Preterism: Clear and Present Danger!

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Preterism: Clear and Present Danger!

Narrow Way 2003

Its venom is spreading rapidly with those who find it hard to persevere and endure sound doctrine.

Simply put, Preterism declares that without exception the prophecies of Jesus were fulfilled by or before the destruction of Jerusalem in A. D. 70. A book entitled Parousia by J. Stewart Russell asserts these claims and more. A radio show, fast becoming popular, also asserts these claims and its moderator claims that Jesus is not returning to this earth to establish His kingdom, He already came, this is the "millennium" we are in now, but fails miserably to explain many literal prophetic texts that firmly contradict their false teaching. This "way of thinking" opens the door to a New Age way of living. Its venom is spreading rapidly with those who find it hard to persevere and endure sound doctrine.

Let's look at one foundational premise of the Preterists: They believe that the words spoken by Jesus in Matt 16:28 "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom", means that Jesus would have had to "return" or "arrive" in the lifetime of those He was speaking to. One has just to compare Matt 16:28, Mark 9:1 and Luke 9:27 and then look at the obvious...These words of Jesus were spoken BEFORE the transfiguration (Matt 17) and He indeed was seen to be coming into His glory. Jesus was speaking to His disciples and whom among them saw Jesus in His real glory? Peter, James and John! They did indeed live to see Jesus coming in His kingdom! They were "some of those standing there"! This was not a return of Christ to this Earth.

Matthew 10:23 states, "But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you shall not finish going through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man comes. There is too much speculation for this in the "scholarly" community to make any firm claims that Jesus was to have already come at the destruction of Jerusalem in A. D. 70. There is nothing but disagreement on this passage to make it's meaning clear. The coming of the Son of man in Matt 10:23 could refer to Jesus' resurrection, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, or His final coming at the end of the "age", to name a few. There were two commissions to the Disciples, one to Israel only and one later to the Gentiles. The first forbade the Twelve to go anywhere but Israel. (Matt 10:5) then they were told to go out into the world (Acts 1:8) If somehow a secret "coming" occurred during the time of the first commission, it is impossible to know. This is not a good foundational stone in the Preterist "house". Preterists conveniently shove these "comings" of Jesus into a secret box that none can see. That is some "spirit" of truth there isn't it?

My response to Preterism is in the form of questions:

Explain Zec:12:10: And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. When did that happen?

Explain Ro:8:19: For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. And, 1Th:4:16: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:The Bible clearly states that with Jesus' soon coming comes a resurrection of the dead! When did that happen? That surely would have been recorded somewhere!

Explain 2Pe:3:11: Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe:3:12: 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?

2Pe:3:13: Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. The ungodly are destroyed and Righteousness prevails! If we are living in the Preterists new millennium, how do you explain the God-less world we live in still? I don't see any new heavens or new earth, do you? Or is Jesus a liar!? The Preterists make Him out to be. That fact cannot be ignored...to their utter shame and destruction.

Explain to me: if the believers were 'raptured' in 70 A.D. , as Preterists believe, why would Christianity continue to this day? Who are we following, a false Christ?! Give me a break.

Saints, these are but a few, a very few, refutations to this Preterist cult theology spreading its father of the Devil's lies and deceptions. Along with the "Rapture" cults and "Eternal Security" deceptions, it is no wonder that we are exhorted to avoid all but sound doctrine. Matt 7:15 is quite clear! Here is one more tid bit to "chew" on... A certain preacher, and I use the word loosely, from a "Mega-Church", believes that the "falling away" in 2Thes2:3 means the rapture! We're "falling away" from this earth! If you listen close and can stand to sit through the garbage these "teachers" spew from their lying lips you can come away with a clear picture of the deception and falsehoods being poured out upon the unsuspecting, weak, deceived, so-called followers of Jesus Christ. This is all an embarrassment to our Lord! And this is why the real Truth is being suppressed and Watchmen of God are attacked viciously by these Wolves! The Devil wants no one to hear the truth! He wants all to be blind and dumb and dead spiritually, being blown about by every ill wind of false doctrine. Gods Word will endure and His Will be done whether we be killed or imprisoned for His Word or not! I, for one, am passing along the warning from the walls. Stay away from these false teachings and do not be deceived. The winds of false doctrine are blowing hard these days and you will only stand if Gods word is the bedrock of your "foundation"! It gets worse as time goes forward. Stay grounded!

Follow Jesus the living Lord, Jesus. Follow His examples. Obey His commands and EXPECT Him to keep His promises! He is coming again, this wicked world will be destroyed, every evil stronghold will be torn down, the dead will rise and we who have endured to the end will reign with Jesus forever whether we've died before or live to see Jesus coming in the clouds with the Hosts of Heaven.

M't:24:30: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

When did that happen? Stay on the narrow way with Jesus. God bless you, saints!

Amen

What do YOU think ?

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Date:: 25 Apr 2002
Time:: 18:32:38
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I do not believe that if a time of tribulation does occur that the Preterists will be able to garnish any following. They will be completely discredited because they claim that there will not be any tribulation, it having already occurred. At the same time, futurists can never be discredited, because no matter how wrong they are, they will always be able to cover themselves by saying, �Don�t worry. That event is still yet to come�. Just push mistakes into the future. 1984 came and went. 2000, then 2001 passed, and all the futurists that predicted the tribulations arrival in those years escaped denunciation by claiming that it is all yet to come. Me thinks the author smacks of paranoia. MArk

Date:: 26 Feb 2004
Time:: 23:13:11

Comments

What do you guys do with the time reference parameters in Holy Scripture? Why did the Apostle John claim that the presence of many antichrists was evidence that the time of his writing was "the last hour"? Why did the writer of the Book of Hebrews open this epistle with the time reference to the writing of this Book as "these last days"? Why did our Lord Jesus Christ tell His disciples, "Some of you standing here shall not taste of death until you see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom" ? These are only a few of the multitude of New Testament references which converted me away from the craving in our times for a modern Apocalypse among American evangelicals toward the confidence that Jesus and the Apostles were not kidding when they foretold the Jewish-Roman War and its end of the Age of Temple-centered worship, replaced by all children of Abraham from among all nations who are the Wife of the Lamb, the New Jerusalem, thanks be to God! Paul Richard Strange Sr. 119 Marvin Gardens Waxahachie Texas 75165 dadprs@hotmail.com