tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9219411120276420163.post6478884059767931069..comments2023-05-12T17:08:36.619-04:00Comments on The Navy Christian: A Short Critique on non-dispensational TheologyThe Navy Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116964729906856912noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9219411120276420163.post-30402359552386524332014-01-06T16:06:27.329-05:002014-01-06T16:06:27.329-05:00BF: Can you tell me what groups believe in the pre...BF: Can you tell me what groups believe in the premillennial rapture but not dispensationalism? My upbringing prevents me from really know much about that sort of thing.The Navy Christianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15116964729906856912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9219411120276420163.post-20010774504128890202013-12-31T20:11:13.279-05:002013-12-31T20:11:13.279-05:00"How can Satan be bound and hunting believers..."How can Satan be bound and hunting believers at the same time, or why would we need to confront the devil if he were bound?<br /><br />Satan is most certainly on the loose and his hoard must be dealt with daily."<br /><br />The question is, what does "bound" mean? Should this be understood literally or in metaphorical and spiritual terms?<br /><br />As the book of Revelation is a prophetic book, full of symbolism, the context indicates a non-literal interpretation.<br /><br />But consider for a moment the case of one who is literally bound -- they are not powerless but they are restrained.<br /><br />Just as a criminal locked up and confined to a jail is no longer fully at liberty to pursue their crimes, the earthly criminal may still have the abilities, influence, and power to conduct crimes in the world outside and continue to manager their empire of crime from within their jail cell.<br /><br />Therefore amillenialists understood that the current binding of Satan means that he is no longer fully at freedom as he once was in nations bound in ignorance and paganims prior to the arrival of the gospel but that Satan is restrained in his actions and influence.<br /><br />As it is written in Matthew Chapter 12 Verse 29 --<br /><br /> "How can one enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods, except he first Bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house." <br /><br />the gospel of redemption and the completion of the canon of scripture of God's revealed word are the chains restraining Satan and provide the means to free sinners from Satan's kingdom through the preaching of Christ's atoning work because of the relative liberty that is present today under the New Covenant.<br /><br />The pre and post millenial interpretations of this aspect of Revelation give little or no relevance to the spiritual comfort and guidance for Christians today but are time limited to the future period in which they are interpreted to occur.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9219411120276420163.post-16932523741757194182013-12-13T20:48:22.503-05:002013-12-13T20:48:22.503-05:00You have not defended dispensationalism, but you h...You have not defended dispensationalism, but you have defended pre-millennial eschatology. They are not the same thing. All dispensationalists are pre-millennial, but not all pre-millennialists are dispensationalists. The terms are not synonyms. Dispensationalism is a system of interpretation.<br /><br />Your portrayal of post-millennialists as man-powered is wrong. They believe in and depend upon the Holy Spirit as much as anyone else. They believe that they are fulfilling the Great Commission. You describe their position as "foolhardy at best" because they think that complete what God has given them to do. Is this any more foolhardy that thinking that men can fulfill dispensational view of the Great Commission? You vitiate your argument a few sentences later when you admit that "the Holy Spirit can empower us to do great things for God." The post-millennialists take a very long-term view of the their mission. They are not discouraged by setbacks. They are confident that the gospel will win. Marcellus Kik even named his book The Eschatology of Victory. This is also why the post-millennialists deprecate pre-millennialism (and dispensationalism) as the eschatology of defeat. You have also failed to address the preterist interpretation that is the foundation of post-millennialism. <br /><br />The amillennialists do believe that Christ reigns now. That the way Christ is now reigning displeases you is irrelevant. Does it please Him? How could it not? How could He fail to reign as He wished when He has been given all power in heaven and earth? It is also irrelevant that you "believe Christ will reign perfectly when He does." You are establishing a personal opinion as a rule of hermeneutics.<br /><br />You again debase your argument when you admit that "Revelation 20:1-6 doesn't directly suggest that Christ's reign will be perfect...." What does Rev. 20 say about the kingdom? It is striking how little Rev. 20 does say about the kingdom. It limits the groups that reign with Him. It describes the binding of Satan as qualified. How does this qualification compare to the Great Commission? No one is now reigning with Christ? Rev. 3:21 says that they who overcome will sit with Him as He now sits on His throne. What an encouragement! Has He not made us a "kingdom and priests", and is He not "ruler of the kings of the earth," Rev.1:5-6?<br /><br />You cite 1 Pet. 5:8 as if this overturns the amillennial position. How would it? This verse also is qualified. The devil will flee: Victory! The amillennialists are well aware of these, and other, verses. What is their response? <br /><br />You claim the world is getting worse; therefore, post-millennialism is false. Is the world worse now than the day Luther nailed his theses to the chapel door? Who in 1945 predicted that today Korea would be 25% Christian. Who predicted the growth of the underground church in China? South America used to be solidly in Rome's hands. Your (and my) view is myopic. We cannot know what will happen tomorrow. But what if the world is worse? Is the direction ineluctable? What will happen 200 years after your death? The USSR was the future. It fell without a shot being fired. Who in Naval Intelligence predicted this. (This is not a career-enhancing question.)<br /><br />I propose that you post a two-verse a week exposition of Rev. 20. I think that we would find it an iron-sharpening experience. You could begin by explaining the Triangle method. I can't find anything on it.<br /><br /><br /><br />boilt frognoreply@blogger.com