBAL PROCLAMATION IN CULTURAL CENTERS

3. GAIN THE CONVERTS

4. BAPTIZE THEM

5. DISCIPLE THE CONVERTS

6. LEAVE THE CHURCH TO DEVELOP WITHIN ITS OWN CULTURAL CONTEXT

7. RETURN TO THE CHURCH AND CONTINUE MAKING DISCIPLES

8. OBSERVE AND DISCERN THE ELDERS WHOM THE HOLY SPIRIT IS SETTING APART AS ELDERS

9. ORDAIN ELDERS AND LEAVE THE CHURCH

10. SUPPORT THE SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF THE CHURCH

11. CHOOSE SOME WHO ARE ELDER MATERIAL TO TRAIN AS MISSIONARY/THEOLOGIANS TO ASSIST IN #8 AND EVENTUALLY TO REPRODUCE THE MODEL

THE USE OF MONEY IN PLANTING CHURCHES

THE USE OF MONEY IN THE PAULINE MODEL

THE WISDOM OF GOD IN PAUL’S JOURNEYS

1. HE DID NOT SEEK FINANCIAL HELP FOR HIMSELF.

2. HE TOOK NO FINANCIAL HELP TO THOSE WHOM HE PREACHED.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THIS PAULINE MODEL APPROACH?

HE DID NOT ADMINISTER LOCAL CHURCH FUNDS.

A FINAL OBSERVATION ON THE BIBLICAL MODEL

CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 18: THE PASTOR-TEACHER ROLE

INTRODUCTION

THE PRIORITY AND CENTRALITY OF TEACHING

A WORD OF CAUTION AND ADVICE FOR SHEPHERDS

THE GOAL OF THE TEACHING FUNCTION OF SHEPHERDS

TRUE CHRISTIAN SANCTIFICATION UNTO CHRIST DEPENDS ABSOLUTELY ON REVEALED TRUTH

THE DESIRED RESULT OF THE TEACHING FUNCTION OF SHEPHERDS

AWAY FROM INFANCY AND ON TO MATURITY – THE GOAL IS MAKING TEACHERS

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

NOT PRACTICING MAKES MEDIOCRE NON-TEACHERS

WHY THE HEAVY EMPHASIS? – FOOD FOR THOUGHT

THE STATION AND STATUS OF PASTORS AS TEACHERS IN THE LOCAL BODY

PETER’S EXAMPLE

THE ATTITUDE OF PASTORS AS TEACHERS IN THE LOCAL BODY: PREPARING FOR COGNITIVE DISSONANCE

A SPIRITUAL RESPONSE TO FLESHLY RESENTMENT

THE SELF-MONITORING AND GOOD CONSCIENCE OF SHEPHERDS

PASTORS AS THEOLOGIANS

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

THE SECOND BEAST

THE CURE FOR OUR ILLS

THE LOCAL CHURCH AS THE CENTER OF LEARNING AND TRUTH

THE PULPIT AS PORTAL

EMPHASIS OF PULPIT MINISTRY

DO NOT MISUSE SCRIPTURE

THE LOCAL CHURCH AS SEMINARY

WORDS OF CAUTION ABOUT SEMINARIES, BIBLE SCHOOLS AND ACCREDITATION

DEVELOPING A THEOLOGICAL LIBRARY

CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 19: THE PASTOR AS A SHEPHERD THROUGH BIBLICAL COUNSELING

INTRODUCTION

THE PASTOR IS A SHEPHERD

THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD: A MODEL FOR COUNSELING

BIBLICAL COUNSELING OR PSYCHOLOGY

THE PASTOR’S MANDATE TO COUNSEL AS THE MEANS TO SHEPHERDING THE SOUL

THE SHEPHERD AND HIS TOOLS

CHAPTER 20: EVANGELIZING AND DEFENDING THE FAITH THROUGH APOLOGETICS

WHAT IS APOLOGETICS? DEFINING BIBLICAL APOLOGETICS

WHY ARE APOLOGETICS IMPORTANT

REASONS FOR APOLOGETICS

WHY BELIEVERS REJECT APOLOGETICS

FROM APOLOGIA TO APOLOGETICS

APOLOGETICS AND RELATED TERMS

THE FUNCTIONS OF APOLOGETICS

MAJOR APOLOGISTS IN EARLY CHURCH HISTORY

MAJOR APOLOGISTS IN MEDIEVAL CHURCH

MAJOR APOLOGISTS IN THE REFORMATION CHURCH THROUGH THE 18TH CENTURY

MAJOR APOLOGISTS IN THE MODERN CHURCH

MAJOR HERESIES THAT APOLOGISTS HAVE CONFRONTED:

CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 21: SLAYING THE GIANT OF MEDIOCRITY: THE CHRISTIAN MIND AND THE MINISTRY

SLAYING THE GIANT OF MEDIOCRITY: THE CHRISTIAN MIND AND THE MINISTRY

COMMITMENT

CONFIDENCE

COMMUNICATION

COMPETENCE

COMPASSION

WORKING IN A WORLDVIEW (CONNECTING THE DOTS)

APPLYING THE WORLDVIEW

CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 22: THE DANGER OF SUBJECTING THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS TO STATE CONTROL AND GOVERNMENTAL RECOGNIZED ACCREDITATION

