While I disagree strongly with the full preterist doctrine on the Second Coming they are correct on the Doctrine of the Church. They believe, as I do, that when Jesus Christ told God the Father I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.[John 17:4] He was telling the truth.
Hi OR,
This is not a confrontational question.
I am sincerely interested in the answer because this is (IMO) one of the barriers in my own mind to the "all things have been fulfilled in/around AD70" teaching of full preterism.
Why then is the church still in harvest mode going on down through the years after the ascension of Christ?
He promised to be the one who would build (future tense) His church ("
I will build my church").
How is the continued existence of and the building of the church explained if all things have been fulfilled and/or finished AD70?
Personally, because of the phrase "on the earth" in His prayer you quoted from scripture, I believe by implication He meant His work done during the days of His servanthood and mortality.
Philippians 2
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
After His death, burial, resurrection and ascension to the right hand of God, He now builds His church(es)
from heaven to fulfill his promise of "I will build My church".
Am I wrong or is that a valid assessment in your view?
Another possible answer is that the ongoing work (evangelization, discipleship, etc) is the work of the Holy Spirit.
If this is so then does it open the door to further eschatological events before the end of all things concerning which I have questioned asterisktom?
How does the universe end or will it?
Will sin and death continue on into eternity?
I have yet to have a on-on-one satisfactory answer from a full preterist.
I realize you are not a full preterist but I still value your answer to my question concerning the building of the church.
Thanks
HankD