What is amillennialism? Why does it lead to really bad theology?

[Sid]

Amillennialism owes its major impetus to the well-known Catholic theologian Augustine. He decided that the kingdom could not be literal, holding that there will be no physical, earthly millennial kingdom over which Christ will rule. To Augustine, it must be a spiritual kingdom. The kingdom of God, he declared, was "in the hearts" of faithful men, not in an actual literal kingdom on the earth over which Christ would one day rule.

At first, he was convinced that the thousand-year kingdom of which the Bible spoke would be the period of time between the first and second advents of Christ. In time, however, he became disillusioned because the description of the kingdom in the Bible did not fit the reality of the world in which he lived. Subsequently he developed a form of interpretation that regards all of the Bible as subject to literal interpretation, but allegorizes prophetic Scripture. Under this system of interpretation, the Bible became a subjective patchwork which could be made to say whatever one wanted it to say.

In Luke 4:16-21, Jesus declared that He was the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isa. 61:1-2. The Messiah will bind up the brokenhearted, release prisoners from darkness, and proclaim the year of the Lords favor.

Thus, Jesus begins the 'year of the Lords favor' or the Messianic Age.



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Hi Sid,

I have read all your posts on the subject, but could you summarize the tenets of Amillennialism in one post for me?

Thanks.

[Sid]

Originally Posted by Edge

I have read all your posts on the subject, but could you summarize the tenets of Amillennialism in one post for me?

Amillennialism is mostly known by what it denies:

• There isn't going to be a literal millennium kingdom,

• There isn't going to be a Great Tribulation

• The Bible isn't literally true.

• The Church has replaced Israel.

• Satan is Bound

• There won't be a rapture.

Once the literal truth of the Bible is denied, all sorts of figurative theology can be invented.

[Sid]

Blunders Of Amillennialism:


1. Amillennialism fosters no literal interpretation of scripture, even though Old Testament verses quoted in the New Testament were taken literally by New Testament authors, and Jesus Christ Himself.

2. Amillennialism equates the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven and the church. This permits misapplication of doctrinal passages. For example, if the Kingdom of Heaven is synonymous with the church, then it would be possible for a saved person to be “cast out into outer darkness” (Matt. 8:12).

3. Amillennialism teaches that the current age is the Millennial age. But the characteristics of the Millennium (Satan bound, no curse, no devils, absolute peace, longevity of life, ect.) are not in effect today.

4. Amillennialism also alleges that the first resurrection is a spiritual resurrection, like Eph. 2:1,2. Once the literal, bodily resurrection is done away with, who is to say that Jesus Christ rose bodily? [See the readings in the NWT and NASB that deny the bodily ascension of Jesus Christ in Luke 24:51,52.]



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Originally Posted by Sid

Amillennialism is mostly known by what it denies:

• There isn't going to be a literal millennium kingdom,

• There isn't going to be a Great Tribulation

• The Bible isn't literally true.

• The Church has replaced Israel.

• Satan is Bound

• There won't be a rapture.

Once the literal truth of the Bible is denied, all sorts of figurative theology can be invented.

Is this a cult? How can they say that the Bible isn't literally true?

I didn't realise that they were not part of the body of Christ.

[CoreIssue]

Is this a cult? How can they say that the Bible isn't literally true?

I didn't realise that they were not part of the body of Christ.

That is a highly discussed point. Here is my view:
1. In the pure Vatican theology, it is a cult. No debate to it.
2. The high leadership are cult. No debate to it.
3. But, at the lower leaders and laity level, there are Christians there. What the last Pope called Catholics in name only.

They have come to Christ by grace alone and reject many of the RCC dogmas and doctrines.

They go to RC churches but are not truly RC, in the pure sense.

They are spiritually unhealthy, ignorant, non-productive and have no sane reason for being there.

The RCC leadership tolerates them for their numbers and money. Otherwise they would all be ex communicated.

[Sid]

Originally Posted by CoreIssue

But, at the lower leaders and laity level, there are Christians there. What the last Pope called Catholics in name only.

They have come to Christ by grace alone and reject many of the RCC dogmas and doctrines.

They go to RC churches but are not truly RC, in the pure sense.

They are spiritually unhealthy, ignorant, non-productive and have no sane reason for being there.

The RCC leadership tolerates them for their numbers and money. Otherwise they would all be ex communicated.

CI:


Excellent post!

There are many Christians in the RCC, but once they accept the Gospel, they are no longer Catholics.

Their only reasonable option is to leave and find a Bible-based ministry to feed their souls.

. . . they are starving where they are.

Thanks for the reply guys.

I was asking about amillennials, but we seem to have jumped to Catholics.

Does this mean that amillennialists are catholic?

[Sid]

Originally Posted by Edge

I was asking about amillennials, but we seem to have jumped to Catholics.

Does this mean that amillennialists are catholic?

Not all amillennialists are Catholic, but RCism embraces amillennialism.

Not only them, but most of the Reformed churches also.

Once amillennialists start giving symbolic meaning to literal prophesy, they are well on their way to all manner of modernist theology.

I really can't understand how an amillennialist can look at the situation in the Middle East and not agree that the prophesies of the Bible are being fulfilled in our lifetimes.

[Sid]

The allegorizing of prophetic scripture allows the interpretation of these passages by the theology of the denomination interpreting them. For example, the Catholics would allegorize some passages quite differently than would some of the reormed churches. Thus, the allegorical position leaves all prophetic scripture open to interpretation by the theology one has. Under this system of interpreting what the prophets really said, everything is subjective and open to debate and the prophet's words cannot be taken literally.


Is the Church now reigning on earth?


Amillennialists tell us that Jesus and the Church are now reigning on earth. If the Church is reigning, then why is the world in the condition that it is in? They believe that Satan is bound and the Church is reigning, but evidence shows that true Christians are a small minority and are losing ground to doctrines of demons. The true Church has not even reigned in the Christian denominations, so how in the world could she be reigning in the world? Even scripture says that evil men will wax worse and worse, so how do we reign over them while they still are allowed to rule here?

Jesus told us to pray "thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven" If the kingdom has already come on earth there would be no reason to continue to pray this prayer if the prayer was already answered by God at Pentecost. Then why do those in amillennial churches still pray this example of prayer by rote? This is contradictory!



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