MY INITIAL 3 YEAR STRUGGLE OVER ACCREDITATION ISSUES

ANOTHER EVANGELICAL DISPENSATIONALIST SPEAKS OUT AGAINST ACCREDITATION

MY REALIZATION THAT GOVERNMENT OUGHT NOT TO GOVERN THE BODY OF CHRIST

WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC DANGERS WITH GOVERNMENTAL ENTANGLEMENT

TEMPTATION TO ACQUIRE ACCREDITATION FOR MORE MONEY

STATE EFFORT TO INTERFERE AND CONTROL THE PRIVATE BIBLICAL EDUCATION ARENA

PLURALISM & ACADEMIC FREEDOM: A DISGUISE TO DILUTE DOCTRINAL DISCIPLESHIP

SUMMARY AND PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS

FIVE PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS IN NAVIGATING THE ACCREDITATION ISSUE

CHAPTER 23: DOES GOD KNOW THE FUTURE?

OPEN THEISM AND PREDICTIVE PROPHECY

OPEN THEISM AND THE ORTHODOX VIEW OF GOD’S OMNISCIENCE

WHAT IS OPEN THEISM AND HOW DID IT START?

THE BELIEFS OF OPEN THEISM

THE HERMENEUTICAL SHIFT FROM THE HERMENEUTICS OF HISTORIC CHRISTIANITY

LANGUAGE ABOUT GOD’S INTERACTIONS WITH MEN SHOULD BE TAKEN LITERALLY

ATTEMPTING TO PUT AN INFINITE GOD IN A FINITE BOX

DID NOT GOD CHECK OUT HOW MANY IN SODOM AND GOMORRAH WERE RIGHTEOUS BEFORE HIS INTERACTION WITH ABRAHAM?

DID NOT GOD KNOW WHOM HE COULD GET TO DO HIS BIDDING BEFORE MAKING THE STATEMENT IN ISAIAH 6:2?

MAJOR PERSPECTIVES OF OPEN THEISM ON GOD’S KNOWLEDGE OF THE FUTURE

GOD KNOWS ALL THINGS THAT HE HAS DETERMINED BUT HE HAS ONLY DETERMINED TO CAUSE SOME THINGS AND PERMIT OTHER THINGS

ISAIAH 46:10-11 AND ISAIAH 48:3-55: GOD KNOWS ALL THAT HE PLANS

GOD PREDICTS ACTS OF MEN BASED ON KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR CHARACTER

JESUS’ PREDICTIONS ON THE DENIAL BY PETER

GOD CHANGES HIS MIND

OPEN THEISM AND PREDICTIVE PROPHECY

GOD AND ERROR

PREDICTIVE PROPHECY

UNFULFILLED PROPHECIES

IMPORTANCE OF THE CERTITUDE OF PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT

THERE ARE CERTAIN REASONS FOR A LACK OF FULFILLMENT

CONCLUSION: AT LEAST FIVE EFFECTS ON OUR FAITH IF OPEN THEISM IS EMBRACED

# 1: THE EFFECT ON OUR WORSHIP OF GOD

#2: THE EFFECT ON OUR VIEW OF SCRIPTURE

#3: THE EFFECT ON OUR ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

#4: THE EFFECT ON HERMENEUTICS

#5: THE EFFECT ON OUR PRACTICAL LIFE

CHAPTER 24: A DISPENSATIONAL ETHIC ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AND ABORTION

THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN RELATIONSHIP TO PROTECTING LIFE

THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN GOD’S KINGDOM TO CARE FOR CREATION

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT INITIATED AS A FORM OF CARING FOR HUMANITY

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT EXECUTED UNDER THE MOSAIC COVENANT/DISPENSATION AND CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE NEW COVENANT/DISPENSATION

SUMMARY

IF GOVERNMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO TAKE LIFE THROUGH CAPITAL PUNISHMENT MAY IT ALSO TAKE THE LIFE OF A FETUS-CHILD?

WHY HAVE SOME CHRISTIANS ACCEPTED/ENDORSED ABORTION?

THEOLOGICALLY SPEAKING WHEN DOES A HUMAN BEING FULLY BEGIN: A CREATIONISTIC VIEW OR A TRADUCIAN VIEW OF THE SOUL/SPIRIT?

SCRIPTURES THAT SUPPORT THE TRADUCIAN VIEW OF THE SOUL/SPIRIT

SEMINAL AND POTENTIAL LIFE BEFORE CONCEPTION

SCIENTIFICALLY & BIBLICALLY SPEAKING A HUMAN BEING BEGINS WHEN CONCEPTION IS COMPLETED

REVISITING OUR ROOTS: A HOLISTIC & SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY OUGHT TO INCLUDE IN IT DISCOVERIES FROM THE HARD SCIENCES

SUMMARY: TO ENCOURAGE, ENACT, OR EXPERIENCE CONVENIENCE ABORTIONS IS SIN

LIFE-FOR-LIFE SITUATIONS: A JUSTIFIED ABORTION

OVERALL SUMMARY: CAPITAL PUNISHMENT? YES! ABORTION? HARDLY!

