Saturday, November 8, 2014
1 Timothy 4:7-8 But have nothing to do with irreverent and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness, for the training of the body has a limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
THE LAST DAY: MESSIANIC, NOT MILLENNIALISTIC
Our devotions over the past week are merely sound bites in the broader discussion of Millennialism. Many more passages could be quoted and more shortcomings could be exposed. How should we as modern day Christians approach the topic of Millennialism? How do we possibly go about providing a defense for the truth given such a broad and often confusing topic?
Take hope in this battle, for we are not the first to fight for the truth regarding our Savior's second coming. The Lutheran Confessions rejected Millennialism: "They condemn also others who are now spreading certain Jewish opinions, that before the resurrection of the dead the godly shall take possession of the kingdom of the world, the ungodly being everywhere suppressed (Augsburg Confession, Article 17)." Many early church fathers also held the line by rejecting Millennialism.
God equips us with the same power that those before us had: His Word. We are blessed to build on the foundation of Christ, not the baseless hopes of humans. As living stones sculpted and crafted by our Savior, we need not be intimidated in defending His Word amidst the many distortions that Millennialism presents. At the end of the day, we rest our hope, our teaching, our authority, and even our weary hearts and voices on the Cornerstone of the Church, Jesus Christ. And no matter what storm, peril, or persecution, that Foundation cannot be moved.
So, move forward with confidence and continue training in, teaching and reaching out with the truth of the Gospel!
