You do not have the option of Pan-millennialism

[JM]

I thought this was an important point about eschatology. If the confessions are true, if Historicism is true, you do not have the option of ignoring Bible prophecy. The following letter was written to the authors grandchildren and can be read in its entirety here. I quoted just a portion below.

http://historicism.com/prophecy/2012/01/23/pedigrees/

My grandchildren, listen to me.

I am drawing on the authority which is part of my grandfatherly prerogative.

You do not have the option of ignorance, because you are aware of the prophetic legacy you have inherited from your parents, grandfather, great grandfather and beyond, to Guinness, Elliot, Sir Isaac Newton and back through church history to the early fathers.

You do not have the option of saying it doesn’t matter because it is not an essential of the Christian faith. Should not God be the judge of that? Roughly one -third of the Bible consists of prophecy. Does God think it important?

You do not have the option of Pan-millennialism, ( it will all pan out in the end. Cute, but dangerous). Because you are intelligent people, you have all been exposed to the basics, you have easy access to tons of material on the subject, and God holds you responsible. To whom much is given shall much be required.

Nor do you have the option of absorbing without question what you may hear, read, be taught , even though it may be coming from highly educated men you respect greatly.

You do have the option of starting with what you have and building on that foundation with careful study of God’s Word, history, the writings of qualified Christian men, and paying particular attention to the fulfilment of Bible prophecy in historical events, and in so doing you will become increasingly amazed at God’s goodness, wisdom and sovereignty, your own faith will be strengthened, and you will find yourself better equipped to lend a helping hand to those you meet.

And that is my grandfather’s prayer for each one of you. [end quote]
​

 

[twin1954]

I have heard that kind of argument before and it just isn't true. Being a Pan-millennialist doesn't mean you have no understanding of eschatology but that you acknowledge that it is all just opinion. It isn't that you think it doesn't matter but that it isn't something you can't be un-movingly dogmatic on. It is simply recognizing that your view may be wrong. The truth is that man will always set eschatology as extremely important and even focus on it if he isn't a pan. When that happens then the Gospel falls by the wayside.

 

[Osage Bluestem]

I have heard that kind of argument before and it just isn't true. Being a Pan-millennialist doesn't mean you have no understanding of eschatology but that you acknowledge that it is all just opinion. It isn't that you think it doesn't matter but that it isn't something you can't be un-movingly dogmatic on. It is simply recognizing that your view may be wrong. The truth is that man will always set eschatology as extremely important and even focus on it if he isn't a pan. When that happens then the Gospel falls by the wayside.

The gospel is eschatological in nature.

 

[JM]

twin, eschatology is Christ centered, especially those forms that place emphasis on realized prophecy in Jesus Christ. We can say 'place doctrine here' will lead to 'place consequence here' but that isn't always the case. People often say 'calvinism' will lead to a lack of 'Gospel preaching' when in fact the opposite is true. The more I study scripture the more I glean of Christ, the more I glean of Christ the more I understand covenants, the more I understand covenants the more I understand eschatology and the more I understand eschatology the more I glean of Christ! Eschatology encourages us to trust the sovereignty of God in history, reminds of the Gospel hope of resurrection in Christ and spurs us on to proclaim the Gospel.

 

[AmericanSamurai]

JM, you gotta understand that your typical evangelical loves God. Just NOT the Sovereign God of the Bible. Once you start saying things like "God is Sovereign" these Contemporary Christians just won't invite you to the next home prayer meeting.

 

[AmericanSamurai]

Also, forget about History. They don't want to hear about events that actually occurred, they just want more emotionalism.

 

[twin1954]

twin, eschatology is Christ centered, especially those forms that place emphasis on realized prophecy in Jesus Christ. We can say 'place doctrine here' will lead to 'place consequence here' but that isn't always the case. People often say 'calvinism' will lead to a lack of 'Gospel preaching' when in fact the opposite is true. The more I study scripture the more I glean of Christ, the more I glean of Christ the more I understand covenants, the more I understand covenants the more I understand eschatology and the more I understand eschatology the more I glean of Christ! Eschatology encourages us to trust the sovereignty of God in history, reminds of the Gospel hope of resurrection in Christ and spurs us on to proclaim the Gospel.

I wasn't arguing against eschatology but against the statement that you don't have the option of being a Pan. Whether you are Historic pre, post or amil, Dispensational premil is heresy in my opinion, certainly dictates in many ways how you interpret the Scriptures but it should never be the focus of our message. There are some things we can be dogmatic on concerning future events, Christ will return and we will be changed, there is a future judgment and an everlasting damnation but that is as far as we can go dogmatically. Each position other than those clear things is only opinion and our opinions should never be our message.

Folks are always asking which position you hold because they want to focus on their eschatological opinion and make it the main point. That does take the focus away from the Gospel message. It is a smoke screen that folks use to keep from having to deal with Christ.

 

[AmericanSamurai]

I think that what I take away from JM's thread is that there is a certain line of thinking that goes with being a Dispy, an Arminian, a liberal "emergent church" type, and about thousands of other myriad beliefs that go against Scripture and the Sovereignty of God.

I think that I can deduce by talking to someone for not even that long, where they stand in their beliefs.

 

[JM]

...the op cautions those who are lazy, fail to study and just throw their hands up when it comes to Revelation/eschatology because it's difficult...it also cautions against using corny jokes.