CHAPTER 25: EXPRESSIONS OF APPRECIATION FOR THE GRACE OF GOD IN THE LIFE OF MAL COUCH

CHAPTER 26: AFTERWORD—THE LEGACY OF ISRAEL, DISPENSATIONALISM, & MAL COUCH

THE LEGACY OF DISPENSATIONALISM, ISRAEL, & MAL COUCH

PROVERBS 16:7: EVEN RESPECTABLE OPPONENTS TIP THEIR HATS TO US

DISPENSATIONALISM’S GLOBAL EVANGELISTIC EMPHASIS

DISPENSATIONALISM’S SUBMISSION TO SCRIPTURE AS THE SUPREME AUTHORITY

THE HEART & ESSENTIAL EMPHASIS OF DISPENSATIONALISM: GOD’S GLORY AND GRACE IN CHRIST FOR FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE

DISPENSATIONALISM’S LOVE FOR EDUCATION HAS BIRTHED MAJOR EDUCATIONAL CENTERS

DISPENSATIONALISM’S INFLUENCE IN GLOBAL POLITICS

A BRIEF HISTORICAL JOURNEY TO PRESIDENT TRUMAN’S STAND FOR THE ISRAEL STATE

PRESIDENT TRUMAN EMBRACED A LITERAL READING OF THE BIBLE’S PROMISE TO ISRAEL

SUMMARY OF DISPENSATIONALISM’S IMPACT AND THE LEGACY OF ONE DEFENDER OF DISPENSATIONALISM

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS

ENDNOTES

This collection of essays is affectionately

dedicated to Mal and Lacy Couch, their family, and their many disciples throughout the world who continue to carry the gospel, Dispensationalism, and the light of Christ’s love into all corners of God’s house-hold world. Thank you, Lacy for allowing us to share in the life of your husband.

The business of growing churches and instructing the saints in the way of the Lord more perfectly is an assignment too often accomplished with little thought of doctrine. Evangelical Bible Doctrine, the volume you hold in your hand, is a monograph designed to prepare the congregation not only to understand the great doctrines of holy Scripture but also to implement those in the believer’s life.

The essays in this volume are written by students and admirers of Mal Couch, who served as president and founder of Tyndale Seminary here in Fort Worth, Texas, as he became a mentor to quite a number of young theologians and pastors and trained them carefully in the precepts of the Lord. During those years he exhibited the kind of leadership that God has blessed in every way.

The chapters in this volume will challenge your heart, make you think, and make you a more effective disciple of Christ. As you read the thoughts of these authors and are blessed by them, think also of the impact of Mal Couch. This would be a good time to express to God your deepest appreciation for one of this generation’s most faithful teachers of God’s Word.

Paige Patterson, President

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Fort Worth, Texas

"Our people need to know that the terms doctrine, teaching, exegesis, truth, are not bad words. They reflect the fact that God has given us absolute and certain knowledge. The word of God is sufficient for the truth about ourselves, the truth about our Lord, and about our eternal destiny! Our people must be taught

They cannot jettison doctrine, teaching, instruction, reproof."

Dr. Mal Couch

By Dr. Keith Sherlin & Dr. Kenny Rhodes

This book contains within it some solid, sharp, and strong Bible teachers that the Lord has given to the body of Christ (Eph. 4:11). Over thirty five people who have been touched by the life of Mal Couch have contributed to this book. Among those are twenty one theologians who have joined together to provide a manual of healthy biblical doctrine in honor of Mal Couch who spent his entire life learning, living, and leading others to the LORD. Many of those teachers, as well as others, have provided expressions of appreciation at the end of this book on how Mal personally blessed their lives. Such testimonies verify the type of character and ministry Mal led throughout his life. In fact, many who write in this work have been direct disciples of Dr. Couch and thus what these men share reveals the fruit of the labors of a beloved spiritual father who has labored in love to obey the Great Commission mandate of making disciples (Matt. 28:16-20).

Yet not all who write in this book are Mal’s students. About half of the men who write in various portions of this book are men of Mal’s own generation who have stood beside him in the trenches of spiritual battle as they collectively in Christ fought for the essential truths of Scripture for a lost generation. These fellow colleagues, or better yet known as fellow soldiers, taught, preached, mentored, and ministered with Mal at various times and locations. These older men join together with these younger men, who are obligated by the Word of God to give back to the one who has taught us (Gal 6:6), in an effort to give to you, a new forthcoming generation which neither knows Mal nor will be able to know him this side of eternity, a faithful Evangelical model in which you may latch onto for your faith journey.

Is remembering our Evangelical heritage critically important? It most certainly is. Dr. David O. Beale has well stated this:

Virtually all spiritual movements have ultimately diminished in vigor and strength of conviction. Truths once held dynamically came to be held only formally. Younger generations have too often garnished the tombs of their prophets while disregarding their teachings. They have spoken the language of Canaan but have allowed the words to become hollow and stereotyped. Hardly a new movement has entirely escaped the deterioration that comes with the passing of time. New leadership emerges that paid no price of suffering. To them the battles have ended. New generations take for granted the truths for which the fathers had to fight.¹

The succeeding generations will not have the blessed opportunity to labor with these giants of the faith, nor to know them personally. Therefore, to the best of our ability it is left to us to transmit to you the reader not just the intellectual truths but the heart and spirit behind these sacred truths that Dr. Couch, as well as others, sacrificed for in order to promote globally the glory of God.

Dr. Mal Couch would qualify for what many of us call a quintessential pastor/theologian. He has led the way with many scholarly, yet, thankfully, refreshingly readable and practical monographs on a variety of biblical and theological subjects. He has encouraged, shepherded, and guided the saints among several different churches. Many people, including myself, have been able to be guided by him even though not in his immediate presence on an ongoing basis. Known to many as Pastor Mal, he has faithfully labored to make love the preeminent mark of his pastoral ministry to those in his local church as well to those working in other fields around the globe.

