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Full Preterism

Paul33

New Member
Grasshopper said:



Mat 16:27 For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He shall reward each one according to his works.
Mat 16:28 Truly I say to you, There are some standing here who shall not taste of death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.

Is it not possible for a literal interpetation to mean that when Christ, at his first coming, died and rose from the grave, he was seen by his disciples to have come into his kingdom?

The resurrected Christ has now come into his kingdom!
He rules and reigns in the hearts of those who are his.

But

Scripture also teaches that Christ will come again to rule and reign on earth (Rev. 19-20). A time when every knee will bow and confess (Phil. 2).

So can't both be true?

A first coming when Christ comes into his kingdom.
A second coming when Christ rules visibly on earth.
 

saturneptune

New Member
Maybe you should go back to English class. First of all, salvation is of God. The very premise of your question shows a deep lack of understanding. Second, you telling someone they are probably saved is reckless, because you do not have a clue.
 

James_Newman

New Member
But I have the source of all clues.

Acts 16:30-31
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
 

James_Newman

New Member
saturneptune said:
Maybe you should go back to English class. First of all, salvation is of God. The very premise of your question shows a deep lack of understanding. Second, you telling someone they are probably saved is reckless, because you do not have a clue.

I think detect the subtle bouquet of Calvinism. So assuming that you are one, what is reckless about me telling someone they are probably saved? Might I unelect somebody if I am not careful?
 

saturneptune

New Member
There is no doubt that they asked the question in that manner. However, God provided the ability for each of them to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. I dont think they got up one morning and said, "Gee, what will I "DO" today, think I'll believe in the Lord Jesus Christ." If you are interested in a works salvation, there are Church of Christ web sites.
 

Paul33

New Member
But you can't look into someone's heart and know if they really believe or not.

Now, let's go back to discussing full preterism.

I've tried to take this position seriously, but I can't square it with Scripture.

In any event, if Christ has already come, is this heaven? Are we living in the New Jerusalem. Has he wiped away every tear?

I'm listening?

Enlighten me.
 

saturneptune

New Member
This has nothing to do with the Calvinism free will debate. This has to do with the fact that two entities know absolutely about salvation, the individual and God. The point is that you do not know the state of anyone's salvation but yours.
 

James_Newman

New Member
saturneptune said:
This has nothing to do with the Calvinism free will debate. This has to do with the fact that two entities know absolutely about salvation, the individual and God. The point is that you do not know the state of anyone's salvation but yours.

All I said was I thought he was probably saved, based on my recollection that he has professed to believe that Jesus Christ died for his sins. I've talked with my friend Grasshopper several times on this board over the last couple of years. If you make the same profession, I'll probably think your saved too.
 

Godrulesmyworld

New Member
I don't know how this thread got so side tracked. I'll try to address the points made concerning this thread.

So apparently I lost my salvation about 3-4 years ago as I made the transition from dispiville to preterism.

Perhaps the Baptist Board isn’t the place for your question since most here don’t believe you can lose your salvation. Oh wait, perhaps I was never saved. That must be it.

Hi Grasshopper. This isn't a Calvi/Arme thread, so I'll not discuss whether or not you lost your salvation or whether you were merely lost the whole time or whether you'll actually repent of Preterism before you die and still go to heaven. That's not the issue. The issue is whether or not there is an official position from the Baptist denomination on whether or not FP is a damnable heresy.

So at what point does he lose his salvation?

Lose it, never had it, may regain it, that's not the issue. The question is whether or not, from any official Baptist perspective, one who holds to the FP position is currently on a road to hell rather than heaven. I believe that's where FP leads, but I'd like to know if there's an official position on the matter.

Me said:
Other Christians I know acknowledge that the doctrine is incredibly wrong and wicked, but they're all mad at me for saying that, in his present state, he's going to hell.

Grasshopper said:
So perhaps they are now going to Hell as well for not jumping on your witch hunt.

I'm not on a witch hunt. I'm seeking wisdom on the matter. I don't hate those who are against me on this matter. I think they're wrong, but I don't hate them, nor do I desire to see them go to hell, nor do I desire to kill them. I'd be happy to stand corrected, but what I read scripturally says quite a different story directly about FP. Please don't make character accusations against me (ie - I'm on a witch hunt) when you know nothing about me or how and in what spirit or manner I've approached things in this. I know that it's written in the Bible that if a watchman doesn't warn people of the dangers they're facing, those people will still face their dangers, but if I have not warned them, their blood is on my hands as well. Until I see it solidly disproven concerning my understanding of the FP position, I'll not hesitate to say that it is as deadly as scripture says it is.

