Eschatology

Recently, Sandra was asked by a friend about her eschatology (view on the end times).   Below is her response.  

Q.  What is your view on eschatology?  Why do you take that view?  What Scriptures do you draw from?  You use the term “rule and reign”, does that connect to your view on end times? 

A: I don’t take an eschatological position as far as post, pre, or amillennialism just because I don’t think it is clear enough in Scripture. There are good arguments to support all three views. So, I focus on what I do see as clear scriptural teaching regarding end times. I am not a postmillennialist. I don’t see biblical evidence that the world will get better and better. I believe that God will be the one to restore all things including the earth back to their original design (Rom. 8:19-23) when he returns (1 Thess. 4:16-17), defeats satan (Rev. 20:10), and takes his rightful place on the throne in the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21 and 22). The new earth will be a physical place and we will have some sort of physical bodies. Life will be much like it is now, cultivating life, communities, relationships, but in the new earth/kingdom all things will operate the way they were originally designed. We will all live in dependance on, and in obedience to Jesus the King. We will serve Him forever as co-regents, and rule and reign along with Him in benevolent service to others according to the character of Christ (Rev. 22:5b).

The command to rule and reign was first introduced in the garden. Humans were made in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:27). And one of our main purposes is to reflect the image of God. We reflect the image of God by demonstrating the character of God to the world. God commanded Adam and Eve to rule over all of the fish, birds, livestock, etc, and to fill the earth and subdue it in Genesis 1:26 and 28. I believe that this means that everything on the earth is our responsibility to care for. We are to care for the physical earth, and we are to care for each other, and I believe this is how we demonstrate who God is. We share in ruling and reigning in a benevolent other-centered, sacrificial way, the same way that God does (Gen. 1:26 and 1:28).

As Christians we are to participate in the restoration of God’s Kingdom of peace, justice, and righteousness even though it will not be complete until the second coming of Christ, just like we are to become more Christ-like in our character knowing full well we cannot be perfect until we are resurrected. The Kingdom of God has come into the world, and we can be a part of it right now and yet it will only come in its completion until the second coming of Christ. It is both now and not yet. Creation has been waiting for the freedom from bondage to decay that will occur when the glory of the children of God are revealed (Romans 8:19-23). As image bearers we are able to participate in fighting evil within ourselves and in the world through love as opposed to force and power. Dependance on God allows us to live in an other-centered way in our relationships and in the world. We were created in the image and likeness of God, and God is a community of other-centered, self-giving love. We were made to rule and reign in a benevolent way in the kingdom now and forever (Revelation 22:5). We are to begin to exemplify the good news and the breaking in of the kingdom. We are to join God in implementing victory over injustice, violence, and any degrading of the value and dignity of human beings (Psalm 146:7-9; Prov. 31:8-9; Isa. 1:17; Jer. 22:3; Micah 6:8; Matt. 10:8; 11:5; 23:23; 25:37-40; James 1:27). In the future kingdom there will be no poverty, oppression, sickness, or injustice. We participate in demonstrating the future Kingdom of God by looking after orphans and widows, feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, caring for the sick, and visiting those in prison. We do this by intentionally creating communities of mutual flourishing rather than oppression and accumulation, and by standing up for justice for the poor, marginalized, and oppressed. We do this because it is living out the character of God not because we think we can fix the world. The world will be broken as long as satan is on the loose. We are to serve as a sign and a foretaste of the coming kingdom of Jesus the King by creating small pockets of Kingdom living in the world.

So, how we live right now is very informed by what we believe we will be doing for eternity. We are practicing sacrificial service because we will be doing it forever and we are growing in dependence on God and in Christ-like character because it is how we were designed to live forever.

Some principles of the kingdom of God that apply to how we rule and reign are:

Honor Others Above Yourself (Rom. 12:9-10 Jn. 15:12-13, Phil. 2:3-4). Honoring others above ourselves means to put others’ needs and desires ahead of our own. Instead of sacrificing others interests to make ourselves happy, we sacrifice our interests to make others happy. Jesus demonstrated this kind of other-centered love by giving up his life for us. The trinity is a community of persons who orbit or center around the other persons of the trinity. We were designed to reflect this same self-giving, other-directed love.

Love Your Enemies Rather than Repaying Evil for Evil (1 Pet. 3:9; Rom. 12:17-20; Matt. 5:38-44; James 4:11-12: Matt. 7:1-5; Luke 6:37-42; Rom. 2: 1-4; John 8:7). Jesus instructs us to bless those who insult you, turn the other cheek, and pray for those who persecute you. We are taught not to judge others because we are just as guilty; and judgement is not our role. Our culture believes that we are entitled to retribution for offenses. But we were not created to judge and punish one another. God is the only one who has the authority to judge. Laying down our entitlement to judge and punish others actually leads to deeper and healthier relationships.

Serve Others Rather than Be Served. Use your power and authority for the benefit of others (Matt 20:24-28; John 13:12-17; 1 Peter 5:2-3; Eph. 5:22-29). Jesus teaches us not to “Lord it over” people. “Lord it over” means to act arrogantly, as if you are better or more important than others and to use your power to domineer over others. Jesus taught that those in authority should use their power to serve others, not to serve themselves. Jesus exemplified this by washing the disciple’s feet, a dirty job that those in authority don’t normally do. Jesus always treated all people with respect and dignity, no matter what their station in life. God has given us the resources of power and authority for the purpose of bringing life to everyone and everything around us, not for our own glory. We were created for giving to and serving others, not for serving ourselves.

Look Out for the Weak Rather than Yourself. (James 1:27; Isa. 1:17; Matt. 25:37-40; Matt. 11:5) The Bible teaches that Kingdom people look after orphans and widows, feed the hungry, clothe the poor, care for the sick, and visit those in prison. All humans have value and dignity, and we are all one people. We are created to be a community of people, not simply individuals. Those of us who have strength and means must look out for the weak and poor. When we deny others, we deny our own humanity.