Amillenialism - your views

[fenwar]

Do they believe in the Second Coming of Christ, Judgement and the end?

Certainly we can argue about prophesy, but I always thought regardless of what view a Christian held, at least all Christian groups believed in the primary prophesy of the entire bible, the return of Christ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But having said all that, I suppose it's only fair to actually answer your questions...

Personally speaking, I do believe in the second coming of Christ, and I do believe in a final judgement.

However I don't know if this will take the form of the apocalyptic events that we "see" in Revelation, 1 Thessalonians etc. I think much has been read into the language of these books that isn't actually there; I don't think their purpose was to provide a Handy Reference to the End Times but to encourage the believers to whom they were originally addressed; there may be some eschatological prophecy in there but it takes the form of metaphor and symbolism rather than being a blow-by-blow account.

Just as a side point, I would say that if anything, the primary prophecy of the Old Testament is the coming of Christ. The New Testament is more "proclamatory" but again its primary focus is the coming of Christ and its immediate implications for humanity. Certainly following the Ascension these implications are often seen in the long-term context of the Second Coming but they are always addressed to the here and now.

If that all makes sense... I've been known not to.

Fenwar

[Smalcald]

Do they believe in the Second Coming of Christ, Judgement and the end?

Certainly we can argue about prophesy, but I always thought regardless of what view a Christian held, at least all Christian groups believed in the primary prophesy of the entire bible, the return of Christ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But having said all that, I suppose it's only fair to actually answer your questions...

Personally speaking, I do believe in the second coming of Christ, and I do believe in a final judgement.

However I don't know if this will take the form of the apocalyptic events that we "see" in Revelation, 1 Thessalonians etc. I think much has been read into the language of these books that isn't actually there; I don't think their purpose was to provide a Handy Reference to the End Times but to encourage the believers to whom they were originally addressed; there may be some eschatological prophecy in there but it takes the form of metaphor and symbolism rather than being a blow-by-blow account.

Just as a side point, I would say that if anything, the primary prophecy of the Old Testament is the coming of Christ. The New Testament is more "proclamatory" but again its primary focus is the coming of Christ and its immediate implications for humanity. Certainly following the Ascension these implications are often seen in the long-term context of the Second Coming but they are always addressed to the here and now.

If that all makes sense... I've been known not to.

Fenwar

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for your response.

[mrs]

The thing is, there is no "they"!

The posts here are characterising an "amillenialist" group that doesn't exist, as far as I know.

Yah you are right.From what I've read from amillenialists themselves, the views and beliefs shown here don't accurately depict what they really believe.

Thankyou for your input.

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings,

From what I have gathered, the main reason for amillinealism are the passages that refer in single verses to events that may be separated by a very long time - i.e. 1,000 years. Such as the separating of the sheep and the goats or the judging of the living AND the dead, and many other verses as well. They just can't get it through their head that there may be very large time gaps between the events mentioned, yet I was listening to David Jeremiah yesterday and he gave examples that even in the Old Testament, this "prophetic language" was often used and even substantiated by Jesus Himself.

So in order for the amils to justify those passages, they must then infer that the 1,000 years is not a "literal" 1,000 years, but is only figurative. I am not sure, but you might be able to find David Jeremiah on the web and go listen to his sermon. He is pre-trib, and I disagree with him there, but his point on this subject is valid.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[fenwar]

Hi Dad Ernie,

I'm not sure I follow the logic you are describing at all.

I don't read the "1,000 years" in Revelation 20 as a literal one thousand rotations of the Earth around the Sun, but this is not because of any "complications" arising from interpreting passages elsewhere (I don't see what relevance the parable of the Sheep and the Goats has to this?)

I read it this way because Revelation uses highly symbolic language throughout, and 1,000 is a highly symbolic number. Overall I think the intent of the passage is to encourage those who are facing martyrdom for their faith - they will receive a greater reward. (One view here is that John is basically saying martyrs will receive their resurrection bodies immediately in heaven, and reign there with Christ until the final judgement, unlike the rest of us who will wait until that day to be resurrected.)

Hope that made sense

Fenwar

[tuco22]

I am not amillenial. I would be "classified" as premillenial, pretribulational (regarding the rapture). I believe in a literal rapture of the church prior to the tribulation period, and I believe in a literal tribulation period of 7 years, 3-1/2 of which is referred to as the "great tribulation", and I believe in a literal 1000-year period where Christ will reign on earth after He comes back to earth at His second coming.

[Wendie]

I dont understand amillenialism ?? Is that just another word for the rapure ? I have done a lot of resurch on the end of times , but never heard of that .

[Friarbob]

I am a premillialst in my eschatology. I' m just uncertain about the timing of the rapture. I have heard that the pre trib rapture was never taught by anybody before the 1820s Well I guess we'll all find out who is correct when we either die or are raptured,whenever it happens. LOL

Bob Fryer AKA Friarbob

Edited December 25, 2005 by Friarbob

[desertcry]

I don't believe in amillenialism because I believe that Jesus will return the same way He left. I also believe that the devil is still deceiving the nations and when we go into the millenium, he will no longer be doing that.

[LadyRaven]

Do they believe in the Second Coming of Christ, Judgement and the end?

Certainly we can argue about prophesy, but I always thought regardless of what view a Christian held, at least all Christian groups believed in the primary prophesy of the entire bible, the return of Christ?

Yes we do believe in the Second Coming, Judgement and all that. We just believe that the proper way of interpreting apocolyptic literature in the NT is the same as in the OT, which is highly symbolically. Daniel's week didn't "stop" in the middle and that all symbols in the NT are the same as in the OT.

I don't believe it's unreasonable or unbiblical to think this way. Why would you interpret Ezekiel and Isaiah one way and Revelation another? It doesn't make any sense.