Postmillennialism
Let us begin as we did with Amillennialism, let us define what the next view is. That view, or another theory of when the millennium will occur is called Postmillennialism.
The Dictionary of Theological Terms defines Postmillennialism as; “The belief that Christ’s second coming* will be preceded by the Millennium, a golden age of gospel blessing upon the ministry of the church. At Christ’s coming there will be the general resurrection, the general judgment, followed by the creation of the new heavens and the new earth, and the eternal state.”[1]
So the line of thought for Postmillennialism is that the millennium spoken of in Scripture will occur before Christ’s physical return. I think we need to re-read our passage about the millennium from Revelation to see if this thought could even be a possibility. Revelation chapter 4 verses 4-6 tell us this about the millennium;
“4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”[2]
Here we are again looking at the same Scripture we looked at for Amillennialism. Scripture plainly states here that those who were true to Christ will “live and reign with Christ for a thousand years”; a millennium. So, we cannot change Scripture or make it say what we want it to say just to fit our theory. There will be a literal millennium, we (believers) will reign with Christ during that millennium, so it is the belief of this writer that Postmillennialism must be false as well.
Again, this can only be true for those who believe the Scriptures to be the inerrant word of God and are to be taken literally unless told to take it otherwise, as in the parables.
What stance do you take? Have you ever given much thought? This is the kind of stuff we need to think about and it can make for some pretty good debate, but salvation does not hang in the balance. Salvation was decided on the cross. Salvation is achieved when you believe, unto salvation, on Jesus Christ and His atoning work. Whether or not we all believe in the A, Post, or Pre-millennial view will only result in us being wrong or right.
The most important thing is your eternal soul. Where will yours spend eternity? I love all of you.
In Christ,
James
[1] Alan Cairns, Dictionary of Theological Terms (Belfast; Greenville, SC: Ambassador Emerald International, 2002), 334.
[2] The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Re 20:4–6.