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In this episode pastor Raef digs into a historic theological question around the relationship of ethnic Israel and the Church. While there are theological roots to the question, the various answers Christians have developed over the years have very practical applications and implications. Raef argues from an Amillennial perspective, that the Church is the New Israel, not the replacement of Israel as some have said, but the New or Fulfilled Israel.Book Referenced: The Doctrine of Last Things by Dr. Sam Waldron: https://freegracepress.com/products/the-doctrine-of-last-things-an-optimistic-millennial-view
In the discussion of Christian eschatology, there are many paths to choose from — each seemingly valid ways to interpret history and the bible. But deeper study reminds us of Jesus' words about the narrow road: few there are that find it because most go by the wide road. Today most are deceived on eschatological matters, and that is why it is important to walk as narrow of a path as possible. That path is amillennial historicism.* 00:00 - Introduction* 04:45 - The Main End Times Views* 36:13 - Amillennial Historicism * 51:11 - Christ Ruling* 1:07:08 - Why Historicism? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danceoflife.com/subscribe
Greatest Hits Replay: In Episode 113 of Theology In Particular, Dr. Daniel Scheiderer returns to make a case for Amillennialism. It was in episode 80 that Dr. Scheiderer provided us with an overview of the various eschatological positions on the millennium. Here he presents two arguments against mellennarianism in its various forms and five arguments for the Amillennial position. Links: International Reformed Baptist Seminary: irbsseminary.org If you have feedback, questions, or suggestions, please email Joe at: tip@irbsseminary.org Recommended Resources: A Case for Amillennialism: Understanding the End Times, by Kim Riddlebarger On The End Of The World And On Hell – Theological Commonplaces, Vol. 32-33, Pages 129-36, by Johann Gerhard, Institutes Of Elenctic Theology, Section 20.3, by Francis Turretin.
Title: A Pastor's Hope Text: 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 FCF: We often struggle trusting the Lord to raise up godly attributes in us. Prop: Because godly pastors hope for what God promises to give His true children, we must have this hope for ourselves. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 1 Thessalonians chapter 3. In a moment we'll begin reading in verse 11 from the Legacy Standard Bible. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. Last week we saw how Paul's pastoral concern was assuaged by the good news that Timothy brought back from his visit with the Thessalonians. Their faith, love, and hope were steadfast. But Paul, having a pastor's heart, and being a disciple maker like every other true believer, desired not only to fellowship with the Thessalonians again, but to minister to them and complete what was lacking in their faith. As we mentioned last week – the following two chapters seek to do just that. Paul isn't going to wait until they are together again before he begins to complete their faith. But today, before he gets to his teaching, and by way of introducing the things he wishes to teach them more about, he closes out this section of the book with what we call a benediction. The word benediction is the combination of two Latin words meaning “to speak well of” or “to speak good words.” Although we are studying an epistle, which is a genre in the bible that combines teaching and instruction in the form of a letter, a benediction is a subgenre used in many letters but not exclusively in letters. Aaron's blessing in Numbers 6:24-26 is an example of a benediction which occurs in the Pentateuch which is a blend of history, teaching, and law genres. So how do we study a benediction? Since it is a subgenre we must look at it in context of the main genre. In this case we will interpret these last three verses based on the context of the letter to the Thessalonians. But generally speaking, benedictions are a series of blessings, hopes, or prayers FOR God's people, expressed BY spiritual leaders, pleading TO God for His blessing, and designed as a comfort FOR God's people. As you can see, benedictions work on multiple levels. And today by God's grace we will see all these levels on display. So, without further ado, Please stand with me to focus on and give honor to the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: Great God and Father, Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit and comforter, we come to You today to gather around Your Word. We do so, expecting You to bless us, change us, and refine us. We are but clay in Your hands. Mold us and shape us according to Your will. May we hope and desire the things You promise to give us so that we may hope rightly. Give us what You promise and help us to yearn for it too. We pray this in Jesus' name, Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] “Hope is faith in future tense.” Peter Anderson “'Hope is biblical shorthand for unconditional certainty.” John Blanchard “A man full of hope will be full of action.” Thomas Brooks “When you stop hoping you are in the vestibule of hell, for there is no hope there.” A.J. Cronin “The nearer to heaven in hopes, the farther from earth in desires.” William Gurnall Let us ponder these words as we look to the scriptures today. I.) Godly pastors hope for meaningful fellowship among believers, so we must have this hope for ourselves. (11) a. [Slide 3] 11 - Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord i. Notice first who Paul addresses this benediction to. ii. The reason I say benedictions have multiple layers is because Paul is obviously writing this to the Thessalonians. But in the middle of talking to them, he addresses two persons of the Godhead. iii. So, Paul speaks to God but through Him to the Thessalonians as well. iv. There is no doubt that this wish, this prayer, this hope, is designed to comfort them. v. Yet it is certainly a prayer to God. vi. Paul mentions two persons of the Godhead – The Father and the Son. vii. This alone requires some investigation. 1. First, we understand that Jesus is very clearly elevated to a position that is equal to the Father. a. Paul's trinitarian theology shines through as God the Father and Jesus our Lord are both prayed to in this text. b. Other than the order of their mention, there is no indication at all of any hierarchy or subordination here. c. And since Paul sometimes inverts this order, even this is not really an indication of hierarchy at all. d. In Paul's mind they are equal in power and glory. They are both deserving of hearing our prayers. 2. Second, Jesus is clearly understood here to be not only equal with the Father, but also Divine. a. He is not merely a human being elevated to the same status as God the Father, but is also the Lord. b. Specifically, the evangelists' and the Thessalonian church's Lord. c. Although Lord can be used to talk about someone that is a respected man, like a master of a slave, or a noble, it can also be used as a synonym for God. d. In this text, because Jesus is being prayed to, the most natural way to interpret the word Lord, is as if Paul is addressing the God of the Old Testament but applying that title to Jesus of Nazareth. 3. Third, I would very much like to address the conspicuous absence of the third person of the godhead. Unfortunately, it is a time-consuming venture that doesn't lead us to a definitive answer. So, I will save that discussion for Thursday Night prayer group and bible study. Be sure to join us as we discuss why Paul might have omitted the Holy Spirit from this benediction. viii. But what blessing does he seek for them? ix. This nicely divides up this morning's sermon into our three points. The points of Paul's requests. x. First, he requests that God… b. [Slide 4] direct our way to you, i. Paul's first desire, is the same desire he's been expressing since chapter 2. ii. He greatly desires to see them again face to face. iii. He desires fellowship. And He is praying that God's providence might guide him and his companions back to them soon. iv. This is certainly something that should be a good word for all God's people. To pray to God that God would allow us to direct our way to each other… this is a good word. A good wish. A comforting thought. c. [Slide 5] Summary of the Point: Paul hopes that the Lord will providentially direct him and his companions back to the Thessalonian church. In this we see a pastor's heart which hopes for meaningful fellowship to occur among believers. Paul desires to be among them and fellowship with them. He desires that fellowship among believers to be meaningful and frequent. So, Paul looks to the Lord in prayer, that God might direct them back to one another. If Paul desires this for himself among the Thessalonians, it is easy to see the application for ourselves. We too must earnestly desire and hope for this fellowship with other believers as well. Transition: [Slide 6(blank)] But this is not the only hope that Paul expresses in this benediction. Paul has two more requests of the Lord for the Thessalonians. Let's see what else he hopes for in verse 12. II.) Godly pastors hope that all believers will follow their example and abound in love for all, so we must have this hope for ourselves. (12) a. [Slide 7] 12 - and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, i. Paul's second prayer request and hope for them is that the Lord causes them to love more. ii. By Lord Paul could be referring to any person of the godhead or to God the Triune. Contextually and theologically it makes the most sense though that he is referring to the demonstrator of love to us, the Lord Jesus Christ. iii. Paul's specific request is that they increase and abound in love. iv. By this Paul does not desire them merely to love incrementally more than they already do. v. Instead, he desires that they increase to the point of overflowing. That there be an abundance of love flowing from them, caused by God. vi. But what is the object of their abounding love in Paul's prayer? vii. First it is for one another. viii. By this he means the church there in Thessalonica. ix. Jesus Himself said that they will know that you are my disciples by your love for one another. x. By this we can conclude that one key evidence that grants assurance that we are indeed a true believer, is that we love others who are also true believers. xi. Paul then, is simply asking the Lord to cause this fruit of their salvation to manifest itself in abounding ways. xii. Paul will mention this in chapter 4 where he will teach on this topic with greater specificity. xiii. For now, it is a comfort to them to think of the Lord causing them to love each other in an abounding way. xiv. Because of the ostracizing of their unbelieving friends and family – this would certainly be a welcome