Nevertheless, early in his career Augustine converted from premillennialism to amillennialism. The world, as they see it, is in an ongoing golden process of progress. An Excellent Defense of The Rapture by Dr. John MacArthur But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. Only now has it happened, and so His promises may not be trustworthy, since they were given in the past, before so many things happened that He didnt know were coming to pass. Historic premillennialism is the view that Christ will return before the millennium. Ive been here at Grace Church well, what - thirty-some years. You cannot fight the war on every front, and at the great time of the Reformation, they were fighting the war where the battle raged the hottest. Now, with regard to the coming kingdom of Christ, in which Christ rules as supreme and sovereign ruler, there are a number of views, but let me boil them down to three views - and these are good, and Ill give you a simple explanation so that you understand where we are going. They didnt really get to the front of ecclesiology either, the study of the church, but those two kind of go together - as well see in this study - in some very fascinating ways. Now, there are people who do this to Genesis 1, 2 and 3. Postmillennialists think things are going to get better. What you have here is a benediction from God: blessed is he who reads and understands the book of Revelation. It is one thing to omit them in formal obedience to the law; and another thing to omit them in prudence, or for necessity, because we cannot keep them. Therefore, Israel has been permanently set aside, so that the only kingdom will be that kingdom that we call the church, ruled by Christ, either expanding to take over the world, or existing in the world, and finally in heaven. Please be aware that these items are sent out from our office in the UK. One says its not the kingdom. How could they believe unless He caused them to believe? It is one thing to omit them for a time, and another to do it ordinarily. If you get that right, your eschatology will come crystal clear. Theres a rapture, and theres a bma seat judgment; we know that. 315K views 1 year ago Significant video editing was used to create a unique storyline that teaches about the end times, specifically premillennialism and amillennialism. We cant have those prophecies come to pass with regard to Israel in an earthly, literal kingdom the way the Old Testament seems to be saying it, so set aside normal, natural, literal interpretation. You can choose Him and then not choose Him, and then choose Him again and then not choose Him, and you make the decision; and so, all of the promises of God are conditional on you. The first clear opponent of premillennialism associated with Christianity was Marcion. The Rapture, Antichrist, and Rebirth of Israel in Medieval Manuscripts. Some people want to turn it into ages - theres nothing in there that does that; theres nothing in the text itself that does that. O.T. Other early premillennialists included Pseudo-Barnabas,[9] Papias,[10] Methodius, Lactantius,[11] Commodianus[12] Theophilus, Tertullian,[13] Melito,[14] Hippolytus of Rome, Victorinus of Pettau[15][16] and various Gnostics groups and the Montanists. Premillennialism experienced a revival among 17th century Puritans like Thomas Brightman, Joseph Mede, and others. He loved to read and study. 2. And who made them? Dispensationalism is a kind of framework for history that is organized around seven dispensationsseven orders or administrations. The "millennium" refers to the period of 1,000 years mentioned in Revelation 20:3, "He threw Satan into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years were ended. And I ask the question: are we supposed to be comfortable with the notion that the hard and fast and true principles of Bible interpretation have to be set aside in prophetic texts? This is simply a way to understand Scripture in its normal sense. Register. Through allegorical interpretation, he had been a proponent of amillennialism (of course, the sexta-septamillennial tradition was itself based upon similar means of allegorical interpretation). They explain, "As a refinement of dispensational premillennialism, futuristic millennialism affirms a futuristic view . He will return to an increasingly wicked earth, He will come in fiery judgment, He will judge all the ungodly of all the earth, and then establish His rule and His kingdom forever. Some of the most formidable amillennialists - and Im talking about well-respected, very erudite influential theologians - say things like this, and Ill quote. Popular proponents of dispensational premillennialism have been John F. MacArthur, Phil Johnson, Ray Comfort, Jerry Falwell, Todd Friel, Dwight Pentecost, John Walvoord (d. 2002), Tim Lahaye, Charles Caldwell Ryrie (in the notes for the Ryrie Study Bible), the theological-folk poetry of Jack Royerton, and Charles L. Feinberg. Doctrinal Statement Student Testimonies TMS for your Family Academics Academics Overview Master of Divinity Master of Theology