Postmillennialism: Christendom's Bright Cheerful View Of The Future Of The Human Race.

[Justin Adams]

29 minutes ago, Roar said:

Hebrew and Greek

The only original Hebrew is in small tatters from Qumran. The Masoretic is a Rabbinic rewrite. The LXX was translated from original Hebrew about 200 BC. It is Greek. The Targums may be older but few have survived. Those are the Aramaic translations.

Scholars are still working on a new text of Hebrew that was begun quite along time ago. Since there were many rewrites of the original Ugaritic-like Hebrew script, similar to the Phoenician script, Hebrew text underwent many changes as the Tanakh was compiled.

[missmuffet]

Post millennialism is not interpreting the book of Revelation in a literal sense. Revelation warns of adding or deleting to any words in the book of Revelation. 

Revelation 22: 18-19

A Warning

 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

 

[JAG**]

1 hour ago, Josheb said:

I completely agree. There are only five mentions of "antichrist" in the whole

of the Bible and John is the only writer who uses the term. These five mentions

are found in four verses and one of them is plural, indicating there was more

than one antichrist. Not only are those the facts of scripture but John defines

the term for us. According to what John himself explicitly states, an antichrist

is anyone who "denies Jesus is the Christ," "denies the Father and the

Son," "does not confess Jesus is from God," and "does not acknowledge

that Jesus came in the flesh." 

That's it! Four simple measures defining what constitutes an antichrist.

Most atheists who have ever lived would qualify. Hundreds of thousands

of people. John explicitly stated  many antichrists had already appeared

and the spirit of the antichrist was already at work in the world at the

time he wrote 1 John. So why some Bible readers believe there will be

one special individual who can be known as The Antichrist coming

along 2,000, or 3,000, 30,000 years after Joh wrote his epistles cannot

be found in John's letters. 

 

Furthermore, there is an implicit urgency found in the epistolary that

is necessarily denied by futurism. If it is not denied then the conclusion

is the writers and their first century readers were wrong! They must have

been wrong to think the events described were going to happen soon

because they didn't happen. So, as I have already pointed out in another

exchange regarding the doctrine of imminence, we find the doctrine of

infallibility is also compromised by futurism. 

If you'll allow me the liberty to digress solely to make the point, I'll list

some other compromises to core Christian doctrine made by Dispensational

Premillennialism (DP). 

 

Formal Theology: God is not truly sovereign or almighty because His enemy can actually resist Him and destroy His creation. 

 

Christology: Christ could have sinned had he wanted to do so (Impeccability).

 

 

Soteriology: Salvation is not solely by grace through faith; for the Jew it is also by bloodline works.

 

 

Ecclesiology: The Church is corrupt and it will not prevail without first having to be rescued from its impotence.

 

 

Imminence: Jesus is coming any day now, but first the temple has to be rebuilt, and the antichrist has to come and he has to declare himself in the temple, and.....

 

 

 

 

These on top of the reality no one will know the day or time but they constantly

make predictions in violation of their own standards and no practice of self-responsibility

or institutional accountability make DPism, and to lesser degrees Historicism untenable.

Maybe the work of Christ and the gospel power is not going to progress to victory as

Postmils believe but that does not make DPism a better alternative. These are positions

asserted within DPism and I can document noted DP teachers teaching these positions.

It is my observation many Dispensationalists don't know this is what DPism teaches. 

 

If we can agree to reading scripture as written, properly exegeted, as you've done with

John's mention of antichrist, then perhaps some awareness can be raised about this

upstart eschatology that is less then 200 years old and denies 1800 years of Christian

thought, doctrine, and practice. 

 

I will point out, in all fairness, the implausibility or untenability of Dispensational

Premillennialism does not itself make Postmillennialism veracious. This is why it is

important to emphasize the both implicit and explicit report of victory asserted by the

NT writers. If we stick to John we read, 

 

1 John 4:4

 

 

 

 

"You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because

greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world

."

 

1 John 5:1-5

 

 

 

 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child

born of Him.  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His

commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments

are not burdensome.  For

whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

"

[/i]

 

Revelation 2:7-26

 

 

 

"To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God..... 

