Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Premillennialism

I appreciate the way in which we've been discussing the eschatology issue. It's refreshing that we can have disagreements yet express them with gentleness and respect.

I don't intend to make eschatology a major focus of this blog. However, because so few have been able to access Sam Storms's article successfully, I thought it'd be worth making available in a different way. As it turns out, Storms has expanded the article into a chapter for a forthcoming book on eschatology. His website (samstorms.com) is due for an overhaul soon. In the meantime, he granted permission for me to post it on a temporary blog.

So here it is: Sam Storms on Problems with Premillennialism.

As a preview, Storms points out that if you are a Premillennialist (whether Dispensationalist or not), there are several things you must necessarily believe:

You must necessarily believe that physical death will continue to exist beyond the time of Christ’s second coming.

You must necessarily believe that the natural creation will continue, beyond the time of Christ’s second coming, to be subjected to the curse imposed by the fall of man.

You must necessarily believe that the New Heavens and New Earth will not be introduced until 1,000 years subsequent to the return of Christ.

You must necessarily believe that unbelieving men and women will still have the opportunity to come to saving faith in Christ for at least 1,000 years subsequent to his return.

You must necessarily believe that unbelievers will not be finally resurrected until at least 1,000 years subsequent to the return of Christ.

You must necessarily believe that unbelievers will not be finally judged and cast into eternal punishment until at least 1,000 years subsequent to the return of Christ.

Amillennialists--rightly, it seems to me--don't see these beliefs being taught in Scripture. If you're interested in the exegetical details, head over to Storms's article.