Furthermore, he has led as professor and teacher in some of the most well-known and respected seminaries in the world (Philadelphia Biblical University; now Cairn University, Moody Bible Institute; and Dallas Seminary), amid his own pioneer efforts to found Tyndale Theological Seminary and lead it for approximately two decades. Indeed, one of the hallmarks of Dispensationalism has been its rich heritage in planting both churches and schools.

Over these years of being either directly or indirectly influenced by his ministry many of us cannot help but to note two streams of beneficent graces overflowing into Mal’s life. He has had the intellectual and pioneering spirit of a Lewis Sperry Chafer as well as the heart, passion, and perspicuity of a John Walvoord. In his later years, like Walvoord, Mal developed into a grandpa that many people want to see and hear.² Within Mal we students found a theological giant who was also humble, loving, and loyal to us and our spiritual needs. For many students Mal even led them to the home of John Walvoord to introduce them to another theological giant within Christendom. This is the kind of man we write about here in this volume: a man who valued honesty, integrity, and courage, and who because of those deep abiding character traits wanted his students to know and respect the great men of God.

Unlike today, when often the heroes of Christian children and young adults are entertainment stars, many of us matured in our faith with great admiration for heroes of the faith like a Couch, Ryrie, Walvoord, Criswell, Pentecost, Lightner, Chafer and others who were affiliated with the great stream of Evangelical Christianity. I think it is one of the sad commentaries on our younger generation of this era. For me (Keith), growing up, I always had older people I admired and looked up to and wanted to be like. That spirit continued for me as I grew in my faith and became a more thoroughgoing disciple of Christ in the educational circles. Today, however, our youth are too often enamored with entertainment stars like Katy Perry (real name Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson) or Justin Bieber instead of men and women who are godly spiritual leaders of the past or present. What happened to cause this? We believe one reason may that too many parents themselves failed to have spiritual heroes. Thus children followed suit and now have no heroes who exemplify true depth of character.

For many of us, getting to know Mal, and those with whom he associated, was like getting to know a spiritual superstar. The joy that some of the youth today have in getting to meet or know their favorite entertainment artist is the same feeling many of us had when we have been able to be with these men and women of God that Mal has introduced us to in the course of his lifetime. Like Walvoord, Mal in my opinion has been one of the warmest and most sincere ministers of the Lord Jesus I’ve ever met.³ Apparently he learned more than just theology from his own mentors because he has demonstrated to us more than just doctrinal head knowledge. His multifaceted traits have made him more than a teacher to us; it made him in essence a spiritual father to us. In gratitude to his diligence to share the faith with us we in turn find it most appropriate and fitting to in return show our respects and honor to him and his family.

Brother Mal has left for us a legacy of a warrior for the faith. Even in retirement brother Mal did not take the course of what many might consider being normal retirement status. He utilized his gifts in leading as Vice President of Scofield Theological Seminary, overseeing many students through doctoral dissertation programs. Yet if that alone were not enough, brother Mal founded Scofield Prophecy Studies Apologetic Ministry and continued his efforts of teaching and training people around the globe in various truths of Scripture.

Indeed, in these later years he modeled a courageous spirit with his continued labors that went far beyond what one might expect unless that person is energized by the vivifying presence of the Holy Spirit. His indefatigable spirit remains even so today a remarkable testimony of his loyalty to his LORD and in many respects a clarion challenge to us today to immerse ourselves into the work of ministry as he has done.

The articles set forth herein from a coterie of Evangelical Dispensationalists reflect a set of doctrines that have resonated within the heart of not only Dr. Couch but also within the magnanimous movement of God known as Dispensationalism. Though Mal has been a significant voice within the overall movement of Dispensationalism, he stands within a line of history of many other beloved and faithful men who passed down to him the torch with which he has run so faithfully over the past 20th and 21st centuries. Mal’s theology could be summarized as a model heavily focused on God, the gospel, and eschatological themes.⁴

Yet Mal has not just been a defender of Dispensationalism. His writings, teachings, and ministry have been broader than that. Some would do well to take note of this. There is much more to Scripture than prophecy. In fact, Dispensationalism, if understood properly, is an entire holistic, systematic, and biblical theology. Because of that Mal has defended traditional Christian Orthodoxy. He has avoided making his ministry about only one topic. Instead, he has labored in the entire field of Christian doctrine to leave a witness to the greatness of our LORD and his precious truths. Those of us who were blessed to be his students were trained in the faithful paths of some of the godliest saints of Church history.

Dr. Couch positioned himself within the ancient historic orthodox stream of the LORD’s most mighty early saints. He has displayed the courage of a Polycarp (69-156 AD) by his insistent and unwavering stance on the LORDSHIP of Jesus Christ. Dr. Albert R. Mohler has stated that the pastor’s instincts should seize upon any compromise on doctrines such as the full deity and humanity of Christ, the doctrine of the Trinity, the doctrine of the atonement, and essentials such as justification by faith alone. Where such doctrines are compromised, the Christian faith falls.⁵ Indeed, Mal stood without any reservation whatsoever upon those sacred truths.