thought. b. [Slide 8] and for all people, i. But thinking about the lack of love they were receiving from unbelievers may have prompted Paul to also pray that their love is not limited just to the church. ii. Paul prays that their love would abound… even for those who are not part of the church. Even for those who have afflicted them for their faith in Christ. iii. Paul prays for the Lord to increase their love – even for their enemies. iv. While it may gratify our flesh to hate our enemies… the spirit of a true believer would certainly be comforted by the hope that their love would abound, even for those who hate them. v. In this they know that they are following in their Savior's footsteps, as He too came and gave His life for sinners. Sinners who did not know God or seek Him. vi. Sinners like them. vii. This answers the object of their love and the magnitude of their love… but Paul desires to illustrate the love he prays for by using his own example. c. [Slide 9] just as we also do for you, i. When Paul and his companions arrived in Thessalonica, there were no friends for them. ii. They spent 3 weeks preaching in the synagogue with limited success. iii. Most of the Thessalonian church were former pagans, ignorant of the God Paul preached and the Savior He followed. iv. And as a reminder, Paul has just gotten through speaking of the intensity of the evangelists' love for this church and desire to be with them. v. Being imitators is a key theme in this book. vi. The Thessalonians were imitators of Christ and of the evangelists and others were imitating them. vii. Here Paul provides his and his companion's example as the pattern for the love he prays the Lord will cause to abound in them. viii. This would be yet another comforting thought for them. To be in such a place that their love for one another and for all people imitated the love the evangelists had for them. d. [Slide 10] Summary of the Point: Paul, using himself and his companions as an example, hopes that the Lord would cause to grow to an abounding degree the love that the Thessalonians have for one another and for all men. As a godly pastor, his life demonstrates this love and his heart desires it to be the same in every other believer. As such the application for us is easy to locate. All of us, no matter what role we play in the body of Christ, must hope to grow and abound in love for one another. We must hope to be an example to others of what abounding love for all looks like. Transition: [Slide 11(blank)] Paul has one final hope he prays for in this text. It is actually an expected and hoped for result of the love he has prayed for to grow in them. Let's look at verse 13. III.) Godly pastors hope all believers are perfected in holiness at Christ's return, so we must have this hope for ourselves. (13) a. [Slide 12] 13 - so that He may strengthen your hearts blameless in holiness, i. What result is Paul praying will happen because God caused their hearts to increase and abound with love for one another and all men? ii. In a word… holiness. iii. The first part of this verse is a little clunky. iv. If we were to read it literally it would be something like, v. “To the to strengthen your hearts blameless in holiness.” vi. The first two words, rather than meaning “to the” should be translated with language that expects a result. vii. In order that, so that, with the result of… viii. The verb strengthen is in its infinitive form. Which eliminates our ability to see who or what is doing the strengthening. ix. Most translations rightly pull the subject from the context which is obviously God Himself. x. Some translations try to leave it ambiguous by inserting a passive “that your hearts may be strengthened” making the subject uncertain. But there is no real reason to do this in the context. xi. It is clear that Paul means that God is doing the strengthening of their hearts. xii. If God is causing their love to abound, it certainly follows that as a result He will strengthen their hearts toward holiness. xiii. But the final expression deserves a closer look too. xiv. Being blameless in holiness seems to be redundant. If someone is holy, they certainly are blameless. And if someone is blameless, most likely they are holy. xv. So, what does this expression mean? xvi. Given what Paul will talk about in chapter 4, we can read between the lines that Paul is praying that their love for all men will strengthen them to forsake sexual immorality and maintain a pure life with one another. xvii. Although blamelessness in holiness certainly means more than merely godly sexual ethics – that is certainly included in it. xviii. Since a love for God and a love for others encapsulates all of the law and the prophets – to be truly set apart for God in a way that no one can find fault with – must flow from both a love for God and a love for all men. xix. But Paul may be indicating not merely a holy life that is practiced now, on earth. He may be also pointing beyond this life… b. [Slide 13] before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. i. We return to the Father and the Lord Jesus as Paul bookends his benediction with His mention a second time. ii. Here we see that Paul prays for blameless holiness for the Thessalonians specifically before God at the second coming of Christ. iii. We know that next the Lord Jesus will come to judge the living and the dead. And so Paul may have his eyes on that final winnowing of genuine believers and pretenders. iv. His prayer then may not simply be that they are holy now – but that they might be strengthened for the time that they are truly perfected. v. Of course, chapters 4-5 include a good deal about the second coming of Christ. So, Paul alludes to that in this benediction as well. vi. One final thing to point out here that is actually somewhat off-topic, is a teaching regarding the end times. vii. Here we see Paul overtly point to the second coming of Christ being done “With all His saints” 1. There is a bit of an interpretational issue here that has commentators divided. 2. Paul seems to be quoting from Zechariah 14, which would tend to favor the idea of the word “saints” or “holy ones” meaning angels rather than people. a. But in the Old Testament the term “holy ones” or “saints” is rather ambiguous. Often it is clearly used to talk about angels and also often it is clearly used to talk about God's people. And of course, many times, it is unclear to which it is referring. b. However, the same is NOT true in the New Testament. Every single use of the term “holy ones” in the New Testament minus two are clearly referring to God's people and NOT to angels. c. Jude 14 could refer to angels, but it could just as easily refer to God's people. d. And here, is the only other unclear reference. e. Furthermore, Paul uses the term “holy ones” 43 times in his letters. In every other instance… he is referring to true believers. 3. Because of this I find the interpretation inescapable. Paul is referring either to God's elect people, or, perhaps, to God's elect people and angels. 4. Since the word saints, or holy ones means Christians we must deal with a spurious way the word is being used today. 5. Saints – is not a special term in the scriptures used to denote some upper class of Christians which have performed miracles or done especially wonderous things for God. Nor is sainthood ever granted or recognized by the church in the scriptures. a. That is literally never how the New Testament uses the word. b. The word itself means the same thing as holy mentioned previously in this verse. Holy means morally pure and set apart. c. Paul wishes that all of them be saints in that they are blameless in holiness. d. And the writer of Hebrews says that without that saintliness… without holiness – no one sees God. e. Saint then, or holy one, is merely another expression of a person who is a genuine believer. f. All believers are saints. And there are no qualifications for sainthood besides being a regenerated believer in Christ. 6. Now, interpreting this as God's people coming with Christ, does pose a bit of a problem interpretationally when it comes to the teaching of chapters 4-5 about the Lord's coming and how believers will meet Him in the air… but that is easily understood when we understand one common practice of the day. 7. When dignitaries or very important people would come to a city, the priests, the rulers, the authorities, the people of note in the city, would leave the city walls and come outside the city to meet the dignitary. Then they would follow him in. 8. Of course we are called a kingdom of priests, heirs to the throne, and the bride of Christ. 9. In this way, God's people can both meet Christ in the air and come with Him. 10. Of course, any Premillennial interpretation of the end times has no problem harmonizing these facts since they would all conclude that we go to meet Jesus and then return with Him when He comes to set up His earthly Millennial Kingdom. 11. We simply disagree on the timing of the return. 12. Postmillennial and Amillennial folks have more difficulty here. And many simply interpret this passage as referring to angels. viii. But coming back to the topic of Paul's wish here… ix. What a comforting thought for the Thessalonians. That the Lord would strengthen them to the level of blameless holiness that the Lord would require of all who might join Him at His return. c. [Slide 14] Summary of the Point: Paul's final hope for the Thessalonians is that the Lord would strengthen their hearts to not only live holy lives today, but that they would be perfected and presented faultless before God when Christ returns with all His people. Every godly pastor hopes for this to be true of their congregation. And as such, the application is clear for us too. We must hope that we will not only be holy now, but perfected in that holiness when the Lord returns. Conclusion: So CBC, what have we learned today that corrects and instructs our faith and shapes and guides our practice? Broad Concepts of Faith and Practice: [Slide 15] Paul expresses these good words for the Thessalonians as he prays to the Lord pleading for these three hopes for the them. He hopes that the Lord would providentially direct them to fellowship together again, that the Lord would cause their love to abound toward all, and that the Lord would strengthen their hearts in perfect holiness when Jesus returns. These amount to what every godly pastor hopes for and prays for, for his flock and all believers. As such these should be our hopes too for ourselves. We should hope that God allows us to fellowship with other believers often and in meaningful ways. We should hope that God causes us to grow and abound in love toward all men and especially those of the household of faith. And we should hope that God strengthens us to grow in holiness today so that when He returns and we return with Him, we should be found faultless and perfectly holy with Him. But how do these