STATEMENT ON UNORTHODOX ESCHATOLOGY

PMW 2026-075 Concerned Evangelical Preterists

Introduction

Tragically, we live in an age noted for the rapidly accelerating decline of Christian influence in the world at large, which is both encouraged and energized by an increasing level of doctrinal error in the Christian church itself. One crucial area of doctrinal confusion is in the field of eschatology. Too few Christians recognize the enormous significance of eschatology for understanding both Christ’s redemptive work long ago and our present calling in the world today.

Historically, the church has recognized and accepted healthy intramural debate on a number of secondary eschatological distinctives. Yet we must recognize that even in the field of eschatology, certain core issues define the fundamentals and set the parameters of the historic, corporate, public, universal, systematic Christian faith. These are among the very sine qua non of Christian truth claims as revealed in Scripture and believed in history.<!–more–>

In these troubling times in which we live, it is necessary to commit ourselves to the full integrity of the faith once for all delivered to the saints. Thus, we the undersigned do make this statement on biblical eschatology.


Have We Missed the Second Coming:have-we-missed-the-second-coming
A Critique of the Hyper-preterist Error
by Ken Gentry

This book offers a brief introduction, summary, and critique of Hyper-preterism. Don’t let your church and Christian friends be blindfolded to this new error. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

For more Christian educational materials: www.KennethGentry.com


Statement

We hereby adopt the following position concerning the unorthodox eschatological doctrine of Full Preterism, Hyper-preterism, or any other Eschatological System promoting any one or all of the following errors which are contrary to the Holy Scriptures, historic creeds and confessions. ↵

1. That original sin plunged Adam into spiritual death only, and not into physical death [Genesis 2 & 3; Romans 5:12-19; Ephesians 2:13].

2. That Christ does not have (or retain) a physical body consequent upon His resurrection from death [1 Corinthians 15:3-8; John 20:25-28; Romans 8:34]; or

3. That the sacraments (ordinances) of the church no longer exist for this generation, that the institutional visible Church does not exist, refusing to recognize her officers, authority, and membership [Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:25-26]; or

4. That the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is already past and fulfilled (AD70) therefore denying a physical visible return of Christ at the end of history [Acts 1:8-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17]; or

5. That there is no physical Resurrection of the bodies of believers and non-believers at the consummation of history [John 5:21, 28-29; Romans 8:22-23; Philippians 3:21]; or

6. That there is no future Final Judgment of all men [Matthew 13:36-43; John 5:28-29; Acts 17:31; 2 Peter 2:4-9]; or

7. That there is no end to history in which Christ completes His victory over sin and death. [1 Corinthians 15:22-26; John 6:40, 44, 54; 11:24; 2 Peter 3:12-13]; or

Whereas, these views represent an attack upon and undermining of the holy catholic faith once delivered unto the saints,

Therefore, in the certain Hope of the Resurrection, at the Second Coming of Christ, and the Final Judgment at the end of history, we do hereby find that Full Preterism, Hyper-preterism or any other Eschatological System promoting any one or all of these errors is errant, heretical, and apostate, being therefore contrary to evangelical orthodoxy.

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God Gave Wine (by Ken Gentry)

A biblical defense of moderate alcohol consumption. Considers all key biblical passages and engages the leading objections.

See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com


INTRODUCING REVELATION

PMW 2026-074 by Larry E. Ball

Gentry note:
I am continuing introduces Larry Ball’s insightful primer on Revelation, titled Blessed Is He Who Reads. This article provides a brief review of some important issues necessary for entering into the Book of Revelation. I think you will find these words — and the whole book! — a valuable resource. And now from Larry Ball:

A Short Review

Before I look at the first few verses of Revelation chapter 1, I will review the principle of historical limitation that I described previously. Even though the Bible is written for us, not everything in the Bible is written to us. This is not being disrespectful to the Bible, nor does it deny that God through the ministry of the Holy Spirit can speak to us in his Word as we read it or hear it preached. It is simply being honest in recognizing that the Bible as a whole was not written directly to us. I will apply this to Revelation, but first I need to clarify a few things, and consider some significant points made by John in the first few verses of Revelation. Afterwards I will return to our main premise about how historical limitation applies to this text. Continue reading →

BLESSED IS HE WHO READS

PMW 2026-073 by Larry E. Ball

Gentry note:
Victorious Hope Publishing released this book by long-time (now retired PCA pastor, Larry E. Ball. It is an excellent, fully orthodox, (partial) preterist commentary on Revelation. Larry’s pastoral experience and excellent research has allowed him to compose this very readable, very insightful Primer on the Book of Revelation. This article is his Introduction to the work. I highly recommend your buying it for yourself, and to recommend for a Sunday school or small group Bible study. Now for Larry’s introduction:

What is a Primer?