Doctor of Ministry Doctor of Philosophy Bachelor of Theology Diploma of Theology Center for Israeli Studies Distance Education Academic Calendar Faculty Admissions & Aid Death, where is your sting? This is an account of the things formerly created, as also it is a prophecy of what is to come. Because we dont want you to incur expenditure for which you are not prepared, could you please confirm whether you are willing to pay this charge, if necessary? Every promise God made to Abraham about his lineage inheriting the land of Palestine has been fulfilled! He loved to preach. . Calvin, though, was an amil, and DutchCalvinism, after a postmil start, has tended to be amil. Even His promises may not be valid, because He made them with inadequate information. So, my words to you are really very simple foundational words, I say this. . 2023 Grace to You. Death, where is your victory? John Fullerton MacArthur Jr. (born June 19, 1939) is an American Protestant pastor and author known for his internationally syndicated Christian teaching radio and television program Grace to You. The other says there will be a kingdom. Hes improving; Hes definitely on the upward curve. Anything to avoid premillennialism, even if you change the rules of interpretation. Justin wrote in chapter 80 of his work Dialogue with Trypho, I and others who are right-minded Christians on all points are assured that there will be a resurrection of the dead, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built For Isaiah spoke in that manner concerning this period of a thousand years. Though he conceded earlier in the same chapter that his view was not universal by saying that he and many who belong to the pure and pious faith, and are true Christians, think otherwise. [6], Irenaeus, the late 2nd century bishop of Lyon, was an outspoken premillennialist. There are three basic eschatological views which are held by those calling themselves "Reformed.". He made them in the past, when He didnt know what He now knows, because what was going to happen hadnt happened. [18] Although Origen was not always wholly "orthodox" in his theology, he had at one point completely spiritualized Christ's second coming prophesied in the New Testament. John F. MacArthur 2008-09-01 It is absolutely essential that a church perceive itself as an institution for the glory of God, and to do that, Particular to this framework is the eschatological position known as "premillennial dispensationalism" which holds that Christ will return prior to a literal one-thousand-year reign on earth. During the 2007 Shepherds Conference at Grace Community Church in Los Angeles, John MacArthur delivered a lecture entitled "Why Every Self-Respecting Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist." It created quite a stir among Reformed pastors and theologians. Amillennialism is consistent with Arminianism. Some people say, How in the world can you understand it? They understood it in China without anything but a Bible; they understood it in Central Asia without anything but a Bible; you take it at face value. Its there. That is called historical premillennialism: Christ will come, set up the kingdom, but it won't have the Jewish character that we anticipate from Old Testament promises it would have, because those promises were cancelled to Israel and given to the church. You never met a Hittite, an Amorite, a Hivite, a Jebusite, or any other ite. They have long since morphed into the melee and the mix of the races. Now, the truth of the matter is, those are just two ways to look at the same thing; postmillennialism and amillennialism is really the same thing. They dont want to accept the fact that Adam and Eve were created full grown, male and female, not the result of an evolutionary process. In fact, its an impossible effort since it doesnt mean what it says, and you have to sort of allegorize it or spiritualize it and therefore interpretations are myriad; they are as many as interpreters. when they overthrew Jerusalem in the first of 3 steps (also 597 B.C., 586 B.C.). The reason why it's called "historic premillennialism" is that, historically, this was the allegedly commonly-held view by many of the church fathers like Iraenus, Pappias, and Justin Martyr. Israel sinned, youre out. Irenaeus and Justin represent two of the most outspoken premillennialists of the pre-Nicean church. There were 1600 pastors from central Asia - the first Central Asian pastors conference in history after the breakup of the Soviet Union. An Anglican - an Anglican - by the name of William Cunningham in 1815 wrote a book called The Premillennial Advent; he was anything but a dispensationalist. It matters to me to understand what God has said about the end. I dont do this to you very often, but I hope you feel like it was helpful, and anchored you in this great and important truth. Every Sunday morning for over 50 years, John MacArthur a faithful pastor with many of the same convictions as Barrow has ascended the pulpit of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, opened his Bible, and boldly preached God's Word to the thousands assembled there to worship. 