http://preteristheresy.blogspot.com/

I don’t think the Jews back then had indoor plumbing and I’m pretty darn sure they didn’t eat pork chops. But I think I understand what you’re trying to say.

Oh, yeah … speaking of pork chops, what kind of Latin would you put that in? Heh heh.

Um… put all of that into latin and it might sound a bit more theological!

With this sort of reading, that would be the case no matter what your eschatology were. However, Jesus did say, “No one knows” in the present tense; he was telling them to stay prepared. He did not say that no one would know or have advance warning, or else why would he give the disciples the “signs of the times”? Remember, Jesus told the disciples that they were his friends because he told them what he was up to (John 15:15). For this reason, he let them know that a “thief” was coming (Mt 24:43-44) and to be prepared. Those being punished for their wickedness wouldn’t know what hit them. Does this answer your question?

Great topic, I wish I could contribute but I am very weak when it comes to Eschatology. I do believe that Christ will return, and the rapture, but beyond that I have remained agnostic on this matter. Matthew 24:44; Acts 1:11; 1 Thess 4:13-18

How do you reconcile Jesus saying, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days: [...]” (Matt 24:29) with “Now concerning the day and hour no one knows [...] except the Father only” (Matt 24:36)? On one hand you seem to have Jesus laying out the chronology; on the other, he seems to be hedging a bit.

The only difference is that Mathison’s rebellious sinners are being fried forever!

Jesús, if you’re going to criticise FP, wouldn’t it make sense – in this thread particularly – to do so on the basis of solid exegesis?

“Does the Bible really teach that God is going to allow rebellion against His sovereign authority (i.e., sin) to continue forever?”

Read Rev 22 carefully. You may notice some interesting things that may not have caught your eye before:

(1) Sin has a continued presence after the conclusion of the Millennium:

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. (Rev 22:14-15, ESV; emphasis mine)

Only those within the city have been justified and are granted access to the Tree of Life. Those outside are unbelievers. According to all traditional millennial positions, there is no unbelief after the Millennium.

(2) There is still a need for healing after the Millennium concludes:

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Rev 22:1-2, ESV; emphasis mine)

According to all traditional millennial positions, there should be no need for healing, as sin and death (as traditionally understood) have been done away with at this point.

Could it be, then, that the concepts of the “new heavens/earth” and the “New Jerusalem” are actually symbolic of the New Covenant, i.e., the Body of Christ, the Church? When viewed from this perspective, all of the symbology in Rev 22 makes a ton of sense. If this is an ideal description of the Church’s role in the world, then there is no need to wait for a literal, physical fulfillment of these prophecies (cf. Luke 17:20-21).

Indeed, 2 Cor 5:17 and Gal 6:15 speak of a “new creation,” that is, our circumsicion of the heart, our rebirth from above, our new status in Christ. The 2 Corinthians passage is very good in describing what happens to the “old” (i.e., the Old Covenant, the old man): “The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” This is not some future, physical reality to which we aspire. It is a present, spiritual reality to which many of us long, but most of us do not realize is within our grasp here, today. All it takes is an open heart and a willingness to listen to the Spirit as He guides us from day to day.

But please don’t let this discussion turn into one of those Reformed vs. the rest of Christianity discussions. I’ve got posts related to Reformed theology on my site if you want to take it up there.