We continue to arrange Sellers’s teachings on ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia). The word “does not mean ‘church,’” Sellers insists, “no matter what definition is given to this term.” The facts adduced in the preceding post “are generally known, but they have been misconstrued by many, and probably will continue to be until His lightnings enlighten the world … Continue reading “Otis Q. Sellers on ἐκκλησία, Part 2: the Kingdom dimension”
The presupposition of this series is that not only the status of Scripture as God-breathed (θεόπνευστος, theopneustos), but also its sound exegesis (including 2 Timothy 3:15), is what matters, not the social interest of an organization, including whether it has Scriptural warrant for identifying itself as ἐκκλησία (ekklesia). By “social” I mean “pertaining to societies … Continue reading “Otis Q. Sellers on ἐκκλησία, Part 1: The primacy of sound exegesis over confessional commitment”
When people first encounter Otis Q. Sellers’s writings, they learn he was virtually alone in holding that God’s global reign, the Kingdom for the coming of which He taught His disciples to pray, will be both future and premillennial. That is, Christ’s “second coming,” His return to tabernacle among us again, to be present (παρουσία, … Continue reading “Otis Q. Sellers on ἐκκλησία: his most distinctive theological distinctive? Introduction to a series.”
Part 1 is here. Otis Q. Sellers’s reconsideration of the Acts period sprung from pastoral need, not theological speculation. In 1929, he had been pastoring a Baptist church in Newport, Kentucky for about a year.[1] He was with them from 1928 to 1932.[2] In 1952, he recalled that members of his congregation had been asking him … Continue reading ““The Silence of God”: Anderson’s 1897 book, Otis Q. Sellers’s 1929 turning point—Part 2”
This blog’s subtitle is “Helping you navigate this dispensation’s last days (2 Timothy 3; Ephesians 3:2). In this and subsequent posts, I’ll elaborate on its meaning. (But see my “Helping you navigate this dispensation’s last days”: What do I mean?,” November 11, 2020.) In “Christ, our philosophical GPS,” I argued: If Christ is the Wisdom … Continue reading ““The Silence of God”: Anderson’s 1897 book, Otis Q. Sellers’s 1929 turning point—Part 1”
Otis Q. Sellers (1901-1992) was a Bible teacher, not an apologist, although he would defend his faith whenever the occasion demanded it. He presupposed that the Bible was the Word of God in the words of men, but never engaged in the “metapologetics” that vindicates this presupposition against challenges. He left such work to others.[1] … Continue reading “Otis Q. Sellers’s presupposition and his first sermon’s subject”
Periodically I need to step back from the billboard of my studies of independent Bible teacher Otis Q. Sellers (1901-1992) and survey that big picture, reviewing the salient points of his teaching, all of which are being sourced for the growing manuscript, Maverick Workman: How Otis Q. Sellers Broke with the Churches, Discovered the Premillennial … Continue reading “The Maverick Workmanship of Otis Q. Sellers: Highlights”
From the Renaissance humanists the Reformers borrowed a motto: “Ad fontes!,” that is, “[Back] to the sources or fountains of truth.” The sources were texts, the Greek and Roman classics for the former, the Bible for the latter. The phrase comes from Psalm 42:1, or rather from Jerome’s Latin translation of the Hebrew for his … Continue reading “Otis Q. Sellers: The Autodidact Who Returned ad fontes”
Otis Q. Sellers believed that Christ’s second advent would precede his millennial Parousia (personal presence), but differed with millions of other Christians in this respect: the inauguration of centuries of God’s rule on earth will be premillennial, but future to us.[1] Contrary to the Social Gospellers (who, in a sense, also believed in a premillennial … Continue reading “Otis Q. Sellers on the Premillennial Kingdom”
“I was born in a small town of about 5,000 people [and lived there] for the first fifteen years of my life. When I first went to the big city, I was just a country boy. This small town shaped my thinking and actions. Sometimes I think that was for the good.” [1] In … Continue reading “Otis Q. Sellers: Wellston’s Son, Revival’s Heir”
