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The Rise of Promillennialism Thus, posQnillennialism is not in-.herently ,promillennial: it . normally is prornillennial, but it is not necessarily so. The idea that promillennialism is simply premils and amits acting' like postmils is thus a gross oversimplifica-

Copyright@ 1985

by Martin G. Selbrede

There is a new millennialism afoot tOday. Promillennialism. The umn is not original with me. I am not even certain whether the fellow who coined the ternl meant what I mean by

the term; that is irrelevant. I intend to appropriate the term for my own pur- poses in this article, and I think most of my readers will concur with my de-cision.

Promillennialism .is not the same as panmillennialism. The panmil-lennialist believes that everything will pan out in the end. There is an apathetic streak in the soul of the panmillennial-ist. He doesn't care to discuss prophecy or eschatology because .he simply wants to avoid controversy. Panmillennialism is the easy way out but convictions not worth defending are not worth be-lieving, either; Panmillennialism seeks peace between Christian brethren at too high a price in doctrinal flabbiness.

Moreover, many panmillennialists ate prone to low-salt content in their deeds as well as their profession.

Promillennialism. is not just a different name for panmillennialism. It has been said that a ptomillennialist is a Christian who, when questioned about. his view ofChrist's second com-ing, responds, "I'm for however Jesus does it II (Hence the name, promillen nialism.) This definition is inadequate. A promillennialist is actually any Chris-tian who carries out the explicit com-mands of his Saviour and Lord. particu-larly the Great Commission. The de-fmition excludes .references to mi1len-nial viewpoints. Premillennialists, arnil-lepnialists, and postmillennialists can be (and many are) promillennial. The definition hinges on deed rather than pro-fession: the promillennialists walks by Christ's commands, rather than his view of prophecy. This is the heart of prornillennialism.

Why is ~s so important? First. con-victions are not downgraded for 1:\te sake of unity. Promillennialisis can labor to-gether widtout compromising or i:nin:i-mizing their convictions on eschatOlo-gy. Neither do they maximize peace at

tion, Prornillennialism is really pre-any doctrinal price. Rather, they maxi- mils, amils, and postmils acting like mize their convictions about the Lord's promils. Together. It's called "being at marching orders. Promillennialists set one's post until the Lord calls us their shoulder to the work to be done, home." It won't be for our doctrine's not the argument to . be woo. The realm sake that the Lord will say, 'Well done, of deed, not of profession, . js where our good and faithful se1Vant." The Lord faithfulness must ftrSt be evidenced. won't single out postmillennialists for Where there's a job to do, who, realistic- this praise; he'll single out promil" ally speaking, has time to argue pre- lennialists of all eschatological persua-dictive prophecy? Besides, we not only sions. Some nrlght cherish their doc-keep oUrselves from working when we trines to the exclusion of working to-argue eschatology, we keep our brother gether with others for their mutual from his task as well. Promillennialists King. The promillennialist won't hear put first things ftrSl of such atra'/esty. The promillennialiSt

. The pa(able of the two SOI)S Sees himself as a fellow laborer with . (Matt. 21:29-31) contains this general other promillennialists. lesson in capsule form, although our' Ptornillennialists look for-Lord uses the parable to underscore a ward to the day when the word pro-somewhat different point than I am millennial is synomymous with the establishing here. The two sons were word Christian. Is this a concession to asked to work in the field. ODe said no, postmillennialism? No. This is simply but repented and worked anyway. The the hope that God will soon answer the other said yes, but didn't go as he said great evangelistic . prayer Christ called be would. What is contrasted he~ is us all to pray. The prayer is i:ecogniz-profession and deed. Who did their able even in my paraphrase of it (taken father's will? The one who did his from the Selbrede. Super Duper Refer-father's will in deed. The other did his ence Bible, Matt. 9:37-38): "The fields father's will in profession. H\S wor'ds a:re white unto harvest, but the prornil-were right His actions were wrong. lennialists are few~ Pray that the Lord The fiist son's words were wrong, but of the harvest will send more promil-his' deeds were right. For this reason, lennialists into his harvest." "But," you James declares that his faith can be nrlght protest, "the original word Jesus perceived by his works. J~s insists used is laborer. You seem to treat that faith without wotks is dead. How laborer and promillennialist as syno-much more is doctrine without works nyms." Yes. Now you are. getting the dead! picture. Ptomillenialist is a fancy word

Some have objected that people who for laborer. Like it says in 1 Cor. are prontillennialists therefore behave 15:58, ''Be steadfast. unmoveable, at-like postniillennialists. I'd like to cor~ ways abounding in the work of the rect that notion. It . is possible for a lord, forasmuch as ye know that your postmillennialist to sit on his duff, too. promillennialism is not in vain in the A postmillenrtialist can assuine that. Lord." After all, "we are prornillen-since he, believes Christ wili save the .. / ni~sts together with God" (1 Cor. world, why work up an evangelistiC' 3:~). . sweat Jesus will do it ;ill. An-y/ mil- 1 Cor. 15:58 quoted abOve lennial viewpoint is P.fone to such (Continued on page 24) abuse by the lazy. Christian williilg to rationalize his ~loth. Whether the world is going down hill or being gradually conquered by Christ, there will be Chris-tians willing to use either scenario as an excuse for inaction. Men such as these, ~ hi oo'\vise proriilllennialists.

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Martin Selbrede. Is a businessman, musician and theologian in Southern California.

The Counsel of Chalcedon December, 1989 page16

House Divided Continued from page 7

their Christian responsibilities worthy of emulation. Needless to say, God will judge us for our deeds more so than for our ideas.

Postscript: House Divided is subtitled The Breakup of Dispensational Theology. The premise may be true now, but the tables were turned in the early 20th century, when premillen~ nialists could, with complete justice, have written Princeton . Divided: The Breakup of Postmillennial Theology. The title House Divided was originated by ... .Dr. H. Wayne House himself! Dr. North took dominion over the niiJile, and given his penchant for '"weenie roasts" at the "Bonfire of~ Faculties" (House Divided, pg. xl), probably ap-pended the gleefully grim subtitle. Gone are the days when Dionysius could convert an entire regional church away from premillennialism with only three days of gentle, gracious, and per-suasive discussion. 0

Promillennialism Continued from page 16

gives an exeenent definition. of the pro-' millennialist: any Christian who is' "always abounding in the work of the LOrd." He knows his promillennialism isn't in vain, because Christ, as the one who wields all power and authority, would never command His people to perform vanities and futilities. This even extends to the command of 2 Cor. 10:5: the call to take every thOught captive to the obedience of Christ. Ef-forts here are not in vain either; our var-ious views on prophecy have no bear-ing on our Lord's earnest promise. If these Incentives weren't eoough, Jesus even added the promise that those who are faithful in little things will be given authority over greater things;. . Promillennialism, then, is nothing more than serious, full-orbed Christian-ity at its best: men of God hard at work for the Lord of the harvest. The funny thing is, two promillennialists, one pre-mil and one postmil, have more in com-mon with each other than with those who share their respective propbetic viewpoints but lack their desire to labor in the harvest. God doesn't just callous-ly throw such "strange bedfellows" to-

gether to express His sense of humor. Rather, He is glorified in this. The

diff~ces between premils, amils, and posunjls pale in comparison to the dif~

fetenc~s between a :Ualotanda Tax Col-lector in 1st-century Israel: yet Christ

The Counsel of Chalcedon DeCember, 1989 page 24

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made both Matthew and Simon disciples. We would do well to take ~t example to heart, an!i to take up the title, promillennialists, for ourselveS; both with tongue-in-cheek: and sword-in-hand. 0.