applications connect to our life today? Let me take a closer look with you. 1.) [Slide 16] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that God providentially directing His children to fellowship with one another often and in meaningful ways, should be a great comfort and hope to true believers. a. But we live in an increasingly individualistic society. b. People don't have to come to church anymore – they can just watch it on the internet. c. I even saw a church advertise that their wi-fi signal was so strong that it reached the parking lot. d. So, if you don't feel comfortable coming in, don't worry, just park in your car and tune in from the parking lot. e. Some have said, “I don't need the church, I have Jesus.” f. My friends, these are lies. g. You can't have Jesus without the church. And you can't have the church without Jesus. h. How can you say that? i. The Apostles taught that WE are the body of Christ. j. My friends, attending via facebook livestream is not attending. It is not fellowshipping. It is not corporate worship. It is not church. k. It'll do in a pinch when you are shut in or sick… but it isn't church. l. Listening to sermons and podcasts isn't the church either. m. Nor is chatting online with other believers or arguing in forums. n. Without the church, you are a rudderless ship. Without God's people ministering to you and you ministering to them, you are tossed around in the waves of the sea. o. True believers delight… hope for… and seek out fellowship with other believers. p. We thrive on it. We need it. q. Do you see fellowship with other believers this way? r. If not, its time to rethink some things. It may even be appropriate to ask yourself, if you are truly a believer. 2.) [Slide 17] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that God causing His children to grow and abound in love for one another and other men, should be a great comfort and hope to true believers. a. Along with our more individualistic society, we also have a love problem. b. From definition to object, from magnitude to demonstration, we have a love disease. c. Our definition of love is distorted. So much so that the unconditional undeserved love of God is often so foreign to us when we first hear of it. d. The object of our love is frequently enjoyed toward those who always agree with us or those who return the love we offer. Again, when we see the unconditional aspect of Christ's love for His church, in that while we were yet enemies, He died for us, that is so odd to us. e. The magnitude of our love is a paradox of over-loving things and practices, and under-loving and valuing people. “Save the whales” and “kill the children” are often said by the same lips. f. And if that wasn't bad enough, demonstrating love has been reduced to 5 languages, which is already an extrabiblical interpretation of demonstrating love, but when you give that to a person who is not a believer, it is weaponized for a way to get the kind of love they want, rather than teach them how to love others. g. So yes… we have a love problem. h. But the church… God's people… we should be different. i. We should be looking longingly for the day that God will cause the love we have toward others to abound. Specifically, and especially toward other believers. j. This coupled with the hope for fellowship only intensifies the need for Christians to give the church a much higher priority than they are giving it today. k. Of all the things people prioritize, I fear that gathering with God's people is often an afterthought… if it is a thought at all. l. But growing in and abounding in love for other Christians should be a great hope for those who are genuine believers. m. But our love is not so narrow. n. In fact, our selfless, unconditional love should also be pointed at those who are not believers too. o. We certainly remain guarded with unbelievers. We know they do not understand and will seek to harm us. And we don't need to intentionally leave ourselves open to their abuse. p. But we certainly do not retaliate in thought, word, or deed. q. Overall, growing and abounding in love for all men ought to be one of the greatest wishes of every true believer across the board. r. If you don't desire to love others more… you may need to do some soul searching. You may yet be lost after all. 3.) [Slide 18] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that God strengthening our hearts to holiness now and perfect holiness when Christ returns, should be a great comfort and hope to true believers. a. The bane of the accurate teaching of the free grace of God is the overcorrection into license. b. The logic sounds fairly sure. c. Christ died for sin. I am a sinner. Christ died for me. He paid for all my sin. Therefore, when I sin, I know it is already paid for. Therefore, there is nothing that needs payment. Therefore, I am free… I have been given a blank check to do as I please. d. This thought process has been attacking the church since the apostles' time. They all have written extensively on the matter. e. Paul writes in Romans the logic which concludes with – “Shall we sin then that grace may abound?” f. Paul answers his own question with the strongest negative answer that you can make in the Greek language. g. Mh genoito h. May it never be. Or May that idea never have existed or been born in your mind! i. God's grace and mercy do not allow true believers to continue in sin. Instead, His grace and mercy remind us how we are slaves to righteousness and to live according to His Spirit which is in us. j. Hebrews tells us that without holiness no one will see God. k. Holiness, moral purity and being set apart for God's service is part of the fabric of every true believer. l. We love and aspire to holiness. m. And we hope that one day, when the Lord Jesus returns, He will complete that process, purifying us forever, never to fail Him again! n. Certainly, the greatest part of that eternal Kingdom will be the fellowship with Christ. o. But John says that when we see Him, we will be like Him. p. This thought is a great hope of all true believers. One day, we will never sin again. q. But my friends, if there is a tinge of sadness in that for you. That one day you will never lie, cheat, steal, lust, be selfish, lack courage, or never dishonor your parents again… if such a thought produces in you a wistful longing and loss – then you must examine your heart. True believers hope for the day such a thing were true. r. Are you really His child? 4.) [Slide 19] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must find hope in God doing these things in us. a. We must realize that ultimately, true believers hope that the Lord will direct them to fellowship with God's people, to love more, and to grow in holiness. b. Any attitude or feeling that causes us to despise or become annoyed with any of these things, must be rejected as a sinful and fleshly attitude rather than a pure one. c. If we despise or are annoyed with the idea of fellowshipping more with God's people, we must repent of this and put this sin to death. d. If we roll our eyes or gag a bit at the thought of loving others more, we must repent of this and put this sin to death. e. If we are frustrated with or bothered by the thought of becoming more holy, more different and separated from the world, we must repent of this and put this sin to death. f. Because true Christians desire to be with God's people, grow in love, and holiness. g. How do we do all these? h. Well, if we go back to the text, we realize that not only is Paul asking this of God, but God is the agent working in all these things. i. God is providentially directing the fellowship. j. God is causing the love to grow and abound. k. God is strengthening the heart to holiness. l. God is, as always, our source. We run to Him for these things. Ultimately, we hope… in Him. 5.) [Slide 20] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” True believers will see this prayer answered in their lives. a. Although Paul offers this as a hope and a wish, we know from the rest of scripture that God promises to do these things in the lives of true believers. b. God promises to bring His people together. c. God promises to grow us in love. d. God promises to grow us in holiness. e. Of course there is some human responsibility here. We must step out in faith to pursue fellowship, love, and holiness. f. But God promises that for real Christians… this will be done. g. No one will arrive with Christ with these hopes left unfulfilled. h. And that is a great comfort to us. 6.) [Slide 21] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” Without the fellowship of the church, love like Christ, and holiness, no one will inherit the Kingdom of God. a. This, then, is nothing more than a logical conclusion. b. If God will do these things that Paul has prayed for in every believer… and the prayer itself is a comfort and a hope to God's true people… c. Then anyone who lacks these things cannot truly be a child of God. d. There is always room for growth of course. e. In fact, the hope of growth is part of this equation. We as true believers hope to have these things. f. But if you lack them completely, or have no hope that you would have them, or both… then you cannot possibly know Christ. And therefore, you are still lost in your sin. g. If that is you today. You don't desire to be with Christians. You don't really want to love people that don't already love you. You don't want to live differently and in a way that follows the commands of Jesus. h. But for the first time you've seen this, and genuinely desire that to change. i. I urge you to cry out to Jesus and repent of your sins and submit to Jesus as your Lord and Savior. j. And if you would like to do that today, please see me or another Elder. We'd love to help you through that process. [Slide 22 (end)] Let me close with a prayer by the early church father John Chrysostom Do not let us avoid the reading of the divine Scriptures, Lord. For that would be of Satan's devising, not wanting us to see the treasure, otherwise we would gain the riches. So, he would say that hearing the divine laws means nothing. Otherwise, if we did, we might become doers of the word, as well as hearers. Knowing then his evil plan, Lord, let us fortify ourselves against him on every side. Fenced with this kind of armor, we can live unconquered lives, as well as strike a heavy blow to his head. Then, crowned with glorious wreaths of victory, we can attain the good things to come, by the grace and love toward others of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might for ever and ever, amen. Benediction: Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus Christ our Lord direct our way to each other, And may the Lord cause us to increase and abound in love for one another and for all people, So that He may strengthen our hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His Saints. Until we meet again… go in peace.
