What is Amillennialism? By Michael J. Vlach, Ph.D.

[Scotth1960]

I have heard the 70th week preached to mean: The first 3 1/2 years is from the time Christ began His ministry until His crucifixion resulting in the sacrifices ceasing (officially before God) and that the other 3 1/2 years continue straight on from that and relate to the gospel being preached to the jews until they had fully rejected it, and at this time the revelation was given to Paul and Peter that the message was to now to go to the gentiles. The 'time' of the jews had ended completing the '70 week' prophecy and the time of the Gentiles had begun. Makes sense.

That is exactly the truth. 3 1/2 years until April, 30 AD, when Christ died and was resurrected; and then 3 1/2 years until approximately 34 AD, the Jews rejected Christ and the Gospel, and then St. Peter, St. Paul, and the Church, St. Andrew, St. John, St. James, went to the Gentiles. And the rest of the Apostles, of course, St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, St. Thomas, St. Bartholomew, St. Barnabas, and so on. The 70 weeks were completed by 34 AD, and then a generation later, as Christ predicted, the temple of Jerusalem fell in 70 AD, by the Roman armies of General Titus.
God bless us. In Erie Scott R. Harrington

 

[zone]

Yes I'm called as a prophet. Yes I believe that the office of apostle did not cease with the early church and that it is for today..

do you have prophecies to present to the church?
written down?
or are they prophecies for individuals?

Im not sure what you mean by "new revelation" I believe the word of God, the whole word of God, and that should be the basis of all revelation...

prophets received revelation of God's Plan (the Plan, His Will, His decrees in advance), both OT and NT prophets.

what was revealed to them was recorded, and canon is closed.

so what is a prophet's role today?

God does not contradict Himself, and God still speaks today.

again, what is He saying today?
is it written down somewhere?

You have a warped idea of what an apostles is.

ok.
could you link me to an authoritative site you affirm which lays out what an apostle is?

and an extremely religious mindset.

how is this determined?

A modern day prophet or apostle would, as should any leader in the church, confront falsity and error, including doctrinal error, if it does not line up with the word of God.

so, how do we as a world-wide church know that the men who come in apostolic/prophetic authority to confront all this error are qualified to do so?

how do they receive their commissions?

what is their SoF? what if they disagree?

Many in the churches still adhere to doctrines of men, doctrines of demons, doctrines that have made their way into the church and are extra biblical, and have no foundation in scripture or have been introduced due to compromise, or selfish ambition, these should be removed from our lives because the mixture is not pleasing to God and does not represent Him correctly.

could you list specifically the doctrines that are in error?

Likewise many of the beliefs and teachings of the early church apostles and Christ Himself been minimized today.

specifically which teachings?

and we are in many ways off track (I include the charismatic and pentecostal expressions in the assertion)..

what will the apostles do/say to correct those specific errors? are they in dialogue with the leaders of those denominations?

It is the purpose of God during our lifetime to return correct order to His church, and to have a people that are single-hearted in devotion toward Him, and that are free from oppression of the enemy and healed, full of Him and demonstrating the kingdom like He did.

may i see the texts on this?
thank you.
zone.

 

[Abiding]

Originally Posted by Lifelike
A modern day prophet or apostle would, as should any leader in the church, confront falsity and error, including doctrinal error, if it does not line up with the word of God.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Martin Luther fought hard on this. All believers have the exhortation to confront false doctrines, false prophets, error and such. Therefore it is not the duty of an elite bunch.

 

[Abiding]

Zone...lets say there was not a cessation...Im thinking of openning a new thread
on what the new testement prophets were and what prophecy is. Thing is ...even if one believed in New testement
prophets the proper biblical understanding of what prophecy was then and is now would expose all.

 

[zone]

Zone...lets say there was not a cessation...Im thinking of openning a new thread
on what the new testement prophets were and what prophecy is. Thing is ...even if one believed in New testement
prophets the proper biblical understanding of what prophecy was then and is now would expose all.

sounds good...see you there.

 

[AnandaHya]

Zone...lets say there was not a cessation...Im thinking of openning a new thread
on what the new testement prophets were and what prophecy is. Thing is ...even if one believed in New testement
prophets the proper biblical understanding of what prophecy was then and is now would expose all.

yep sounds good

Revelation 19:10
And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

 

[Scotth1960]

Dear FireOnTheAltar,

Recommended reading:

DeMar, Gary. (1999). Last Days Madness: Obsession of the Modern Church. Powder Springs, GA: American Vision.

American Vision
PO Box 220
Powder Springs, GA 30127

www.americanvision.org

God bless.

In Erie Scott R. Harrington

Considering the content of many of the posts lately concerning eschatology, I've been doing a little research weighing the pros and cons of the Amimllenial view. While I can see why Anillenialists believe the way that they do, I see many inconsistancies with what is being presented here on Christian Chat as the Amillennial view and what appears to be the orthodox view.



