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Return to Wednesday Bible Study Series
Wheelersburg
"You
and Your Beliefs"--Eschatology, part 1 Do you know what you believe?
For the past several months, we have been seeking to answer that
question. We have sought to put
together a "systematic theology."
We’ve sought to answer the question about our beliefs concerning the
doctrines of God, Scripture, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and more.
We've now come to the final doctrine.
Eschatology. The Doctrine of
Last Things.
[At beginning, finish Angelology, part 2, then begin eschatology] The
Doctrine of Last Things
Discuss: What do you think of
when you hear the word "Eschatology"?
Some people seem to think of charts and graphs diagramming the order of
future events. As a general rule, we
tend to go to 2 extremes:
One is to be overly dogmatic about that which is a complex issue.
Remember, that was the problem of the religious leaders of Jesus' day.
Jesus didn't fit into their "theological chart."
They wanted a Messiah who would give them political and economic freedom.
They were sure that's what the Messiah would do, based on their
"proof-texting" from the OT scriptures.
Application: Be careful of
labeling other Christians "heretics" because they hold a different
view than we do on what the 10 toes represent on the beast in Daniel's vision!
The other extreme is to say, "Eschatology doesn't matter.
It's too confusing. Who
cares?"
Key: The focus on Eschatology
in the Bible is not on future events as such.
God didn't give us a chart of the end times.
What is the focus?
See the first words of Rev 1:1, "The Revelation of Jesus
Christ..." Eschatology in the
Bible focuses on a Person, Jesus Christ. Phil 3:20 "For our
citizenship...from which we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus..."
So Eschatology is important. It
is the climax of the Christian life. It
is our hope. We live with the
anticipation that Jesus Christ is going to appear, and when He appears He is
going to culminate the redemption He secured at His first coming. Outline
of our Approach to Eschatology: I.
The Foundation for Eschatology: The
Plan of God
A. The Doctrine of Creation
(Gen 1-3)
B. The Doctrine of Redemption
(II Cor 5:19, 21)
1. Christ's First Coming (I
Cor 15:3)
2. Christ's Second Coming (I
Cor 15:22ff) II.
The Focus of Eschatology: The
Person of Jesus Christ III.
The Fulfillment of Eschatology
A. New Man
B. New People
C. New Age
D. New Creation Before we can understand the Doctrine
of the Last things, we must understand what the Bible teaches about the
"First things." Eschatology
is merely the final chapter of the book.
Key: Eschatology is the
culmination of God's redemptive activity in which He is reclaiming what is
rightfully His. What do we mean by
that?
Simply this. If we don't
understand the Doctrine of Creation, and the Doctrine of Redemption, we won't
understand the Doctrine of Eschatology. I.
The Foundation for Eschatology: The
Plan of God
A. The Doctrine of
Creation--Genesis 1
Q: When God created the
universe in Gen 1, what did He say about it?
Gen
1:31--"It is very good."
Q: What was the climax of
God's creative work?
Gen 1:27--Man
Q: What did God create
Mankind to do?
Gen 1:28--Have dominion over the world, as God's Representative.
Q: Did mankind fulfill that
purpose?
Gen 3--No. Mankind rejected
God's authority and purpose.
Q: In spite of Man's blatant
disobedience, what did God do? Gen 3:15--He inaugurated a plan to
reconcile alienated mankind to Himself. Listen.
Right there in Gen 3, God committed Himself to the task of reclaiming
what was rightfully His.
Q: How would God accomplish
that? The answer is…
B. The Doctrine of
Redemption--2 Corinthians 5:19-21
Q: What did God do to reclaim
an alienated world that was rightfully His?
5:19--He reconciled the world to Himself.
Q: On what basis did God
reconcile the world?
5:21--He redeemed a people for Himself in Christ.
Key: There's the message of the Bible.
God is redeeming a people for Himself.
He is reclaiming and restoring a universe that was wrecked by sin.
He committed this task to His Son, Jesus Christ.
Q: By what means will Christ
restore the world to His Father?
By two comings—We see them both mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15…
1. The First Coming of Christ
15:3
"Christ died for our sins..."
2. The Second Coming of
Christ 15:22-28 "...when He shall have
delivered up the
Christ came into the world the first time to establish the
At His second coming, He will establish His earthly Kingdom.
Why? To fulfill the next
phase of His redemptive program, that is, to reclaim the world.
Is the Millennial Kingdom His ultimate goal?
No. The goal of God's
redemptive program is not the II.
The Focus of Eschatology: The
Person of Jesus Christ
The focus of Eschatology is not on events so much as on a Person, Jesus
Christ. Jesus Christ is coming
again!
Note: There are over 250
clear references to the return of the Lord in the NT. Mt
24:37, 42, 44 "Watch for you know not what hour your Lord doth come." Mk
13:26 "And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds..." Lk
21:27 Jn
14:1ff "I go to prepare a place for you...I will come again..." Acts
1:11 "...This same Jesus shall so come again in like manner..." I
Thes 4:13 "The Lord shall descend from heaven..." II
Thes 1:10; 2:1 I
Pt 1:7 "...at the appearing of Christ..." I
Jn 3:2 "...when He shall appear..." Rev
22:7, 12, 20 "Behold, I come."
Q: Why is Christ going to
return? Rev 21:5 "I make all
things new."
Key: Our Eschatology must
focus on a Person, Jesus Christ.
Eschatology is not a game like trivial pursuit, or putting together an
intellectual jigsaw puzzle. It
focuses on a Person. He is the King
who has already come. And He is the
King who is yet to come again.
Q: What will He do when He
comes the second time? We'll see
next week. Application:
For discussion… 1.
Why is Eschatology often such a source of controversy in the church? 2.
What should our attitude be towards Eschatology? 3.
What is the practical value of studying Eschatology? Next
Week: III.
The Fulfillment of Eschatology
A. New Man
B. New People
C. New Age
D. New Creation |