He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.....

To him who overcomes, to him I will give

some

of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.....

He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations..."

We are overcomers in Christ and we are to continue to be overcomers! So any eschatology teaching the

Church does not overcome isn't just incorrect, it is actively teaching disobedience! I don't know whether

you've ever read David Chilton's commentary on Revelation, "Days of Vengeance" (note: pdf link) but he

has an section on this matter of overcoming, and his exposition of Revelation as a suzerain covenant is well made. 

We are not reading Christ and the Church as overcomers into scripture (as was previously claimed) we are

standing firm on what is explicitly stated both in the epistolary and the prophesies and doing so both within

the context of the first century qualifiers and eternal principles thusly ensconced.

Josheb,

Some Miscellaneous Points:

* I read all that carefully.

* I appreciate you taking the time to write that up.

* I never have read David Chilton on anything. 

 * Dr. Kenneth Gentry  has just recently completed his massive  commentary on  Revelation. 2 volumes over 1800 pages

* I just checked his web page and found the following:

{it will be out this year}

_________________________________________________________________

"Thanks  for your interest in my Revelation commentary titled: 

The Divorce of Israel: A Redemptive-Historical Interpretation of Revelation.

I completed its research and writing in early 2016 and submitted it to the

publisher at that time. It will be a two-volume set of a little over 1800 pages.

The publisher is Tolle Lege Press. Due to the size and complexity of the work

(deeply exegetical; voluminously footnoted; technical use of Biblical languages;

and so forth) and the unexpected reduction of Tolle Lege’s staff, it has taken

them much longer than anticipated to complete.

However, on May 11, 2020, I received a note from the Publisher at Tolle Lege

with some great news. They have worked out a co-publishing arrangement

with American Vision. They have also noted that the commentary is finally

ready for layout, which will be followed by printing. It should be published

this year, Lord willing! Please keep this in your prayers."__Dr. Gentry

____________________________________________________________________________________

* I thought you might be interested in knowing about Gentry's up-coming work on Revelation.

* By the way, Gentry wrote his doctoral thesis on the early date of Revelation.

I have it. Its titled: "Before Jerusalem Fell: Dating The Book Of Revelation." , , , Over 400 pages

 

JAG

 

 

Edited July 7, 2020 by JAG**

[David1701]

On 7/4/2020 at 5:06 PM, JAG** said:

The subject is Christian Eschatology.
Eschatology is about the future of Humanity.
There are 4 different major views of Christian Eschatology {listed below}.
Postmillennialism is the only one of the 4 that predicts a bright cheerful future
here on this Earth before human history ends.

So the question is raised:

What does the future hold for the Christian Church and the Human Race
here on planet Earth? The answer is the Human Race has a magnificent
optimistic bright cheerful future.

The world will eventually become a Christian world. This will require many
millenniums yet to come as human history rolls forward. This does not
mean that every single person on Earth will become a Christian, rather
it means that the human race, as a race, will be saved and the vast
overwhelming majority of human beings will, in the far off future,
become Christian.

The Lord Jesus' Great Commission To His Christian Church is about
His Church Christianizing the world:

The Lord Jesus told His disciples at the end of Matthew's gospel chapter
28 to go and make disciples of all the nations. His disciples needed power
to accomplish this great task. The Lord Jesus told them what this power
was. He said "all authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to me,
therefore go and make disciples of all nations . . . teaching them to obey
all that I have commanded you." Matthew 28:18-20

The Lord Jesus was serious when He gave His Christian Church her Great
Commission. His Great Commission is a command and not a suggestion.

Therefore His Great Commission to go and make disciples of all the nations
will be successfully accomplished before He returns to Earth to end human
history -- the world will eventually become Christian. "He must reign until
He has put all his enemies under His feet." 1 Cor. 15:25
"For He (God) has put everything under His feet." 1 Cor. 15:27

The Lord Jesus right NOW is reigning as King over this entire world and He is
gradually incrementally Christianizing the entire world. Again, how long will this
take? It will take many many millenniums yet to unfold, but He will be victorious.
We must be patient. This is going to take a very long time.

Meanwhile . .

Unfortunately there is a lot of Doom and Gloom and Defeatism
out there inside 21st century Christendom .

Christendom holds and presents 4 major views of the future
of the Christian Church and the Human Race.

These 4 views are:
(1) Postmillennialism
(2) Amillennialism
(3) Premillennialism
(4) Dispensationalism

Of the 4 views only Postmillennialism presents an optimistic
bright cheerful victorious future for the Christian Church and
the Human Race here on Earth before the Lord returns.

This Post is presenting some general thoughts on
Postmillennialism and Postmillennialism's optimistic view of
the future.

Long live Christian optimism.

Large swaths of the Christian Church today are awash in
Gloom and Doom and in Defeatism passed off as being
spiritual, when in fact the Bible teaches that the Christian
Church will be victorious. I will build my Church, said the
Lord Jesus, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.
Go and make disciples of all the nations, said the Lord
Jesus, because I have now been given all authority both
in Heaven and on Earth.

It is sad indeed that Amillennialism, Premillennialism, and
Dispensationalism repudiates the gospel victory theme of
the Bible in their modern eschatological speculations and
replaces this victory theme with a defeatist scheme of the
future of the Christian Church and Human race. This
paralyzes Christian cultural efforts and eliminates the
practical significance from the Christian worldview, and
gives Christians a sinful comfort in lethargy because all
this Defeatism and Doom and Gloom tends to justify
social and cultural irresponsibility. "Why polish brass
on a sinking ship", ask many misinformed Christians.

Here is an excellent definition of Postmillennialism:

"Postmillennialism holds that the Lord Jesus Christ established
His kingdom on earth through His preaching and redemptive
work in the first century and that He equips His church with the
gospel, empowers her by the Holy Spirit, and charges her with
the Great Commission to disciple all nations. Postmillennialism
expects that eventually the vast majority of men living will be
saved. Increasing gospel success will gradually produce a
time in history prior to Christ's return in which faith,
righteousness, peace, and prosperity will prevail in the
affairs of men and nations. After an extensive era of such
conditions the Lord will return visibly, bodily, and gloriously,
to end history with the general resurrection and the final
Judgment after which the eternal order follows."
___ Dr. Kenneth L. Gentry.

Christianity is slowly Christianizing the world.

Christianity started small in numbers. There was a time in the 1st century
at the very beginning of Christianity when the number of Christians in the
world was less than 12. Today, some 2000 years later, there is some 2.3
billion Christians in the world. We have a name for this. We call it progress.

America today has over 1300 Evangelical mega-churches with weekly
attendance of over 2000. The Roman Catholics have over 3000 churches
with a weekly attendance of over 2000. This is Christian progress in the world.

Christianity is growing like wildfire in the Global South for example in Africa.
There is a huge Christian Church in China. House Church.
.Christianity is huge in South Korea and in South America and Central America.
The American Christian Church is still a vibrant force in the World. All this is
Christian progress in the world.

■ The Lord Jesus "shall have dominion from sea to sea" Psalm 72:8
■ "The whole Earth will be filled with His glory." Psalm 72:19
■ "All the nations will call Him blessed." Psalm 72:17
■ The Lord Jesus really meant it, when He commanded His Christian
Church to "go and make disciples of all the nations." Matthew 28:19

"As of the year 2015, Christianity has more than 2.3 billion adherents,
out of about 7.5 billion people. The faith represents one-third of the
world's population and is the largest religion in the world, with the three
largest groups being the Catholic Church, Protestantism, and
the Eastern Orthodox Church."__wikipedia

At the end of human history , , ,
The Book Of Revelation says that there is a great multitude of the saved
from every nation, tribe, people and language and they are so numerous
that no one can count them.

"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one
could count from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing
before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white
robes . . .and they cried out . . . Salvation belongs to our God who sits
on the throne and to the Lamb." Revelation 7:9-10

_________

 

The Lord Jesus. He Shall Have Dominion. Victory! 

