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Amillennialism
- We Are In The Kingdom.
Amillennialism came into existence around A.D. 370 as the Roman Catholic Church
was establishing itself. The Roman Catholic Church taught that the church was God’s
kingdom on earth. This view says that the church is God’s real kingdom which
is expanding and conquering the world. They teach that God’s kingdom is growing
and conquering the hearts of men while the world is becoming worse. Postmillennialists
believe the world is getting better. This is where amillennialism and postmillennialism
differ.
Amillennialism is consistent with the
desires of the Roman Catholic Church. The church wanted to dominate and control
the world. Proof is found in medieval history, the Inquisitions and Crusades. Amillennialism
was the most popular view from A.D 370 until about 1700. Amillennialism was the
main theological viewpoint of the future because the Roman Catholic Church was
the dominate church during that era. There were no competing views since the Roman
Catholic Church was in almost total control.
Amillennialism
- Church Is Israel.
There are four major tenants upon which Amillennialism depends. First, it teaches
that the church has inherited all of the promises of Israel. Romans 9:6-8 and Galatians
3:29 clearly teach that every Christian and every Jew who believes in Jesus is
a descendant of Abraham in a spiritual sense. This is consistent with the promise
made to Abraham of the eternal life through his seed - Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:16).
That is, one who believes in Jesus obtains spiritual life, not by inheritance but
based on faith (Gal. 3:18). Therefore, the amillennialist concludes that all of
the promises made to Israel belong to Christians too!
But this ignores the promises of physical blessing
that were made to Abraham about being a great nation (Gen. 12:1-3, 22:15-19) and
the promise made to King David of an earthly kingdom (2 Sam. 7:12-16). In short,
the Amillennialist either ignores the promises of a physical, literal kingdom or
spiritualizes them away. Amillennialism also explains away Jesus’ repeated
statements about a future earthly kingdom which will be discussed later.
Consequently, the amillennialist sees no distinction between the church
and the Old Testament saints of Israel since they believe that the church has existed since Adam
and Eve. They look to Ephesians 4:4-6 as support which teaches,
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There
is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called
in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one
baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and
through all and in all. (NASB) Eph. 4:4-6 |
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