New Heavens and New Earth

new heavens and new earth, Premillennialism, Truth No Comments

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, Wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” (II Pet. 3:10-14).  Peter’s words could not be plainer with regard to the destruction of the physical heavens and the earth by fire.
God’s Promise
“But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” (II Pet. 3:7).  At one time, God said He would destroy the world by a flood (Gen. 6:9-17).  Then, God followed through with His word and brought the flood upon the earth (II Pet. 3:5-6).  God keeps His word.  Now, God has promised that He will destroy the heavens and the earth by fire.  God cannot lie.  He will keep His word.  The heavens and the earth which are now will be destroyed by fire.  This absolutely precludes a rejuvenated heavens and earth.   God cannot contradict Himself!  Any doctrine that contradicts a plain passage of Scripture is a false doctrine.  Any interpretation of II Pet. 3:10-14 that contradicts God’s promise is a false doctrine.
Christ’s Doctrine
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).  Jesus states that the heaven and earth shall pass away.  They are temporal in contrast to His words which are eternal.  These physical and temporal structures are time-bound and so were never intended by God to be permanent.  Any doctrine that contradicts the plain statement of Jesus in Matthew 24:35 is a false doctrine.  Any interpretation of II Pet. 3:10-14 that contradicts what Jesus taught in Matthew 24:35 is a false doctrine.
The Apostle Peter’s Doctrine
Three times Peter writes by the Holy Spirit, that the heavens and earth will be destroyed by fire: II Pet. 3;7, 10, 12.  Peter does not contradict himself in v. 10 where there may be a textual variant (ESV-“shall be exposed”) vs. (KJV-“shall be burned up”).  Some contend that the textual variant in the ESV may be interpreted to mean that the heavens and earth will be rejuvenated and not destroyed.  This would make Peter contradict himself (see v. 7).  This would make Peter contradict God and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Such an interpretation is false.
Jesus told the apostles including Peter that the Holy Spirit would take of mine and show it unto you.  “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:14).  What is the ultimate source of the doctrine of the apostles?   The answer is Jesus Christ the Son of God.   God and Jesus are one (John 10:30 and 16:15).  The ultimate source of the doctrine of the apostles is the triune God.  This means that there will be harmony between what God states, Jesus states and the apostles state.  They cannot contradict each other because the doctrine comes from one divine source.
Whenever we have a plain passage of Scripture such as the Lord’s teaching in Matthew 24:35, and we are attempting to interpret another passage of Scripture such as II Pet. 3:10, the plain passage provides an infallible guide to the understanding of the passage that may have some question (an alternate reading) about it.  With such an infallible guide (Scripture interpreting Scripture) we can be absolutely certain of the meaning of the questionable passage.   The heavens and the earth will be destroyed by fire on the Judgment Day.  The hope of the Christian is to live forever with God in heaven (a spiritual place wherein dwelleth righteousness).  The phrase new heavens and new earth is a reference to heaven and not to a rejuvenated earth.

Can The Old Testament and the New Testament Be In Force At The Same Time?