____________

 

 

Miscellaneous Points:

* I am a Bible believing orthodox Postmillennialist.

* I am NOT a Full Preterist.

* Full Preterism is False.

* FYI, I am a Bible believing Protestant {Baptist.}

* I posted that up there only as  "food for thought."

* I do NOT argue Christian Eschatology in threads.

* I look forward to reading some of the responses  to the Opening Post.

God Bless.

JAG

 

``
 

Pessimism and optimism are the two pitfalls, on either side of the road called "reality".

Out of the, roughly, 2.3 billion adherents to "Christianity", how many are actually born again?  How many are part of a great apostasy (Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Liberalism, etc.)?

Edited July 7, 2020 by David1701

[Retrobyter]

9 hours ago, Josheb said:

First, at no point anywhere in any post did I state or otherwise imply satan was not real, and nothing I posted should in any way be construed to say otherwise. I will also appreciate it my posts are not edited in any manner that adds to, subtracts from, or in any way changes what I posted. I'm not being quoted when that happens. The header states, "Josheb said," but I didn't say a lot of what was "quoted."

Shalom, Josheb.

I only "edit" a post to explain it, if it is unclear. To me, it was just that; so, I explained what I was reading. For instance, in the above paragraph, I would LIKE to add the word "if" between "it" and "my posts." That would just make it more like we talk. (But, I won't.)

9 hours ago, Josheb said:

Second, let me ask three questions just to make sure I understand you and your position correctly: 

 

When Revelation 20 reports the dragon is a serpent is satan the scriptures themselves are stating the image (it is a

vision) 

of the dragon is the serpent of old, which is satan. Do you believe satan's natural form is that of an actual dragon?

Yes, a reptile today called a "dinosaur." However, this dinosaur lost his legs and became what we now refer to as a "serpent" or a "snake."

9 hours ago, Josheb said:

Do you think literal physical chains can literally hold spiritual beings like former angels?

 

Yes, since the Scripture SAYS it shall.

9 hours ago, Josheb said:

Do you read the word "near" in Revelation 1:3 and 22:10 literally?

Simple yes or no questions. Your succinct answer will be appreciated. 

Yes, of course! The Greek word is "eggus," pronounced "eng-GOOSE," and it means "near in position or time."

[Marilyn C]

16 hours ago, Justin Adams said:

No more so than those that think the great sky elevator is going to IMMINENTLY whisk them all away. What we say and words have meanings and subsequent results we have no idea about. All the thousands that read our public stuff here day after day will be impacted by our words.

Eschatology is hotly debated all over the place and we have to take care we never make it a Salvation issue.
Why are we so dogged in this pursuit?

7 Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority".

I don`t believe in `imminent,` as God`s word says that it will be when Jesus has brought us to maturity in Himself. (Eph. 4: 13)

As to the 12 disciples not knowing the seasons, for they were asking the Lord about His coming rule through Israel. And that was not for them at that time.

Then for the Body of Christ we are told, ` But you brethren are not in darkness that this Day (of the Lord) should overtake you as a thief.` (1 Thess. 5: 4)  So clearly the Head will be telling His Body when he is coming as the day draws nigh.

[Marilyn C]

10 hours ago, Josheb said:

That's good. Highly commendable. And I sincerely thank you for that response because no one in the other op provided an answer. I was asking about things more substantive, though. I don't know you, so I do not want to make assumptions, especially not negative ones. My inquiry is more about changes in behavior, not merely thought. Do you openly post about the rapture you believe will happen early next year? Do you teach this position to others? If so, what will be done to correct the misguided teaching? Will there be any effort made to redress the guiding of others into beliefs that end up being wrong?

In other words, what amends will be made? You have stated you will have to rethink your beliefs. Good. Will I or any other poster be able to hold you accountable for 1) teaching what turned out to be error, and 2) making changes in what you think eschatologically? 

You do believe teaching truth and being accountable are normal, healthy, and preferred ways to live in Christ? 

