What Do We Have Now?
Published in Fulfilled! Magazine, Winter 2009, page 10.
Sharing our Preterist beliefs eventually elicits this response: “If everything is fulfilled, what do we have now?” This is usually an expression of profound disappointment since most Futurist Christians, rightfully fed up with this evil world, hope Jesus will return soon to set up a 1,000-year kingdom of peace. When we claim that all prophecy has been fulfilled, their glorious vision vaporizes. Moreover, with no hope of a rapture, they soon apprehend the implication: they must experience death!
Feeling a sense of loss is a necessary step in the withdrawal process from Futurism which is akin to a drug-induced, artificial high. Eventually, however, the convert to Preterism realizes significant benefits.
Faith
Admittedly, it would be nice to see Jesus blazing out of the sky to erase all evil and rule the earth in peace; but we must reject any such scenario as fantasy. This is a big step toward spiritual maturity since we must now live by faith, not knowing the future. It opens the door to the rich spiritual life we were intended to live in this world, in total dependence on God, confidently looking ahead to the day we die. However, to the Christian trusting in an escape plan from tribulation, this may not sound appealing. That’s because the rewards for living by faith must be experienced to be appreciated. The Futurist, focused on a “bailout,” is, at least to some degree, missing out on opportunities to develop faith.
It is simply not God’s way to set out the future before us so we can trust in that instead of Him. He expects us to walk through life by faith (2 Cor. 5:7, ESV throughout). He promised Abraham a son and then remained silent for many years. However, Abraham continued in faith and was commended for it (Gen. 15:6; Heb. 11:8-12). On the other hand, the ancient Israelites, miraculously freed from Egypt, were infamous for their extreme lack of faith. They were never content leaving their future in God’s hands. As soon as they experienced a little difficulty and the future appeared uncertain, they panicked and complained to Moses. For this, they were denied entry to the Promised Land, most living out their lives in desert conditions “beyond the Jordan in the wilderness” (Num. 14:20-24; Deut. 1:1).
Clearly, God is not pleased with people who worry about the future. Yet today, huge ministries are entirely focused on the future, enticing credulous Christians into adopting the mentality of the faithless Israelites. Yes, Futurist Christians have their trials too and do demonstrate faith in God; but many seem to be just hanging on by their fingernails, hoping Jesus will soon rapture them away. For millions, abandoning this hope would be unthinkable. The Preterist, however, knows that letting the futuristic paradigm go and resting entirely in the arms of God is not unthinkable at all; it’s a relief. We no longer waste our time on useless endeavors like trying to identify the antichrist, or agonizing over whether the rapture will be pre-trib or post-trib. Not preoccupied with such unproductive activities, we are free to concentrate on developing the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22-23), the qualities God is really interested in. Furthermore, by seeing ourselves as more long-term residents of this planet, our faith can translate into a more serious commitment to making the world a better place, unlike Futurists who cannot help but be drawn into a “what’s-the-use” mentality foreseeing a future guaranteed to degenerate into catastrophe.
Hope
To eventually share heaven with God is the very purpose of human life; but it seems few preachers mention the subject very much. This may be largely due to the nebulous picture of the afterlife most envision. Futurists know that if Christ hasn’t returned, there is no way anyone could have obtained the “imperishable” body promised in 1 Corinthians 15:50-55. This means no Christians who have died could have bodies. But much worse, and evidently, unbeknownst to most Futurists, an unfulfilled return of Christ implies that no Christians could be in heaven in the first place! This is one very sad implication of Futurism to which Preterists are not shackled.
The following is a quotation from The Westminster Confession of Faith [1646], Chapter XXXII.I: “The souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies.” This is impossible. Paul said he and other first-century Christians groaned and longed to be clothed with their bodies from heaven, and he guaranteed the Corinthians they would not be “found naked” when their mortal bodies were “swallowed up by life” (2 Cor. 5:1-5). However, the popular teaching implies millions of Christians are floating around God’s throne as stark naked spirits, still groaning and longing to be “clothed”; waiting “eagerly” for the redemption of their bodies (Rom. 8:23). Paul said, “this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:53). Not only was this “change” (v. 51) a “must,” Paul clearly precluded any enormous gap between the two states where the Christian would be “found naked.” Moreover, he wrote, “in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ” (1 Cor. 15:22b-23). So if Jesus has not returned, no Christian could yet be “alive” in heaven with God. No wonder most Christians are confused about heaven.
Preterists, on the other hand, far from having no hope for the future as some might suggest, have a fabulous hope: eternity in heaven fully “clothed” with imperishable bodies to be received immediately upon departure from this life. Only Full-Preterism offers an interpretation allowing for Christians to be “alive” with Christ after death; and when we see Him, “we shall be like him” (1 John 3:2). There are no disembodied spirits in heaven.
Love
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Cor. 13:13)
Besides increased faith and a superior hope, Preterists have special opportunities to grow in love. We can easily become disgusted with Futurists, especially when they write books disparaging us, call us heretics or just stubbornly cling to illogical beliefs. Some disgust may be justified, but if we are not careful, it can degenerate into something worse. I must be constantly aware of this issue. At www.Preterism.info, I have made it my mission to criticize prominent theologians who say things I think are outrageous. Over the years, this endeavor has afforded an opportunity for growth. Regularly reexamining my motives, always remembering that I am a former Futurist myself and trying to keep my writing from becoming mean-spirited, all contribute toward my ongoing development as a loving servant of Christ. So, as frustrating as Futurists may be at times, I try to keep myself reminded that our sadly deluded brothers and sisters need our love, for even if we have “all knowledge,” without love we are “nothing” (1 Cor. 13:2; cf. Eph. 4:2-3).
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