Views: 72
[Note: This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles 1 page.]
The Premillennial view of the Bible holds that Christ will return to the earth, establish a literal kingdom in Jerusalem, and reign 1,000 years (a millennium) on David’s throne. “So what?” “Even if things do not happen that way, what harm is there in believing it?” some say. We will do well to answer this question. Following are some of the far-reaching consequences of this speculative doctrinal system:
It renders Christ’s first coming a failure, requiring Him to do when He comes again what He failed to do at first. Premillennialism holds that He came to establish a literal kingdom of Jews in Jerusalem but was rejected by them. True, He was rejected by the Jews, but because He refused to fulfill their literal kingdom hopes (John 6:15; 18:36). Why did He come originally? “For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). By His death on the cross, He accomplished this (Mat. 26:28; Mark 16:16; John 19:30). Christ did not fail in His purpose.
It makes a mockery of the church. To the advocate of this theological system the church was a mere substitute for the real kingdom, an afterthought made necessary by rebellious Jews. The Bible teaches that the church is a part of God’s eternal purpose through Christ (Eph. 3:10–11), not an emergency arrangement.
It dethrones Christ and denies the present existence of His kingdom. The Bible teaches that Christians in the first century were in the kingdom (Col. 1:13; Heb. 12:28) and that Jesus was reigning over it (Acts 2:33–35; 1 Cor. 15:24–25; Rev. 1:5). His kingdom is the church (Mat. 16:18–19; Col. 1:13, 18). Those who are in His church now are in His kingdom.
It makes Christ a false prophet. He said, “There are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:27). If the kingdom is yet in the future, Christ was wrong, because none of His contemporaries are still living. Christ was not wrong, but the future-kingdom theorists are. The kingdom (Jesus’ church) was established on schedule (not accidentally) in the first century, true to Christ’s promise (Acts 2).
Far from being innocent and harmless, Premillennialism strikes at some of the most basic teachings of the Bible.
[Note: I wrote this article for and it was published in the February 19, 1976, edition of Granbury Gospel, weekly bulletin of the Church of Christ, Granbury, Texas, of which I was editor.]
Attribution: From thescripturecache.com; Dub McClish, owner and administrator.