He has faithfully also defended the premillennial doctrine of Christ’s return to earth as found in the early fathers of Clement of Rome (1st Century), Papias (60-130 AD), and Justin Martyr (100-165 AD). Furthermore like Ignatius (35- 107 AD), he embraced a biblical doctrine on the church with an emphasis on elders ruling in the church like Ignatius. He held the line on the Tri-unity of God like an early Tertullian (160-230 AD) and in various writings presented the unity and diversity of the Godhead. Also like Tertullian, who asked what has Athens to do with Jerusalem,⁶ Mal worked diligently to keep theological education distinct and autonomous from governmental recognized (and more often than not even regulated) accreditation which merges the world’s educational philosophy into sacred theology. For Mal, Jerusalem (the religious and seminary educational room) should be diligently on guard against any efforts of encroachment by Athens (government/social standards of the world).

In the area of God’s sovereignty Dr. Couch’s legacy leads us back to the minds of a Lactantius (250-325 AD) and Augustine (354-430 AD) who promoted the absolute sovereignty of God over all things. Though he readily admitted that such truth about God’s providence has some mystery to it, Mal labored like those early saints to be faithful to what was revealed in Scripture. By faith we embrace what God has revealed to us about himself.

From the Middle to Reformation Ages Dr. Couch reminds us of a man with a love for the biblical languages such as William Tyndale (1494-1536), and like Tyndale brother Mal always encouraged us to use the original languages of Scripture to discover the original intent of Scripture. Mal had such respect for William Tyndale he called Tyndale’s translation a masterpiece.⁷ Too, Dr. Couch led us to the wells of the other great Reformers like Martin Luther (1483-1546 AD), John Calvin (1509-1564 AD), and John Knox (1514-1572 AD) when it came to doctrines like God’s free gift of justification by faith alone in Christ alone; the sovereignty of God in his unconditional elective love; his absolute, immutable, sovereign providence over all things. He even kept balance by urging us in word and by example to proclaim these doctrines with tenacity and conviction.

Some students can still recall Mal’s words where he told us you could stack up the books by the Calvinists and they were heavy, thick, solid, and well researched materials whereas when reading the Arminian books you would find those to be shallow, short, and in many cases anemic. Indeed, even the Arminians admit this to be the truth as two have recently said: Liberal Protestantism, more akin to Arminianism than to Calvinism, is often indistinguishable from full-blown secular humanism… . American evangelicalism, also fairly characterized as Arminian, has earned the well-deserved reputation of being theologically shallow and easily blended with alien aspects of folk or civil religion.⁸ Dr. Couch clearly, consistently, and categorically rejected Arminianism and stood within the historic Reformation stream that eventually, through a more consistent application of literal hermeneutics, even culminated in premillennial thought as the Reformation wave spread to the western hemisphere.

Additionally brother Mal labored to make us aware of the great men of the Puritans from the Reformation era. We gleaned nuggets of truth from the great Puritans like Hugh Broughton (1549-1612 AD), Thomas Brightman (1557-1607 AD), and Joseph Mede (1586-1638 AD). Those men were applying more of the principles of the Reformation to doctrines like eschatology and beginning to reform those areas to a purer position.⁹ Furthermore, we were taught about those like Richard Mathers (1596-1669 AD), Increase Mathers (1639-1723 AD), and Cotton Mathers (1663-1728 AD) who pressed ahead and brought the doctrines of the Reformation to America and revived an interest in premillennialism.¹⁰

From the 1700’s and 1800’s we were encouraged by Mal to study the writings of men like Morgan Edwards (1722-1792 AD), a theologian who began to teach a form of a pre-tribulation rapture viewpoint,¹¹ and John Nelson Darby (1800-1882 AD), who, as an early leader among the Plymouth Brethren helped systematize and further develop dispensational premillennialism.¹²

As a devoted Biblicist and a church historian Dr. Couch labored to show us that the premillennial faith was an Evangelical faith that had gained ground in a variety of denominations. We were introduced to men like the Lutheran George N. Peters (1825-1909 AD), whose 3 volume set according to Mal is one of the most complete compilations of quotes from all of the writings of the last two thousand years dealing with the kingdom and the literal return of Christ to earth.¹³ We were undoubtedly taught about the Congregationalist minister C.I. Scofield (1841-1921 AD), whose contribution to the development of the evangelical fundamentalist movement in the twentieth century has been enormous.¹⁴

We were also trained to study two self-taught scholars, Episcopalian teacher Arno Gaebelein (1861-1945 AD). According to Mal, Gaebelein was a remarkable scholar that was self-taught in languages, history, systematic theology, apologetics, and prophetic studies.¹⁵ Presbyterian teacher and beloved founder of Dallas Seminary, Lewis Sperry Chafer (1871-1952 AD) embraced a historic orthodoxy with his Calvinistic, Dispensational foci which coalesced in his emphasis on the centrality of Christ and the grace of God through the preeminence of Christ and Calvary.¹⁶ Those themes, necessary for pastoral service as well as proper biblical instruction and training in righteousness, have been themes that have thundered forth from the life and witness of Dr. Couch.

Beyond the scholarship of those men we learned from Mal that education is not all about formal academics, as neither Gaebelein nor Chafer were formally educated in classroom settings. A man or woman can be a disciple of great saints of God and without formal classroom education become also a great man or woman of God as well. Mal has always been afraid of worshipping academia above that of God and his word. As with Luther we would do well to remember that a plow boy who knows Scripture is mightier than the pope or any other religious leader who does not know the scriptures.

