Hi to my Forum Friends,
In the TimesDaily Religion Forum discussion I began titled "Where Are Non-believers During The Millennial Kingdom?" -- a Christian Forum Friend who tends toward legalism, supports an Amillennial eschatological view, and denies the Rapture and the 1000 year Millennial Reign of Christ on earth, tells me, "They (non-believers) are here on earth along with the believers, since the
1000-year reign is a symbolic term and does not foretell an earthly reign with Christ on the throne in Jerusalem as the Darbyite-Scofieldian fantasists would have us believe."
Let me pause a moment to give everyone a little background on Amillennialism:
1. The first two centuries of the church held both premillennial and amillennial opinions. Although none of the available Church Fathers advocate amillennialism in the 1st century, Justin Martyr (died 165), who had chiliastic (premillennial) tendencies in his theology, mentions differing views in his "Dialogue with Trypho the Jew," chapter 80: "I and many others are of this opinion [premillennialism], and [believe] that such will take place, as you assuredly are aware; but, on the other hand, I signified to you that many who belong to the pure and pious faith, and are true Christians, think otherwise."
A few amillennialists such as Albertus Pieters understand Barnabas of Alexandria, the author of the Epistle of Barnabas, considered by the Roman Catholic church to be an Apostolic Father (this is not the Barnabas of Acts) to be amillennial. In the 2nd century, the Alogi (those who rejected all of John's writings) were amillennial, as was Caius in the first quarter of the 3rd century. With the influence of Neo-Platonism and dualism, Clement of Alexandria and Origen denied premillennialism. Likewise, Dionysius of Alexandria argued that Revelation was not written by John and could not be interpreted literally; he was amillennial. (Amillennialism, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amillennialism)
Bill Gray Note: It is apparent that those early church leaders who stayed faithful to Scripture were premillennial; those who denied major portions of Scripture, i.e., John's writings, were amillennial.
2. Amillennialism (Greek: a- "no" + millennialism) is the view in Christian eschatology which states that Christ is presently reigning through the Church, and that the "1000 years" of Revelation 20:1-6 is a metaphorical reference to the present church age which will culminate in Christ's return. It stands in contrast to premillennialism, which states that Christ will return prior to a literal 1000 year earthly reign; and postmillennialism, which states that Christ's return will follow a 1000 year golden age ushered in by the church. (http://www.theopedia.com/Amillennialism)
3. Amillennialism is a view in Christian end-times theology named for its rejection of the theory that Jesus Christ will have a thousand-year-long, physical reign on the earth. This is in opposition to premillennial and some postmillennial interpretations of chapter 20 of the Book of Revelation. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amillennialism)
Prominent Amillennialist in history were Martin Luther and John Calvin. Some suspect that Augustine was also. In the Christian communities of today, Amillennialism is a minority view. For the most part, those who support an Amillennial Eschatological view also support Replacement Theology, the teaching that the Christian church has "replaced" the nation Israel as the chosen people of God (ignoring the covenant established unilaterally by God in Genesis 12) -- and that the church has become the "spiritual" chosen people of God. That is not Biblical.
On the TimesDaily Religion Forum, another Friend, a Roman Catholic lady, tells me, "Christ already reigns. Blessed be God forever" -- which reflects the Amillennial position of that church.
And, it is true that Christ does reign, for He is our Lord and Savior. But, that is not what my Roman Catholic Friend and the Amillennialist mean. Their meaning is that while Christ is in heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father as Mediator between God and man, continually interceding for all believers -- His Millennial Reign on earth is happening "spiritually" coincidental with the Church Age and the there will be no physical Millennial Kingdom on earth following the Tribulation. If that were true, we would have finished the second Millennial Reign (millennial means 1000 years) and be going into the third Millennium by now -- for He ascended into heaven over 2000 years ago.
However, the Bible tells us that He will come again, His Second Coming. The Suffering Lamb came at His First Advent or Coming as Incarnated God to purchase our pardon. Next, He will return as the Victorious Lion of Judah. Revelation 19:11-16 tell of His Second Coming in Glory.