Perhaps you could find us a preterist that agrees with Hymenaeus and Philetus that the resurrection was already past when Paul wrote his letter.

So you would agree that when Paul wrote the letter, it was a damnable offense?

Paul refers to his audience in Corinth as his brethren:

1Co 15:1 And I make known to you, brethren, the good news that I proclaimed to you, which also ye did receive, in which also ye have stood,

Yet they believed that there was no raising of the dead:

1Co 15:12 And if Christ is preached, that out of the dead he hath risen, how say certain among you, that there is no rising again of dead persons?

Why does Paul call them brethern?

Finally, have you ever known of anyone’s faith being overthrown because of their preterist beliefs? Does your friend now not attend church? Has he stopped praying or reading his bible? Is he now more ungodly?
My faith has grown stronger, not weaker.
Please explain how one’s faith is overturned by a literal interpretation of Matt 16:27-28:

Now you're trying to argue the legitimacy of FP. I'm not interested in that for this thread. As has been clearly stated, this thread begins with the assumption that FP is false and the resurrection has not already passed. Because it has not passed, Paul's words still apply.


As for the rest of the posts that have ensued after this post by Grasshopper, I understand how easily threads can get sidetracked, but please take these other issues to other threads or PMing if necessary. Again, the topic of this thread is what the Baptist position is concerning the dangers or lack of dangers that come from FP. Thank you all for your participation.

Married Mark
 

Bookworm

Member
Godrulesmyworld said:
Again, the topic of this thread is what the Baptist position is concerning the dangers or lack of dangers that come from FP. Thank you all for your participation.

Married Mark
So the first assumption is that there actually exists sime sort of "official position" catagory in regards to Baptists. The only thing I can think of in that regard is the Baptist distinctives.
 

Ed Edwards

<img src=/Ed.gif>
James_Newman: //The problem with preterism is that it not only denies
the future judgment of believers,
it denies the very kingdom of God for which we are to suffer.//

Amen, Brother. Preterism limits a Triune God to
one-and-only-one Kingdom. In fact, the Triune God has
three kingdoms described in the Bible:

1. The Kingdom within us (the Holy Spirit)
2. The future Millinnial Messanic Kingdom (Messiah Jesus, son of God)
3. The everlasting Kingdom not of this world (God the Father)
 

Grasshopper

Active Member
Site Supporter
Mat 16:27 For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He shall reward each one according to his works.
Mat 16:28 Truly I say to you, There are some standing here who shall not taste of death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.

Is it not possible for a literal interpetation to mean that when Christ, at his first coming, died and rose from the grave, he was seen by his disciples to have come into his kingdom?

But I am told Preterism is wrong because it doesn’t take the Bible “literally”. So I do as the dispies do and take it literally then I am told by you it can’t be taken literally.

This was the problem I ran into as I studied eschatology. If I was to hold to my futurist beliefs, I had to ignore or redefine all the time-indicators found in scripture. It came to a point that I could no longer pretend they weren’t there and had to deal with them.

Hi Grasshopper. This isn't a Calvi/Arme thread, so I'll not discuss whether or not you lost your salvation or whether you were merely lost the whole time or whether you'll actually repent of Preterism before you die and still go to heaven. That's not the issue.

But you made it the issue. You are claiming this doctrine sends one to Hell and used your friend as an example.

The issue is whether or not there is an official position from the Baptist denomination on whether or not FP is a damnable heresy.

Again, you don’t understand what Baptist believe then. Most Baptists, especially on this board, believe in eternal security therefore one cannot lose one’s salvation for any reason including one’s eschatological beliefs.

Lose it, never had it, may regain it, that's not the issue. The question is whether or not, from any official Baptist perspective, one who holds to the FP position is currently on a road to hell rather than heaven. I believe that's where FP leads, but I'd like to know if there's an official position on the matter.

You see, you keep tying one’s salvation to one’s eschatology. Baptist’s don’t believe you can lose your salvation. So if your friend was saved before preterism he is saved today. If he was lost before preterism he is lost today.

This question would be better asked on a Pentecostal board where I am sure they would agree with you that it would cost one his salvation and leads straight to hell. Does John Hagee have a message board?

By the way, has your friend become less Godly, quit attending church and ignored scripture reading, and abandoned his prayer life yet?
 

