Why is it that so few preachers today talk much about the Second Coming? In my opinion - and this is just my opinion - there are two main reasons.
Well, I haven't taken a survey, but it is my feeling that the number one reason for this is that which Harold Camping represents - people who made predictions.
Now, of course these folk came from different regions, from the cultic fringe of the Watchtower Society's 1975 prediction to the more vague suggestions from the like of Hal Lindsay, who said "well, Israel returned to the Land in 1949, a Biblical generation is 40 years, and so we can expect the rapture before 1989." This of course led to excitement as 1989 approached, followed by disappointment. The result, however, was highly unfortunate - it meant that a lot of sane preachers were dissuaded from preaching on the subject of the Second Coming. Probably because I was converted in 1998, and had never been exposed to the sort of prophetic speculation that existed in the 1980s, I do preach on the Second Advent of Christ, and I have often heard people comment that "we don't often hear about that." Things were different before - but not very healthy.
Prophetic speculation is the enemy of preaching the Second Advent of Christ, and Harold Camping is going to have dealt another blow to Biblical preaching, as a new generation of preachers worry that if they talk about Christ coming again they will be associated with Camping.
2. Silly Controversy
Contrary to popular belief, some ministers dislike controversy, and there is nothing like eschatology to get Christians arguing. Now, I like a rational debate as well as the next chap - the trouble is there's a lot of foolish rhetoric flying around on all sides. To give an example, one chap has said in effect that "Harold camping is just a consistent amillennialist." I'm afraid that sort of language disgusts me. It's like saying that Dispensationalists believe that people were saved by their own obedience to the law in the Old Testament, or that R.C. Stam is a consistent Dispensationalist. It's just silly. Then there are those Dispensationalists who accuse amillennialists of holding "The Roman Catholic view" - and their counterparts who say that Dispensationalism is based on the work of a Jesuit priest. Neither actually move the debate on at all, they are cheap points-scoring tactics designed to appeal to the prejudices of one's own supporters. I'm afraid I have to say this sort of thing makes me very angry. This is an in-house debate, and can only be dealt with with care and sober minds. A disagreement about the timing of the Second Advent is not in itself a heresy. Jonathan Edwards was Postmillennial, C.H. Spurgeon was pre-millennial at the time of his death (having changed his views), and Calvin was probably amillennial. To make one's millennial view definitional of the Gospel is so wrong that people doing this has led people like myself to turn from the whole business is total disgust
But keep on preaching this: Jesus is coming back. In person. In the flesh, to judge both the living and the dead.
2 comments:
Reasons:
Biblical Eschatology (classical, Millenialism) finds no harbor among Amillenial, Postmillenial, Preterest doctrine.
It is viewed by some as secondary to the primacy of the Gospel, which itself continues to come under attack; thus some pastors never get around to Eschatology. After all, the centrality of Reformation doctrine was rooted in reclaiming the Gospel, whereas Ecclesiology & Eschatology marched-on under the spiritualized hermeneutic of Origen, Agustine & their followers.
The enemy (Satan) works overtime to distract Christian leaders from administrating the fullness of their calling. The Word makes plain the cruciality of embracing the blessings of attentive, sober, and encouragement-instilling focus on End Times contemplations. Amont the upside for Believers is: a more integrated view of OT-NT passages, encouragement to persevere in the 'faith', a soberness to redeem the time we're afforded, affirmation of the trustworthiness of God and His Word (via fulfilled prophecies), the ability to better understand the unfolding of contemporary world events, a proper regard for Israel & the Jew, HUMILITY, related to the Church's place/role against the backdrop of God's unilateral promises to Israel, etc.
The fundamental point of eschatology is that Jesus is coming back to judge the world and usher in the eternal kingdom. This is the point which all true Christians agree on.
Speculation on secondary points is responsible for two things. First of all, ridicule like that which Harold Camping has drawn when a prediction does not come to pass. Secondly, the dearth of preaching on the Second Advent in most Churches today.
So let us resolve first and foremost to say this: Jesus is coming back.
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