Alan Dale Gross
Active Member
Premillennialism.
By contrast, the term Premillennialist (or Chiliasm) identifies Christians who believe that the thousand year reign spoken of in Revelation chapter 20 is earthly or physical in nature. It is where Christ literally returns to earth as potentate, to set up a temporary kingdom where the saints will rule with him. Pre-millennial literally means before millennium, or before the thousand years.
This doctrine teaches that sometime in the future Christ will return to earth, but will not execute the last judgment at once. He will begin a literal one thousand-year reign upon a physical throne in the Middle East. In this eschatology Christ will reign and govern physically from Jerusalem, and peace will have rule on earth from the nation of Israel.
Generally, Premillennialists believe in two separate and unequal programs. A national (rather than individual) salvation plan for the genetically Jewish people, and another separate plan for everyone else (any non-Jew or Gentile).
They generally hold that future redeemed Israel will be the center of government and the spreading of the gospel to the nations of the world. In this, they generally reject the contention that Christ has already come to redeem and deliver Israel, and that He is already presently the center of rule and Government as prophesied.
There are different forms of Premillennialism (Dispensationalism, Historical, etc.), but in general, they do not believe that many Old Testament scriptures that were obviously fulfilled, are "completely" fulfilled. They often take the position that fulfillment in Israel (if any) is incomplete, and the pertinent scriptures dealing with this have yet a further future "literal/physical" fulfillment.
For example, some Premillennialists look for Elijah to literally/physically come back to prepare the way for Christ's rule, because they don't believe that John the Baptist "completely" fulfilled that prophesy.
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Postmillennialism.
Another view that has seen some increase in popularity within some Reformed circles recently, is Postmillennialism. This is the view that the millennium will produce a future golden age of the Church that will precede the second advent of Christ. They (as do the Amillennialists) offer up the scriptures that declare that Christ is ruling in His kingdom now, and that the kingdom of God is now being extended through the servants of that kingdom preaching the gospel.
But they differ greatly from the Amillennial view in that they believe that at the end of this kingdom age, there will be an age of righteousness and worldwide turning to Christ.
The word "post," means after, and thus Post-millennial identifies those who believe in the return of Christ after this future golden age or period. This belief system usually holds that this golden age of the Church will feature the exercise of Christ's power and authority demonstrated in this world, whereby its rulers will be hindered in their wickedness.
The influence of Christianity will excel and spread until a future time when most of the world will be in obedience to God's laws. Those who hold to this view generally expect that after they have created this just, God-fearing society, Christ will then return, and the judgment and resurrection will occur.
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Praeterist.
The Praeterist (or Preterist) view means it's past fulfillment. Praeterit is Latin and means Pre (before) in fulfillment. i.e., [L. praeteritus, gone by]. It is expressing time fulfilled. There are many different types of Praeterists including, partial and full. They generally believe that most or all of Bible Prophecy has already been fulfilled in Christ, and the on-going expansion of His Kingdom.
They hang this belief of Past-fulfillment on many different verses, including the witness that Jesus and his apostles said that his coming (or presence) and the end of all things, would occur soon (they surmise, in that physical generation).
Most full Praeterists spiritualize the majority (or all) of Matthew chapter 24 as having already taken place in the past, and often believe that Christ actually returned in 70 AD, fulfilling the prophesy of the second advent.
By contrast, the term Premillennialist (or Chiliasm) identifies Christians who believe that the thousand year reign spoken of in Revelation chapter 20 is earthly or physical in nature. It is where Christ literally returns to earth as potentate, to set up a temporary kingdom where the saints will rule with him. Pre-millennial literally means before millennium, or before the thousand years.
This doctrine teaches that sometime in the future Christ will return to earth, but will not execute the last judgment at once. He will begin a literal one thousand-year reign upon a physical throne in the Middle East. In this eschatology Christ will reign and govern physically from Jerusalem, and peace will have rule on earth from the nation of Israel.
Generally, Premillennialists believe in two separate and unequal programs. A national (rather than individual) salvation plan for the genetically Jewish people, and another separate plan for everyone else (any non-Jew or Gentile).
They generally hold that future redeemed Israel will be the center of government and the spreading of the gospel to the nations of the world. In this, they generally reject the contention that Christ has already come to redeem and deliver Israel, and that He is already presently the center of rule and Government as prophesied.
There are different forms of Premillennialism (Dispensationalism, Historical, etc.), but in general, they do not believe that many Old Testament scriptures that were obviously fulfilled, are "completely" fulfilled. They often take the position that fulfillment in Israel (if any) is incomplete, and the pertinent scriptures dealing with this have yet a further future "literal/physical" fulfillment.
For example, some Premillennialists look for Elijah to literally/physically come back to prepare the way for Christ's rule, because they don't believe that John the Baptist "completely" fulfilled that prophesy.
...
Postmillennialism.
Another view that has seen some increase in popularity within some Reformed circles recently, is Postmillennialism. This is the view that the millennium will produce a future golden age of the Church that will precede the second advent of Christ. They (as do the Amillennialists) offer up the scriptures that declare that Christ is ruling in His kingdom now, and that the kingdom of God is now being extended through the servants of that kingdom preaching the gospel.
But they differ greatly from the Amillennial view in that they believe that at the end of this kingdom age, there will be an age of righteousness and worldwide turning to Christ.
The word "post," means after, and thus Post-millennial identifies those who believe in the return of Christ after this future golden age or period. This belief system usually holds that this golden age of the Church will feature the exercise of Christ's power and authority demonstrated in this world, whereby its rulers will be hindered in their wickedness.
The influence of Christianity will excel and spread until a future time when most of the world will be in obedience to God's laws. Those who hold to this view generally expect that after they have created this just, God-fearing society, Christ will then return, and the judgment and resurrection will occur.
...
Praeterist.
The Praeterist (or Preterist) view means it's past fulfillment. Praeterit is Latin and means Pre (before) in fulfillment. i.e., [L. praeteritus, gone by]. It is expressing time fulfilled. There are many different types of Praeterists including, partial and full. They generally believe that most or all of Bible Prophecy has already been fulfilled in Christ, and the on-going expansion of His Kingdom.
They hang this belief of Past-fulfillment on many different verses, including the witness that Jesus and his apostles said that his coming (or presence) and the end of all things, would occur soon (they surmise, in that physical generation).
Most full Praeterists spiritualize the majority (or all) of Matthew chapter 24 as having already taken place in the past, and often believe that Christ actually returned in 70 AD, fulfilling the prophesy of the second advent.
