Full Preterism Wrong
Posted: Fri May 23, 2014 6:22 am
This is for persons who are thinking about or already have embraced Full Preterism:
Acts 1:9-11:
"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." (Boldface mine for highlighting)
Notice that His Ascension was physical, visible, and literal. His return will be the same way. The siege of Jerusalem by the Roman Army does not even come close to fitting this description.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18:
"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
Why would Paul speak these words to a church 900 miles away from Jerusalem? The destruction of Jerusalem had absolutely no impact on Thessalonica, and it could not have been a "comfort" to them or us. That would be like issuing a tornado warning in Denver for one taking place in Chicago.
The “we” in this passage refers to a class of people (Christians), not necessarily Paul’s contemporaries. No one was resurrected or caught up alive to Heaven in 70 A.D.
Titus 2:13:
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ."
This was addressed to Titus who lived in Crete, 600 miles away from Jerusalem. Again, the events of 70 A.D. had no impact on the churches in Crete, and was certainly not the "blessed hope" for them or us.
1 John 3:2:
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."
There is no way this happened in 70 A.D.
I believe full preterism is a knee jerk reaction to the failed predictions that the Second Coming would occur by 1988, which led to disillusionment when it didn't happen. Hal Lindsey, Southwest Radio Church, and others speculated that that would be the time. They based that on a forty year generation beginning in 1948 (Matthew 24:32-34). Some subtracted seven years for the Tribulation and thought the Rapture would occur in 1981. Full preterism is not the answer.
NOTE: If I go offline suddenly, it is because I use a public computer at a library (because I don't have one at home) and I'm only allowed two one-hour sessions daily, and my time ran out for the day. If I don't respond to an active post I'm involved with right away, I will within a day or two. UPDATE: After May 24th, I won't be back until May 27th due to the library being closed for Memorial Day.
Acts 1:9-11:
"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." (Boldface mine for highlighting)
Notice that His Ascension was physical, visible, and literal. His return will be the same way. The siege of Jerusalem by the Roman Army does not even come close to fitting this description.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18:
"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
Why would Paul speak these words to a church 900 miles away from Jerusalem? The destruction of Jerusalem had absolutely no impact on Thessalonica, and it could not have been a "comfort" to them or us. That would be like issuing a tornado warning in Denver for one taking place in Chicago.
The “we” in this passage refers to a class of people (Christians), not necessarily Paul’s contemporaries. No one was resurrected or caught up alive to Heaven in 70 A.D.
Titus 2:13:
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ."
This was addressed to Titus who lived in Crete, 600 miles away from Jerusalem. Again, the events of 70 A.D. had no impact on the churches in Crete, and was certainly not the "blessed hope" for them or us.
1 John 3:2:
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."
There is no way this happened in 70 A.D.
I believe full preterism is a knee jerk reaction to the failed predictions that the Second Coming would occur by 1988, which led to disillusionment when it didn't happen. Hal Lindsey, Southwest Radio Church, and others speculated that that would be the time. They based that on a forty year generation beginning in 1948 (Matthew 24:32-34). Some subtracted seven years for the Tribulation and thought the Rapture would occur in 1981. Full preterism is not the answer.
NOTE: If I go offline suddenly, it is because I use a public computer at a library (because I don't have one at home) and I'm only allowed two one-hour sessions daily, and my time ran out for the day. If I don't respond to an active post I'm involved with right away, I will within a day or two. UPDATE: After May 24th, I won't be back until May 27th due to the library being closed for Memorial Day.
