The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Are Calvinism and Premillennialism Incompatible?

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[color:"blue"]It is funny you mention that, because I agree 100%. When I first started studying eschatology, I did it on my own.

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Is this supposed to be some sort of superior method of study? In fact, most every cult, sect, religion was started by someone who "studied on their own" apart from what others had written concerning the Scriptures. Keith Mathison's excellent book The Shape of Sola Scriptura has a very informative and timely chapter named "A Critique of the Evangelical Doctrine of Solo Scriptura". Now before you go off the deep end and assume things wrongly, I am NOT denigrating "self study". It is truly valuable and something MORE people should do, rather than, e.g., rely upon Scofield's or Dake's or Calvin's "notes", etc. What I AM saying is that for one to be satisfied with their own conclusions after "self study" BEFORE they ALSO consult the history of the doctrine in question can and often does end in error. Christ's Church is a BODY in which there are those with varying gifts of the Spirit. Today, we have people running around as amputated body parts with little or no relationship with the rest of the body. I'm sure you know Paul's teaching on this all too well, no? Let me use my own experience as an example, if I may. My strong Calvinist views came after "self study" in contradiction to everything that was being preached and taught by those around me. In the beginning, when I came to learn of God's indisputable sovereignty, Christ's vicarious substitutionary atonement for the elect, unconditional election, etc., I was looked upon as the proverbial "black sheep" and I began to have serious doubts even about my salvation due to my novel views. But, after getting my hands on the Jonathan Edwards' Works and then reading through books like L. Berkhof's Systematic Theology, John Owen's Works, etc., I was given great assurance that what I came to believe was the teaching of Scripture and NOT "novel", but "the truth once delivered unto the saints". There are no "Lone Rangers" in the Church of God.

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[color:"blue"]When I heard about POSTmillenialism, I believe it to be a hideous heresy, because that is what the liberal churches teach. Essentially, my view of POSTmillenialism was that it was essentially the social gospel, and how on earth could anybody believe that liberal junk?

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Hopefully, you have now matured and come to realize that the gospel and eschatology of the "Liberals" has little to do with the biblical Gospel or historic Postmillennialism? Postmillennialism predates Liberalism by over a thousand years. If one were to base their aversion to doctrines held by Liberals, then all of Christianity would be discarded as so much heresy and junk. For they believe in a Jesus, salvation, etc... which is surely alien to anything the Bible teaches. Get my point? Although I do not personally hold to Postmillennialism, it is far more palatable and believable than classic Dispensationalism, which is a heresy and junk, IMHO. Simply consider the source.

In His Grace,