Executive Pastor, Dr. Stephen Trammell, shares that the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30 reveals how believers can live meaningfully while anticipating Christ's return. God entrusts each person with resources according to their abilities, expecting faithful stewardship rather than fearful inaction. Two servants doubled their investments through wise action, while one buried his talent out of fear and misunderstanding of his master's character. Faithfulness requires both faith and action across all areas of life - finances, relationships, health, and spiritual growth. God will reward those who prove faithful during this time between Christ's first and second coming. Your belief determines where you spend eternity, but your behavior determines how you spend eternity.
Jesus gave us 15 signs in Matthew 24 to indicate His return is approaching, but no one knows the exact timing except the Father. These signs, like birth pains, will increase in frequency and intensity. The key isn't knowing when He's coming, but being ready when He does. Jesus contrasts two types of servants: the faithful one who puts God first and serves others while waiting, and the careless one who becomes self-centered and destructive. True readiness means living with purposeful preparation, not fear, and being faithful in daily responsibilities while anticipating Christ's return with joy.
Biblical prophecy reveals specific signs that indicate Christ's return is approaching, including widespread deception, wars, natural disasters, persecution of Christians, and the cooling of love among believers. Jesus described these signs as labor pains that intensify over time, culminating in a seven-year period called the Great Tribulation. The Antichrist will rise as a false peacemaker before demanding worship, and Christ will return visibly and victoriously. Israel's rebirth as a nation in 1948 represents a significant prophetic milestone. Rather than trying to predict dates, believers should focus on being ready for His return through salvation and faithful living.
In this sobering and soul-searching message, Pastor Karl dives deep into Matthew 5:17–48, where Jesus declares that He came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it—and then raises the bar of righteousness far beyond anything the scribes and Pharisees ever imagined.Through six piercing examples—anger that murders the heart, lust that commits adultery in the mind, casual divorce, manipulative oaths, retaliation, and hatred disguised as justice—Jesus exposes the truth we all try to avoid: outward obedience is never enough. God judges the heart. Every single one of us stands guilty before His perfect standard.Yet the bad news is meant to drive us to the best news. Pastor Karl powerfully unpacks how Jesus' command in verse 48—“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”—is not a cruel impossible demand, but the very reason the Son of God came. We cannot achieve the righteousness God requires, so God freely gives it to us through faith in Christ. Jesus took our unrighteousness and imputes His perfect righteousness to all who repent and trust Him.A hard-hitting, heart-exposing sermon that leaves no room for self-righteousness, but ends with the liberating joy of the gospel: guilty sinners can be clothed in the very righteousness of God and stand before Him as if we had never sinned. Essential listening for anyone who wonders, “How can I ever be right with a holy God?”Watch all our sermons on our youtube channel "Flipside Christian Church"Join us in person 9:00am & 10:30am every Sunday morning.37193 Ave 12 #3h, Madera, CA 93636For more visit us at flipside.churchFor more podcasts visit flipsidepodcasts.transistor.fm
John MacArthur once said that "no eschatology is complete or true which does not embrace the prophecy of Zechariah." In this conversation, Ben Habegger explains how an Amillennialist understands Zechariah 14 and irenically expresses concerns with a Dispensationalist understanding of this book. For more information visit: https://cbtseminary.org
John MacArthur once said that "no eschatology is complete or true which does not embrace the prophecy of Zechariah." In this conversation, Ben Habegger explains how an Amillennialist understands Zechariah 14 and irenically expresses concerns with a Dispensationalist understanding of this book. For more information visit: https://cbtseminary.org
A conversation with Dewey Dovel, Ben Habegger, and Austin McCormick on how to make sense of Zechariah 14 from an Amillennial perspective. This discussion was originally featured on the Covenant Podcast.
This is our weekly show where we answer emails about church, theology, and ministry as well as interact with our live audience in the comments. Come join the fun!Questions and TimestampsWhat magic trick did you perform to make Jennifer fall in love with you? 23:00How should I evangelize charismatic family members without pushing them away? 25:00What do you mean by calling the Canon an ‘artifact of revelation' instead of an ‘object of revelation'? 32:00Should churches observe the Lord's Supper weekly? 40:33If sanctification is synergistic, does that make salvation synergistic as a whole? 48:00What does the world look like at Christ's return under an Amillennial view? 54:16What's the proper way to dispose of an old or unused Bible? 59:00What's your view on near-death experiences? 1:07:08Should I stay in church leadership when my pastor's theology shifts? 1:13:16What are your thoughts on the Medieval Crusades and modern Islamization in the West? 1:19:39Would public executions today be moral, televised, or even beneficial? 1:23:12When should I start a theology-focused YouTube channel and do I need training first? 1:29:30Should I continue to go to a church that bashes reformed theology? 1:37:00Support the Show: http://www.buymeacoffee.com/Yourcalvinisthttps://www.TinyBibles.comYou can get the smallest Bible available on the market, which can be used for all kinds of purposes, by visiting TinyBibles.com and when you buy, use the coupon code KEITH for a discount.Love Coffee? Want the Best? Get a free bag of Squirrelly Joe's Coffee by clicking on this link: https://www.Squirrellyjoes.com/yourcalvinistor use coupon code "Keith" for 20% off anything in the storeDominion Wealth Strategies Visit them at https://www.dominionwealthstrategists.comhttp://www.Reformed.Moneyand let them know we sent you! https://www.HighCallingFitness.comHealth, training, and nutrition coaching all delivered to you online by confessionally reformed bodybuilders and strength athletes.Visit us at https://www.KeithFoskey.comIf you need a great website, check out https://www.fellowshipstudios.com
In this episode, Costi Hinn carefully examines the Dispensational Premillennial, Historic Premillennial, Amillennial, and Postmillennial perspectives, giving believers a clear and charitable overview of each. Along the way, he highlights the attitudes that should shape our discussions—humility, charity, hope, readiness, mission-mindedness, and Christ-centeredness.
In researching examples of the Church aligning with political power, I found numerous disturbing examples of what this looks like. This is the story of Revelation 13 - the political leader (the Antichrist) allying with the religious world (the False Prophet). This chapter serves as a cautionary tale, particularly from the Amillennial perspective. The alliance spoken of in Revelation between religion and government isn't about when religious people get involved in government… it is when the Government BECOMES the religion.
This is the first of a two-part look at Revelations 13:1-10. In this podcast, we look at it from the Amiilennial point of view.
Join Pastor Karla and RO Smith as they have a conversation unpacking the mysteries and misconceptions of revelation and how it applies to our lives today. This week, we examine the judgment that introduces the millenium (a.k.a. "1,000 year reign") and explore the various perspectives of the millenium. We also delve into some interesting questions regarding the final judgment and God's ultimate grace. Hopefully, we pose some thoughtful questions that cause you to view God and His grace in a new way. Resources Referenced in this Series: Reading Revelation Responsibly by Michael Gorman Reversed Thunder by Eugene Peterson Voxology Podcast Word Biblical Commentary: Revelation 1-5 by David Aune Word Biblical Commentary: Revelation 6-16 by David Aune Word Biblical Commentary: Revelation 17-22 by David Aune Our vision at Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church is to Love Everyone to LIFE with Everything we Have. We strive to become an authentic community who seeks to EXPERIENCE Jesus, JOURNEY into deeper faith, STRENGTHEN the Church, and TRANSFORM our world. For more information, visit www.pointlomachurch.org. We have three worship opportunities for you to experience: 9:00 a.m. - Sanctuary Service 9:30 a.m. - Online Service10:30 a.m. - Chapel Service Please consider joining us for one of these services. If you would like to give to the ministry: http://pointlomachurch.org/give/ or Venmo: @Point-Loma-Church To view worship services along with other digital content, go to our Youtube Channel @PointLomaChurchOnline.
Dr Michael Svigel and Dr Josh Howard discuss Michael's latest book, "The Father's On The Future", taking a look at early Church Fathers and their views on the future and the end times, or eschatology. Was the early church Premillennial? Amillennial? Postmillennial? Or some combination thereof?
