Theological Issues Trinity International University © John Stevenson, 2009

Baptist minister Professor of Biblical Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary Historical Premillennialism

“When the word refers to God’s kingdom, it always refers to His reign, His rule, His sovereignty, and not to the realm in which it is exercised” (Pg 20).

“…the Kingdom of God is also the realm in which God’s reign may be experienced. But again, the Biblical facts are not simple. Sometimes the Bible speaks of the Kingdom as the realm into which we enter as present, sometimes as though it were future” (Pg 22).

This AgeThe Age to Come Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matthew 12:32).

Christ’s Second Coming This AgeThe Age to Come

Christ gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age (Galatians 1:4) This AgeThe Age to Come so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us… (Ephesians 2:7)

This Age Satan is the god of this age The Age to Come God’s reign shall be over all Wheat and tares grow up together until the time of the harvest The righteous will shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage (Luke 20:34). …those who are considered worthy to attain to that age… are like the angels (Luke 20:35-36).

Church Age Tribulation Millennium Eternal State Second Coming Judgment (“Rapture”) Revelation 20 literally Takes the language of “the last day” figuratively

Church Age “Rapture” Tribulation Millennium Eternal State Second Coming Judgment Artificially separates between different comings of Christ Tries to segregate Israel and church

Church Age (Millennium) Eternal State Second Coming Judgment “Rapture” (Tribulation) Views Revelation 20 as symbolic language Takes the language of “the last day” literally

Church Age Millennium Eternal State “Rapture” Judgment Second Coming Envisions the gospel as being victorious Takes the language of “the last day” literally

Short Millennium “Rapture” Judgment Second Coming Church (Eternal State) 70 A.D. Denies any future Second Coming of Christ All prophecy fulfilled in the year 70 A.D.

You are on your town’s ecumenical social affairs committee. –Blood drives –Feeding homeless –House maintenance for widows They have been meeting in your church. A Muslim and a Hindu will be joining the council.

Does the Christian view of “Kingdom” allow for working alongside others who worship different “gods”? If so, will you still open your committee meetings in prayer? How will this work? If you think this will not work, will you create your own “Christian social affairs committee?”

What is the basic premise of the title? What is the “Constantinian assumption” described by the authors? © 1989

Paul Tillich Rejected fundamentalists and sought to develop a new theology that saw God as an impersonal “ground of being.” Karl Barth Reacted to liberalism by seeing God as so transcendent that we cannot accept the inerrancy of Scripture

Paul Tillich The Bible is only to be understood symbolically. Karl Barth We encounter God as we read the Scriptures, not because they reveal Him, but because He reveals Himself.

Paul Tillich “Change the message of the church so that it will speak to a modern world.” Karl Barth “Change the church so that it will make a difference in the modern world.”

How does one live as a citizen of this world and a child of the kingdom of God at the same time?

Jeremiah 29:4 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, 5 “Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens, and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease.”

Jeremiah 29:7 “And seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.”

How do we live clean lives in a dirty world?

1 Corinthians 5:9-10 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters; for then you would have to go out of the world.

1 Corinthians 5:11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler-- not even to eat with such a one.

1 Corinthians 5:12-13 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

Is there a time and a place for the church to impact the world?