Subject: why was this epistle written? |
Bible Note: Jesusman: You encouraged John to look into the history and culture of the Bible to examine whether the doctrine of particular redemption is a valid one. Yet you didn't offer any concrete historical-cultural basis for concluding that it is not a biblical doctrine. I was just curious why you mention such a technique without demonstrating at all how it allegedly proves your point. One other thing...you wrote: "Remember, the original authors of the Bible weren't writing to the future Church. They were writing to a specified group in a specified time in a specified culture." You are right here to a certain extent in saying that the primary recipients of the letters were the addressees in question. However, the divine Author of the New Testament was indeed writing to us, giving us truths that pertain to all human beings in all times and all cultures. So the future church is indeed addressed by the biblical texts, and not merely indirectly. --Joe! |