Question about the 1,000 year reign

[Steve Petersen]

I think the best way to ask this question is to first state my understanding of the 1,000 year reign of Christ and then ask my question. I'm hoping for the responses to either correct my understanding of the 1,000 year reign, or if my understanding of it is correct, then hopefully as good answer can be provided.

My understanding:
1. Christ will literally and physically dwell on earth for 1,000 years.
2. During this reign, Christ will literally reign. Meaning, He will be in charge of a singular, worldwide government.
3. All Christians who have died or were raptured will dwell on earth with Christ and in some fashion reign with him.
4. There will still exist people who are not Christians.
5. At the end of the 1,000 year reign Satan will be released for a time and then there will be a war.

Ok, so my first question is simple - Are my 5 points correct? If they are correct, follow me into my scenario and question.....

The time is 450 years into the 1,000 year reign of Christ. The question centers around a 35 year old man, named John. John is NOT a Christian. My question is simple - why is John not a Christian?

Let's consider John's situation. He is 35 years old, has lived his entire life during the reign of Christ. Both his neighbors are Christians that were martyred for their faith some 800 year ago. Yet, here they are... living next to John. The world is at peace, and is ruled by Jesus Christ, who has been ruling now for 450 years and has done a pretty much perfect job.

Why exactly is John refusing to believe that Christ is who he said he is? At this point, I have to imagine it would not really take much faith to believe in Christ or the Bible. We literally have Christ reigning forever. John literally has neighbors who are not aging, who are perfect in character, who never get sick, and who really are the best neighbors anyone could imagine.

John is aging. John gets sick. Don't you think John might look around at his neighbor who came back from the dead when Christ showed up and is now living next to him and has lived there for 450 year and think to himself, "hmm, maybe there is something to this Bible story."

It just makes no sense to me how anyone could live during the 1,000 year reign, especially when we get pretty far into it - and not believe.

Thoughts?

If faith were inevitable during the Messianic Era, why would he need to rule with a rod of iron?

 

[ewq1938]

I think the best way to ask this question is to first state my understanding of the 1,000 year reign of Christ and then ask my question. I'm hoping for the responses to either correct my understanding of the 1,000 year reign, or if my understanding of it is correct, then hopefully as good answer can be provided.

My understanding:
1. Christ will literally and physically dwell on earth for 1,000 years.
2. During this reign, Christ will literally reign. Meaning, He will be in charge of a singular, worldwide government.
3. All Christians who have died or were raptured will dwell on earth with Christ and in some fashion reign with him.
4. There will still exist people who are not Christians.
5. At the end of the 1,000 year reign Satan will be released for a time and then there will be a war.

All correct.

The time is 450 years into the 1,000 year reign of Christ. The question centers around a 35 year old man, named John. John is NOT a Christian. My question is simple - why is John not a Christian?

This situation is not found in scripture. We don't know much about the thousand years. All I can say is that people saw Christ perform miracles and still didn't believe and even the disciples had issues of faith.

Also remember some people like sin and evil. It doesn't matter to them if Jesus is real or not, they will still reject him.

 

[parousia70]

My understanding:
1. Christ will literally and physically dwell on earth for 1,000 years.
2. During this reign, Christ will literally reign. Meaning, He will be in charge of a singular, worldwide government.
3. All Christians who have died or were raptured will dwell on earth with Christ and in some fashion reign with him.
4. There will still exist people who are not Christians.
5. At the end of the 1,000 year reign Satan will be released for a time and then there will be a war

I'd be interested in one or two scriptural references for each of those 10 points.

Where in scripture can we find the teaching supporting each of the 10 points that make up your understanding?