Episode 113: A Case For Amillennialism With Daniel Scheiderer
Oct 2, 2023
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Dr. Daniel Scheiderer returns to discuss amillennialism, presenting arguments against millennialism and five arguments for the amillennial position. They explore the origin of kiliasim, Luther's resistance to a golden age, the absence of the millennium in apostolic writings, and the impact of eschatology on Christians' expectations.
Amillennialism emphasizes the heavenly reign of Christ and the immediate occurrence of the last things.
All millennialism rejects millenarianism as unscriptural and anti-scriptural, emphasizing conflict and suffering over an earthly golden age.
Deep dives
Overview and Introduction
In this podcast episode, host Joe Anadie is joined by Dr. Daniel Shider to discuss all millennialism. They start by providing an overview of all millennialism and clarify that it does not deny the millennium mentioned in Revelation 20, but rather offers a different interpretation. The term all millennialism is used to describe the denial of millenarianism or the belief in a future earthly thousand-year reign of Christ. Instead, all millennialism emphasizes the heavenly reign of Christ and the immediate and simultaneous occurrence of the last things, such as the return of Christ, the judgment, the resurrection, and the establishing of the new heavens and earth.
The Unscriptural and Anti-Scriptural Nature of Millenarianism
The podcast highlights two main arguments against millenarianism. First, it is deemed unscriptural, indicating that its origin as a concept lies outside of the Scriptures. Secondly, it is considered anti-scriptural because it goes against the emphasis in the Scriptures on the heavenly reign of Christ and the expectation of suffering for believers. Millenarianism promotes an earthly kingdom and an idealized future golden age, which contradicts the Biblical emphasis on the current reality of conflict and the ultimate victory through suffering. The absence of explicit teachings on a future millennium in the writings of the Apostle Paul, Peter, Matthew, Mark, and others also challenges the millenarian view.
The Immediate Sequence and Simultaneous Occurrence of Last Things
The podcast highlights the significance of recognizing the immediate sequence and simultaneous occurrence of the last things in all millennialism. It emphasizes that the last day, marked by the return of Christ, is the next event in God's redemptive plan. This last day brings judgment and destruction, and it is followed by the simultaneous resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked, as well as the eternal glorification of the saints. By acknowledging this sequence and simultaneity, all millennialism avoids the need for a separate millennium and offers a cohesive understanding of the final consummation of all things.
The Characterization of the Godly and the Importance of a Proper Eschatological Perspective
Lastly, the podcast discusses the characterization of the godly in all millennialism. It underscores that the resurrection of the righteous involves being raised in incorruptibility, glory, power, and spirituality, in accordance with Paul's writings. All millennialism emphasizes the transformation of the body and the heavenly nature of the future state of the saints. The podcast concludes by emphasizing the importance of a proper eschatological perspective, as it shapes the expectations and mindset of Christians in their journey through this world, allowing them to focus on heavenly things and to face suffering with the hope of the final consummation.
In Episode 113 of Theology In Particular, Dr. Daniel Scheiderer returns to make a case for Amillennialism. It was in episode 80 that Dr. Scheiderer provided us with an overview of the various eschatological positions on the millennium. Here he presents two arguments against mellennarianism in its various forms and five arguments for the Amillennial position.
Links: International Reformed Baptist Seminary: irbsseminary.org If you have feedback, questions, or suggestions, please email Joe at: tip@irbsseminary.org
Recommended Resources: A Case for Amillennialism: Understanding the End Times, by Kim Riddlebarger On The End Of The World And On Hell – Theological Commonplaces, Vol. 32-33, Pages 129-36, by Johann Gerhard, Institutes Of Elenctic Theology, Section 20.3, by Francis Turretin.
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