Biblical Spirituality #1; Do not Interpretive Liberty or License "belong to God?"

See: "Do not interpretations belong to God?" #1,
Amillennialism: A Word Direct From The Scriptures.
&
"Do no interpretations belong to God?"
Premillennialism, Postmillennialism, & Praeterism positions.

We should understand that in all the different views of eschatology, it is not simply a matter of opinion about chronology, it is actually a matter of a different hermeneutic, and of different type of exegesis. These systems differ not only in their methodology, but also in the way those who hold to them understand biblical history and its examples.

So in coming to an understanding of what each eschatological doctrine teaches, we come to better understand the very structure, purpose, and nature of the Kingdom of Christ, and His/Our reigning within.

Of all the diverse and adverse millennial positions, only the Amillennial view can be "totally" supported in all of its pertinent declarations concerning the kingdom with unambiguous scripture. Not with a scripture that we claim should be interpreted to mean these things, but scripture that actually says them! Of course, I fully realize that this is a bold statement from which I should expect skepticism and cynicism. But in this study we will go through the verses one by one to prove that this is the truth. For we all know that making these bold declarations is the easy part, but an "undeniable" defense of them requires the unquestioned "unadulterated" witness of scripture. That is what we shall provide.

Interpretive Liberty or License: Some of the critics of Amillennialism joy in labeling it a pessimistic view of God's kingdom. But nothing could be further from the truth. Postmillennialists in particular often charge that the Amillennialist does not believe that the world as a whole will be evangelized or discipled. This is a false and indefensible charge.

We most certainly do believe that the whole world will be evangelized, but in the exact same manner as God says Christ came to save the whole world. I.e., as God defines the terms, not as man does. The problem is that there are those theologians who confuse pessimism with a scholarly and biblically sound view of the fate of the world. This is a view in full agreement and accordance with the whole Bible.

There are no "pie in the sky" theological theories of a temporal earthly glory in the end of the world in true Amillennialism, only the realistic and scriptural view that Christ's Kingdom triumphs by the spread of the gospel that all of the elect are saved. Its glory is in the realization that many will "overcome the world" and be translated into the kingdom by the blood of Christ. We don't triumph by converting everyone (or nearly everyone) in the world, nor did our God ever prophecy conversion of the whole world that way. The Church was commissioned to call a remnant whom the Lord has Chosen, "out of" the world. It was not commissioned to create a righteous world. Rather, that in the success of the Church "calling many out" of the world unto the Kingdom, Christ's Kingdom increases exponentially.

The advancing of Christ's Kingdom was never prophesied to be such that the Church would one day make the world righteous. It was prophesied that the Messiah would make righteous an elect remnant from the world, whom God would call through preaching. In this most obvious of truths is found our unfailing optimism, and our unshakable faith in the ultimate success of the Church age. It is a success not defined by any misunderstanding of changing the world, but in that we successfully call a remnant in the world "to change." This is not the pessimism charged by many Postmillennialists, it is the very same "good news" of the gospel message, which has been preached for centuries. It wasn't pessimism then, so it cannot be pessimism now. Selah!

John 17:9

• "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine."

John 17:20

• "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;"

The Evangelization of the world is not God's plan, except as it is defined by the measured Choosing "of a remnant" from every nation of the world. Christ came to save the world, not everyone in the world. Again, that's not pessimism, that's the optimistic faith in our assurance that Christ indeed will build His Church, even in the midst of this desperately wicked world. God forbid we should call that plan pessimism. On the contrary, we are confident that Christ will successfully build His Church, and that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. He's done that for the last 2000 years.

The commission of the Church has always been to spread the gospel and advance the Kingdom of Christ, as so plainly illustrated in the parable of the pounds (Luke 19:13-25). And unless Christians from the time of the cross until today have labored in vain, it never was, and it never will be pessimism. Those kinds of charges are simply another form of ad hominem rhetoric. They are disingenuous accusations made simply for effect. The implication being that those who do not believe as they do, do not believe God's righteous Kingdom triumphs. This is blatantly false, but vain accusations are used this way in a futile attempt to defeat plain scripture concerning the end time period.

From: Amillennialism - A Word Direct from Scripture