BOOKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR POPULAR BELIEFS: ARE THEY BIBLICAL? examines 10 popular beliefs, showing why they are unbiblical. THE PASSION OF CHRIST IN SCRIPTURE AND HISTORY explains the necessity, and achievements of the Cross. THE CHRISTIAN AND ROCK MUSIC is a timely symposium that defines biblical principles to make good musical choices. THE SABBATH UNDER CROSSFIRE refutes the common argu- ments used to negate the continuity and validity of the Sabbath. IMMORTALITY OR RESURRECTION? unmasks with compelling Biblical reasoning the deception of the immortality of the soul. THE MARRIAGE COVENANT presents biblical principles established by God to ensure happy, lasting, marital relationships. THE ADVENT HOPE FOR HUMAN HOPELESSNESS discusses the certainty and imminence of Christ’s Return. FROM SABBATH TO SUNDAY shows how the change came about from Saturday to Sunday in early Christianity. THE SABBATH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT presents the continuity of the Sabbath in the New Testament WINE IN THE BIBLE shows convincingly that the Bible condemns the use of alcoholic beverages, irrespective of the quantity used. CHRISTIAN DRESS AND ADORNMENT examines the Biblical teach- ings regarding dress, cosmetics, and jewelry. DIVINE REST FOR HUMAN RESTLESSNESS offers a stirring theological interpretation of the relevance of Sabbathkeeping. HAL LINDSEY’S PROPHETIC JIGSAW PUZZLE refutes with com- pelling logic the senselessness of Hal Lindsey’s predictions. WOMEN IN THE CHURCH shows why Scripture precludes the ordination of women to the representative role of elder or pastor. THE TIME OF THE CRUCIFIXION AND THE RESURRECTION examines the time and meaning of the Crucifixion/Resurrection. GOD’S FESTIVALS IN SCRIPTURE AND HISTORY. Vol. 1: The Spring Festivals; Vol. 2: The Fall Festivals examine the historical development and theological meaning of the Feasts of Israel. SPEAKING IN TONGUES examines the use and abuse of speaking in tongues from a biblical perspective. MORE THAN A PROPHET offers a balanced picture of the divine revelations and human limitations of Ellen White. The price of each book is $30.00, mailing expenses included. You can order copies by phone (269) 471-2915 or by email at [email protected], or online at http://www.biblicalperspectives.com 20 iblical erspectives POPULAR BELIEFS Are They Biblical? Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D. iblical erspectives 4990 Appian Way Berrien Springs Michigan 49103, USA Cover design by Eric Halder halder@preludefilms.com © Copyright 2008 by Samuele Bacchiocchi First Printing 2008 You can purchase a copy of this book ($30.00, postpaid) online at http://www.biblicalperspectives.com or by phone: (269) 471-2915 or by email: [email protected] or by mail BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES 4990 Appian Way Berrien Springs Michigan 49103 Phone (269) 471-2915 Fax (269) 978-6898 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction..................................................................................... 7 Reasons for Writing This Book ................................................... 7 The Method .................................................................................. 9 The Style ...................................................................................... 10 Acknowledgments ....................................................................... 11 Author’s Hope .............................................................................. 11 1. The Nature of the Bible .............................................................. 13 Historical Attacks Against the Bible ............................................ 14 Biblical Errancy ............................................................................ 20 Biblical Inerrancy ......................................................................... 26 Seventh-Day Advensit Understanding of the Nature of the Bible 36 2. The Immortality of the Soul....................................................... 45 A Historical Glimpse of the Belief in the Immortality of the Soul 46 The Old Testament View of Human Nature ................................. 55 The New Testament View of Human Nature ............................... 62 The Implications of the Dualistic Versus the Wholistic View of Human Nature .............................................................................. 68 3. Life After Death .......................................................................... 81 Beliefs About the Afterlife ........................................................... 83 The Biblical View of Death .......................................................... 86 Sheol in the Old Testament ........................................................... 98 Hades in the New Testament ........................................................ 103 4. Hell as Eternal Torment ............................................................. 123 The Traditional and Popular View of Hell ................................... 124 Biblical Texts Used to Defend Hellfire ........................................ 130 The Annihilation View of Hell ..................................................... 142 The Moral Implications of Eternal Torment ................................. 150 Table of Contents 6 5. Purgatory ..................................................................................... 163 The Catholic Doctrine of Purgatory ............................................. 165 A Historical Glimpse of the Doctrine of Purgatory ..................... 171 The Catholic Defense of Purgatory............................................... 179 Biblical Reasons for Rejecting Purgatory .................................... 185 6. Sunday Sacredness ..................................................................... 193 The Theological Connection Between Sabbath and Sunday......... 196 Jesus and the Origin of Sunday .................................................... 202 The Resurrection and the Origin of Sunday ................................. 206 First Day Religious Meetings and the Origin of Sunday ............. 211 Jerusalem and the Origin of Sunday ............................................ 217 Rome and the Origin of Sunday ................................................... 220 Sun Worship and the Origin of Sunday ........................................ 225 7. Mariology ..................................................................................... 235 The Perpetual Virginity of Mary .................................................. 240 The Immaculate Conception of Mary .......................................... 249 The Bodily Assumption of Mary ................................................. 260 The Mediatorship and Redemptive Roles of Mary ...................... 267 The Veneration of Mary ............................................................... 273 8. Speaking in Tongues ................................................................... 283 The Rise of “Speaking in Tongues” in the Twentieth Century .... 286 Speaking in Tongues in the Gospel of Mark ................................ 291 Speaking in Tongues in Acts ........................................................ 293 Speaking in Tongues in 1 Corinthians 12-14 ............................... 302 Speaking in Tongues Today ......................................................... 318 9. Once Saved Always Saved .......................................................... 325 Two Views of the Eternal Security in Salvation .......................... 327 The Predestination and the Perseverance of the Saints ................ 328 The Case for Unconditional Salvation ......................................... 335 The Case for Conditional Salvation ............................................. 339 Salvation is Assured but not Guaranteed ..................................... 343 10. Infant Baptism .......................................................................... 348 Infant Baptism in Scripture .......................................................... 351 An Evaluation of the Arguments for Infant Baptism ................... 357 Infant Baptism in History ............................................................ 365 Problems with Infant Baptism ..................................................... 379 INTRODUCTION Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical? was born out of the frequent discussions with Christians of different denominations about their be- liefs. Participants at my weekend seminars, as well as subscribers to my Endtime Issues Newsletter, often ask me: Why are some of my beliefs biblically wrong? How can they be unbiblical, when they are held by the vast majority of Christians? To answer these questions, I have devoted thirty years of my life researching and writing 18 books which examine some of today’s popular beliefs from a biblical perspective. Furthermore, a large num- ber of the 200 Endtime Issues Newsletters which I have emailed dur- ing the past 10 years to over 35,000 subscribers, examine popular beliefs historically and biblically. This book represents an expansion of the studies posted in my newsletters, which are readily accessible at www.biblicalperspectives.com/endtimeissues/ Reasons for Writing This Book Two major factors motivated me to spend one year of my life to further research and write this book on Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? The first, is my passion for biblical and historical accu- racy. An example is the five years I spent at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome,