Posts by Kevin Bauder
State, Church, and the Bible
Old Testament Israel recognized no separation between the civil order and the religious order. Israel was a theocracy, the Kingdom of God on earth. God Himself was the king, and His reign not only prescribed the forms of worship but also stretched over the political, economic, and social spheres. Every aspect of life was under…
Read MoreA Complex Event: the Second Coming
Sometimes the events of biblical prophecy are relatively simple. The foretold event occurs, and the prophecy is fulfilled. From that moment, it slips into the past. Noah prophesies the flood, and it comes. Elijah prophesies a drought, and the rain stops. Micaiah prophesies the death of Ahab, and Ahab is killed. Even where the event…
Read MoreWhat Is Conservatism?
After the Second World War, three thinkers established an intellectual foundation for modern conservatism in America. The philosophical case for conservatism was articulated by Richard M. Weaver in his book Ideas Have Consequences. The link between political and economic freedom was established by Friedrich Hayek in his volume The Road to Serfdom. A comprehensive history…
Read MoreRedeeming the Culture?
FRONTLINE Volume 34 • Number 1 Many contemporary Christians propose that redeeming the culture is an important part of what Christ calls them to do. The authors of the following articles will examine that proposal. At the outset, a few observations are in order. First, no such thing as “culture” exists in the abstract. You…
Read MoreThe Baptist Paradox
or, “How Should Christians Conduct Themselves in the Public Sphere” Denominations are like cans of soup. Each can contains a different mix of ingredients, and the label tells you which ingredients to expect. The ingredients of the soup with the Baptist label are called the Baptist distinctives. Taken together, these distinctives set Baptists apart from…
Read MoreBiblical Counsel for Medical Choices
FrontLine Volume 33 • Number 1 According to the Bible, sin and death are inextricably linked. Paul tells us, “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin” (Rom. 5:12). With death, sin brought a whole flood of decay, disease, and disability. We cannot always trace particular diseases to individual sins, but…
Read MoreCreation, Sex, and Gender
The Bible’s account of the Creation and Fall defines many areas of human interest. One of the areas it affects most is human sex and gender. The opening chapters of Genesis establish a pattern that is both explained and applied in the rest of Scripture. What the Bible teaches about sex and gender is not…
Read MoreDispensationalism
FrontLine | November/December 2021 | VOLUME 31 | NUMBER 6 Welcome to Dispensationalism! “Dispensationalism” is a big word, and people struggle to understand its meaning. Some people assume that if you believe in dispensations, then you must be a dispensationalist. But all Christians recognize that God has administered His plan in different ways at different…
Read MoreChristianity and the Alt-Right
The old dictum says that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I disagree. A friend is someone who values and honors what I value. An enemy is someone who destroys or debases what I value. It is quite possible for an enemy of my enemy to destroy or debase what I value. The…
Read MoreThe Fundamentals: Creation and Its Implications
FrontLine: May/June 2020 | VOLUME 30 | NUMBER 3 When Darwin’s theory of evolution appeared during the latter half of the nineteenth century, American Christians were not prepared to respond. Theological liberals, having already abandoned their commitment to Scripture, quickly adopted the new theory. Some conservatives also thought that perhaps the biblical language of Creation…
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