WHERE’S THE BEEF?

PMW 2023-043 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

PLEASE NOTE: I accidentally posted this article on 4/26/23 before it was complete. Here is the full article I was working on.

A reader’s question:

A reader, Nathan Radcliffe, responded to my posting of Andrew Sandlin’s article “DeMar’s Hidden Views”:

“Where’s the link to the clip Nathan Anderson provided in which Gary denies the future physical resurrection?”

My reply:

The clip is here (at 1:29 mark): https://hyperpreterism.substack.com/p/gary-demar-denies-the-resurrection

Here is Gary’s mocking the historic Christian position on the matter as he derisively interacts with the idea of a future, physical resurrection.

To answer Gary’s two questions, consider the following:

The Scripture teaches that our spirits return to God at death

Ecclesiastes 12:7: “Remember Him before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.”

Luke 23:46: “And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last.”

Acts 7:59–60: “They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’ Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ Having said this, he fell asleep.”

Hebrews 12:22–23: “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect.”

Revelation 6:9: “When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained.”

He Shall Have Dominion (paperback by Kenneth Gentry)

A classic, thorough explanation and defense of postmillennialism (600+ pages). Complete with several chapters answering specific objections.

See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com

Our resurrection is still future and is corporate

John 5:28–29:
“An hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”

1 Corinthians 15:22–26, 51–58:
“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death…. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, ‘death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’”

Is there a third coming?

I really do not understand why hyperpreterists cannot distinguish between a metaphorical coming (such as Jesus’ judgment on Jerusalem in AD 70) and a literal, physical coming in our future. They constantly charge orthodox preterism with arguing for three comings. There are only two literal comings of Christ: one at his incarnation in the first century, the other at his act of consummation on the final day of history. Thus, Christ came literally in the first century (0 BC, you might say) and metaphorically at the destruction of the temple (AD 70), but will come once again physically to introduce the Final Judgment, completing our salvation in its fullness. He also “comes” in the Person of the Spirit who is poured out a Pentecost (John 14:18–24). But this is not a “fourth” coming. If you are going to criticize another view, you should properly understand it then accurately present it.

Jesus will publicly, permanently complete our redemption

At the Final Judgment our “justification” becomes full, complete, and final. Though we are justified now (remember the Now/Not Yet principle), we still sin and act as unjustified people. Then at the Final Judgment we will be publicly declared just and finally, fully justified in our physical bodies as complete men, composed once again of both body and soul (cf. Gen. 2:7; Matt. 10:28).

Likewise, we are sanctified now (though still sinning against God), whereas then we will be publicly declared sanctified as we are reunited with our bodies which will be finally, fully sanctified and relieved of all sinful tendencies.

We are spiritually resurrected now (though we still suffer and died), whereas then we will be finally, fully resurrected bodily, no longer subject to death and disillusion. This is why Paul can speak of the groaning of creation awaiting the resurrection of the body (Rom. 8:21–23).

I will have much more to say about this Now/Not Yet principle in a book I am writing on the Two Age understanding of redemptive history. Once the two ages is understood, then all becomes clear. And clearly hyperpreterism is shown to be a false theological construct. Hyperpreterism has an incomplete, faulty soteriology that well matches their faulty and misdirected eschatology. At least they are consistent! Consistently wrong.

THE TWO AGES AND OLIVET (advertisement)
I am currently researching a study of the Two-Age structure of redemptive history. My starting point is based on the disciples’ questions to Jesus in Matthew 24:3. Much confusion reigns among those unacquainted with the Two-Age analysis of history, which was promoted by Jesus (Matt. 12:32; Mark 10:29-30) and by Paul (Gal. 1:4; Eph. 1:21). The Two Ages are not the old covenant and the new covenant, but world history since the fall and the consummate order following the Second Coming and the Final Judgment.

If you would like to support me in my research, I invite you to consider giving a tax-deductible contribution to my research and writing ministry: GoodBirth Ministries. Your help is much appreciated!