Premillennialism No Comments

Premillennialists teach that the Jews will be restored to Palestine and Jesus will reign in Jerusalem on the literal throne of David for one thousand years.  The doctrine of Premillennialism affirms that the Jewish law will be restored, the temple and its worship will be restored, and the nation of Israel will be reconstituted.  This means that the Old Testament will be restored while the New Testament is in force.  How can this be?
Realized Eschatologists teach that from the time that the church was established on Pentecost (Acts 2:1) until 70 A.D., the Old Testament and the New Testament were in force at the same time.  How can this be?
Paul’s Parallel Between Death’s Effect on Marriage and Death’s Effect on the Law of Moses
Paul writes, “Know ye not brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law), how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?  For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.  So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.  Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ: that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.  For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter” (Rom. 7:1-6).  When a woman’s husband dies, she is freed from the law of her husband (the marriage vow which she made and which is binding by the law of Moses) and is able to marry another.  The death of her husband releases her from the law.  Paul makes a parallel to Christians (those who are in Christ).  He affirms that they are dead to the law of Moses by the body of Christ (the death of Jesus upon the cross).  The law of Moses was nailed to the cross.  Paul states, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (Col. 2:14).  The Holy Spirit declares, “Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.  He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb. 10:9-10).  After the death of the Law of Moses, Jews are free to marry Christ.  Here, marriage is a figure of the spiritual union formed between an obedient believer and Jesus Christ.  Paul affirms, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (II Cor. 11:2).  Spiritual union with Christ forbids two things.  First, all idolatry.  Second, marriage to the Law of Moses.
Christians Are Married to Christ
Christians are married to Christ, that is, they become united with Him at the time of their baptism.  “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26-28).  This spiritual union with Christ must not be corrupted.  You cannot be married to Christ and married to Moses at the same time.  This is spiritual adultery.  Premillennialists by their doctrine, demand spiritual adultery.  Realized Eschatologists, by their doctrine, demand spiritual adultery.  Any doctrine that implies a false doctrine is itself a false doctrine.  The church of Jesus Christ is the bride of Christ.
Can The Old Testament and the New Testament Be In Force At The Same Time?
The biblical answer to this question is NO!

Messiah’s Mission Accomplished

kingdom of God, Premillennialism No Comments

The Messiah’s Mission Accomplished was written by James Bales and published posthumously by Bradley S. Cobb with permission from Mark McWhorter who has all of the publishing rights to Bales’ books.  The book was published in 2017 and consists of 269 pages.
The book’s main goal is to dismantle the arguments made by Premillennialists regarding the nature of the kingdom of God and the time of its establishment.
Bales interacts primarily with the written works of John F. Walvoord and R. H. Boll.  This book will provide the reader with solid arguments that reveal the false claims of Premillennialists. Please read the review listed under Book Reviews above and feel free to comment.

Is This The End?

Bible versions, Premillennialism, Second Coming of Christ No Comments

“John Brown’s Bible sets the return of Jesus Christ for 2016.  That’s right.  John Brown’s famous Self-Interpreting Bible set the Return of Christ and the beginning of the Millennium for 2016.  His prediction is found in his commentary footnote located at Revelation 11:2.  John Brown (1722-1787) was a Scottish weaver who became a Presbyterian minister.  Although self-educated, he prepared an annotated King James Bible, Bible dictionary, and concordance, as well as a metrical version of the Psalms. His Self-Interpreting Bible appeared first in 1778 in Edinburgh and was reprinted many times in Scotland, England, and America, beginning in 1792.  Brown’s Bible was the first one ever printed in New York, printed by subscription in forty parts over a period of two years.  The first subscriber was George Washington.  He was President at the time and living in New York, then the capital.  Brown’s popular Bible went through 25 editions from 1778-1897.  Like many churchmen of his era, Brown followed the historicist understanding of the Book of Revelation. This viewpoint suggested that the 1260 days of Revelation equaled 1260 years, and that when it expired, the end was here.  Many historicists added the 1260 days (“years”) to AD 606 when Phocas became universal bishop of the Catholic Church. This meant the end was in 1866.  Brown offered another starting date of AD 756, when the pope
became a temporal prince.  This pushed the end to the far off (for him) future.  But, the future is now–2016″(Bible Review Journal, Fall, 2016, p. 90).  Matthew 24:36 answers the question, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”

Thy Kingdom Come

dispensationalism, Premillennialism No Comments

Thy Kingdom Come by David Pharr is a thorough refutation of the doctrine of dispensational premillennialism that has been popularized by the 16 volume series titled, “Left Behind.”  This series has sold upwards of 65 million copies!  Yet, the doctrine that it affirms is not founded on truth.  Pharr manages, in a concise way, to show that the doctrine of the Rapture is not found in the New Testament.  In addition, there will not be a Tribulation period of 7 years.  Further, there will not be a thousand-year reign of Christ on the throne of David in the city of Jerusalem.  These statements may surprise many evangelicals, but read the book and examine the truth.  A book review of Pharr’s work is now posted on my blog.