Don’t Be Duped by Realized Eschatology

The resurrection is not past as some are alleging today. A doctrine infiltrating churches today is the teaching that the judgment day of God occurred with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. The doctrine espoused is called by several names. We shall call it realized eschatology (RE). RE maintains the second coming of Jesus, the resurrection, the establishment of Jesus’s kingdom, and the final judgment day of God are all in the past. We will not go into all the details of this doctrine in the article because our essay will be brief.

If the resurrection is past as said Hymenaeus and Philetus in (2 Timothy 2:17-18) then there is no hope for newness of life in the future. Paul wrote to Timothy to beware of their falsehood because the doctrine they were spreading was like a cancer. They were robbing Christians of their hope. It is the same for such heretical views now. A doctrine of demons, RE removes the purpose of partaking the Lord’s communion supper because when we take it, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death till he come.” (1 Corinthians 11:26 (ASV). Well, if He’s already come, then there is not another day of redemption promised. Are we to believe the saints have already risen from the dead and they who were alive at His coming met Him in the air? If the world has been judged, then there is no promise of reward neither punishment for us. How is any of this reasoning the love of God? It amounts to deism, which basically holds that God does not interact with His creation; He stands aloof to the affairs of humans. This notion is absolutely ludicrous. All the following Scripture readings are still future. The context they are in demands a future fulfillment.

“inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31 (ASV)

“And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment; 28 so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9:27-28)

9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness, 12 looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Peter 3:9-13)

Let’s not be easily deceived by heretics (Galatians 1).

By Donny Weimar

Return to the General Articles page

Home / Bible studies / Bible Survey / Special Studies / General Articles / Non-Bible Articles / Sermons / Sermon Outlines / Links / Questions and Answers / What Saith The Scriptures /Daily Devotional / Correspondence Courses / What is the Church of Christ / Book: Christian Growth / Website Policy / E-mail / About Me /