Sam Storms, the charismatic Calvinist, recently defined himself theologically. While I disagree with Storms’ charismatic views of prophecy and continued Apostolic ministry, I have read quite a bit of the material he has made available on his site and have learned a great deal from this ministry.
Storms is an Amillennialist. I have read several of his articles on eschatology and have found them very reasonable, persuasive and biblical. Storms briefly sketches his Amillennialism:
I am an Amillennialist. This is a huge topic on which I am currently writing a book. So I’ll limit myself here to only a few specifics.
a. One of the primary reasons I am not a Premillennialist (neither Historic nor Dispensational) is because of what I read in the NT concerning the Second Coming of Christ.
To be a Premillennialist of any sort, you must believe that physical death and the curse on the natural creation will continue to exist beyond the time of Christ’s return. You must believe that the New Heavens and New Earth will not be introduced until 1,000 years subsequent to the return of Christ. You must believe that unbelieving men and women will still have the opportunity to come to saving faith in Christ for at least 1,000 years subsequent to his return. To be a Premillennialist, you must believe that unbelievers will not be finally resurrected until at least 1,000 years subsequent to Christ’s return and that unbelievers will not be finally judged and cast into eternal punishment until at least 1,000 years subsequent to Christ’s return.
But my reading of what happens at the Second Coming of Christ indicates that then, and not 1,000 years later, physical death is swallowed up in the victory of Christ, never again to exert its power; the natural creation is delivered fully and finally from its bondage to sin; the New Heavens and New Earth are inaugurated; all opportunity for salvation of the lost comes to an end; and both the final resurrection and final judgment of all mankind occur.
b. I find no biblical support for a pre-tribulation rapture, Christian Zionism, a distinction between Israel and the Church, or a future seven year period known as the Great Tribulation.
c. I believe Matthew 24:1-35; Mark 13:1-31; and Luke 21:5-33 (otherwise known as the Olivet Discourse) refer to events that transpired in the first century, beginning with the exaltation of Christ and consummating with the destruction in 70 a.d. of both the city of Jerusalem and its Temple.
As I said, I hope to finish a book on eschatology sometime in 2008, but in the meantime you may read several articles in defense of these beliefs, available on my website under Theological Studies, Eschatology.
To be honest, I find all of these arguments quite convincing. I was raised as a default Dispensational Premillennialist, believing in a literal 7-year Great Tribulation preceded by the rapture of God’s saints. I have since (before encountering Storms or Amillennialism) been convinced that scripture nowhere describes the world-shattering event of a pre-tribulational rapture. I just cannot find two Second Comings in scripture.
I also struggle with the idea of the world continuing on in sin and death after Christ’s return. I can’t even wrap my mind around how that would work. And what about the final unleashing of Satan after this literal 1,000 year period? Does Christ defeat Satan/Antichrist twice? I don’t know. It all just seems very confusing.
I have also become disabused of the notion that the Church and Israel are two distinct entities in the economy of God. The more I read scripture (particularly the Pauline epistles), the more I see the Church being grafted onto the tree that is Israel - one tree. God has one people. He has always had one people. I am a child of Abraham. My unbelieving Jewish neighbors are not. I think this insistence on distinguishing Israel and the Church drives much Premillennial thought (particularly the Dispensational variety).
(I know I run the risk of being labeled as an adherent of “Replacement Theology” with the above paragraph, but… well, that’s just how I see it right now. I’m willing to be persuaded otherwise.)
I don’t yet call myself an Amillennialist. Because I am thoroughly convinced that Christ will be returning for His Bride only once, I waffle between Historic Premillennialism (post-tribulational) and Amillennialism. I know Amillennialism is loathed by many Christians, so here’s your chance! Convince me Storms is wrong and rescue me from this eschatological heresy!
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Now playing: Grits - Make Room
via FoxyTunes
So this is my big chance, huh? Let’s see what happens.
First off, I am a Historical Premillennialist. I agree that there is no earth shattering PreTrib rapture. Second, I agree that there are not two second comings. I am an advocate of the PreWrath (Sixth Seal) Rapture.
Next, how about the relationship between the church and Israel? Yes, we as Gentile believers have no disadvantage in the Messiah whatsoever. We are first class citizens of the nation of Israel according to Ephesians 2. But Romans 11 shows a future for ethnic Israel once the blindness of Israel has been lifted. And further, in a much overlooked passage, Romans 15:8-12 shows that Gentile believers maintain their ethnicity and rejoice along with Israel. The more I study the OT, especially Isaiah, I’m convinced that we are not in some hidden church age, but in the time of the salvation of the Gentiles as prophesied in passages such as Isaiah 42:1-7, 49:1-9.
God only has one people, the true Israel, that is, the believing remnant through whom He had been working all throughout the OT. Gentiles are co-heirs of the future kingdom right along with elect Israel. At the return of Christ, national Israel will repent and therefore the entire nation of Israel will enter and exist within the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God and the nation of Israel will be one in essence. Therefore, all principles of living in Christ (living in the Messiah) will be true of the nation of Israel. Living in the nation of Israel will be socially like living in a community of little Christs. (which is what the church should look like today)
I also believe that in the Olivet Discourse Christ prophesied of events that were fulfilled in 70 A.D. However, many things were not fulfilled at that time, including His glorious return, the angels accompanying Him, the sun, moon, and stars going dark, the great tribulation, supposedly unequaled even to this day, and finally the gathering of all the saints from all the earth and from all of heaven. Events that were fulfilled at that time were the destruction of the temple, the destruction of Jerusalem, and judgement upon Galilean cities. The hope demonstrated in the epistles by the apostles (say that ten times fast) was that Christ would gloriously appear and that we would be like Him at that time. There has been no glorious appearing after this nature. So some events must be yet future.
