By Samuel M. Frost, Th.D.
Usually I promote Jason Bradfield’s Contra Reformed articles. Recommend them, too. However, recently, Bradfield, a former close acquaintance of mine years ago, sunk to low swamp waters. Jason, you see, is an “orthodox preterist.” This is a term used for those who have most of the NT “fulfilled” in 70 CE. However, they snip off a few passages of Scriptures here and there that are reserved for “the end” of history. This keeps this just above creedal waters so that they can have their WCF cake and eat it, too. Been there, done that.
Jason’s recent hit piece is “Why I Don’t Recommend Sam Frost.” Now, remember, just recently, I recommended Jason Bradfield; his article on Ward Fenley. I have recommended Jason in the past, too, letting our differences go by the wayside. However, Jason lacks the maturity to do the same. In fact, I endorse several books against Hyper Preterism. Stephen Whitsett, who is a Premillennialist, I recommend. I recommend Ken Gentry’s books, too. I can recommend Lance Conley, an Eastern Orthodox Christian. I can recommend all sorts of brothers. Jason, however, can’t. You tow his line, or you get off the boat. For me, this kind of attitude (one that you find way too often among the “Reformed” crowd) is simply unbiblical and entirely outside the Christian spirit.
See, Jason’s panties are in a wad because I don’t like Preterism. I make it plain and clear. I have watched many people “slide” from Preterism (excuse me, “orthodox” preterism) to hyper preterism. I receive emails (just got another one from Austrailia) from pastors, elders, and family members watching their friends and family “reading David Chilton” then sliding into Don Preston. Jason may not get these emails, but I do get them. Regularly. Being a former Hyper Preterist leader, pastor, and teacher has brought me to this little niche of helping others see the light. Oh well.
Now, this has made enemies, of course. The Postmillennialists (some of them) can’t stand me. Why? Well, because I was a former Postmiller. Postmill requires hyper-partial-preterism (sorry….orthodox preterism). Bradfield writes, “As a former hyper-preterist (aka full-preterist), I have expressed concern with some of the commentary coming from some orthodox preterists. I believe that some of it needs to be refined, as some go too far on some texts.” See that word, “some”? It mentioned quite a bit here in this little snippet. “Some.” What does Jason mean here? “Some” orthodox preterists “go too far”? Who would these people be? Names, please. Now, Mr. Bradfield, these “some” who remained unnamed – who cares if the “go too far”? Can that “lead” to something else? Maybe, say, I don’t know….Hyper Preterism? And, why do these “some” go too far? Is there a reason go to far? Do they have a reason? Yes. They do. You’ll not hear this from Bradfield, though. We don’t want to upset the horses in the stall.
Bradfield continues: “However, I have never made the broad-sweeping generalizations about orthodox preterism that Sam has made.” Bravo, Jason! So what? What’s wrong with “broad, sweeping generalizations”? I mean, you have already admitted that “some” go “to far.” To far into what? Hmmm? The rest of the article is basically Bradfield attacking my strategy of “broad” generalizations (most of those who know me get it; Jason does not get it). He goes into my book, written in 2012 (and selling quite well, thank you brother Gentry, who I disagree with, but recommend), and some other snips, cuts and pastes. Never forget, Jason is an “orthodox 70 Ader.” 70 AD. Jesus and Jerusalem and Titus; Great Tribulation. Last Days. The Beast and Harlot. All Jerusalem and done and fulfilled. Jesus just hasn’t raised the dead, yet (well, spiritually he has; from spiritual death). 70 AD. Spiritual. You do the math.
Again, Bradfield states, “Contrary to Sam’s false claim now, none of the orthodox preterists I know have simply said, “Well, we can’t go the full-preterist route because of the creeds, and we have zero Biblical basis for it.” Now, I never quoted any 70 ADer to this effect, and Jason provides none. I am not saying they say this (well, Chilton did). However, my argument is that they have no biblical basis for their claims in spite of their claims that they do. This is where I would sic Mike Sullivan on them with his charts which virtually show how putting all of these “orthodox preterists” together (excuse me…”some” of these orthodox preterist who “go to far” together) would, logically, at least bring one to consider or hear out a hyper preterist, like Sullivan. You can ignore Sullivan all you like, but he won’t go away. Castigate and ridicule him all you want – but look at the work and those charts. Look at them closely. Ponder them. He’s put a ton of work there. And, I have to really put a gigantic boot on my ego to say this, because I ridiculed Mike in the past. I didn’t want to see it. Ridicule (Jason’s method) is easier. Engaging is harder. I engage. Personally. It gets messy. Oh well.
Anyhow, since I am feeling up to it; here are some more lie from Jason: “In his book, he claims that “Adam was cursed and estranged by breaking the command.” Now, he denies that Adam was cursed. Um, no, Jason. Adam was “estranged” and removed from the Garden, and died, working the cursed ground. He suffered the curse of death (as will Jason and I). But, the serpent is directly cursed. Adam and Eve are not directly cursed. There is no text that says they were.
Lie two: In his book, he claims that Christians “have been ‘made alive’ with Christ already through the empowering outpoured Spirit” and that John 5.24-29 teaches “two stages of resurrection of the dead.” Now, he calls you a dualist and a gnostic for saying such things.” Jason’s reading is a bit unhinged here. Two stages of ONE resurrection, not TWO resurrections. Understand, Jason? The first STAGE (for lack of a better term) is being infilled with the Spirit in my mortal body, which is still under going death (me). The Spirit who raised Jesus from the literal dead, will also raise me, literally from the dead, too. The first stage of this SINGULAR resurrection which will be in the last day is just that. It is not a “Spiritual Resurrection.” There is just one resurrection.