This book is intended to be a primer (pronounce like “prim and proper”) on the book of Revelation. A primer is a book for beginners, presenting the most basic elements of a field of study. It is a first step toward understanding something more complicated. Actually, a primer assumes you know very little about a particular subject. It is an introduction to a particular topic that may encourage you to pursue your own study in more detail and depth. Continue reading →

THE CONSUMMATE STATE

PMW 2026-072 by Geerhardus Vos

From: Geerhardus Vos, “Eschatology, of the New Testament,” ed. James Orr et al., The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (Chicago: Howard-Severance, 1915), 1:991.

Gentry note: This material overlaps a little with my preceding posting also from Vos’ writings. The following is Vos’ work:

Side-by-side with “the future age,” and characterizing it from a less formal point of view, is the phrase “kingdom of God.” This designates the consummate state, as it will exist for believers after the judgment. Jesus, while making the kingdom a present reality, yet continues to speak of it in accordance with its original eschatological usage as “the kingdom” which lies in the future (Matt. 13:43; 25:34; 26:29; Mark 9:47; Luke 12:32; 13:28, 29; 21:31). With Paul the phrase bears preponderatingly an eschatological sense, although occasionally he uses it of the present state of believers (Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 4:20; 6:9, 10; 15:24, 50; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5; Col. 1:13; 4:11; 1 Thess. 2:12; 2 Thess. 1:5; 2 Tim. 4:1, 18). Elsewhere in the NT the eschatological use occurs in Hebrews 12:28; James 2:5; 2 Peter 1:11; and Revelation 11:15. Continue reading →

VOS ON THE NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH

PMW 2026-070 by Geerhardus Vos

Gentry note: This material is taken from Geerhardus Vos, Reformed Dogmatics: A System of Christian Theology, trans. by Richard B. Gaffin Jr (Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham, 2020 [original handwritten Dutch version, 1896; first printing, 1910]), 1152–53. It is an important counter to the modern neo-Gnosticism controlling hyper-preterism. I highly recommend securing a copy of Gaffin’s translation of Vos’ Reformed Dogmatics at: https://www.amazon.com/Reformed-Dogmatics-Single-Christian-Theology/dp/1683594193

The following is Vos’ work:

The New World

35. What will precede the consummate salvation of the children of God? Continue reading →

SCHOLARLY ADVOCATES OF SIX-DAY CREATION

PMW 2026-069 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Too many Christians dismiss six-day creationism as naive. They usually do so in order to avoid being mocked by evolutionist Christians. This is unfortunate because there are many scholars who hold to six-day creation. Perhaps a survey of some of these names will be encouraging to my readers. The Six-day Creationist view that I hold, and which I present and defend, stands upon the exegetical observations of well-argued, long-standing, traditional orthodoxy — an orthodoxy including many noteworthy biblical and exegetical scholars from the past and the present. Continue reading →

MY WORK ON THE TWO AGES (Part 4)

PMW 2026-068 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is my third posting on the reason I am writing a book on the two ages doctrine of redemptive history. If you don’t believe me, just count them. We now come to an important historical application of this study:

My theological concerns

The third issue prompting this book is my deep concern over the troubling development of a new heterodox theology rooted in (though not limited to) eschatology. This theology has set itself over against historic Christian doctrine, and is known by orthodox Christians as “hyper-preterism.”

Three fundamental, core errors of “hyper-preterism” that render it heterodox define the system in all of its various, differing, and competing forms. These include its denials of: (1) a future, physical, bodily return of Christ, (2) a future, physical, bodily resurrection of the dead, and (3) a future, physical, restored new creation. [1] However, hyper-preterism is mutating over time, such that its errors are not confined just to eschatology but are negatively impacting numerous other areas of theology. Continue reading →