Lastly, brother Mal seemed to find a precious spot in the bosom of Lewis Sperry Chafer’s closest disciple, John F. Walvoord (1910-2002 AD). Brother Mal often honored Dr. Walvoord through his writings, teachings, and lectures. The loving relationship that Mal had with John Walvoord led to the student, Mal, working with Dr. Walvoord to produce Dr. Walvoord’s autobiography. Of Dr. Walvoord Mal said that he was an exceptional administrator and Bible teacher as well as a soul winner.¹⁷ In similar vein one historian has also noted that Walvoord was a defender of the historic Christian faith with a clear devotion to a Warfieldian type of defense of inerrancy while also defending the Augustinian, Calvinist interpretation of sin, Christ, redemption, and grace though embracing, as did Chafer, unlimited atonement.

Indeed, those men listed in church history in various ways, especially John Walvoord, resemble Mal Couch’s views. Or should we say Mal Couch resembles them? Maybe it is best for us to view it differently. As Dr. Couch taught us, all of the great leaders of the church reveal to us elements of the God-Man Jesus Christ. As a church historian brother Mal has diligently taught us to respect our forefathers but not to idolize them. Students sometimes err while walking that theological tightrope. Some will idolize their predecessors. Others will ignore them and dishonor them with the sin of arrogance, pride, and intellectual dishonesty.¹⁸

Mal’s teaching to us has always been that we must be Evangelical first, i.e. we must not let our own denomination, creeds, or the religious traditions control or take first place in our process of interpreting Scripture. We start first with the Bible,¹⁹ and then we examine history to see what the prior men of God have taught us on a particular subject. As Dr. D.M. Lloyd Jones has said, A man who has no respect for history is a fool, and he will soon discover that, when he finds himself repeating the errors of those who have gone before him. We are concerned about history. At the same time we must not be bound by it; we must not be slaves to it.²⁰ This is the spirit and essence of Mal’s instruction to us now and for all future generations.

We ought to pick up the torch of faith that Mal has left to us with great admiration of him while not idolizing him. He too is a man in whom we see Christ (Acts 4:13), but he is not our Christ. Mal would agree with this sentiment and admonition. For example, while teaching on the truths of the system known as Calvinism, Dr. Couch noted himself that no view should be held simply because it is a part of a particular system or belief espoused by a given denomination… . though all of us owe a debt of gratitude to John Calvin for both systematizing the Scriptures, and for setting forth a far more biblical theology than was known in his day, we should not believe a view simply because he taught it.²¹ Whatever was good from these men Mal sought to honor and teach those truths for today. Whatever they erred in he tried to avoid and correct. Likewise, we ought to do the same with our beloved teacher Mal.

So what has Mal left us with that we students should emulate as we lead into the 21st century where he leaves off? Several truths come to mind, truths which this book will set forth in one fashion or another.

Dr. Couch has led us into the 21st century and in doing so he has without reservation or mincing of words defended the full inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture. With vigor and valor in his book "God Has Spoken: Inspiration and Inerrancy our beloved teacher has left us with a solid epistemological foundation that shows us that our ultimate authority is sacred scripture. Mal’s colleague Dr. Norman Geisler calls these two truths, inspiration and inerrancy, epistemological fundamentals which are tests of evangelical veracity."²² No one with any degree of perspicacity can miss the dedication and determination Dr. Couch had to the full, absolute, and errorless book we know as the Holy Bible.

For Mal to affirm the full, verbal, plenary, inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture doctrine was a non-negotiable, foundational, and essential epistemological basis for a saint to truly love Christ and the people of God. A saint cannot truly love God nor properly obey Christ’s command to love our neighbors if he fails to see God’s love providing to us his perfect love book. A perfect, all powerful, all knowing, all present God who loves perfectly from his omnibenevolent heart has given to us a perfect love book composed of 66 writings that do not have even one single spot or stain within. For Mal, and for us who follow suit in loyalty to our LORD, anything less than such a clear confession is a slight against God’s love, leadership, and his loyalty to his creation. Any other confession could likely highlight an error in someone’s life to such a degree that it leads them to eternal condemnation. To discredit Scripture is to discredit Christ and to call the entire spiritual enterprise into question (see John 1:1,14).

Coupling that truth of inspiration and inerrancy is embraced along with its subsequent application of a historical grammatical interpretation methodology (plain or literal interpretation), Mal understood that faith would naturally lead the saint towards the other great truths about sin, Christ, redemption, love, and grace. His loyalty to the Word revealed his loyalty to Christ Jesus. We cannot in one sentence claim to believe the Bible as truth and yet then interpret it in such a way that we undermine the very words used by God to convey his heart and mind to us. To do so reveals immaturity at the least and at most possibly hypocrisy.

Therefore, Dr. Couch has faithfully shown us that we must not only base our belief on the Bible but we must also make sure we interpret that Bible with a proper hermeneutic, which for him has been the historical grammatical hermeneutic as so faithfully presented in his book "An Introduction to Classical Hermeneutics: A Guide to the History and Practice of Biblical Interpretation. Mal’s friend Dr. Norman Geisler calls this the hermeneutical fundamentals which is a test for evangelical consistency.²³

I even recall a story of Mal telling us in a class lecture that he studied under Dr. Dwight Pentecost at Dallas Seminary and that in his class on prophecy Dr. Pentecost taught the entire course on hermeneutics. The students were unsure as to why Pentecost was doing this. At the end of the class, Pentecost leaned back in his chair, placed his feet on the desk, and told the students, if you get your hermeneutic right you will wind up consistently premillennial in doctrine every time. We would do well to remember this truth in all of our future endeavors. We too may discover fresh truths from the Bible in our own generation which need to be highlighted again. The proper route to those fresh and new discoveries is only by way of applying the historical and grammatical hermeneutic. If we discover new truths by the application of a literal hermeneutic to texts of Scripture then we have honored Mal but even more so our LORD. In reality, what is new to us in our discovery is really then in such cases nothing more than a return to the original faith as once delivered unto the saints (Jude 3). Let us be faithful in retaining the truths of inspiration, inerrancy, and literal (historical grammatical) hermeneutics at all cost. Any deviation in this area reveals a catastrophic and cataclysmic course that yields corruption and calloused consciences in those who err.

