Millennialism, End Times, and the Reign of Christ (Part 12) - Errors 16-18 of Premillennialism, Postmillennialism, Preterism

For a master copy of the outline, click here: Millennialism 14. Error #16: There are different plans of redemption and different gospels for the Jews under the law and for the Gentiles under grace (this is held by some, though not all, Dispensationalists). A. God has only ever had one plan and means of redemption for all people: grace. i. God has always saved His people by the election of grace, both under the OT law of Moses, and in NT times (Rom 11:5). ii. God saved Jacob by His electing mercy prior to the law of Moses (Rom 9:11,16). iii. Isaac was born of the Spirit (born again), just like Gentiles are today (Gal 4:28-29 c/w Tit 3:5 c/w Joh 3:3-8). iv. The apostles taught that Jews and Gentiles are all saved the same way: by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (Act 15:11). B. Some Dispensationalists teach that Paul preached the gospel of the kingdom to the Jews, and the gospel of grace to the Gentiles. i. There is only one gospel (1Co 15:1-4). ii. A curse is pronounced on anyone who preaches any other gospel than the one Paul preached (Gal 1:6-9). iii. Preaching the gospel of the grace of God and preaching the kingdom of God are the same thing (Act 20:24-25). iv. Paul preached the same gospel to the Jews and Gentiles (Act 20:21; Act 13:42-43; Rom 1:16; Gal 2:1-2). v. Peter likewise preached the same gospel to the Gentiles as he did to the Jews (Act 15:7-11). 15. Error #17: The 70th week of Daniel's prophecy (Dan 9:24-27) takes place during the seven years of tribulation between the "rapture" and the Second Coming of Christ (actually, the 2nd and 3rd comings of Christ). A. There is no basis in Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy for inserting thousands of years between the 69th and 70th weeks. B. The prophecy states that 70 weeks are determined upon thy people (the Jews) and upon thy holy city (Jerusalem) (Dan 9:24). i. Determined ppl. - 1. Terminated, ended. ii. At the end of the 70th week, the Jews as a nation and a people, and Jerusalem as God's holy city would be ended. iii. Pushing the 70th week into the distant future, beginning with the "rapture" and ending with the coming of Christ, doesn't help the Dispensationalist's position at all because at the end of the 70th week Israel and Jerusalem are ended, which makes it impossible for Jesus to rule over Israel from Jerusalem during the millennium which supposedly happens after the 70th week. C. According to the prophecy, the Messiah would be cut off after the 69th week (Dan 9:25-26). i. The Messiah would make an end of sins, make reconciliation for iniquity, and bring in everlasting righteousness during the 70 weeks (Dan 9:24). ii. Jesus made an end of sins by being cut off (Isa 53:8,10-12). iii. If the end of sins was made during the 70 weeks, and the Messiah was cut off (whereby He made an end of sins) after the 69th week, therefore the Messiah was cut off during the 70th week. iv. In that Jesus was cut off in approximately 33AD in the midst of the week (Dan 9:27), that places the 70th week beginning in approximately 30AD directly after the 69th week, just as any sane man not reading the Scofield Reference Bible would conclude. D. The abomination of desolation which happens during the 70th week (Dan 9:27) was identified by Jesus Christ to be armies compassing Jerusalem (Mat 24:15-21 c/w Luk 21:20-24). i. Jesus said that that would happen during that generation (the generation in which He was living) (Luk 21:32). ii. It happened in 70AD. iii. Therefore the 70th week is not yet future. iv. For more information on the abomination of desolation and the Olivet Discourse in general, see the Olivet Discourse four part series. 16. Error #18: Jesus is the head of the church, not the king of the church. A. Jesus is the king/head of the church which is His kingdom. i. A head is a king (1Sam 15:17). a. Head - A person to whom others are subordinate; a chief, captain, commander, ruler, leader, principal person, head man. b. King - 1. a. The usual title of the male sovereign ruler of an independent state ii. Jesus is the head/king of the church (Eph 5:23). iii. Jesus became the head/king and ruler of the universe and the church when he was raised from the dead and set at God's right hand (Eph 1:20-23; 1Ti 6:15). iv. This happened when Christ was resurrected and raised up and seated on David's throne as king (Act 2:29-33). B. For more proof that Jesus began reigning on David's throne at His resurrection, see Section IV,5,B. VII. The errors of Postmillennialism. 