What is Amillennialism?​

By Michael J. Vlach, Ph.D.​

Amillennialism is a theological view concerning the 1000-year reign of Jesus Christ that is mentioned in Revelation 20:1–6. In particular, Amillennialism is the perspective that there will not be a future literal 1000-year reign of Christ upon the earth. The inseparable Latin prefix a means “no” and the term “millennium” is Latin for “1000 years.” Thus, Amillennialism literally means “no 1000 years.”

It should be noted that the term Amillennialism is a reactionary title in that it denies the presence of a future literal 1000-year reign of Christ on earth that premillennialists affirm. However, Amillennialists do in fact believe in a millennium; what they reject, though, is the idea of a future literal 1000-year reign of Christ on earth after the second coming of Christ.

According to Amillennialism, the millennium of Revelation 20:1–6 is being fulfilled spiritually in the present age before the return of Jesus Christ. Thus, the millennium or kingdom of Christ is in existence now. Amillennialists affirm that the millennium began with the resurrection and/or ascension of Christ and will be consummated when Jesus returns again to establish the Eternal Kingdom that is discussed in Revelation 21–22.

For amillennialists, Satan is presently bound and Christians are now enjoying the benefits of the millennium. Some amillennialists claim that the millennium also involves the reigning of saints who are now in heaven. Amillennialists claim that the 1000-year period that is mentioned in Revelation 20:1–6 refers to a long indefinite period of time between the two comings of Christ and is not a literal 1000- year period that occurs after Jesus’ return. Because amillennialists believe Christ is currently reigning in the millennium, some, like Jay Adams, believe the title “Realized Millennialism” is a more appropriate title than “Amillennialism.”

In regard to the end times, Amillennialism affirms the following chronological scenario:

• Christ is now ruling in His kingdom while Satan is bound from deceiving the nations.
• Tribulation is experienced in the present age even though Christ is ruling.
• Jesus will return again to earth.
• After Jesus returns there will be a general bodily resurrection of all the righteous people and a general judgment of all unbelievers.
• The Eternal Kingdom will begin.

Amillennialism in History
Premillennialism, not Amillennialism, was the predominant view in the first 300 years of church history. However, the early church did evidence hints of what later would become Amillennialism. For example, Origen (185-254) popularized the allegorical approach to interpreting Scripture, and in doing so, laid a hermeneutical basis for the view that the promised kingdom of Christ was spiritual and not earthly in nature. Eusebius (270-340), an associate of the emperor Constantine, viewed Constantine’s reign as the Messianic banquet, and he held to anti-premillennial views. Tyconius, an African Donatist of the fourth century, was one of the earliest theologians to challenge Premillennialism. He rejected the eschatological and futuristic view of Revelation 20. Instead, he said that the millennium was being fulfilled in the present age and that the 1000 years mentioned was not a literal 1000 years. Tyconius also viewed the first resurrection of Revelation 20:4 as a spiritual resurrection which was the new birth.

Augustine (354-430), who is often referred to as the ‘Father of Amillennialism,’ popularized the views of Tyconius. Augustine abandoned Premillennialism because of what he considered to be the excesses and carnalities of this view. He also interpreted Mark 3:27 to be a present binding of Satan. Augustine was the first to identify the Catholic Church in its visible form with the kingdom of God. For him, the millennial rule of Christ was taking place in and through the church, including its sacraments and offices. His book, City of God, was significant in the promotion and acceptance of Amillennialism.

Augustine’s Amillennialism quickly became the accepted view of the church. It became so accepted that the Council of Ephesus (431) condemned the premillennial view as superstitious. Amillennialism soon became the prevailing doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church and was later adopted by most of the Protestant Reformers including Martin Luther and John Calvin (some Anabaptists held to Premillennialism).

While Premillennialism has experienced a great resurgence in the last 200 hundred years, Amillennialism is widely held by many Christian denominations. It is the official position of the Roman Catholic Church and is held by many Lutherans and those in the Reformed tradition.

Specific proponents of Amillennialism include B.B. Warfield, Oswald T. Allis, and more recently this view has been defended by Anthony A. Hoekema and Robert B. Strimple.

 

[zone]

Dear FireOnTheAltar,

Recommended reading:

DeMar, Gary. (1999). Last Days Madness: Obsession of the Modern Church. Powder Springs, GA: American Vision.

hi scott.
gary demar is a postmillennialist (reconstructionist), isn't he?

 

[Abiding]

Zone, still working out the kinks. Like i said the thing that was always weird to me with premil was (and im not sure yet that just cuz i dont get it that its wrong)
having blood sacrifices makes no sense with the Messiah as King and with whats said in Hebrews. Or if He was going to rule over sinful mortals why then, and not since the fall?

Im sure ill get my amil legs soon.

Still dealing with parts of Mathew 24 and revelation. And the way history is going, see ive been led to believe that a double fullfillment
in revelation is unwarrented.