Dr Michael Svigel and Dr Josh Howard discuss Michael's latest book, "The Fathers On The Future", taking a look at the early Church Fathers and their views on the future and the end times, or eschatology. Was the early Church Premillennial? Amillennial, Postmillennial? Or some combination thereof?Order "The Fathers of The Future" HereWatch all of our videos and subscribe to our channel for the latest content >HereHere
Dr Michael Svigel and Dr Josh Howard discuss Michael's latest book, "The Father's On The Future", taking a look at early Church Fathers and their views on the future and the end times, or eschatology. Was the early church Premillennial? Amillennial? Postmillennial? Or some combination thereof?
In Revelation 19:6–20:15, we witness a climactic shift—from Babylon's fall to the Lamb's victory. Heaven erupts in celebration as the Bride of Christ is made ready, and the conquering King rides forward to defeat evil once and for all. Then comes the millennium: one of Scripture's heavily debated passages. Yet amid the mystery, one thing is clear—Christ reigns, Satan falls, and the second death has no power over God's people. This isn't escape from reality. It's a reorientation to what is ultimately real. Jesus will return. Will we be ready?Key Themes:· The Marriage of the Lamb: Heaven rejoices as Jesus receives His Bride, the Church—radiant and pure, clothed in righteousness. Every earthly wedding points to this ultimate union. (Revelation 19:6–9)· The Warrior King: Christ appears on a white horse, Faithful and True, to make war on evil and sin. His robe is dipped in blood; His name is the Word of God. He alone wins the battle. (Revelation 19:11–16)· Final Judgment for Evil: The beast and false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire. There is no burial, no honor—only ruin for those who defy the Lamb. (Revelation 19:17–21)· The Millennium Debate: Premillennial, Amillennial, or Postmillennial—theories differ. But what unites us is this: Jesus will return, and His reign will be complete. (Revelation 20:1–6)· The Second Death Defeated: Satan's final uprising is crushed, and those whose names are in the Book of Life reign with Christ forever. (Revelation 20:7–15)Reflection:The vision of the Bride and the Rider confronts us: Are we seduced by Babylon's promises or awake and ready for our King? Do we live with loyalty to the Lamb or drift in compromise? The time is urgent…it's now. The Lamb is worthy. He will return to wed His Bride and wage war on evil. May we be found faithful.Key Texts:· Revelation 19:6–20:15· Hosea 2:19· Isaiah 54:5· Matthew 22:1–14· Ephesians 5:31–32· Romans 10:9–11· Revelation 20:6, 15Support Our Mission:Your generosity helps us proclaim Christ as King and equip disciples to make disciples.https://alloflife.churchcenter.com/givingVisit Our Website:www.alloflife.church#Revelation19 #Revelation20 #BrideOfChrist #JesusIsKing #FinalJudgment #FaithfulAndTrue #EndureInFaith
Jeremy responds to some portions of the recent Evening of Eschatology that took place in Louisville, KY, while also examining an old X post from Joel Webbon. It gets lively—and it all fits together. Just trust the process. Watch the Evening of Eschatology (2025) in full here: https://youtu.be/GQlqARfSEJA?si=Z0UkAprssng0BDTn Watch the original Evening of Eschatology (2009) in full here: https://youtu.be/4S0TQ2dXnms?si=yiR_zkuP0V0_pNTJ Dr. Alan Kurschner's critique of the Amillennial recapitulation theory: https://www.alankurschner.com/2025/02/17/a-critique-of-the-most-common-amillennial-recapitulation-argument-in-the-book-of-revelation A link to Jeremy's book, in which Appendix A lists one- and two-passage doctrines: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A95UzZpUXBrRu8b8t7n2yGWbGksXjYfL/view 0:00 Introduction 1:13 The Evening of Eschatology 7:10 Weirdness Is Not a Good Reason 13:40 Is Revelation 20 a Clear Text? 16:55 Premillennial Hermeneutics 19:22 Can Revelation 20 Alone Prove Premillennialism? 24:09 Postmillennial Hermeneutics 27:00 Problems with Postmillennial Hermeneutics 32:04 Amillennial Hermeneutics 33:30 The Recapitulation Theory 36:05 What about Zechariah 14? 40:49 Failure to Embrace the OT Prophets 46:51 Joel Webbon Post 51:19 My Repost and Its Replies 55:47 Concluding Encouragements
Dr. Alan Kurschner critiqued the most common Amillennial argument in the book of Revelation using Greg Beale's restated argument from William Hendricksen. Amillennialists believe that Revelation 20:1–6 recapitulates Revelation 12:7–11 as occurring during the interadvent period. Beale proposes seven parallels that he thinks make this argument (see the Table below). Dr. Kurschner criticizes each supposed parallel one by one and demonstrates that not only are these not viable parallels, but they instead argue for progression. ------------- TABLE 41. Greg Beale's Supposed Amillennial Parallels outlined. Excerpt from A Linguistic Approach to Revelation 19:11—20:6 and the Millennial Binding of Satan (page 163) by Alan E. Kurschner TABLE 41. Greg Beale's Supposed Amillennial Parallels outlined. Excerpt from A Linguistic Approach to Revelation 19:11—20:6 and the Millennial Binding of Satan (page 163) by Alan E. Kurschner Become a monthly supporter: https://www.alankurschner.com/partner/
Dr. Alan Kurschner critiqued the most common Amillennial argument in the book of Revelation using Greg Beale's restated argument from William Hendricksen. Amillennialists believe that Revelation 20:1–6 recapitulates Revelation 12:7–11 as occurring during the interadvent period. Beale proposes seven parallels that he thinks make this argument (see the Table below). Dr. Kurschner criticizes each supposed […] The post A Critique of the MOST Common Amillennial Recapitulation Argument in the Book of Revelation appeared first on ESCHATOS MINISTRIES.
Dan Jarms and John Gardner discuss different end times views, focusing on the amillennial and postmillennial views. These different views come from different interpretations of Revelation 20:1-6, which describes a thousand year period of peace and Jesus' return. Postmillennialists envision a golden age of Christian rule before Jesus' return while amillennialists see the Millennium as a long, ongoing period of gospel spread, that takes place between Christ's first and second coming—in other words, that we are currently living in the "millennium". They also discuss the continuity of promises from the Old Testament to the New Testament, emphasizing that these views are interpretive differences within the Church and not barriers to fellowship or membership at Faith.
Understanding when Jesus sits on David's throne (is it now, at the Father's right hand in heaven, or still awaiting the supposed earthly Millenial reign of Christ from Israel?) is a significant watershed for many regarding Dispensational and Covenantal theologies. [To remove a potential confusion from the title of this message, it is possible to hold the Amillennial view, which our teaching team favors. This view says that Jesus reigns on David's throne in heaven today, which is itself the heavenly Millennial reign of Revelation 20.] You can watch this message here.
In this second interview with Dr Sam Waldron by pastor Chris Barlow, they discuss the corporate nature of the Great Commission, a victorious view of eschatology and the Church from an Amillennial perspective, the parable of the wheat and the tares, the trouble with Premillennialism and the confessions, the book of Revelation and more.Watch all of our videos and subscribe to our channel for the latest content >HereHere
Christian Ashley joins Joshua Noel and TJ (Tiberius Juan) Blackwell to discuss what the Bible says about the end times, what various theories there are of when and how Christ will come back, and whether or not Christians will endure Tribulations during the apocalypse of Revelation. We will discuss the books of Daniel, Revelation, and more. We will also explore the differences in Pre-Trib, Mid, and Post-Tribulation beliefs, as well as Premillennial, premillennial dispensationalism, Amillennial, and Postmillennial beliefs!.What is Eschatology? What is the theory of millennialism? What do Premillennialists believe? What are the signs that the end is near? What is it called when Jesus comes back? What are the signs of the 2nd coming of Jesus? What is the meaning of postmillennialism? Is amillennialism a preterism? What do Amillennialists believe? What are the three types of millennialism? What is the difference between historic Premillennialism and amillennialism? What is the tribulation in the Bible?.In this episode, we will:Explore the different theories of end times theologyExplain our views on Premillennialism and AmillennialismDeconstruct the purpose of Apocalyptic literatureExamine the difference in different theories of the Second ComingAsk why unity is so difficult around this subject.Support the show on Captivate or on Patreon, or by purchasing a comfy T-Shirt in our shop!.Join in our conversations on our Discord Server and Facebook group!.Hear all of the AMP Network shows:https://anazao-ministries.captivate.fm.Listen to every episode in this series:https://player.captivate.fm/collection/4f2184c4-1b7d-48fc-9c81-15f0a0c2679c.Check out "Let Nothing Move You" with Christian Ashley:https://let-nothing-move-you.captivate.fm.Listen to every episode of Systematic Geekology with TJ:https://player.captivate.fm/collection/f4c32709-d8ff-4cef-8dfd-5775275c3c5e.Check out Joshua's other show, "Dummy for Theology":https://player.captivate.fm/episode/1a27a558-5de8-4f4b-bdd0-7f104805a2efMentioned in this episode:Easily subscribe to our show wherever you listen!https://the-whole-church-podcast.captivate.fm/listenCheck out the other AMP Network shows!https://anazao-ministries.captivate.fm . https://open.spotify.com/show/725pdvTzkle0fDWK2sdxnD?si=e317918366e04338
Micah and Nathan are joined by Dr. Sam Storms; a self-proclaimed "Amillennial, Calvinistic, charismatic, credo-baptistic, complementarian, Christian Hedonist who loves his wife of 50 years, his two daughters, his four grandchildren, books, baseball, movies, and all things Oklahoma University." While some of those labels seem contradictory on the surface, Dr. Storms provides helpful context and Biblical support for his beliefs. In this episode, the discussion shifts to focus on Christian Hedonism and what "enjoying God" looks like on a practical basis.
