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Don K. Preston
Due to the length of Kurt’s Final Negative, we have had to divide it into segments. This is Part 2
Don’s Proposition and Burden of Proof
Don is in the affirmative and has the burden of proof. To carry his case he must prove each and every element of his affirmative. At a minimum, Don must prove
1) The coming referred to in Rom. 11:25-27 is the second, not first, advent of Christ.
2) The judgment and sentence associated with sin hung over the saints until AD 70; viz., the cross did not cancel sin’s debt.
3) AD 70 represented the legal climax and termination of the Mosaic Covenant age; viz., the law, including circumcision, animal sacrifices, the priesthood, dietary restrictions, etc, was valid and binding until AD 70.
4) The judgment and sentence associated with sin were set aside in AD 70 by annulment of the law.
We are in the negative and need only negate ONE of the essential elements of Don’s proposition to prevail. In order to carry his case and establish his affirmative, we challenged Don if he could produce even ONE VERSE showing the saints continued under the debt of sin from and after the cross (#2 above). We put a box on the page and predicted that at the end of the debate it would still be empty. Don has now concluded his affirmative. He has written almost 50 pages of argument, but has failed to produce even ONE VERSE that expressly states or teaches that the saints continued under the debt of sin after the cross. I believe it is axiomatic that if Don cannot produce a verse to substantiate an essential tenant of his doctrine, that he has not and cannot carry his case. His failure on this one point has therefore negated his proposition.
In our second negative, we added a box for Don and challenged him to produce even ONE VERSE that stated or taught the saints required to observe the law, and that it was valid and binding (imposed) and until AD 70 (# 3 above). Here again Don failed. He could not produce even ONE VERSE, not one. We also asked Don if he could produce even ONE COMMENTATOR who agreed with his interpretation of Isa. 27:7-11 (#1 above). Again he failed. He could not cite one commentator who applied Isa. 27:7-11 to the fall of Jerusalem. His whole case turns upon his ability to prove Isa. 27:7-11 refers to the AD 70 coming of Christ, but not one commentator agrees with him. Don says all commentators agree tha
t Paul quotes Isa. 27:7-11 in Rom. 11:25-27, but that is not mean they apply it to AD 70. If Don cannot provide some commentator that agrees it applies to AD 70, then we maintain he cannot prove his case. Finally, we concluded our second negative saying Don could not produce a verse that taught justification occurred in AD 70 (#4 above). Again, Don could not produce even ONE VERSE. Thus, for each of the four essential elements of Don’s proposition he cannot produce even one verse or commentator who agrees with him. Remarkable is it not? A doctrine that has deceived so many for the better part of 30 years, and when put to the test not even ONE VERSE can be produced to sustain its most basic suppositions!
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