1. Error #1: There will be universal preaching and acceptance of the Gospel, and a complete and total victory of the kingdom of God over the forces of Satan and unbelief. A. Jesus taught that there are few that will ever be on the way which leads to life and many on the way which leads to destruction (Luk 13:23-24 c/w Mat 7:13-14). B. The parable of the sower, which is an illustration of preaching the gospel, shows that only one out of the four groups of people that are preached to ever bring forth fruit (Luk 8:11-15). C. The elect are called a remnant (Rom 11:5). D. Remnant n. - That which remains or is left of a thing or things after the removal of a portion; the remainder, rest, residue. Now applied only to a small remaining part. E. Jesus said the kingdom is given to a little flock (Luk 12:32). 2. Error #2: Christ will return to an almost entirely Christianized world. A. Jesus asked rhetorically that when He returns, will He find faith on the earth? (Luk 18:8). B. The obvious implication is that faith on earth will be negligible when He returns. C. Jesus said His Second Coming would be as the days of Noah (Mat 24:37) at which time there were only eight righteous people on the earth which was filled with violence (Gen 6:11). D. Jesus said His Second Coming would be as in the days of Lot (Luk 17:28-30) at which time Lot was living in a city full of vile sinners. E. In the latter times, rather than embracing the faith in droves, people will be departing from the faith (1Ti 4:1). F. The last days are described as perilous times where sin abounds (2Ti 3:1-5). G. Rather than growing more virtuous as time goes on, evil men will wax worse and worse as we come to the end (2Ti 3:13). H. The day of Christ will be preceded not by great awakening and revival, but a falling away (2Th 2:1-3). VIII. The (major) errors of Preterism (Full Preterism). 1. Error #1: The Second Coming of Christ was spiritual and happened in 70AD when Christ returned to take vengeance on Israel and destroy Jerusalem. A. This false doctrine requires most of the passages in the Bible which refer or relate to end times to be spiritualized such as: i. Jesus' bodily ascension into heaven and His bodily return. a. Since Preterists deny that Christ returned bodily, they also deny that He ascended to heaven bodily. b. Jesus was resurrected bodily (Luk 24:36-40). c. Jesus ascended into heaven bodily (Luk 24:50-51). d. Jesus' return will be in like manner as His ascension (bodily) (Act 1:11). ii. The bodily resurrection of all men. a. Since the Preterists teach that the resurrection happened at 70AD, it therefore cannot be a bodily resurrection. b. The resurrection will be bodily: all that are in the graves shall come forth (Joh 5:28-29). c. The Holy Spirit who raised Jesus bodily from the dead will quicken (make alive) our mortal bodies (Rom 8:11). d. Long before the invention of Preterism, Job knew that after his death he would see God in his flesh (Job 19:25-27). iii. The resurrection happening on the last day (Joh 11:24; Joh 6:39; Job 14:12). B. There were members of the church at Corinth who were Preterists, not believing in a bodily resurrection, whom Paul soundly refuted (1Co 15:12-19). C. Paul warned Timothy about a couple of Preterists named Hymenaeus and Philetus who taught by their profane and vain babblings that the resurrection was past already (2Ti 2:16-18). D. There were Preteristic heretics writing counterfeit epistles to the church in Thessalonica saying that the day of Christ was at hand (Within easy reach; near; close by) in the first century (2Th 2:2-3). 2. Error #2: The destruction of the earth is figurative and we are living on the new earth now. A. If this is true, we are of all men most miserable (1Co 15:19). B. Thankfully it's not. C. The heavens and the earth shall pass away by fire with the elements melting with fervent heat (2Pe 3:10-12). D. That hasn't happened yet. E. The new heaven and the new earth will not be created until after the first heaven and the first earth are passed away (2Pe 3:13 c/w Rev 21:1 c/w Isa 65:17). For a master copy of the outline, click here: Millennialism