Eschatology can UNIFY Christians – yes, really!!

[0:00] one of the most encouraging instances of Christian Unity I've ever seen in my entire life happen during a debate and not just any debate a debate on eschatology of all things about nine years ago Desiring God put on this debate between four different people really it was three people and then a fourth person was a moderator where they were discussing the Millennium eschatology is renowned for being one of the most divisive topics of all Christendom in all Systematic Theology for everybody whoever studies it part of the reason why is that all of the different camps break themselves into different groups based on how they interpret one of the most confusing chapters in the entire Bible which is revelation 20. I remember watching this debate years ago and just being struck by the fact that we've got these men who are gathered around this table for a huge disagreement and a debate and a discussion about points where they are in disagreement regarding what happens

[0:47] for the Millennium who then go on to agree without qualification about the ultimate State and what the Eternal state looks like [Music] I've actually got the clip ready and pulled up over here on the other screen and I thought we should just watch this little clip together in this two hour long video look at this incredible moment do you want to talk about the Millennium yeah um one more free Millennium question um do you all believe that the Lord Jesus is is coming back physically visibly Terrain some way or other on the Earth forever yes yes yes well then I guess that settles it

[1:40] um what is the final final Final condition of the universe where we will spend eternity just describe it in a nutshell new Heaven's A New Earth incorruptable and I think that the description in Revelation 21 and 22 matches and exceeds point for Point what we find in Genesis 1 and 2 the description of the Garden of Eden it's a new and better Eden where God and the lamb are the temple they will see his face there will be no need of sun or moon there will be no sea no evil be a perfectly clean and holy of holy this Earth this Earth included so there's going to be a reunification of Heaven and Earth if but this Earth is not rejected and I

[2:28] think the clearest place that's taught is in Romans 8 where the the whole creation groans waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God and we are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ and there are three groans in that passage the um the Korea look we could go on okay I love listening to Doug Wilson as much as the next guy but we could go on here's the point if you believe that the new creation is the end state is the thing that all of humanity is waiting for if Christians are hoping for that to be the end State then what does it matter what happens next seriously think about it whether you're a pre-mill an Amil a post Mill or what my friend calls a pan Mill which is the view basically he says however it pans out I'm just glad I'll

[3:17] be with Jesus the Eternal State being the new creation is something which should generate so much more agreement and that is ultimately what we're living for now your pre-mill you think we'll be raptured out of here and there will be a 1 000 year completion of God's program with the Jewish people fine a trillion years from now we will be in the new creation where the fullness of all God's promises have come to those who are saved you're an amillennialist you think that we're reigning with Christ as members of his kingdom now or maybe you believe that those who have died in Christ and passed on are reigning from heaven with him spiritually you think that's what Revelation 20 has to say fine a trillion years from now we will be in the new creation where the fullness of all God's promises have come to those who are saved you're post-millennialist like Doug Wilson you think that the kingdom of God has already come in mustard seed

[4:05] form and it's progressing in its fits and starts until it spreads through the whole world the whole loaf You're Expecting The Gospel to sprout and bear fruit in every area of Life across the whole world and then Jesus will return fine a trillion years from now we will be in the new creation where the fullness of God's promises have come to those who are saved the way we are supposed to live is not constrained to what we believe as a result of these Petty eschatological systems and differences the new creation trumps and dwarfs all of it and itself should be the focus of our eschatological hope I hear you saying well of course we should focus on that but it isn't an important what's what's next shouldn't we be thinking about what's coming of course we should but that's not the focus of the New Testament the focus of the New Testament is for you to set your gaze to the

[4:54] throne for you to run with conviction the race that is set before you just like Jesus did and he is now seated at the right hand of the father like it says in Hebrews 12. your job isn't to prepare for what's next on any of these systems your job isn't to necessarily prepare for what is next God will prepare you Jesus will give you what you need for whatever comes next one day we'll talk about what I believe these passages talk about and it's super fascinating and super interesting but right now it doesn't matter what matters is unity and agreement and excitement over what is final what is eternal what is coming in the end let's talk about why that is so important right now we've gone to a passage in John chapter 17 where it's in the middle of What's called the high Priestly prayer this is absolutely one of my favorite passages listen to what Jesus has to say

[5:42] I do not ask for these only but also for those who will believe in me through their word okay these only are the people that are in his immediate vicinity and those are the disciples the twelve right he's saying I'm not asking just for them I'm asking for everyone who will believe in me through their word meaning all believers everywhere okay what does he say that they may all be one just as you father are in me and I in you that they also may be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me pause for a minute do you think of your Unity with other believers in Christ not just the people that make up your church community and the people who fill out your denomination and the people who sit next to you in the pews but do you think of your Unity with the people who disagree with you within the body of Christ as a message to the world that Jesus is

[6:30] who he says he is that's how Jesus sees it recognize also that Jesus is not just talking about you being united with one another he's saying that he wants us as Believers to be so United that it looks like the unity that he has with the father it's Christ in God and God in Christ he continues on with this baffling mind-blowing statement that blows me away every time I read it here in verse 22 he says the glory that you have given me I have given to them that they may be one even as we are one i in them and you in me that they may become perfectly one so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me father I desire that they also whom you have given me may be with me where I am to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world what does all this mean Jesus couldn't

[7:18] possibly be any clearer he thinks that Unity among those whom he has saved is the message to the outside world that Jesus Christ is the Son of God that he's come to save them from their sins and to set up God's kingdom forever and to restore all things I can hear some of you thinking look I understand that that's what he said I don't understand how that works I don't understand how Unity among the church is the thing that gets people to believe well I frankly don't understand how marching around a city and playing the trumpet for seven days will bring it bring down its walls but my plans aren't God's plans and my power isn't God's power and sometimes he puts himself on display in ways that we can't understand in the new creation we will not be divided whichever one of us is Right whichever one of us is wrong I

[8:06] think all of us are going to have a mixture of what was right and what was wrong in our theology that's not the point in that day and age we will see face to face and we will become like what we behold we we Paul says we know in part we prophesy in part but then in that day the perfect will come that's from from First Corinthians 13. some of us get so tripped up in hoping and trying to get everything right here on Earth I'm not against solid Doctrine I love solid Doctrine I love thinking through and reading what the Bible says in the original languages and building a world view on top of that and that can only be done through deep study of the scriptures and deep study of the scriptures is going to lead some people to different conclusions about things the one thing that we cannot sacrifice in the meantime is unity and if we're going to unify around something it has

[8:54] to be Jesus and Jesus's ultimate plans for those who follow him and those ultimate plans don't consist in a Rapture and a tribulation and a millennium those ultimate plans consist in a new creation where everything has been remade and glorified just like Jesus was when he was resurrected of course there are many things that Jesus is going to have to do first in order to bring about that day and age and that is going to involve him destroying evil so go ahead and check out this video up in the corner if you are interested in learning about how God plans to do that and how God plans to deal with the forces of evil see you next time further up in further and