God And His Word - A Question And Answer Approach To Understanding The Bible

---- ---- What Do the Interpreters Say? ------- -

portion of the world's inhabitants turn to the Christian faith." 27 Although Christ will not have returned bodily, the Kingdom of God will be on earth. Christ will reign, and reigns now, over a lit eral, earthly Kingdom from a heavenly throne. Finally He will re turn to earth and pronounce final judgment.

Postmillennialism

SC v= .....� Church Age

Before Christ

New Heaven and Earth

Notations: FC=First Coming; FJ=Final Judgment; M=Millennium; SC=Second Coming; R=Resurrection (general)

Comments. J. Marcellus Kik, a leading spokesman, has written a classic statement of this position. His book An Eschatology of Vic tory is an optimistic view of Christianity's ultimate triumph in so ciety. He says: The postmil looks for a fulfillment of the Old Testament prophe cies of a glorious age of the church upon earth through the preach ing of the gospel under the power of the Holy Spirit. He looks for ward to all nations becoming Christian and living in peace one with another. He relates all prophecies to history and time. After the tri umph of Christianity throughout the earth he looks for the sec ond coming of the Lord. 28 Postmillennialism is called by Kik the "Historic Reformed Es chatology"; it is the historic position of Princeton Theological Seminary. Another strong advocate of this position is Loraine Boettner:

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