I personally believe the new heavens and new earth (as in a renewed heavens and earth as in the days of Noah) will be inaugurated at the Lord’s return. This is the way that II Peter 3 connects the issues as well as Isaiah 65:17-25.
There are certain things that I cannot wrap my mind around either, but just because we don’t understand them, does that make them not so? Christ is the resurrection. If Christ comes, the resurrection Himself will be present on the earth. Yet as the ruler of the nations, He will not force His will, but will allow the nations to worship, or to refuse to worship. So the path to life through the resurrection will be available, but not forced.
Does God defeat Satan twice? Or does He restrain Him for a time to demonstrate His authority then release Him later to demonstrate Satan’s and mankind’s depravity and defeat Him once? I suppose it was difficult for David to understand Absalom’s revolt while he was at the height of his power in establishing the kingdom of Israel.
Have I rescued you yet?
Have fun and stay busy - Luke 19:13
-The Orange Mailman
Orange,
“But Romans 11 shows a future for ethnic Israel once the blindness of Israel has been lifted.”
Most Amils I’ve read also believe there will be a great ingathering of ethnic Israel toward the very end.
“At the return of Christ, national Israel will repent and therefore the entire nation of Israel will enter and exist within the kingdom of God.”
That’s wierd… So, Jews will have one last chance to repent after Christ returns, but Gentiles won’t? It seems all would repent if they could AFTER Christ comes again in judgment. I guess I’ve always understood (from both the Amil and Historic Premil perspectives) Israel’s repentance occurring soon BEFORE Christ’s return.
I appreciate your thoughts. I will be mulling them over.
God Bless
Shockproof? Google “Famous Rapture Watchers,” “Pretrib Rapture Desperados,” and “Pretrib Rapture Diehards” - all of them by journalist/historian Dave MacPherson who wrote the bestseller known as THE RAPTURE PLOT (Armageddon Books online). Jon
I’ve never cared to invest time in eschatology because I’d prefer to spend my time on the life I have right now rather than trying to figure out the future. If Christ is going to come “as a thief in the night”, then why should I expect to be able to figure out how He’s going to come and what exactly will happen?
Having said that, what reading and research I’ve done on the topic has led me to lean towards Amillennialism as well, for reasons that have already been discussed and don’t need my regurgitation. However, eschatology is not an issue that determines where I go to church or with whom I fellowship unless that church pushes the issue as a critical Christian issue.
Yeah, I lean toward some kind of wierd mix of Amil and Post Trib, and it’s because of resurection issues.
Regarding Israels repentance AT the last coming of Jesus….look at Zechariah…forgot, but it’s one of the last chapters. They will look on the one they have pierced and weep for Him as for an only child….and stuff.
Dang, it’s past midnight. I shouldn’t be trying to do this so late at night.
Paul said we would ‘meet’ Him in the air. It’s a Greek word that means we go to Him at a sorta halfway point and escort Him to His destination. And then we will be like Him at that coming, which Paul most definitely looked forward to. So to spiritualize the second coming as a coming in judgment doesn’t satisfy the need for resurection at the same moment, which Daniel shows as being one event.
Heck, I oughta just have Reggie Kelley come here and talk.
I’m falling asleep….sorry for my crappy stupid ramblings. I can’t think anymore….
mark jr.
I think this kind of honest discourse is what I attempt to do with many issues, not just eschatology. It’s almost becoming acceptable to do this with eschatology, but to question ecclesiology, Calvinism, what immersion means, gifts of the Spirit, women in ministry etc., often becomes issues to divide over. I don’t see that unity in Christ requires division over such matters.
Great post. I have no idea what I am. I like the joke about pan-millenialism. I grew up hearing dispensational pre-millenialism.
@ Mark,
You’re ramblings are neither crappy nor stupid. It’s good to hear from you!
@ Brian,
I believe wisdom demands we make distinctions between that which is clear and that which is unclear; between that which is essential and that which is non-essential. E.g. The Book of Revelation is at many points very difficult to interpret. Is John speaking literally or allegorically? I tend to believe John is speaking largely in allegory and symbols, because of the genre within which he is communicating (apocalypse). I would also agree that method of baptism is a non-essential matter.
However, matters on which Scripture speaks frequently and plainly (God’s Sovereignty in salvation, foreknowledge, gender roles, etc.) should not be so easily glossed over.
I think we also need to define division/separation. I would separate from an Arminian/Egalitarian church, because of the significant disagreements over important matters like soteriology and gender roles. I would separate, because I want my church to help me raise my family with a particular (Biblical) worldview.
However, I would not consider this separation as one that necessarily “divides Christ”. I believe Arminians and Egalitarians that hold to all essential doctrine (Trinity, deity of Christ, salvation by grace through faith, etc.) are my brothers and sisters in Christ, and that we are spiritually united in Christ. I believe their errors will have serious consequences - consequences I do not wish to personally experience - but, I don’t believe these particular errors are damnable.
Does that make sense?
You might find my Blog page of interest…