The Reformed Olive Press

Covenant Death, the Glory Lost in Eden, and the Victory of Jesus When we think about the story of Adam and Eve, many assume that physical death entered the world because of their sin. But what if physical death was always part of the natural creation? What if the real consequence of their disobedience wasn’t the start of dying physically, but something far more profound—a covenant death ? Covenant Death in Eden: More Than Mortality Adam and Eve were created in a world where mortality already existed. Trees with limited lifespans, animals that died, and cycles of life and decay were all part of God's good creation. But what set Adam and Eve apart was their unique covenant with God. They were clothed in His glory , not just physically but spiritually. They walked with God in the Garden and had access to the Tree of Life—a symbol of sustained covenant fellowship and divine immortality. Their sin did not corrupt their biology as taught by the erroneous doctrine Original Sin. Inste...

  Paul's Thorn in the Flesh: The "Super-Apostles" as Opposition One of the most debated passages in Paul's writings is 2 Corinthians 12:7, where he describes his "thorn in the flesh": 2 Corinthians 12:7 English Standard Version 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited." Many interpretations of this passage focus on Paul’s "thorn" as a physical ailment, such as poor eyesight, chronic pain, or another illness. However, a compelling case can be made that Paul's thorn in the flesh was not a sickness but rather the opposition of the so-called "super-apostles" in Corinth—a group of rival teachers who sought to undermine his authority and message. In 2 Corinthians 10–12, Paul defends his ministry against false apostles who boasted in their own strength and credentials. He sarcast...

      The Saints of Revelation 14: The New Jerusalem Descending from the Mountains of Pella  Revelation 14 paints a striking image of the Lamb standing on Mount Zion with 144,000 faithful saints, marked by God and singing a new song. From a full preterist perspective, this passage is not a futuristic prophecy but a depiction of events fulfilled in the first century. The saints here represent the faithful remnant of Israel—those who heeded Jesus’ warning in Matthew 24 and fled to the mountains during the Roman siege of Jerusalem. Many of these early believers took refuge in Pella, escaping the destruction that befell the old Jerusalem. Rather than seeing the New Jerusalem as a physical city descending from the sky, Revelation presents it as the faithful people of God—the saints who emerged from tribulation to become the true dwelling place of God. Just as the old Jerusalem was judged and destroyed, the new covenant community arose, established in Christ and no longer ...

                                  1 Corinthians 12:28 Prooftext for Female Eldership  According to 1 Corinthians 12:28, notice that the Female Prophet (with a covered head) has a higher calling than the Male Pastor role. Yet, if a woman asked her Male Pastor to prophesy Sunday morning at your Church would it be wrong according to scripture? Would you walk out?    1 Corinthians 12:28 New American Standard Bible 28 And God has appointed IN THE CHURCH first apostles,  SECOND PROPHETS , THIRD TEACHERS, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and various kinds of tongues.     1 Corinthians 11:4-5 New American Standard Bible 4 Every man who has something on his head while   praying or PROPHESYING  disgraces his head. 5 But  EVERY WOMAN  who has her head uncovered  while praying or PROPHESYING  disgraces her head, for it is...

                    The True Light: Knowing the Father Through His Son (John 1:9-13)  John 1:9-13 presents a powerful message about the true light that shines into the world. While many read this passage as a reference to Jesus being the light, a biblical Unitarian perspective recognizes that the ultimate source of light is the Father Himself. Throughout Scripture, God is described as light (1 John 1:5), the one who gives understanding and life to all. Jesus, as the Messiah and Son of God, is the one who reveals the Father, making Him known to those who receive him. This passage highlights the tragic reality that, though the light was in the world, many failed to recognize it. Yet, for those who did receive Jesus—acknowledging him as the one sent by the Father—they were given the right to become children of God. This was not by human lineage or effort but by God's own will. In these verses, we see the Father's desire to bring people...

