What is Postmillennialism
& Preterism?
Postmillennialists believe that Jesus Christ is
currently reigning from the right hand of God, that the kingdom of
God is now being extended in the world through the preaching of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ and the saving work of the Holy Spirit in the
hearts of individuals, that the world eventually is to be
Christianized and that the return of Christ is to occur at the close
of a long period of righteousness and peace commonly called the
millennium. (Loraine Boettner The Millennium )
Postmillennialists also usually teach that there will be a great
conversion of the Jews after the full measure of Gentiles has been
converted. and that all the saints, dead & alive, will meet Jesus
in the air at his second coming.
Preterists exist within Historic Premillennialism,
Amillennialism and Postmillennialism. Preterism teaches that Daniel
9, parts of Matthew 24, Luke 21 and parts of Revelation have been
fulfilled in 70 A.D and that the second coming of Christ is still
future.
Who is
Israel
Dallas Seminary Dispensationalist Alan Patrick
Boyd writes, "The Majority of the writers/writings in this period
[70-165 A.D.] completely identify Israel with the church."
Boyd's "Dispensational Premillennial Analysis" p. 47. He specifically
cites Papias, I Clement, 2 Clement, Barnabus, Hermas, the Didache,
and Justin Martyr. See pages 46,60, 70,86.
Boyd notes that in the case of Barnabus,... he has
totally disassociated Israel from the precepts of the Old Testament.
In fact he specifically designates the Church to be the heir of the
covenantal promises made to Israel (4:6-7,13:1-6,14:4-5) see pg. 46.
Elsewhere he writes Papias applied much of Old
Testament to the Church. pg. 60-61.
Of Hermas he notes the "employment of the
phraseology of late Judaism to make the Church the True Israel. pg.
70
Of Justin Martyr he claims that the Church is the
true Israelitic race, thereby blurring the distinction between Israel
and the Church" pg 86.
Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho the Jew 135
"even so we, who have been quarried out from the bowels of Christ are
the true Israelitic race."
Since Scripture is our final authority, and other
people are only counselors, we need to verify this viewpoint from
God's Word.
Not however that the word of God has failed,
for not all those of Israel
[are] Israel; nor because they are the seed of Abraham
[are they] all children. But, "In
Isaac shall your Seed be called." That is, not the children of the
flesh [are] children of God; but the children of the promise
[are] counted for a seed.Romans 9:6-8
and that at that time you were
without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and
strangers from the covenants of promise,
...........But now in Christ Jesus you who were once afar off are
made near by the blood of Christ.
For He is our peace,
He making us both one, and
[He] has broken down the middle wall of partition
[between us], having abolished in
His flesh the enmity (the Law of commandments [contained] in
ordinances) so that in Himself He might make the two into one new
man, making peace [between them]; and so that He might
reconcile both to God in
one body by the cross, having slain the
enmity in Himself. And He came and preached peace to you who were
afar off, and to those who were near. For through Him we both have
access by one Spirit to the Father.
Now therefore you are no
longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints,
and of the household of God, and are built
upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ
Himself being [the] chief cornerstone. Ephesians 2:12-20
And you shall be to me a
kingdom of priests and a
holy nation. These are the words which you
shall speak to the sons of Israel. Exodus 19:6 Reference to ethnic
Israel
But you are a chosen generation, a
royal priesthood, a holy
nation a people for possession,so that you
might speak of the praises of him who has called you out of darkness
into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9 quoted to Christians referring
the same titles to Christians.
Romans 11 speaks of Israel as an Olive Tree.
Unfruitful branches have been cut out. Gentiles (wild branches) have
been grafted in and made part of Israel. After the full measure of
Gentiles has been brought in, Jews who believe will be grafted back
in. The passage does not say that when the Jews are grafted back in,
the Gentiles will be removed from the tree. To the contrary, all
believers in Christ will be part of the Olive Tree(Israel) And those
also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in. For
God is able to graft them in again..Romans 11:23
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