 

I don't mean to "paint" you in the proverbial corner, Marilyn. Please don't feel that way. You've already acted more noble than most simply by answering the question asked. Again I say that is highly commendable. Christianity is filled with people who make incorrect predictions and/or prognostications and then do nothing when their prognostications end up not coming true. When I and others ask about this the matter is ignored. So I am asking you if there is anything more you'll do if it turns out your belief in Jesus' return next year does not happen?

So I would have to change by beliefs on -

1. Jesus is the Head of His Body  (Eph. 1: 22 & 23)

2. and when He has matured His Body (Eph. 4: 11) 

3. then He will come  (Acts 3: 20 & 21)

4. and take it to its eternal setting. (Rev. 3: 21)

 

 

[Retrobyter]

9 hours ago, Josheb said:

What you've posted is called exegetical error. Pick up D. A. Carson's book by that title to better understand. Briefly, in this case it has occurred because of a failure recognize the idiomatic nature of Hebrew. The Hebrew " אֶלֶף" can mean "cattle" or "thousand." The latter is found in 64 verses in the Old Testament. In the case pf Psalm 50 your reading would be unnecessarily redundant because the phrase isn't just "bharreey alef," as was cited. The phrase is "bəhêmōwṯ bharreey alef," or "cattle on hills oxen." God owns the cattle on hills oxen is nothing grand or praise worthy. I own cattle on hills oxen. I am not God.  There are English translations that translate "alep" as you've cited (Aramaic, Douey, YYLT) but it is overwhelmingly translated as "thousand." 

But even were I to concede this point there are many places in the the Bible where the mention of "thousand" is figurative. When Exodus reports 600,000 men left Israel it is not precluding 600,001 or 600,002, or 600,020 men. When God tells the Hebrews the will chase then thousand enemies that does not preclude them from chasing 10,001, or 10, 50, nor 20 or 30 thousand enemies. It is a figure of speech. When the prayer of Deuteronomy 1 asks for blessings to increase a thousand fold it  does not preclude blessings from being increased 1001, or 1002 fold. it is a figure of speech. 

The salient point is that there are many places in the Bible where the measure "1000" is used figuratively. It is not, therefore, outside the realm of possibility the "thousand" of Revelation 20 is also figurative given the plethora of other figurative language in the chapter. 

Shalom, Josheb.

Nope. "Bharreey" is the CONSTRUCT plural. Technically, it should be translated as "in-mountains OF-oxen." There's no "exegetical error," and you would KNOW this if you spoke Hebrew! And, the word is "alef" because the ending "fee" (pronounced "fay") is undotted (not that it WOULD be dotted at the end of a word anyway). It is NOT a "pee" (pronounced "pay"). And, since we're waxing technical, there's a THIRD use for the word "alef": the first letter in their "alefbet" (alphabet)! It's the CONSONANT that one can hear in the explosive sound at the beginning of "apple," "egg," or "umbrella."

Of COURSE the NUMBER is used figuratively, but we're not dealing with the number here!

And, regarding Revelation, it may have originally been written in Aramaic, but all we have are extant copies written in Greek!

And, the Greek word is "chilia," which does NOT mean "oxen!" It means "a thousand" or "10 x 10 x 10" or "10 cubed!" Why would John not use the words "duo chiliades" if he meant a number closer to 2,000? He used "duo" in 13:11 and "chiliades" in 7:4. Why couldn't he SAY "2,000" if he could say "144,000?"

"Plethora of other figurative language in the chapter?" Try taking the historical-grammatical interpretation route instead of the allegorical interpretation. It's not always "literal," but one should ASSUME literal until PROVEN otherwise.

[Retrobyter]

2 minutes ago, Josheb said:

You're still not dealing with the fact there are figurative uses of "thousand" throughout the Bible. And, yes, you are making exegetical errors by over-mining the Hebrew. 

Fail. 

The original point was in reference to Revelation 20, not Psalm 50. You've missed the forest for the trees. In stating "Of course the number is used figuratively..." you have conceded the original point. Thanks for agreeing with me. Next time try not wasting so much time, effort, and cyberspace doing so. The word "thousand" has figurative precedent in scripture. Whether not that point is proven via Ps. 50 or some other text the original point remains true. 