  Here is the Statement of Faith incorporating the theological views of the Reformed Olive Press: Full Preterism, Biblical Unitarianism, Open Theism, Egalitarianism, Conditional Immortality, and the New Pauline Perspective. Statement of Faith 1. The Nature of God We believe in the one true God, the Father Almighty, who alone is immortal and the source of all life (1 Tim. 6:16; John 17:3). He is personal, relational, and sovereign over creation, yet He engages dynamically with His people, responding to prayer and human decisions in real time (Jer. 18:7-10; Exod. 32:14). 2. Jesus Christ, the Messiah We affirm that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, born of a virgin, anointed by God’s Spirit, and fully human (Matt. 16:16; Acts 2:22; 1 Tim. 2:5). He was crucified for our sins, raised bodily from the dead, and exalted to God's right hand as Lord and King (Acts 2:36; Rom. 1:3-4). He will reign until all enemies are subjected under God’s rule (1 Cor. 15:24-28). 3. The Holy Spirit The H...

    Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Omnipresence under Open Theism  Open theism challenges classical views of God's omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence by emphasizing divine self-limitation and the reality of human freedom. Below are scriptural passages that open theists use to argue that God does not possess these attributes in the classical sense. 1. God is Not Omnipotent (All-Powerful in a Classical Sense) Open theism asserts that while God is powerful, He does not exercise absolute control over everything. Some passages suggest God's will can be resisted or that He does not always accomplish His intended plans. Isaiah 5:1-4 – God plants a vineyard (Israel) expecting good grapes but gets bad ones, indicating His purposes can be frustrated. Jeremiah 19:5 – "They have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind." This suggests events occur that were not in God...

Ma tthew 24:36 and Revelation 1:1: Rethinking the Timing and Nature of Christ’s Coming Among the many debated passages concerning the return of Christ, two verses stand at the center of discussion: Matthew 24:36 and Revelation 1:1. Biblical Unitarians who hold to Full Preterism see these verses as key to understanding that Christ's coming was not a distant, future event but something that was imminent in the first century. In Matthew 24:36, Jesus states: Matthew 24:36 English Standard Version 36 “But concerning that day and hour 👉NO ONE KNOWS👈, not even the angels of heaven, 👉NOR THE  SON👈,but 👉THE FATHER ONLY👈 NOTE: Mark 13:32 is a parallel passage. Many take this verse as proof that the second coming remains unknowable even today. However, within the context of Matthew 24, Jesus was speaking before His resurrection, at which point even He had not yet received full revelation of the Father’s plan. After His resurrection and ascension, Christ was exalted and given all authori...

70 AD and The Bar Kokhba Revolt: The Line of Demarcation of Prophecy and Historical Development The Bible is not a running prophecy where every historical event is a direct fulfillment of an ongoing prophetic timeline. Instead, there is a clear line of demarcation between prophecy and historical events. Prophecy, as given in Scripture, has specific fulfillments that are often marked by divine intent and interpretation within the biblical text. While history unfolds with significant events, not every occurrence is a prophetic fulfillment. For example, the destruction of the temple in 70AD fulfilled Jesus' words in Matthew 24:34 (Mark 13 and Luke 21), but later events, such as the Bar Kokhba revolt, were not necessarily prophesied in the same way. They were historical developments rather than direct fulfillments of biblical prophecy. Recognizing this distinction prevents us from forcing every major historical event into a 70AD prophetic framework and allows us to interpret Scripture ...

Harmonizing Genesis 26:4-5 and Deuteronomy 11:1: Understanding Obedience Before the Law One of the intriguing aspects of biblical theology is understanding how God's commands and laws relate to different periods of redemptive history. A particularly challenging passage in this regard is Genesis 26:5, where God tells Isaac: Genesis 26:4-5 English Standard Version 4 I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” At first glance, this statement raises a question: How could Abraham have kept God's commandments, statutes, and laws when the Mosaic Law had not yet been given? This becomes even more puzzling when we compare it to Deuteronomy 11:1, which states: Deuteronomy 11:1 English Standard Version 11 “You shall therefore love the Lord your God and keep his char...