7Future

The Doctrine of the Future

Pages 1343-1437

2022-09-17 21:15 Pages 1350-1370

What I learned:

1. Luke 21:28 intensifies our expectation of Christ’s return. To think, Jesus could not come at any time would go against the nature of Jesus’ teaching in this passage.
2. One extreme is to believe Jesus cannot come at any time since all the signs have not been fulfilled. The other is to not take seriously the signs Jesus mentioned would occur preceding his return. Grudem’s conclusion is that it is unlikely but possible that the signs have been fulfilled already.
   1. The Preaching of the Gospel to All Nations: In Colossians 1:5-6 and 1:23, Paul expresses that the whole world has heard the gospel—not that every creature has heard the gospel proclaimed but in a representative sense.
   2. Great Tribulation: There have been many period of intense persecution and suffering following the first century. Some may believe that a greater tribulation awaits the universal church but it is unlikely but possible that this has been fulfilled or is being fulfilled today.
   3. False Christs and False Prophets: There have been many demonic miracles and false teachers.
   4. Powerful Signs in the Heavens: This is the only sign Grudem does not place in the unlikely but possible category. However, this event can occur very quickly and then followed by Christ’s return just a few minutes after. This should not lead us to deny that Christ could not return at any time.
   5. The Appearance of the Man of Lawlessness: Many attempts have been made at identifying the Antichrist. Among them are Nero, Domitian, Hitler, Stalin, etc. Some Protestants accused the pope to be the antichrist.
   6. Salvation of “All Israel”: Some argue that Romans 9-11 does NOT predict a future ingathering of the Jewish people to accept Jesus as their Messiah. They use Romans 11:1-2 to support the view that Paul gives himself as an example of this ingathering.
3. Preterists believe that Christ returned in AD 70 when the Jerusalem temple was destroyed. Jesus warned against those who teach that his return would be invisible or unnoticable in Matthew 24:26-27. Christ’s return will be public and visible by all.

Interesting Quote:

• from George Ladd: *The prophets were little interested in chronology, and the future was always viewed as imminent… the Old Testament prophets blended the near and the distant perspectives so as to form a single canvas. Biblical prophecy is not primarily three-dimensional but two; it has height and breadth but is little concerned about depth, i.e., the chronology of future events… the distant is viewed through the transparency of the immediate. (1350)

2022-09-17 21:34 Pages 1370-1390

What I learned:

1. Millenium
   1. Amillienialism: no future millenium to come.
   2. Postmillenialism: Christ returns after the millennium. In this age, the church will gradually increase and soceity will conform more to God’s standards. Eventually, a milliennial age will occur on earth and its conclusion would usher Christ’s return to judge believers and unbelievers.
   3. Premillennialism: Christ returns before the millennium. Near the church age’s end, a time of great tribulation comes on the earth. After that, Christ willl return to establish a millennial kingdom. There is a difference on post-tribulation or pre-tribulation rapture.

Interesting Quote:

• The primary characteristic of postmillennialism is that is very optimistic about the power of the gospel to change lives and bring about much good in the world. (1371)

2022-09-17 22:19 Pages 1390-1410

What I learned:

1. Grudem against the dispensationalist view that distinguishes Israel from the Church for the time of the tribulation and the millenium.
2. He also argues against the dispensationalist view that there will be multiple judgements: judgement of nations, believers’ works, and a great white throne judgement.
3. Revelation 20:12-13 says that the judgement of unbelievers will include degrees of punishment since they were judged “according to what they had done.” Verses like Luke 12:47-48, Matthew 11:22, and Luke 20:47 echo the same theme.
4. 1 Corinthians 4:5 and Colossians 3:25 clarify that the judgement of believers will be a judgement to evaluate and bestow various degrees of reward. Verses like John 5:24, Revelation 11:18, Micah 7:19, Psalm 103:12, Isaiah 43:25, Hebrews 8:12;10:17, Romans 9:33, and 1 Peter 2:6 echo the same theme.

Interesting Quote:

• But we must guard against misunderstanding here: Even though there will be degrees of reward in heave, the joy of each person will be full and complete for eternity. If we ask how this can be when there are different degrees of reward, it simply shows that our perception of happiness is based on the assumption that happiness depends on what we possess or the status or power that we have, especially in comparison to others who have more. (1409)

2022-09-17 22:36 Pages 1410-END

What I learned:

1. 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 indicates that believers will partake in the process of the judgement.
2. Seventh Day Adventist Church advocate for annihilationism.
3. Heaven is a place.
4. There is argument on whether the earth will be completely annihilated and then replaced or if the present creation will simply be renewed. Lutheran scholars hold to the former while Reformed hold the latter.
5. In our new physical bodies, we will literally eat, drink, and carry out other physical activities in the new earth. Grudem thinks we’ll be able to eat meat since Jesus ate fish in his resurrected body (Luke 24:42-43).
6. There is time in heaven—albeit unending. There are sequences of events described by John in the throne room of God.
7. We will continue to be able to learn more about God in the age to come since we are finite creatures who will never ascend to God’s omniscience.

Interesting Quote:

• But more important that all the physical beauty of the heavenly city, more important than the fellowship we will enjoy eternally with all God’s people from all nations and all periods in history, more important than our freedom from pain and sorrow and physical suffering, and more important than reigning over God’s kingdom—more important by far than any of these will be the fact that we will be in the presence of God and enjoying unhindered fellowship with him. (1430)

9/17/2022 5:08PM I just finished Systematic Theology after sending a long text to Joanna about how God has been convicting me of how I’ve sinned against her time and time again. May it serve to remind me I am never above the Scriptures no matter how many books I read and sermons I hear. Knowledge puffs but love builds up. Lord, make me a lover of you even when it means I bear the humiliation of Christ and the conviction for my sins. Lord, you’re faithful. Lord, help me.