 

• Revelation 20 is the only place a thousand-year reign is mentioned.
• The word "thousand" occurs in a chapter rife with figurative language.
• There is a precedent of figurative use of the word "thousand" throughout the Bible. 
• There is no mention the thousand-year reign being on earth; the only thrones mentioned are in heaven. 
• Christ will not stop being Lord when a thousand years expire.

 

The "thousand" in Rev. 20 is figurative. 

 

After days of dissent and several posts not a single point has been refuted. You have a difference of opinion, not a refutation. 

Shalom, Josheb.

Wow. "Over-mining the Hebrew?" How exactly does one do that when the TANAKH was WRITTEN IN HEBREW IN THE FIRST PLACE?! English is a Johnny-come-lately language! Learn to see the English translations in light of the original languages and NEVER THE REVERSE!

You said, "The original point was in reference to Revelation 20, not Psalm 50. You've missed the forest for the trees. In stating "Of course the number is used figuratively..." you have conceded the original point. Thanks for agreeing with me. Next time try not wasting so much time, effort, and cyberspace doing so. The word "thousand" has figurative precedent in scripture. Whether not that point is proven via Ps. 50 or some other text the original point remains true."

The original point was superceded by the Psalm 50 point, and my statement was ONLY in reference to Psalm 50, NOT Revelation 20! IF (a BIG "IF," by the way) one were to take Psalm 50 as a number, then it would be "used figuratively"; however, it is NOT a number in Psalm 50! I most certainly was NOT agreeing with you.

You said, "Revelation 20 is the only place a thousand-year reign is mentioned." Revelation 20 is NOT the only place a "thousand years" are mentioned. There's also 2 Peter 3. 

You said, "The word "thousand" occurs in a chapter rife with figurative language." ONLY IN YOUR MIND, my friend. There's really a LOT more concrete, literal information than for which you give John credit!

You said, "There is a precedent of figurative use of the word "thousand" throughout the Bible." Numbers are CONCRETE information! They NEVER have "a precedent of figurative use!"

You said, "There is no mention the thousand-year reign being on earth; the only thrones mentioned are in heaven." And, "Christ will not stop being Lord when a thousand years expire." Learn to get out of Revelation once in a while.

Luke 1:30-33 (KJV)

30 And the angel (Gavri'el) said unto her (Miryam),

"Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

And,

1 Corinthians 15:20-28 (KJV)

20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

He may not cease being "Lord" (which means "Master"), but He shall cease being the World Emperor in favor of His Father! He also shall not cease being "King!" Although, He shall take the lesser stage, again, in favor of His Father. He shall go on being King of Israel.

[Marilyn C]

Postmillennialism.

The claim that the entire world will eventually be Christianised presents as idealistic concept that conflicts with both Scriptural predictions and economic practicalities. This is clearly confirmed by the explicit admonitions of Jesus Himself quite emphatically that widespread conflict, apostasy and deception would be the prevailing scenario in the last days. (eg, Matt. 24: 4 - 30.  Mark 13: 5 - 26.  Luke 21: 10 - 28)  

 

Contemporary world conditions confirm this prediction, as current conversions to Christianity throughout the countries are not even maintaining parity with the population explosion. Statistics on comparative religions further emphasis this decline. Islam alone is gaining converts over Christianity, even in traditional Christian countries.

 

This propensity to spiritualise Scripture is further demonstrated by their exegesis of the great conflicts predicted by the Apostle John in his recorded revelation of the end-time. They say the final `war` has nothing to do with military manoeuvres or military weapons or even with geographical locations. They say it is a spiritual battle that has been going on throughout the ages.

 

It is thus evident that from Postmillennial presentations that, to substantiate their particular doctrine, they have been somewhat selective in both scripture and macro-economics. In addition they obviously do not regard literal adherence to the Word of God as essential, but preferably major on figurative interpretation and symbolic language.