2. Prior to that I thought about it a lot. Amen. The sting of death is sin, the power of sin is the law, thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. Scofield, that came out of J.N. I have dragged you through virtually every verse in the New Testament. There are a number of viewpoints of what the Bible means when it speaks of future events. Since Scripture speaks of the Millennium as a time of great prosperity for the kingdom of God, post-mills are inherently optimistic. Amillennialism is ideal for Arminians because, according to their theology, God elects nobody and preserves nobody. Did He do it and somehow muddle it so hopelessly that the high ground for Bible students and the high ground for theologians is to recognize the muddle and abandon the perspicuity or the clarity of Scripture on that subject? Eusebius Pamphilius: Church History, Life of Constantine, Oration in Praise of Constantine", "Bible Basics Study 5.5 - The Millennium", "Definitions and Observations Concerning the Second Coming of Christ", "Episode 132: D.A. And these things are borne witness to in the fourth book of the writings of Papias, the hearer of John, and a companion of Polycarp. (5.33.3) Apparently Irenaeus also held to the sexta-/septamillennial scheme writing that the end of human history will occur after the 6,000th year. They will die for that truth regarding the church, but unashamedly abandon that same truth for the elect nation of Israel. The church historian, Eusebius, reports this in his Ecclesiastical History. We still have Mark to go, but there are only a couple of discourses and a couple of miracles in Mark that arent in the other three gospels, so not a lot of new material. More recently dispensationalism has been popularized through Hal Lindsey's 1970s bestseller, The Late, Great Planet Earth and through the Left Behind Series by Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins. Theyve been refined, clarified, expanded, enriched through these 50 years, but I was convinced when I started. All rights reserved. [4] According to Johannes Quasten, In his eschatological ideas Justin shares the views of the Chiliasts concerning the millennium.[5] He maintains a premillennial distinction, namely that there would be two resurrections, one of believers before Jesus' reign and then a general resurrection afterwards. In fact, the worst evil thats ever been done on the history of the world was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and by that - the worst evil - He gained the greatest glory. It is also the time when the creation will bear fruit with an abundance of all kinds of food, having been renovated and set free And all of the animals will feed on the vegetation of the earth and they will be in perfect submission to man. And Ive gone back after I preach, and Ive written commentaries - now I think 26 or 27 volumes on the New Testament - back through the same material again and again and again and again and again, so that this understanding of eschatology has had to stand the acid test of every text. Loraine Boettner wrote a book called The Meaning of the Millennium; this is what he said: It is generally agreed that if the prophecies are taken literally, they do foretell a restoration of the nation of Israel in the land of Palestine, with the Jews having a prominent place in that kingdom and ruling over the other nations.. by Craig L. Blomberg and Sung Wook Chung [Grand Rapids: . He loved the church. Well see more about how that works. Dionysius of Alexandria stood against premillennialism when the chiliastic work, The Refutation of the Allegorizers written by Nepos, a bishop in Egypt became popular in Alexandria. John MacArthur's Defense of Dispensationalism Monday, December 8, 2008 by Gary DeMar In 1988, John MacArthur wrote The Gospel According to Jesus, a controversial book in certain circles because he relied heavily on the views of Calvinistic writers to deal with the lordship salvation controversy. Between 1790 and the mid-19th century, premillennialism was a popular view among English Evangelicals, even within the Anglican church. The preacher's admission came amid news that Grace Community Church in Sun Valley received an $800,000 settlement from Los Angeles County after defying pandemic-induced health orders. He even went so far as to say that the Amillennial position is more consistent with Arminianism Origen was the first to challenge the doctrine openly. 3. He has been the pastor of Grace Community Church, a non-denominational church in Sun Valley, California since February 9, 1969. by R. Scott Clark on April 8, 2020 | Dispensationalism describes a way of reading the Bible and a system of theology the nearest roots of which are in the 19th century. The Millennium is the reign on earth of Jews who accept Christ John MacArthur, Because the Time is Near: John MacArthur Explains the Book of Revelation (Moody, 2007). Wannabee Obi Wan Kenobi Oct 27, 2007 #9 No to Scofield. 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