Originally posted by Ed Edwards:
OldRegular: "Romans 9-11 does not teach: ... "
Exactly. If your numbered statement is true, then it is taught
other than in Romans Chapters 9-11; if your statement
is false, it isn't taught anywhere in the Bible.
OldRegular: "Romans 9-11 does teach: ... "
Amen, Brother OldRegular -- Preach it!
You understand and believe in Dispensationalism.
So you are a dispensational a-mill post-trib.
IMHO that is a minority a-mill position.
Most who spiritualize the Millinnial Kingdom of Christ,
also spiritualize the Physical return of Christ
and largely ignore Romans 9-11 in favor of mystical
knowledge which you and i can't begin to understand.
I suppose you could call me a dispensationalist since I believe that Scripture notes that there have been two dispensations,
stewardships or administrations, of the Covenant of Grace. Please note that the word dispensation does not appear in the Old Testament and only 4 times in the New Testament.[1 Corinthians 9:17; Ephesians 1:10; 3;2; Colossians 1:25]
The Covenant of Grace
"The
Covenant of Grace constitutes the basis for the salvation of the elect of God through Jesus Christ, the mediator of the Covenant, the only mediator between God and man [1 Timothy 2:5]. The Covenant of Grace is perhaps best understood as an eternal covenant between the members of the Godhead which includes the following elements:
1.
the Father chose a people to be His own;
2.
the Son agrees to pay the penalty for the sins of all those the Father gives Him so that none are lost; and
3.
the Holy Spirit agrees to apply the work of the Son to those chosen by God.
We must not think that this
Covenant of Grace was preceded by a proposal of terms by one person of the Triune Godhead followed by deliberation prior to acceptance or rejection of the proposal by the other persons of the Triune Godhead. God is One and the nature of the Godhead is such that perfect harmony, in fact, unity of thought must exist within the Triune Godhead.
Holy Scripture is the story of the outworking of the Covenant of Grace in time and history. Though there is
one Covenant of Grace [and many subsidiary covenants] there have been
two primary administrations of the Covenant, one before the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ and one after His death and resurrection.
The first administration as recorded in the Old Testament dealt in types and shadows of things to come [Colossians 2:17, Hebrews 8:5 and 10:1]; the second administration, as recorded in the New Testament, presents the spiritual reality of that which was promised. This second administration was instituted by the death of Jesus Christ [Hebrews 7:14-28] and is the fulfillment of the Old Testament promise of a New Covenant [Jeremiah 31:31-33, Hebrews 8:6-13]. The elect of God have, since the fall of Adam, received the blessings of the Covenant solely through the Grace of God."
Now that I have cleared up my dispensationalism [please note that there are only two, not seven] I will try to clear up any confusion you may have regarding amillennialism, particularly as it regards the Second Coming by repeating an earlier post.
Please note that when I use the term "Second Coming" I mean the physical, visible return of Jesus Christ [Revelation 1:7].
Amillennialism
A number of writers have noted that the term amillennialism does not accurately portray amillennial doctrine but implies that amillennialists do not believe in a millennium or ignore the first six verses of Revelation 20, neither of which is true. However, no one has suggested a more appropriate name that has received wide acceptance.
Those people who hold the amillennial doctrine believe in a general or universal resurrection [that is a resurrection of all the dead at the ‘second coming’ of Jesus Christ] followed by the general, ‘the Great White Throne’ judgment. Perhaps the most significant passage of Scripture that teaches a general resurrection and judgment is spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ:
John 5:28,29, KJV
28. Marvel not at this: for
the hour is coming, in the which
all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29. And
shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Other Scripture which teach a General Resurrection and Judgment are:
Daniel 12:1,2, KJV
1. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt.
Acts 24:14,15, KJV
14. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
15. And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be
a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
It follows, therefore, that amillennialists do not believe that Jesus Christ reigns from an earthly throne for a period of one thousand years. Rather amillennialists in general believe that the deceased Saints [those who have part in the first resurrection, the resurrection of Jesus Christ] are now reigning with Jesus Christ in heaven. Some amillennialists believe that the ‘millennial’ reign refers to the influence of the Church in the world. This period [the millennium of Revelation 20, a definite but unrevealed period of time] extends from the ascension of Jesus Christ until His return, His Second Coming, in power and glory. [The chaining of Satan in Revelation 20 is a symbolic representation of this limitation on the power of Satan.] Amillennialists in general recognize that the Church on earth has and will always undergo tribulation, as Jesus Christ promised:
John 16:33, KJV
33. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.
In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Some amillennialists believe that this tribulation will increase in intensity as the return of Jesus Christ approaches [Matthew 24]. Amillennialist believe that the Church is present during this period. To bring this tribulation to an end Jesus Christ returns with the souls of the deceased Saints. Many who hold the amillennialist view also believe that there will be a large scale conversion of the Jews prior to the return of Jesus Christ.
The glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ will be accompanied by the trumpet of God and the shout of the archangel [Matthew 24:31; 1 Corinthians 15:51,52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; and Revelation 11:15-18]. At this time the dead in Christ will be resurrected [rise first], the living believers will be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye and both groups will meet Jesus Christ in the air [where the resurrected bodies will reunite with their souls] and accompany Him to the earth. There will be a resurrection of those who died without Jesus Christ as Saviour, followed by the Great White Throne judgment [Matthew 25:31-46, Revelation 20:11-15]. Satan, whose power has been limited by the victory of Jesus Christ over death [Hebrews 2:14, 1 John 3:8, Matthew 12:28-29], and his followers will be cast into the lake of fire. The new heaven and new earth will be created wherein dwelleth righteousness [Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 21:1]. There are many expositors who believe that rather than a completely new creation the heavens and earth will be restored to the purity with which they were originally created. [See Andrew Hoekema’s The
Bible and the Future, Chapter 20.] This new creation and the life of the redeemed with God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are gloriously described in Revelation 21-22.
Amillennialists in general believe that the Old Testament promises not fulfilled in the Church will be fulfilled in the new heaven and new earth. Hoekema discusses the implications of this belief in The
Bible and the Future. It must be noted at this time that reference to the one thousand year period occurs only in Revelation 20. The glorious kingdom promised by God to His people in the Old Testament was to last forever, not one thousand years.