In this episode Dr Clark looks at Romans 12:3–8 and considers how grace makes us gracious. He answers a question from Kevin about those Dispensationalists who agree with the Reformed on Matthew 24 and being "left behind." He answers a text from Kaleb, who asks what, according to the Amillennial view, has to happen before Christ returns. He interacts with a comment by J. P. on why Dr Clark is skeptical that Romans 11 promises a future ingathering of Jews. The opening features Chris Gordon of the Escondido United Reformed Church. This episode of the Heidelcast is sponsored by the Heidelberg Reformation Association. You love the Heidelcast and the Heidelblog. You share it with friends, with members of your church, and others but have you stopped to think what would happen if it all disappeared? The truth is that we depend on your support. If you don't make the coffer clink, the HRA will simply sink. Won't you help us keep it going? The HRA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All your gifts are tax deductible. Use the donate link on this page or mail a check to Heidelberg Reformation Association, 1637 E Valley Parkway #391, Escondido CA 92027. All the Episodes of the Heidelcast Resources On Romans Subscribe To the Heidelcast On Twitter @Heidelcast How To Support Heidelmedia: use the donate button below Subscribe in Apple Podcast Subscribe directly via RSS New Way To Call The Heidelphone: Voice Memo On Your Phone Text the Heidelcast any time at (760) 618–1563. The Heidelcast is available everywhere podcasts are found including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Call or text the Heidelphone anytime at (760) 618-1563. Leave a message or email us a voice memo from your phone and we may use it in a future podcast. Record it and email it to heidelcast@heidelblog.net. If you benefit from the Heidelcast please leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts so that others can find it. Please do not forget to make the coffer clink (see the donate button below). SHOW NOTES Resources on Eschatology Heidelblog Resources The HB Media Archive The Ecumenical Creeds The Reformed Confessions Heidelberg Catechism (1563) Recovering the Reformed Confession (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2008). What Must A Christian Believe? Why I Am A Christian Heidelblog Contributors Support Heidelmedia: use the donate button or send a check to: Heidelberg Reformation Association 1637 E. Valley Parkway #391 Escondido CA 92027 USA The HRA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
A new MP3 sermon from Duluth Bible Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: 05 - A Dispensational Response to the Amillennial Recapitulation View of Rev. 19-20 Speaker: Mike Stallard Broadcaster: Duluth Bible Church Event: Conference Date: 10/4/2023 Length: 57 min.
Episode Synopsis:The first time I heard the term “optimistic amillennarian” was in seminary, when a student asked one of the professors whether they were postmillennial or amillennial. The professor said he admired much about postmillennialism, but thought amillennialism was the biblical view. But after saying that, he blurted out, “well, maybe, I'm optimistic Amillennial.” That started quite a discussion among the students, with the postmillennial students pressing the amillennial students to give up their “pessimistic eschatology” and do as the professor had done, declare themselves to be eschatological optimists, presumably the first step on the way to becoming postmillennial. I was one of those present who still hadn't figured out how my newly-found Reformed convictions were going to influence my views on eschatology. The only thing I was sure about was that I could not remain a dispensationalist.I did indeed give up my premillennialism and dispensationalism for amillennialism and have spent much time writing, teaching, and discussing why I made the move. Over time I thought that I had managed to distance myself from my dispensational past, and I worked hard to replace my dispensational hermeneutic with a covenantal approach to Scripture.Yet there was one tie which still bound me to dispensationalism–the postmillennal charge that both schools of thought (amillennial and dispensational premillennialism) were intrinsically “pessimistic,” while only postmillennarians have an eschatology of “essential optimism.” This always struck me as odd, since as an amillennarian I believe that the kingdom of God is victorious over unbelief and all the forces of the devil, that the gospel will spread to the ends of the earth because God is sovereign over all things. But I remain pessimistic about the city of man which will destroyed in the end when Jesus returns to raise the dead, judge the world, and make all things new.Both amillennialism and postmillennialism contend that the scene in Revelation 20:1-10–the only place where a period of a thousand years (or a millennial age) is mentioned in Scripture–occurs before Christ returns, not after, as in premillennialism. This means that structurally speaking, amillennialism and postmillennial are very similar. The two views have coexisted from time of the apostolic age, usually identified as non-chiliastic (non-millenarian). It wasn't until early in the 20th century that the two views (amillennialism and postmillennialism) were distinguished from one another as distinct eschatological positions. Both have existed together from the time of the Reformation–the differences centering around the timing, duration, and character of the millennial age. As we will see, in the 1970's things changed. So where did the optimism-pessimism categories come from? Do they accurately describe the three main eschatological schools of thought? Might they even be misleading? And therefore not helpful? That's my take . . . For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here: https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/
11 October, 2023
In Episode 113 of Theology In Particular, Dr. Daniel Scheiderer returns to make a case for Amillennialism. It was in episode 80 that Dr. Scheiderer provided us with an overview of the various eschatological positions on the millennium. Here he presents two arguments against mellennarianism in its various forms and five arguments for the Amillennial position. Links: International Reformed Baptist Seminary: irbsseminary.org If you have feedback, questions, or suggestions, please email Joe at: tip@irbsseminary.org Recommended Resources: A Case for Amillennialism: Understanding the End Times, by Kim Riddlebarger On The End Of The World And On Hell – Theological Commonplaces, Vol. 32-33, Pages 129-36, by Johann Gerhard, Institutes Of Elenctic Theology, Section 20.3, by Francis Turretin.
