Amillennialism

Amillennialism: Why I Choose This Eschatological Viewpoint

Preface

Hello there! This blog post will contain quite a few eschatological, theological terms throughout (see I probably already got a few of you with ‘eschatological’). I will do my best to give brief definitions for each term in a glossary at the end of this post. You will find many and various worm holes as you begin to research any of these terms; nevertheless, I would encourage you to do your own research on each term, look at opposing viewpoints, look at supporting viewpoints, and most importantly of all, look at the scriptural evidence and passages supporting such a viewpoint. Sola scriptura.

General

As many Americans, I grew up with a dispensational premillenialism viewpoint on life and never questioned it. In seminary, the my college also taught premillenialism. Over the years, I would be exposed to other eschatological viewpoints. However, it wasn’t really until I watched An Evening of Eschatology, coupled with going through a Revelation study in my community group, that I really solidified my thoughts about amillennialism. In my opinion, it is the most correct eschatological viewpoint. Though, I would currently describe myself as amill, postmill curious.

My hope is this blog post will serve as a brief introduction and defense of the eschatological viewpoint I currently hold to called amillennialism. This post is by no means a comprehensive guide covering every detail about amillennialism nor every aspect of the defense of amillennialism. You will find much content comes from a book authored by Sam Storms titled, Kingdom Come: The Amillennial Alternative. I would highly recommend you read it in its entirety.

This post will cover a few topics, and most likely, this will be a blog post that grows as I receive feedback, criticism, and questions about its content. Here are the sections in this post:

What is Amillennialism?

I like Sam Storms definition for amillennialism. Regardless the ‘a-’ negation at the beginning, amillennialists do believe in millennial reign. It’s happening now. Yes, right now. Here’s how Sam defines it:

Contrary to what the name (amillennialism) implies, amillennialists do believe in a millennium. The millennium, however, is now: the present age of the Church between the first and second comings of Christ in its entirety is the millennium. Therefore, while the amillennialist does deny the premillennial belief in a personal, literal reign of Christ upon the earth for 1,000 years following his second coming, he affirms that there is a millennium and that Christ rules. However, this messianic reign is not precisely 1,000 years in length and it is wholly spiritual (in the sense that it is non-earthly, non-visible, non-physical, but no less literal) in nature. “This millennial reign is not something to be looked for in the future;” writes Hoekema, “it is going on now, and will be until Christ returns. Hence the term realized millennialism is an apt description of the view here defended – if it is remembered that the millennium in question is not an earthly but a heavenly reign. (Storms 439-440).

Here’s a brief chart in his book depicting a graphical representation of some differences between the two views: Amill vs Premill

So unlike premillennialists:

amillennialists maintain that there will, therefore, be no millennium in the sense of a semi-golden era of earthly prosperity for the kingdom before Christ returns. There will be no visible earthly expression of Christ’s reign over the world as a whole (other than what may be seen in the expansion and spiritual influence of local churches); the Church will not Christianize the nations, nor will it gain a dominant or widespread influence throughout the earth. Thus it is here, and for all practical purposes only here, that amillennialism differs from postmillennialism (Storms 440)

Here we see a major departure from the postmillennialist view where they believe the church will eventually Christianize the nations and have a dominant influence amongst most if not all the nations of the Earth. Amillennialists believe there will be a parallel of good and evil growing in the world. The church will continue to spread to other nations and cultures while evil will simultaneously grow alongside this influence in the world until Christ comes again. Sam goes on to say, “Thus, “despite the fact that Christ has won a decisive victory over sin and evil, the kingdom of evil will continue to exist alongside of the kingdom of God until the end of the world.”" (Storms 440).

Now here is where amillennialists would align with premillennialists in that, “history will witness a progressively worsening situation in which the Church of Jesus Christ will experience an increasingly widespread and oppressive time of suffering and persecution” (Storms 440).

Though, we amillennialists do not align with premillennialists as far as “what does the end of the world look like”. Sam goes on to say:

Christ’s return at the close of this period will synchronize with the general resurrection and general judgment of all men, believers and unbelievers alike, to be followed immediately by the eternal state (the new heavens and the new earth). In other words, here is the major point of difference between the amillennialist and premillennialist: the former denies whereas the latter affirms an earthly, visible rule of Christ for 1,000 years between his second coming and the final resurrection, judgment, and introduction of the eternal state (Storms 441)

What is Preterism?

So, Who Exactly Are the People of God Now?

Matthew 24 and The Olivet Discourse

Kingdom of God: Now and Not Yet

Revelation 20: The Binding of Satan

The Antichrist: Revelation 13, 17, & 2 Thessalonians 2

Problems with Premillennialism

Problems with Postmillennialism

Additional Resources

References

  • Storms, Sam. Kingdom Come: The Amillennial Alternative. Christian Focus Publications. Kindle Edition.

Glossary

  1. amillennialism - One of four views of the end times regarding the 1,000-year reign of Christ. Amillennialism sees the 1,000 years as spiritual and non-literal, as opposed to a physical understanding of history. Although the prefix a- would typically signify a negation of a word, the amil position sees the millennium as “realized,” or better explained as “millennium now.” To simplify, amillennialism sees the first coming of Christ as the inauguration of the kingdom, and His return as the consummation of the kingdom. John’s mention of 1,000 years thus points to all things that would happen in the church age. Source
  2. dispensational premillenialism - One of four views of the end times regarding the 1,000-year reign of Christ. In this view, the second coming of Christ, and subsequent establishment of the millennial kingdom, is to be preceded by a seven-year-long period known as the “Tribulation,” the earthly activity of the Antichrist as well as the outpouring of God’s wrath on mankind. Dispensational premillennialists hold that the nation of Israel will be saved and restored to a place of preeminence in the millennium. Thus, Israel will have a special function of service in the millennium that is different from that of the Church. Another difference is that most dispensational premillennialists hold that the millennium is for a literal 1,000 years. Source
  3. eschatology - The study of what the Bible says is going to happen in the end times. Source
  4. millennium - The Millennium refers to the period of 1,000 year reign of Christ mentioned in Revelation 20:3. The exact timing and nature of what is meant by the Millennium is debated between three viewpoints: Amillennialism, Postmillennialism, and Premillennialism. Source
  5. postmillenialism - One of four views of the end times regarding the 1,000-year reign of Christ. Postmillennialism is an interpretation of Revelation 20 which sees Christ’s second coming as occurring after the “millennium,” a golden age or era of Christian prosperity and dominance. Those who hold to postmillennialism believe that this world will become better and better—all evidence to the contrary notwithstanding—with the entire world eventually becoming “Christianized.” After this happens, Christ will return. Source
  6. premillenialism - Premillennialism as a system is primarily based on a literal method of biblical interpretation. The main premise of premillennialism is that Jesus will literally return to the earth before (pre) the millennium begins and that He himself will inaugurate and rule over it. Premillennialists can be divided into two groups with respect to their central approach to the prophetic Scriptures, historic premillennialists and dispensational premillennialists. Source