Then, Revelation 19:16-21, 20:1-3 tells of the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-16 tell of the preparation for Armageddon, Revelation 19 tells of the actual battle) where the armies of the Antichrist are defeated and the Antichrist and his False Prophet are thrown into the lake of fire, while Satan is locked in the abyss for 1000 years. These are real events which will take place. And
1000 years -- means 1000 years. He is not a God of confusion, as we are told in 1 Corinthians 14:33. So, if God tells us 1000 years, we can take it to the bank!
Jesus Christ will come again, after the Rapture and after the seven year Tribulation -- to establish His physical 1000 year Millennial Reign from the throne of David in Jerusalem (Isaiah 9:7). This will be the perfect theocracy and He will be the Supreme Commander of the world.
When He returns -- His Bride (Revelation 19:6-9), the Raptured church, i.e., the body of New Testament believers, will return with Him. Also coming back with Him will be all the Old Testament saints and the martyred Tribulation saints (Revelation 19:9), and His army of angels. All we saints will all be in our new glorified, immortal bodies and will join with the mortal believers who survived the Tribulation to share His Millennial Kingdom with Him.
After His 1000 year Millennial Kingdom on earth -- all non-believers will be resurrected from Hades/Torment (Luke 16:23) into their immortal, eternal bodies. They will stand before Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment, a judgment of punishment -- and then will be thrown into the eternal lake of fire, hell (Revelation 20:11-15).
Our Amillennial Friends, including my Roman Catholic Friend, tell us that ALL people will stand before Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment. It is their belief that the Great White Throne IS the final judgment for all people. It is true that this is the final judgment. However, believers will not be there, for all believers stood before Christ at the Believers' Judgment (Bema Seat Judgment) in heaven during the Tribulation.
A number of facts say that this must be true. First, we know that the Believers' Judgment will be a judgment of rewards, not of punishment (1 Corinthians 3:10-15), while the Great White Throne Judgment is a judgment of punishment, for we are told that this is the second death (Revelation 20:14), and that those people being judged will go into the lake of fire (verse 15).
Next, we know that the Bride of Christ, the New Testament church body, will be returning with Him at His Second Coming (Revelation 19:14). The Wedding Feast of the Lamb occurs in Revelation 19:6-9. So, at some point prior to that, the Bride of Christ has to prepare herself to be wed to her Bridegroom, Christ. Such a bride would not appear at her wedding wearing a robe that is unclean and filthy (Isaiah 64:6); nor would she appear wearing a borrowed robe (imputed righteousness). She will need her own robe of fine linen, bright and clean (Revelation 19:8, Isaiah 61:10).
In this mortal life, all believers are covered by the righteousness of Christ (Romans 3:22). In other words, because God cannot look upon sin and evil (Habakk u k 1:13), we have a Righteousness Umbrella loaned (imputed, attributed) to us by Jesus Christ to shield our unrighteousness, our unclean and filthy works (Isaiah 64:6), from God's eyes.
So, how can we believers have our own fine linen wedding robe which consists of our own righteousness? We stand before Christ at the Believers' Judgment. That requirement is stated in 2 Corinthians 5:10, and defined in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. And 2 Timothy 4:8 tells us that believers will receive a Crown of Righteousness.
Then, of course, Revelation 19:8 tells me that we, the Bride of Christ, appear in our robes of fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints, i.e., believers. All of this had to have happened before the Wedding Feast so that the Bride of Christ is adorned for her wedding -- and the only time when we, the Bride of Christ, could have been given new robes of righteousness is at the Believers' Judgment, which is a judgment of rewards -- one of which is our own righteousness.
After the 1000 years, we believers who share His Millennial Kingdom will be taken into eternity -- where we will live eternally, in His presence on the New Earth, which will be created at the same time as the New Heaven, and when the New Jerusalem descends from heaven. You can read about this in Revelation 21.
The New Earth will be our new heavenly home -- where we shall dwell eternally in joy and happiness, as we share the presence of our Lord with all our believing loved ones who may have gone before us, or who will be Raptured with us. Can anyone imagine a more glorious way to end this life -- and begin the next, our never ending eternal life? Praise God for his grace, mercy, love, and justice!
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