Like those before him he has also labored in love to show God’s sovereignty in both creation and re-creation with his various lectures and teachings. Mal has shown us not only God’s work in the past with creation,²⁴ the present in salvation and sanctification, but he has also faithfully pointed us to the future restoration where Christ will return to rule and reign as King. Throughout his numerous books he has edited or written, such as the "21st Century Biblical Commentary Series, The New Covenant" and My Eyes Shall See the King, along with "The Coming of the Holy Spirit we see the teachings about God’s original creation, man’s fall into sin, Christ’s work of redemption, and the Holy Spirit’s work in creating and empowering the body of Christ for the task of the Great Commission. As Mal stated in his own words, The King and kingdom were rejected by the Jewish people. The kingdom would be postponed until some far—off future time. Meanwhile, a new dispensation, the Church, would begin and the disciples would then be sent forth, clothed with power from on high so the clear salvation message could be proclaimed ‘to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.’"²⁵

In teaching us about this body of Christ and Christ’s future return for the Bride, his spiritual family, Dr. Couch has left us with a faithful witness on the nature of the church in his book "A Biblical Ecclesiology. In that work Mal has laid a solid foundation for all of us to rest upon, as well as to build upon, for future church planting and reformational work of existing churches. Not only do we have a biblical manual on the church, but we also have from his pen a practical manual on the church. His book, A Pastor’s Manual on Doing Church takes the doctrine of the church and fleshes it out in practical reality. And if that were not enough, brother Mal has given to us A Bible Handbook to the Acts of the Apostles so we can go back to Scripture and actually see the first hand principles and patterns of the first disciples of Christ. Such a work and example left to us by Mal reminds me of Paul’s instruction to Timothy: Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 1:13).

Too, he has labored diligently to warn us about current evils and threats to the family of Christ. Mal’s love for people is harnessed around the value, sanctity, and importance of godly family life in both the physical and spiritual realms. His book "Issues 2000: Evangelical Faith & Cultural Trends in the New Millennium sets forth a clarion call to us that we must be aware of ungodly philosophies, the dangers of technology, mysticism, and the social dangers that seek to damage the saint, the body of Christ, and individual families. In Dr. Couch’s class on Prolegomena he warned us about secular (anti-biblical) psychology, materialism, mysticism, hedonism, evolution, feminism, existentialism, relativism, and Gnosticism as the philosophies destroying Evangelical Churches."²⁶

Speaking of the family, we would be terribly awry in our overview of Mal’s ministry if we failed to note his partner in grace, Lacy. Concurrently working with Mal in these efforts has been the faithful and fruitful ministry of his beloved wife Dr. Lacy Couch. His efforts to seek to cure evils among the body of Christ were also complemented by the marvelous efforts of his talented, intelligent, and spiritual wife, who extended the ministry further with her efforts in teaching and biblical counseling ministry to families. Many of us who were taught by Lacy in the seminary discovered some of the greatest truths for a healthy spiritual life. Her courses and lectures on family life, counseling, and other related biblical truths were refreshing and probably somewhat reminiscent of Priscilla in the NT era. In fact, Mal and Lacy’s collective ministry serve to remind us of the value and importance of team ministry such as an Aquilla and Priscilla ministry and how a family unit ministry can be a strong antidote to the current evils that plague people today.

In fact, together Mal and Lacy seemed to model well the life of a biblical familial patriarchy that opposed not only gender feminism but also male chauvinism. We have watched them function as a team and in that team they modeled for us students a pattern that we can imitate today. Mal and Lacy avoided the extremes of male chauvinists who claim women have no place or role in the work of Christian ministry. Yet too they also avoided the opposite extreme of matriarchy/gender-feminism that says women are to have absolute and/or independent rule over the body of Christ. They modeled something like what we read about in the pages of Scripture: a man and woman team ministry. Just as God called Adam and Eve to take dominion over the earth, Mal and Lacy worked collectively to take dominion over their local spheres of influence through their calling to minister as a team.

As Mal said, we know… that a man must look upon his wife as a fellow heir of the grace of God. If the husband mistreats his wife, his prayers will be hindered and God will be furious with him. God expects a man to love his wife as his own body, giving his all to her. She is his helpmate and he must not resent her wisdom and advice for she is given to him to compensate his shortcomings.²⁷ Yet too, Mal and Lacy believed feminism at its core is the revival of the Mother Goddess worship of ancient religions.²⁸ They understood that those bent on the destruction of patriarchal fatherhood really display a hatred of the Father image of God. This movement, attempting to asexualize men and women, states that women are equal to men in all areas.²⁹ We learned from Mal and Lacy that men and women are equal (value, worth, position in grace and salvation) while still being different in strengths and roles in various areas.