In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Chris Date on the topic of Eschatology, or the End Times. They explore the ins and outs of various views of the end times, before discussing more deeply the view that Chris holds on the subject. A very helpful and informative conversation!www.chrisdate.info0:24 - Intro to Chris Date2:43 - An update on Chris and his wife's treatment5:07 - What is eschatology?6:47 - Chris' work and engagement on the subject9:44 - Why should anyone care about end times study?15:00 - Encouragement for those overwhelmed by the topic17:57 - Advice for people having discussions on end times24:23 - An overview of end times views29:45 - What is the most popular view historically?37:01 - The history of dispensational millennialism 43:06 - Is “the rapture” biblical?50:40 - The preterist view52:06 - Partial or full preterism?1:11:15 - How does one properly think about their view of end times?1:16:08 - What's up with 666?1:23:10 - Resources recommended for further study Resources:Premillennial vs Amillennial on Christ's Return: Daniel Goepfrich & Chris Date on Unbelievable with Justin Brierley - https://a315.co/3Pn5vZyOverview of End Times Views - by Gregg Steve - https://a315.co/45SdzXv Four Views Of Revelation - https://a315.co/3R54YNeThe Last Days according to Jesus: When Did Jesus Say He Would Return? By RC Sproul - https://a315.co/3R1dA7xIt's Not the End of the World! By DeeDee Warren - https://a315.co/47VihFVBefore Jerusalem Fell: Dating the Book of Revelation by Kenneth Gentry - https://a315.co/45zPN30Four Views on the Book of Revelation by C. Marvin Pate, General Editor - https://a315.co/3qVPSiiBooks by Chris Date:Is Jesus Human and Not Divine? A Debate by Chris Date and Dale Tuggy - https://a315.co/45zNoFsRethinking Hell: Readings in Evangelical Conditionalism edited by Chris Date, Gregory Stump and Joshua Anderson - https://a315.co/3P4kKoKA Consuming Passion edited by Chris Date and Ron Highfield - https://a315.co/3o3lL7dDoes God Predetermine the Eternal Destiny of Every Individual Human Being? A Debate by Chris Date and Gil VanOrder, Jr. - https://a315.co/3W9Xc5e================================We appreciate your feedback.If you're on TWITTER, you can follow Chad @TBapologetics.You can follow Brian @TheBrianAutenAnd of course, you can follow @Apologetics315If you have a question or comment for the podcast, record it and send it our way using www.speakpipe.com/Apologetics315 or you can email us at podcast@apologetics315.com
What is Amillennialism? If you were asked to define it, where would you start? In this episode, Pastor Brandon gives some overarching contours for understanding the Amillennial position. For more information from the Amillennialist Perspective, see: Critical Questions of Postmillennialism by Cincy Reformed Understanding Revelation 20:1-15 - The Millennial Reign of Christ and the Binding of Satan by Cincy Reformed Theonomy and Eschatology: Some Reflections on Postmillennialism by Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. Revelation: A Shorter Commentary by G.K. Beale Revelation (Reformed Expository) by Richard Phillips Revelation (Lectio Continua) by Joel Beeke The Returning King: A Guide to the Book of Revelation by Vern Poythress A Case for Amillennialism: Understanding the End Times by Kim Riddlebarger Amillennialism by Anthony Hoekema Amillennialism - Part 1 by Robert Strimple Amillennialism - Part 2 by Robert Strimple The Great Hope of Amillennialism by Pierce Taylor Hibbs Theonomy: A Reformed Critique ed. by William Barker and W. Robert Godfrey Revelation (Gospel Coalition) by G.K. Beale and Thomas Schreiner The Gospel and Eschatology by Westminster Faculty
The Messianic Banquet is an intriguiging aspect of end times studies. It comes after the arrival of the kingdom and marriage of the Lamb. Along with the Messianic Banquet is the war against Gog and Magog. In this study, we clearly show how all these events line up during the endtimes.This study presents major challenges to the Amillennial and Dispensationalist views.of the endtimes, dispels the idea of rapture and shows that the battle of Gog and MaGog in Revelation occurred in connection with the Roman invasion of Jukdea. It is hope that the listener will pay careful attentioni, take notes and check the Scripture references and reason logically. Check Us Out Our On YouTube channel to leave us questions or comments.
A new MP3 sermon from Grace Community Bible Fellowship is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: #43 Revelation 20: An Amillennial View Subtitle: The Bible and the Future Speaker: James Flaherty Broadcaster: Grace Community Bible Fellowship Event: Bible Study Date: 2/26/2019 Bible: Revelation 20:1-10 Length: 38 min.
Steve Swartz, "Alternate Views, Part 1: Amillennial and Postmillennial Views " (Selected Scriptures) from the Millennium: Alternate Views series.More sermons available online at www.gbcob.org.
Steve Swartz, "Alternate Views, Part 1: Amillennial and Postmillennial Views " (Selected Scriptures) from the Millennium: Alternate Views series. More sermons available online at www.gbcob.org.
Steve Swartz, "Alternate Views, Part 1: Amillennial and Postmillennial Views " (Selected Scriptures) from the Millennium: Alternate Views series. More sermons available online at www.steadfastinthefaith.org.
Steve Swartz, "Alternate Views, Part 1: Amillennial and Postmillennial Views " (Selected Scriptures) from the Millennium: Alternate Views series. More sermons available online at www.steadfastinthefaith.org.
"One of the ways God will make all things new is by completely, totally, eternally, ending evil." Impacted? Let us know: Creekside.Me/Respond Miss a sermon in this series? Watch them all at Wilsonville.Church/AllThingsNew
Idleman Unplugged is a program of Westside Christian Fellowship. To listen to more sermons or to hear more about Westside Christian Fellowship, please visit our website: WestsideChristianFellowship.org Also, visit Pastor Shane's personal website to see his special guest appearances on Fox News, as well as personalized articles on Biblical matters: ShaneIdleman.com
In this episode we hop on the phone with Dr. Sam Storms. He's the pastor emeritus at Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City and author of multiple books including Practicing the Power : Welcoming the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in your life. He is the founder of Enjoying God ministries, is an Amillennial, Calvinistic, charismatic, credo-baptistic, complementarian, Christian Hedonist who loves his wife of 50 years, his two daughters, his four grandchildren, books, baseball, movies, and all things Oklahoma University. This episode Erika and I ask Dr. Storms some questions that we regularly ask ourselfs and wrestle with. How do we know if all these gifts are for today? How do we know we have operated in them or have just deceived ourselves? Tune in to hear our thoughts and Dr. Storms responses!
Josh Monday Christian and Conspiracy Podcast Episode 94 Please follow me on Instagram @Joshmonday_Podcast To all of our current and future subscribers thank you for your time, we appreciate you. Please do us a favor subscribe, hit that bell, share, like and comment below. Please leave us a 5-Star review on Apple and Spotify. This week we have returning Guest Dave Gardner. In this show Dave shows us a Non dispensational AMillennial interpretation of the Modern-day Isael. By not only using scripture but also using nondisclosed history to back his claims up. We get into World War 1 and the Bolshevik revolution. We get into the Rothchilds and the international bankers roll in Modern Day Israel. We get into who funded the Nazi's. We get into a bunch of scriptures that show that we the church are the Israel of the bible. We get into the Scholfield bible and how dispensationalism was used by the seminaries to have the church accept Modern Day Israel. We get into when Jesus was calling out the Pharisees and how what Jesus was referring too still applies to the religious Jews of today. We get into how the New World Order is trying to bring about a one world religion. We get into a whole bunch more tune in to find out. Thank you, God, and every one that subscribed to you tube we just hit 1000 subscribers let's try to hit 10,000. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/josh-monday/support
We discuss some practical takeaways for Amillennial theology and then spend most of our time discussing final judgment in Scripture at the Great White Throne. We argue that all of humanity, not just unbelievers, are present at this judgment. On question in particular that is address is: Why is final judgment "according to works" if we are saved by grace? You can watch the message here.
This chapter is surrounded by controversy. The controversy swirls around the use of the words “thousand years” in verses 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. The controversy concerns the 1,000 year period we call the Millennium. There are three dominant views concerning the nature of the Millennium. 1.) Postmillennialism - This view says that the world will get better and better and when the world has reached the proper stage of perfection, Jesus will return and establish His kingdom on earth. This was a very popular view prior to World War II. Nearly anyone can look at this world and all the wickedness and evil and see that the world is getting worse and not better. This is a false view of the Millennium. 2.) Amillennialism – There are several variations of this view. The primary version says that there is no literal millennial kingdom. The kingdom of God is spiritual in nature and we are really in the kingdom age right now. Many who hold this view believe that Satan is bound right now. The Amillennial view spiritualizes these verses. This is also a false view of the Millennium. (Ill. A branch of Amillennialism known as Preterism believes the Tribulation has already occurred and that Jesus has already returned. The Preterist believes that Jesus returned in 70 AD and established His kingdom then. Their belief system is far more complex than that, but that is the gist of it.) 3.) Premillennialism - This view holds that humanity will continue to degenerate; the world will go through a literal Tribulation; Jesus will return and defeat the Antichrist and establish a literal kingdom on the earth and reign here for 1,000 years. This is the only view that takes these verses literally. It is my opinion that this is the only true view of the millennium. It is my belief that these verses comprise the fulfillment of many great Old and New Testament promises and prophecies. It is my belief that these verses tell us about a literal 1,000 kingdom that will exist on this earth. It is my belief that these verses describe the final kingdom that will exist in time. Why is there even a need for the millennium? Why not just wind it all up, judge sin and sinners and let the redeemed enter into eternity? The millennium will allow the Lord to accomplish some much needed goals. Among other things, the millennium will allow the Lord to: · To fulfill His Old Testament promises of a kingdom to Israel. · To put Jesus, in all His glory, on public display. · To answer the prayer, “Thy Kingdom come.” · To fulfill the promise that the saints will reign. · To bring about the complete redemption of nature. · To give man one final test under the sovereign rule of the Lord Jesus Christ. While there are many great truths associated with the millennial kingdom, too many to share in one message, let me share a few of the things that will be a reality then. · Peace – All wars will cease. (Isa.2:4; 9:4-7; 32:17-18; 33:5-6; 55:12; 60:18; Eze.28:26; 34:25, 28; Hos.2:18; Micah 4:2-3; Zech.9:10) · Joy – The King's subjects will be happy. (Isa.12:3-6; 14:7-8; 25:8-9; 61:7,10; 65:18-19; 66:10-14; Jer.31:18-19; Zeph.3:14-17; Zech.10:6-7) · Holiness - This kingdom will be a holy kingdom. There will be rebellion, but King Jesus will rule with a rod of iron, Rev. 19:15. Capital punishment will be enforced. (Isa. 31:6-7; 35:8-9; 60:21; 61:10; Eze.36:24-31; 37:23-24; Zech.8:3; 14:20-21) · Glory - This kingdom will be a glorious kingdom, with the glory of God in full display. All the citizens of the world will be able to travel to Jerusalem and see the glorified Savior face to face! (Isa. 4:2; 35:2; 40:5; 60:1-9) · Comfort - Jesus will fully minister to every need, so that there will be no want anywhere on the earth. (Isa 12:1-2; 30:26; 40:1-2; 49:13; 51:3; 66:21-23; Jer.31:23-25; Zeph.3:18-20) · Justice - Perfect justice will be administered to every individual. (Isa. 9:7; 32:16; 42:1-4; 65:21-23; Jer.23:5.) · Fullness Of Knowledge - An increase in the teaching ministry of the Holy Ghost will result in enhanced mental capabilities. (Isa. 11:1-2, 9; Isa. 41:19-20; *54:13*; Hab.2:14) · Instruction – King Jesus will instruct His people in the ways of God. (Isa. 2:2-3; 29:17-24; 32:3-4; Jer.3:14-15; Micah 4:2) · The Removal of the Curse - In Gen. 3:17-19, God placed a curse upon the earth. This curse will be removed; resulting in an increase in the productivity of the earth, and in wild animals will losing their ferocity and ability to injure or kill. (Isa 11:6-9; 65:25). · Sickness Removed - The King will be a healer, so that sickness and death will vanish from the earth. Death will only exist as a punishment for extreme sin. (Isa 33:24; Jer.30:17; 33:6) · Healing of the deformed - All deformity will be healed. (Isa.29:17-19; 35:3-6) · Protection - There will be a supernatural preservation of life during the millennium. (Isa.41:8-14; 62:8-9; Jer. 23:6; Joel 3:16-17; Amos 9:15; Zech.9:8; 14:10-11) · No Oppression - There will be no social, political, racial or religious oppression in that day. (Isa.14:3-6; 42:6-7; 49:8-9; Zech.9:11-12) · No Immaturity - It seems that there will be no mental retardation or dwarfed bodies, extreme longevity will also be restored. (Isa.65:20) · Reproduction by the Living People - The living Tribulation saints and believing Jews who enter the millennium will reproduce. The population of the earth will soar. Yet, all children will be born with a sin nature, and will therefore need salvation. (Jer.30:20; 31:29; Eze.47:22) · Labor - A perfect economic system, in which all needs will be met by the labor of men under direction of the King. It will be a fully industrialized world. (Isa. 62:8-9; 65:21-23; Jer.31:5) · Economic Prosperity - The perfect labor situation will produce economic abundance, so that there will be no want. (Isa.35:1-2, 7; 30:23-25; Jer.31:5; 12; Eze 34:26; 36:29-30; *Joel 2:21-27* *Amos 9:13-14*; Zech.8:11-12) · Increase of Light - The will be an increase in solar and lunar light, this will produce longer growing seasons, accounting for the increase in productivity. (Isa.30:26) · Unified Language - All language barriers will be removed. (Zeph.3:9) · Unified Worship - The entire world will worship God through the Lord Jesus Christ. (Isa.45:23; 66:17-23; Zeph.3:9; Zech.14:16; 8:23; Mal.1:11) · The fullness of the Spirit - All who are subject to the King will experience divine enablement and presence. (Isa.44:3; Eze.36:26-27; 37:14; Joel 2:28-29) Those are just a few of the glories of that future kingdom. Let's take a few minutes to study these verses today.
The Book of Isaiah is filled with complex messages that combine warnings, prophecies and encouragements. Today's passage is foundational to understanding the Book of Isaiah and includes warnings about abandoning the Covenant with God and the Coming Day when He will establish a New Kingdom for His covenant people. DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1. Isaiah 2 is looking far down the timeline of history. According to verse 1, when will these things take place? 2. Verse 2 starts out talking about the “last days”. If you have time, glance at Ezekiel 38:16, Hosea 3:5 and Micah 4:1. When will these prophecies take place? However, the authors of Acts 2:17 and Hebrews 1:2 indicate that they were in the last days. Based on all of these verses, when are the last days? The podcast mentioned the principle of prophetic mountain ranges. What is that principle and how does it relate to this verse? 3. Read over verses 2 & 3. How do these verses characterize the last days? 4. According to verse 4, when these events take place, what kinds of things will the Lord be doing? What will the nations not be doing? Why? 5. In verse 5, Isaiah calls the people to walk in the light of the world. What “light” (so to speak) were they walking in verses 6 to 8? 6. What impact did their sins have on the overall society, as exemplified in verse 9? 7. In verses 10 & 11, when the Day of the Lord takes place, what will happen to the people? How will the Lord be exalted? 8. Read over verses 12 to 21, what kinds of things will happen on that “day”? 9. This chapter ends with a sudden exhortation in verse 22. In light of the judgment to come, what should our view of “man” be? Why? 10. Take a moment to reflect on the kind of kingdom described in Isaiah 2. How is this different than the “kingdoms of men” that we live in today? The Key Chapters Bible Podcast is a daily, 15ish minute podcast that goes over the key chapters of the Bible, one per day, explaining how it fits into the overall message of God and how it relates to our lives now. Jump in today or start back in Genesis 1! To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org. Available on all major podcast platforms, and now on YouVersion Bible App Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819 YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube. As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com. Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM. Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.
When The Saints Come Marching In! And that's exactly what we see happen in Revelation 20: six times in 7 verses, six times in 233 words, it refers to Christ's upcoming 1,000 year reign on earth. Read Revelation 20:1-6 When the Saints Come Marching In! Let's Pray! The Word Millennium comes from two Latin words: “Milli” means a thousand and “annum” means year. Millennium means a thousand years. The Three Main Millennial Views: 1. The Amillennial view – There is NO 1,000 year reign of Christ in earth. 2. The Postmillennial view – Jesus' 2nd Coming is AFTER the “millennium.” 3. The Premillennial view – The millennium is AFTER the 2nd Coming. Turn to Acts 1:6-8. In Acts 1:6-8 Jesus affirms two things: there is a time coming in the future set to restore the Kingdom to Israel (in fulfillment of Old Testament promises), and that in the mean-time His disciples are to be witnesses (the church age). The Two Great Truths for Earth During the Millennium: 1. Satan won't be around! V. 1-3 2. Jesus will be on earth during the millennium! V. 4-6 I think it is God's plan to bring the saints of all time together during this millennium in preparation for eternity together. We will all experience 1,000 year ‘Holy Land Experience.' Isaiah 2:1-4 tells us earth will flourish with the knowledge of Jesus during this time, and people will stream from the nations to worship Jesus in Jerusalem! Jesus will settle any disputes among the nations and there won't be any war.
Episode 931 | Adriel Sanchez and Bill Maier answer caller questions. Show Notes CoreChristianity.com Questions in this Episode 1. Can the mentally ill be saved? I have schizophrenia, bipolar, and PTSD. 2. I wanted to know what you consider to be the right eschatology. I lean amillennial and that Christ has fulfilled it all. What is your view? 3. My son is struggling with the idea that an all-knowing God would allow evil and suffering. What should I say to him? 4. How can I witness to my anti-semitic family member? 5. How should we understand predestination? Today's Offer Revelation Bible Study Request our latest special offers here or call 1-833-THE-CORE (833-843-2673) to request them by phone. Want to partner with us in our work here at Core Christianity? Consider becoming a member of the Inner Core.