This is a more personal note that gives a bit of an introduction as to why I planned to resign from my position after 23 years at The Master's University - Israel Bible Extension. Many people have asked me and my wife "What's up?". Let me first say that I am grateful to The Master's University for their interest and investment in the Israel program all these years. I know that God has worked in many peoples' lives through the program. It is sad (but I see God's sovereignty even here) that my intended resignation turned into a nasty termination. I would have preferred a parting of "thanks much and God bless" from both sides but alas, it was not to be. I pray for the ministry of The Master's University and the IBEX program. May the Lord God of Israel bless you!
I can assure friends and former students that I have not "rejected our Lord". My faith in God the Father and in His Son the Lord Jesus the Messiah is as strong, yea verily, stronger than it has ever been. I would recommend to people to let the Lord Jesus be the judge of the condition of my soul (Acts 17:31). He will be the judge of yours as well. If anyone is "teaching as doctrines the precepts of men" they will be found out. Jesus the Messiah is "the faithful witness, the first-born from the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. He loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father." The Lord God will "judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed, and of this He has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."
In my study of the Scriptures, I put together notes on typical trinitarian proof texts (Philippians 2, Colossians 1-2, selected verses in the Gospel of John, etc., etc., we all know them well). Then after doing the study, I discovered that others have already done similar work, with great ability and clarity. Here are a few books and website resources:
The book by Anthony Buzzard and Charles Hunting: The Doctrine of Trinity: Christianity's Self-Inflicted Wound. You owe it to yourself to read this book. The chapters "The Nature of Preexistence in the New Testament" and "John, Preexistence and the Trinity" are insightful.
Restoration Fellowship is the website run by the same author.
The God of Jesus by Kegan Chandler heads this list of books.
Chandler's website is here. Take 8 minutes and watch the video toward the bottom of that home-page. His blog is here.
Sean Finnegan at Restitutio speaks and writes well. I pray the Lord will raise up 10,000 more like Sean and Kegan.
The Trinity Delusion is a Youtube site that covers a lot of bases (OK, the videos aren't glitzy). His webpage answers many trinitarian claims, organized by Scripture references, and topics.
21st Century Reformation is a good resource. The general editor of that site, Dan Gill, wrote a very readable book describing biblical evidence that there is One God, the Father, and one Lord, Jesus the Messiah.
There are lots more (e.g., The Human Messiah Jesus) but I'll wrap up for now. Maybe just a word about our family. In God's grace, we are well. Steph and I have had a keen sense of the Lord's sovereignty through these somewhat unexpected times. I've had a new job offer in Israel. We'll see. My elderly parents are managing on their own but the time may soon come when they will need assistance. Rachel and Mike, and their little baby Benjamin are doing well in Phoenix. Zach and Isaiah are on spring break in the snows of Norway. They are both trying to become Israeli citizens and join the Israeli military. Nothing certain yet, but there are some new developments for them in that regard. Eitan, I hate to admit it, is probably better than me in volleyball now. Sarah (Sasa) is still our bundle of energy (and usually joy). "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who has blessed us in Messiah with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in him before the foundation of the world..."
Update: because of the emotional nature of my parting from the TMU-IBEX program it is best that all comments be directed to me personally at schlegel4@gmail.com.
"Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him" (1 John 5:1, NAS).
I can assure friends and former students that I have not "rejected our Lord". My faith in God the Father and in His Son the Lord Jesus the Messiah is as strong, yea verily, stronger than it has ever been. I would recommend to people to let the Lord Jesus be the judge of the condition of my soul (Acts 17:31). He will be the judge of yours as well. If anyone is "teaching as doctrines the precepts of men" they will be found out. Jesus the Messiah is "the faithful witness, the first-born from the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. He loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father." The Lord God will "judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed, and of this He has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."
In my study of the Scriptures, I put together notes on typical trinitarian proof texts (Philippians 2, Colossians 1-2, selected verses in the Gospel of John, etc., etc., we all know them well). Then after doing the study, I discovered that others have already done similar work, with great ability and clarity. Here are a few books and website resources:
The book by Anthony Buzzard and Charles Hunting: The Doctrine of Trinity: Christianity's Self-Inflicted Wound. You owe it to yourself to read this book. The chapters "The Nature of Preexistence in the New Testament" and "John, Preexistence and the Trinity" are insightful.
Restoration Fellowship is the website run by the same author.
The God of Jesus by Kegan Chandler heads this list of books.
Chandler's website is here. Take 8 minutes and watch the video toward the bottom of that home-page. His blog is here.
Sean Finnegan at Restitutio speaks and writes well. I pray the Lord will raise up 10,000 more like Sean and Kegan.
The Trinity Delusion is a Youtube site that covers a lot of bases (OK, the videos aren't glitzy). His webpage answers many trinitarian claims, organized by Scripture references, and topics.
21st Century Reformation is a good resource. The general editor of that site, Dan Gill, wrote a very readable book describing biblical evidence that there is One God, the Father, and one Lord, Jesus the Messiah.
There are lots more (e.g., The Human Messiah Jesus) but I'll wrap up for now. Maybe just a word about our family. In God's grace, we are well. Steph and I have had a keen sense of the Lord's sovereignty through these somewhat unexpected times. I've had a new job offer in Israel. We'll see. My elderly parents are managing on their own but the time may soon come when they will need assistance. Rachel and Mike, and their little baby Benjamin are doing well in Phoenix. Zach and Isaiah are on spring break in the snows of Norway. They are both trying to become Israeli citizens and join the Israeli military. Nothing certain yet, but there are some new developments for them in that regard. Eitan, I hate to admit it, is probably better than me in volleyball now. Sarah (Sasa) is still our bundle of energy (and usually joy). "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who has blessed us in Messiah with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in him before the foundation of the world..."
Update: because of the emotional nature of my parting from the TMU-IBEX program it is best that all comments be directed to me personally at schlegel4@gmail.com.
"Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him" (1 John 5:1, NAS).