For those of us who studied under Mal and Lacy we saw each one bring their gifts to the ministry table with each having certain strengths that were unique to their divine design. Certainly, as biology alone teaches us, in some areas men are stronger than women and in other areas women are stronger than men. Lacy has modeled the LORD through her femininity while Mal has modeled the LORD through his masculinity. From their team ministry we students have been given a marvelous model of ministry that represents a faithful perspective on how men and women are to function collectively in the work of the gospel.

Though Mal indeed led the team ministry as the patriarch, Lacy complemented and extended that ministry in ways that Mal never could have done alone. As Mal has said to me (Keith) in one of our last conversations as we said goodbye to one another on this earth, Lacy has been my inspiration. She has encouraged me and inspired me to serve God in these ways as I have. She has always been a partner with me, inspiring me to labor for the LORD and laboring with me in the LORD. Without her most of the things accomplished could have never been. Likewise, Lacy has shared with me how she has made it her life’s passion to walk behind Mal and beside Mal but never to go in front of Mal trying to lead over him. She has truly exemplified a modern woman who believes that she is to do good to her husband all the days of her life (Proverbs 31:12). For many of us this complementary familial ministry reflected their awareness of their created and redeemed equality with one another in the LORD while they also simultaneously affirmed and recognized functional roles where each gender uses their divine design for the cause of Christ in team ministry.

In an era where the Evangelical world is debating with great vigor how men and women relate to one another in the body of Christ we find the legacy of Mal and Lacy a pleasant antidote to sometimes unhealthy extremes on both sides of the theological spectrum. Most debate this subject under the rubric of a complementarian or egalitarian theological approach. However, it seems to me Mal and Lacy modeled a loving patriarchal familial model where Mal led as the senior minister and his wife assisted as a minister under his authority and guidance.

As a married/joined man Mal indeed functioned as a superintendent/bishop (1 Tim. 3:1-7), overseeing multiple ministries within the body of Christ locally and even nationally and beyond. Extending that ministry under his direction was his beloved lady Lacy. Just like a father and mother lead their children (with the father leading as the head and the wife under his headship) Mal and Lacy led together as spiritual parents to a vast multitude of spiritual children. In such a ministry they avoided the extremes. Lacy did not serve in the ultimate authoritative bishop/superintendent role as did Mal (sometimes called the pastor-teacher; see 1 Tim. 2:11-14 & 3:2), but she did shepherd and teach exercising her spiritual gifts under the guidance of the presiding bishop/overseer (who was in this case her husband Mal). It seems to me they achieved a balance that too often is sadly illusive to many in the body of Christ. May God give us more patriarchal, hierarchically balanced team ministry combinations like that of Mal and Lacy for the Great Commission today.

Additionally, to ground us in future spiritual warfare, Mal even brought together a band of men with vast intelligence who were also defenders of the Evangelical Faith to restate the fundamentals of the faith in his book, "The Fundamentals for the Twenty-First Century: Examining the Crucial Issues of the Christian Faith. In that powerful presentation is packaged a complete statement of the entire Christian faith. This presentation led by brother Mal has laid the foundations for our doctrinal fundamentals which are tests of evangelical veracity."³⁰

But unlike some within Evangelicalism and even Fundamentalism, Dr. Couch did not leave us dangling in regard to our future hope we have in Christ’s return. Dr. Couch has given to us at least five key works so that we avoid spiritual diminution or dilution of a key aspect to our faith. Brother Mal has defended the visible, physical, earthly return of Christ to judge the universe. In that defense he has also advocated with great passion the imminent premillennial return of Christ, which occurs before the wrath of God in Revelation is poured out on the earth, and in that defense he also keeps Israel in focus with her proper place to receive all of God’s promises made to her. His commentary "The Hope of Christ’s Return gives to us an inside view at how Paul used the doctrine of Christ’s premillennial return to stimulate the early believers on to faith and good works. Dr. Couch’s books The Birth of the Nation of Israel, For the Cause of Zion, and To the Jew First" remind us that God has elected the nation of Israel and his sovereign plan with that nation shall surely come to pass exactly as prophesied from Scripture.

Lastly, with "A Bible Handbook to Revelation" Dr. Couch has given to us a commentary and doctrinal analysis of a book which serves as the capstone to our faith in the King Christ Jesus. In that work he unlocks for us in a simple, straightforward, and succinct way what so many today make too complicated by their novel and nebulous theories. I recall Dr. Couch teaching us that if we were stranded on an island and had never read the Bible before, and we sat down to read Revelation alone from beginning to end, we would come to the conclusion believing the book to be a futuristic, premillennial prophecy on Christ’s return to rule and reign over the earth before the inauguration of the New Heavens and New Earth.

And to be sure, as a student I tested him on that with various people over the years. I would give new believers the book, let them read it, and have them describe for me what they thought it meant. Those who were without prejudice from various religious traditions of allegorical persuasion essentially described the book as a futuristic premillennial book even if they did not use those terms. Mal was right! But that should not be a shock to us who have known Mal. Not only has he been a solid teacher of truth, but he has also been a wise leader as well.

So why have we chosen to write this book? First, we have done so because we believe God gave to us a gifted teacher (Eph. 4:11), shepherd (1 Peter 5:2), gospel preacher (2 Tim. 1:11) and overseer (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:7) in Mal Couch. Many who write in this book have labored with Mal, others have studied under him, and all of us love