Godrulesmyworld

New Member
Hi Grasshopper. Thanks for the reply. I think, however, we're still not on the same page as to my question. I do understand the reformed position you're describing. That really does not affect my question though. I'll try to ask it another way then. As you know, my question is whether or not FP is a damnable heresy. I'm not asking whether one who believes they are saved somehow becomes unsaved once they change their doctrine to the FP stance. I'm asking whether FP is an indicator as to whether or not a person is saved at all. If a man dies never repenting of FP, is he counted as damned. Let me give you a different example. If a man never professed Christ as Lord his entire life and dies still denying that Christ is Lord, it is fairly safe to assume the guy is hell-bound. Throughout his life, it would be wrong if, when asked, we were to tell the guy that he's going to heaven as long as he denies Jesus as Lord. Likewise, I want to know if the Baptist denomination holds that if a person holds to FP (like denying Jesus is Lord), they are not among the saved for they adhere to a damnable heresy. Do you see the difference in my question? I'm not asking whether or not a person will lose their salvation if they had it in the first place by newly adhering to FP. Instead, I'm asking, as one is adhering to FP, do Baptists believe this to be officially heretical and conclusively damnable as long as the person remains in that state? Another example would be a man who professes Christ but day in and day out commits adultry against his wife, never repenting of it even to his death bed and never caring about it. Is it not justified to believe this man is not going to heaven? I hope this will help in clarifying my question. Thanks for your input so far and trying to stick to the subject and understand me.

Married Mark
 

Grasshopper

Active Member
Site Supporter
As you know, my question is whether or not FP is a damnable heresy.

Define “damnable”.

I'm asking whether FP is an indicator as to whether or not a person is saved at all.

I think that would be up to each individual. I assume you see it as an indicator, I obviously do not. Others though they disagree with preterism also would not, while others would.

If a man dies never repenting of FP, is he counted as damned.

Again it depends on what you mean as “damned”. I assume “damned” means lost and eternal separation. And since Baptist hold to security of the believer it could not be a “damnable” offense.

do Baptists believe this to be officially heretical and conclusively damnable as long as the person remains in that state?

I think it depends on each individual. I think many would consider FP to be heretical but I don’t believe there is any “denominational stand” on FP. I was introduced to preterism(partial) by a, now very predominate, Baptist pastor who has been mentioned on this board often. There are many Baptist or “Baptist like” preachers who now teach FP. So the answer to your question seems to be, it depends on which Baptist you ask.
 

Paul33

New Member
My apologies.

I see now that the thread is about damnable heresy and not about what FP is.

As to time indicators, there are also specific mentions in Scripture of dividing the righteous from the wicked and the sheep from the goats.

When does that take place in a FP view?
 

Ed Edwards

<img src=/Ed.gif>
Paul33 said:
My apologies.

I see now that the thread is about damnable heresy and not about what FP is.

As to time indicators, there are also specific mentions in Scripture of dividing the righteous from the wicked and the sheep from the goats.

When does that take place in a FP view?

It done happened, so now you are in goat hell :(

Damnable Heresy (DH)* in deed!

*do not confuse with DH = dear husband which some of
our Sisters use
 

Bookworm

Member
Godrulesmyworld said:
Another example would be a man who professes Christ but day in and day out commits adultry against his wife, never repenting of it even to his death bed and never caring about it. Is it not justified to believe this man is not going to heaven?Married Mark
I don't think you could necessarily say the man is not going to heaven. If one of God's children is living in sin, God is going to bring circumstances to bear in that person's life to bring him toward repentence. If the person ignores those circumstances, God just may bring the person to his heavenly home prematurely. Some of the early Christians were abusing the Lord's Table, so Paul said that some of them were sickly because of it and some of them had died because of it, but he didn't say that they weren't Christians because they hadn't repented before they died.
 

Godrulesmyworld

New Member
Bookworm said:
I don't think you could necessarily say the man is not going to heaven. If one of God's children is living in sin, God is going to bring circumstances to bear in that person's life to bring him toward repentence. If the person ignores those circumstances, God just may bring the person to his heavenly home prematurely. Some of the early Christians were abusing the Lord's Table, so Paul said that some of them were sickly because of it and some of them had died because of it, but he didn't say that they weren't Christians because they hadn't repented before they died.

Thanks for your reply BookWorm. As for my present question, it does entail the person that dies unrepentant. As for your point that they may still go to heaven and using the example of the Lord's Supper, I'll have to think on that. Thanks for the input.

Married Mark
 
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