Month: August 2022

Finally, the thesis.

Daniel Segraves

On July 18, 2022, my post was titled “My Journey from Theory to Thesis.” It was the story of my development of a theory concerning the identity of “that which is perfect” (I Corinthians 13:10). If you have not read that post, I encourage you to do so before reading further in this one.

My original plan was to share my M.A. in Exegetical Theology thesis online in short sections, but I have changed my mind. Instead, I will post the approval page here, followed by the full thesis.

The thesis, titled “That Which is Perfect (I Corinthians 13:10): A Non-Eschatological Approach,” is a seventy-nine page document I wrote as my final project in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Exegetical Theology after three and one-half years of study at Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, now known as Western Seminary (Portland, Oregon). The degree was granted on June 26, 1993.

At the request of M. James Sawyer, Ph.D., one of the faculty members who read and approved the thesis, I presented a forty-nine page condensed version of the thesis at the West Coast meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society.

Here is the approval page:

That Which is Perfect approval pageDownload

And here is the thesis:

That_Which_is_Perfect_PPH

If you would like to purchase a hard copy of this thesis, you may do so at pentecostalpublishing.com. [archive]

The Encyclopedia Britannica and Baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ

Daniel Segraves

It is quite well known that the eleventh edition of The Encyclopedia Britannica, published in 1910, includes an excellent article on baptism by Frederick Cornwallis Conybeare, M.A., D.Th. Conybeare was a Fellow of the British Academy. He was also Formerly Fellow of University College, Oxford as well as the author of The Ancient Armenian Texts of Aristotle.

The article runs to six pages, including a section titled “The Baptismal Formula,” wherein Coneybeare refers to the Teaching of the Apostles (i.e., the Didache) as follows: “The Teaching of the Apostles, indeed, prescribes baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, but on the next page speaks of those who have been baptized into the name of the Lord — the normal formula of the New Testament. In the 3rd century baptism in the name of Christ was still so widespread that Pope Stephen, in opposition to Cyprian of Carthage, declared it to be valid.” This is not the only reference in the article to baptism in the name of Jesus. Coneybeare points out that in the apostolic age “the normal use … seems to have been ‘into Christ Jesus’ or ‘in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,’ or ‘of Jesus Christ’ simply, or ‘of the Lord Jesus Christ.'”

A copy of this article has resided in my Baker’s Textual and Topical Filing System for years, but I had the occasion today to look at it again. I decided to copy the article and post it here for those who may not have a copy. I have highlighted sections relating to baptism in the name of Jesus Christ so you can find them quickly.

The Encyclopedia Britannica Eleventh Edition Volume III 1910.pdf highlightedDownload

“The New Birth” offered by Purpose Institute

Daniel Segraves

Beginning this Saturday, August 13, 2022, I will teach the Purpose Institute course The New Birth. The course will be offered both on the campus of New Life Church in Cabot, Arkansas, and by Zoom, beginning at 10:40 a.m. and concluding at 1:10 p.m on the following dates:

  • August 13, 2022
  • September 10, 2022
  • October 15, 2022
  • November 5, 2022

I will be teaching on Zoom, and Larry Gimnich, Associate Pastor of New Life Church will host the on-campus presence of Purpose Institute. He can be reached by email at lgimnich@newlifecabot.com.

I have been teaching courses for Purpose Institute for quite a few years, including The New Birth course, and I look forward to this, which will include some new material I have not presented previously.

Daniel L. Segraves, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus

Urshan Graduate School of Theology

[archive]

The Addiction of Sin: Lesson 13

Daniel Segraves

In Lesson 12 of our series of lessons on The Addiction of Sin, we began to consider Keith Miller’s proposed adaption of the Twelve-step Program. Here is Step One:

Step One: We admitted we were powerless over our Sin — that our lives had become unmanageable. (Compare with Romans 7:15-25.)

To see why we recommended Romans 7:15-25 to provide insight on Step One, I recommend going back and reading Lesson 12 again.

Now, let’s look at Step Two:

Step Two: We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. (Consider Lamentations 5:21.)

I selected Lamentations 5:21 here because the “Power” greater than ourselves is not merely an impersonal “power” that is greater than us. Lamentations identifies the One greater than ourselves who can restore us as the LORD (Yahweh) (Lamentations 1:5). The next to last verse of the book reads: “Turn us back to You, O LORD, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old” (Lamentations 5:21).

We cannot turn ourselves; only our Lord can turn us. Only He can restore us and return us to what we once were. This is not merely a return to sanity. It is a restoration to spiritual wholeness. It is a release from addiction

In Lesson 14, we will look at Keith Miller’s third proposed step in his adaption of the Twelve-Step Program.

[archive]

In Lesson 12 of our series of lessons on The Addiction of Sin, we began to consider Keith Miller’s proposed adaption of the Twelve-step Program. Here is Step One:

Step One: We admitted we were powerless over our Sin — that our lives had become unmanageable. (Compare with Romans 7:15-25.)

To see why we recommended Romans 7:15-25 to provide insight on Step One, I recommend going back and reading Lesson 12 again.

Now, let’s look at Step Two:

Step Two: We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. (Consider Lamentations 5:21.)

I selected Lamentations 5:21 here because the “Power” greater than ourselves is not merely an impersonal “power” that is greater than us. Lamentations identifies the One greater than ourselves who can restore us as the LORD (Yahweh) (Lamentations 1:5). The next to last verse of the book reads: “Turn us back to You, O LORD, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old” (Lamentations 5:21).

We cannot turn ourselves; only our Lord can turn us. Only He can restore us and return us to what we once were. This is not merely a return to sanity. It is a restoration to spiritual wholeness. It is a release from addiction

In Lesson 14, we will look at Keith Miller’s third proposed step in his adaption of the Twelve-Step Program.

[archive]