End Times & Judgment

Eschatology - "The study of last things"

All Biblical systems of eschatology agree on the following:

1. God has appointed a day to judge everyone in the universe.
2. In that day, God will show the glory of his mercy in the salvation of his people.
3. He will also show the glory of his justice in the damnation of those who have rejected Christ.
4. The righteous will be rewarded with everlasting life.
5. The unrighteous will be punished with everlasting torments.
6. We do not know the day nor hour when the Lord will come in judgment, so we need to always be prepared

Want a detailed discussion of the last judgment, according to the WCF? Click here

Here is a brief summary of 4 different systems of eschatology:

1. Amillenialism:
   • Christ presently reigns from Heaven, and will physically return to earth at the end of time.
   • The millenial kingdom in Revelation 20:6 is symbolic for the present Christian age.
   • Some amillenialists are futurists, and some are preterists.
   • A majority of the world will always reject Christianity.
   • Amillenialism has been the majority view throughout church history.
   
   
2. Postmillenialism:
   • Christ presently reigns from Heaven, and will physically return to earth at the end of time.
   • The millenial kingdom in Revelation 20:6 is symbolic for the present Christian age.
   • Some postmillenialists are historicists, some are idealists, and most are partial-preterists.
   • Eventually, a majority of the world will accept Christianity.
   
   
3. Historic Premillenialism:
   • After Christ physically returns to earth, he will reign for 1000 years in a literal millenial kingdom.
   • All historic premillenialists are futurists, not preterists.
   • This group agrees with both Amillenialists and Postmillenialists that there will be no pre-tribulation rapture.
   
   
   
   
4. Dispensational Premillenialism:
   • This group never existed until around the year 1830.
   • This group believes in both a literal millenial kingdom and a "pre-tribulation" version of the rapture.
   • All dispensational premillenialists are futurists, not preterists.
   • This view has become extremely popular in the church for the past 100 years.
   • Two words: "Left Behind".
   
   

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