Lie three: “In his book, he argues that full-preterists “rule out physical death arbitrarily…” and that “estrangement”/“separation” from God is a “form” of “death.” Now, he blames Reformed theologians for teaching this and providing full-preterists the ammo.” Well, they do. Again, note my terms. Death “entered” (singular death) in Adam, and, as an entity (or “power” as Paul calls it) it takes on, operates, works, brings about (all biblical terms) effects on human beings. Separation from God, “alienation” is not Death itself (and it is never called that in the Bible). However, Death certainly brings about alienation. Jesus, right at the moment of his death, screams, “why have you forsaken me!” precisely because Death (the separation of body and soul) is accursed. “Cursed is any man who hangs on a tree.” Jesus took upon himself our estrangement by giving up his life to Death, not “spiritual death,” but actual, nailed on the cross, blood dripping death of body. Jason just doesn’t get it here, or that there is even something to be said here. I am not alone in my thinking here, either.
Now, let’s get to the real reason Jason’s all keyed up: “If I genuinely thought that embracing preterism would inevitably lead to heretical full-preterism, I certainly wouldn’t endorse a book that supports preterism. If I genuinely believed that all variants of preterism were a “gateway drug” that inevitably led to the crack cocaine of heretical full-preterism, I wouldn’t be nodding my head in agreement with Jeremiah Nortier that Kenneth Gentry offers a “healthy” preterism.” And there you have it. Sam “gets around” and is a friend to these brothers. He (and they) get along with Sam, and Sam gets along with them. Jason just can’t handle this. He does not know how to have sharp disagreements and yet remain cordial, civil, and brotherly. He just cannot understand how Sam can get on all these podcasts, be invited to speak at Reformed Baptists conferences, and have a book published by Kenneth Gentry, or be friends and brothers with Jeremiah Nortier.
Now, of course, I have always stressed that “orthodox” Preterism “may,” “can,” “could,” lead to hyper preterism. You know, like Calvinism can lead to hyper Calvinism. Jason lies in saying that I believe that “all variants” lead to hyper preterism. I do? Does he have this in print? Jeremiah Nortier is not a Preterist. He’s Amill. Gentry, who even changed his view on the “end of the age,” sees the issue, too (we have talked on the phone about this – something Jason can’t and won’t do with me). I admire folks who change their minds. Stretch. Especially on eschatology. I am sorry if it bothers Jason that Doug Wilson’s comments on Revelation sound like hyper preterists, or that “some” of Durbin’s material is, well, what a hyper pret would say. Joel McDurmon is another one. Gary DeMar, who is no slouch, does the same thing. We (me and Jason) were on the same “list of signers” against DeMar. Wilson was on that list, as well as some others. There was a bit of conviction there on my part, simply because some of those brothers “go too far” in their “orthodox preterism.” One brother who was a signer even has a “Resurrection” of the dead martyrs in 70 AD, fulfilling Daniel 12:2! Now, Jason, if Daniel 12:2 is FULFILLED in 70 AD, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the rest! Yet, these men are “orthodox” because, even though Daniel 12:2 is “fulfilled” in 70 AD…..they confess the creeds.
“At the very least, Sam appears scattered and conveys a muddled message.” In Psychology we call this, “projection.” Jason then goes on to lie about me even more, “Then he got on Facebook and lied to his ‘followers’, claiming that the church had expelled him.” Now, if Jason wants me to replay this all over again, with the emails, and how this went down, I will. The “church” did not expel me (never said it did). The “pastor” did. A single man did. Never said the “church” did. They were shocked that I left. I was told to resign my eldership on a text message by this so called “pastor.” Why? Well, he never bothered to sit down with me, as he promised to do, to search these things out. I have the emails. But, see, Jason’s smear campaign has to bring this all back up, the “back story” as he calls it. Why does he do this? Well, because I hit postmillennialism. I get asked to be on podcasts. Jason, in one private exchange, called me “media whore.” Well, Jason, if you know me, you know that I have always lived in term of ecumenicism. I get along with folks I disagree with. Jesus commands me to do this; to live at peace with all men, as much as I can. Sorry this gets you worked up. That’s not my problem. It’s yours.
Jason then continues to make me out to be a liar and a sham (much like the Hyper Prets…and here is where the Hyper Prets and Jason, the “orthodox Pret” gets along together). Bradfield’s pathetic words continue: “For me, the distrust began when he “retreated” from his church, lied about his pastor, called him names, and sought a “safe space” in the wacky PC(USA) to teach without any push-back.” Jason just does not have a clue. He does not know my life. He does not interact with me at all. I think he’s jealous. But, that’s my opinion. Like his, it doesn’t matter much. Jason doesn’t “trust” me, and to that I say, “I don’t care.” I have the trust of a community here, a church, my fellow pastors, friends, family. They see my life day in and day out, and my work. They know me. Jason doesn’t.
Now, Jason wrote, “Oh, and there’s also the fact that when I confronted him about prioritizing his Facebook ‘fans’ over his own congregation in hopes of getting it addressed, he insisted that we part ways and blocked me. So there’s that.” This is the part where he called me a “media whore.” So, there’s that. Jason hates the fact that I get invited on podcasts. He just hates it. I wrote to Jason that he does not “know my heart,” and I suggested we part ways (at the counsel of my wife, because she saw that I was heartbroken over the loss of my friend and bother, Jason Bradfield). It was tearing me up.
However, like an idiot, I promoted Jason’s web page, Reformed Contra recently. I practice what I preach: try to live at peace; if your brother has a fault, go to him in private. Seek for peace. Reconcile. These things go against the grain in our flesh, but that’s when I know I am following the Spirit. And, I am still dumb enough to ask one more time, Jason: can’t we reconcile these things, and agree to disagree, and yet still get along for the cause of Christ and Crown?
Vigilate et Orate 