Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine

by Wayne Grudem

the second coming of Christ, the millennium, the final judgment, eternal punishment for unbelievers and eternal reward for believers, and life with God in the new heaven and new earth.

THERE WILL BE A SUDDEN, PERSONAL, VISIBLE, BODILY RETURN OF CHRIST

Paul taught, “The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God” (1 Thess. 4:16).

Christ “will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Heb. 9:28).

DISAGREEMENT OVER THE DETAILS OF FUTURE EVENTS

Specifically, they differ over the nature of the millennium and the relationship of Christ’s return to the millennium, the sequence of Christ’s return and the great tribulation period that will come to the earth, and the question of the salvation of the Jewish people (and the relationship between Jews who are saved and the church).

should be seen as matters of secondary importance, not as differences over primary doctrinal matters.

Verses that Say Several Signs Must Precede Christ’s Return

The Preaching of the Gospel to All Nations.

(Matt. 24:14; cf. Mark 13:10)

The Great Tribulation.

There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. (Mark 13:7–8; cf. Matt. 24:15–22; Luke 21:20–24)

False Prophets Working Signs and Wonders. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. (Mark 13:22; cf. Matt. 24:23–24)

Signs in the Heavens. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven,

(Mark 13:24–26; cf. Matt. 24:29–30; Luke 21:25–27)

The Appearance of the Man of Lawlessness (or the “Antichrist”).

The Salvation of “all Israel.”

a secret coming at which Christ takes Christians out of the world (a coming “for his saints”), and then, after seven years of tribulation have occurred on the earth, a visible, public, triumphant coming (a coming “with his saints”) in which Christ comes to reign over the earth.

The problem with this solution is that it is hard to derive two separate comings of Christ from the passages that predict his return.

Another solution is to say that all the signs have been fulfilled, and therefore Christ in fact could return at any moment.

it is unlikely but possible that the signs have already happened.

The ancient Roman emperors Nero and Domitian, both of whom severely persecuted Christians, were thought by many to be the antichrist. (Many Roman emperors, including these two, claimed deity for themselves and demanded to be worshiped.)

all of these identifications have proved false,21 and it is likely that a yet worse “man of lawlessness” will arise on the world scene and bring unparalleled suffering and persecution, only to be destroyed by Jesus when he comes again.

The Preterist Argument The arguments in favor of preterism are as follows.24 (1) Jesus predicts in Matthew 24:34 that he will return during the lifetime of “this generation.”

(4) Jesus did come back, but he did so invisibly when Roman armies destroyed the Jewish temple in Jerusalem in AD 70.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. (2 Peter 3:10)

(4) The preterist claim that Christ has already returned invisibly is remarkably similar to the claims of an “invisible return” that Jesus warned against: “So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matt. 24:26–27;

The Millennium What is the millennium? When does it occur? Will Christians go through the Great Tribulation?

The term comes from Revelation 20:4–5, where it says that certain people “came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.”

EXPLANATION OF THE THREE MAJOR VIEWS 1. Amillennialism

According to this position the passage in Revelation 20:1–10 describes the present church age. This is an age in which Satan’s influence over the nations has been greatly reduced so that the gospel can be preached to the whole world.

2. Postmillennialism

According to this view, Christ will return after the millennium.

3. Premillennialism

the “premillennial” position says that Christ will come back before the millennium.1 This viewpoint has a long history from the earliest centuries onward.

After that time of tribulation at the end of the church age, Christ will return to earth to establish a millennial kingdom. When he comes back, believers who have died will be raised from the dead, their bodies will be reunited with their spirits, and these believers will reign with Christ on earth for one thousand years.

Pretribulational Premillennialism (or Dispensational Premillennialism).

According to this position, Christ will return not only before the millennium (Christ’s return is premillennial), but also it will occur before the great tribulation (Christ’s return is pretribulational). This position is similar to the classical premillennial position mentioned above but with one important difference: it will add another return of Christ before his return to reign on earth in the millennium. This return is thought to be a secret return of Christ to take believers out of the world.

A CONSIDERATION OF THE ARGUMENTS FOR AMILLENNIALISM

only one passage (Rev. 20:1–6) appears to teach a future earthly millennial rule of Christ,

many premillennialists argue that several other passages, especially in the Old Testament, require us to believe in a future period that is far greater than the present age but that still falls short of the eternal state (see Ps. 72:8–14; Isa. 11:2–9; 65:20; Zech. 14:6–21; 1 Cor. 15:24; Rev. 2:27; 12:5; 19:15).

Since these souls are persons who then “came to life” in “the first resurrection,” we should see these as people who obtained resurrection bodies and who began to reign on the earth. Moreover, Revelation 20:1 indicates that the scene is focused on events on the earth, for it says, “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven.”

Revelation 20 explicitly speaks about “the first resurrection,” thus implying that there will be a second resurrection as well. Speaking of those who came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years,

“This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power” (vv. 5–6).

A CONSIDERATION OF ARGUMENTS FOR POSTMILLENNIALISM

premillennialists talk about a renewed earth with Jesus Christ physically present and reigning as King, together with glorified believers in resurrection bodies, postmillennialists are simply talking about an earth with many, many Christians influencing society.

there are several New Testament passages that seem to give explicit denial to the postmillennial position. Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matt. 7:13–14).

“When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8),

(2 Tim. 3:1–5)

Matthew 24:15–31 speaks of a great tribulation that will precede the time of Christ’s return: