Sam Waldron: Amillennialism, An Eschatology of Victory? the Great Commission, the Book of Revelation

In this second interview with Dr Sam Waldron by pastor Chris Barlow, they discuss the corporate nature of the Great Commission, a victorious view of eschatology and the Church from an Amillennial perspective, the parable of the wheat and the tares, the trouble with Premillennialism and the confessions, the book of Revelation and more

[pinkdiscomosh]

I was Amill for 8 years before I went over to Postmil. The victory of the gospel enterprise was the starting point for me and then other good arguments got stacked on. It’s good to hear that many Amills are taking note of this and pushing the conversation forward. Perhaps some day, we can reunite under one title with only minor variation between us. Looking forward to the book brother Sam!

[johntoddstewart]

Sam Waldron is one of my favorite theologians. I met him approximately 20 years ago. He was gracious and kind to me. God bless you Mr. Waldron...keep preaching the truth.

[d-vy]

Appreciate the ministry of Pr Waldron.

[Hartman]

Great interview! Thank you, Chris and Dr. Waldron. I'm glad you brought up the 2LB confession and dispensationalism. I've always been curious how some dispensational churches claim to hold to the confession, I agree it just doesn't work. Also great closing statement brother, we do not lose down here!

[jeffholm]

Great discussion. Appreciated the perspective on chiliasm being inconsistent with the confessions (WCF & LBF). Starting off dispy I didn't know what the confessions were. Now I study His Word along with the WCF and it's catechisms in order to never again be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.

[theder]

20:32
There is greater prayer that God has time and time again answered than: "Lord, put before those in whom I can bear witness to in an effective way."
Dont you know, more times than I can count, before the day ends, within it, someone pops up, and a conversation appears or open opportunity to plant a flag of the Gospel on the topics of conversations we end up having. Its been insanely supernatural, and I can always refer to the true and living word, "IF YOU ASK ANYTHING ACCORDING TO HIS no doubt that pray is and will be according to God's will, all hands down!

[Deacondan]

I would comment that the biggest weakness of Amil is the acceptance and divergence of the 4th century church into the hierarchy and teaching of Rome. The church moves towards Dominionism with the church itself the kingdom, followed by a papal king and the doctrines. For 350 years, the reformers accepted a Historicist view of prophecy and Revelation and rejected Catholic teaching of Preterism and Futurism. I am not saying Amil doesn’t work with a Preterist view or even some Futurist, but Augustine completely spiritualized the covenants and eschatology as well.

[brettmagnuson]

Completely agree about your comment on the American church playing T-ball. I think another analogy would be the American church by their actions demonstrate that they think the word of God is just a Nerf sword not an actual one that cuts

[evantheorthodox]

"The gospel light will harden and make the world worse" Meanwhile, at the end of the age, it is a wheat field. We know the wheat grows with the tares, but which will be victorious "in history?"

[leepretorius]

We need another interview with Michael Rogers on Inmillennialism.

[MichaelPHays]

My chief objection with amillennialism are amillennialists. I am disappointed at your almost uniform misrepresentation of modern postmillennialism as a monolithic, chiliastic system. It is true that postmillennialism was comprensively laid out by Puritan Jonathan Edwards about 1740, and you can read about it in Iain Murray's book "The Puritan Hope." But the theology has matured significantly. For example, there is no "golden age" or chiliastic period. I know of no one that teaches the Gospel will be without resistance. There may be some who continue to believe that but I don't know any. Holding on to archaic ideas is not new. There are flat-earthers also.

The millennium = The Church age = The Gospel age = The Kingdom age. Jesus returns post-millennium, to an earth in much better condition than He left it, following the completion of the Great Commission: having christianized all the Nations. Then final judgment. Simple.
For example, take the state of world poverty, massively declined over the last 2000, 1500, 1000, 500, 200, 50 years, and the technological blessings we enjoy every day, and the abilities to transmit the Gospel, all due to the Gospel! In those places where the Gospel is established there is a relative peace and freedom from persecution. Predicted by Edwards. A person would have to be "willingly ignorant" to say things are worse.
Satan being bound is comprehensible, but needs some explaining. it is most easily understood in terms of what Satan does when loosed. It doesn't say he doesn't deceive anyone.
Following final judgment is the eternal Kingdom with Jesus ruling on an Edenic earth. Genesis 1-2 is fully realized. I think you misunderstood about the parable of the wheat and weeds, Matt 13:36.

Almost EVERY argument that you made in favor of amillennialism applies to modern postmillennialism. I
As long as eschatology is held hostage by seven contoversial verses the truth concerning "the end of the world" will be obscure. The ideas permiate all of Scripture.

The Puritan's postmillennial view is at the heart of American optimism, can-do attitude, "with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence" and "City on a Hill" and all derive from the Putitan Hope of a better world through the power of the Gospel, which is unique in the world. It was also the inspiriation of William Carey, the father of modern missions. America's foundation of postmillennial optimism (optimillennialism) is based on the simple notion that the Gospel is sufficient to transform the world, and that we are to "disciple all the Nations."
The modern pessimistic decline (pessimillennialism) dervives from the abandonment of the mission in disbelief. This pessimism was absorbed from the premillennials and expanded by the dispensationalists. The world must get bad so Jesus can return is exactly opposite of real Gospel hope. We are living the self-fulling prophecy of faith in failure.

God has a better plan, and will have His way. All praise to King Jesus!

[empese]

This was a good exposition, however it keeps confirming my suspicion and position: you don't arrive at amillennialism by following a literal, grammatical-historical hermeneutic, you get there by allegorizing, spiritualizing and reinterpreting.

[marcthomas]

Interviewer talks to much, let the guest speak