PMW 2025-033 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In 1 Corinthians 15:58, we reach Paul’s argumentative conclusion to 1 Corinthians. This verse closes out the great resurrection chapter upon which Paul exhorts: “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you” (NIV). Standing firm on the resurrection has been the historic commitment of orthodox Christianity for 2000 years. However, recently not only has liberalism undercut the resurrection, but so has the semi-cultic hyper-preterist movement.

Unfortunately, the hyper-preterist movement, as Hal Lindsey may have expressed it (until his recent change of eschatology), is alive and well on Planet Earth. It is actively at work rejecting and/or re-working long-held eschatological doctrines, but not silently and in a corner. Rather they do so activistically publicly promoting their various (growing number of) heresies. This tragedy has arisen due to a very prideful error: the replacing of sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) with solo Scriptura (I alone am the interpreter of Scripture). “I know more than the church of all ages; I do not have to stand on the shoulders of giants.”

Defining hyper-preterism is difficult in some respects. This is because there are several main camps with widely divergent views of crucial defining features. But at the very heart of the matter, hyper-preterists are (in one way or another) rejecting three of the key issues highlighted in biblical eschatology: (1) the future, bodily second coming of Christ, (2) the material, eternal, bodily resurrection of the dead, and (3) the final judgment of all men that ends history. These are the very issues a group of theological friends of Gary DeMar put to him, seeking a simple yes or no answer regarding whether or not he accepted them. He declined to answer with a yes or no.

The Hyper-preterist Menace

The eschatological error in hyper-preterism is bad enough. But as they are being swept along by their cheering converts in a classic stage-diving act, their innovative ideas are beginning to erode broader Christian doctrines in their Internet chat-rooms. Such accelerating expansion of theological error should be expected since theology is a seamless garment, as Cornelius Van Til has taught us. Thus, the ripping out of these few (rather large!) eschatological threads starts a process of unraveling other areas of the rich tapestry of biblical theology. Tragically, hyper-preterists are systematically destroying systematic theology.

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

By this I mean that they are reworking several theological loci such as Christology, soteriology, anthropology, cosmology, and more. For instance:

(1) Regarding Christology, many of their leaders deny the ongoing incarnation of Christ. They reject the truth that he is permanently the Son of Man, always possessing the body and soul in which he was incarnated (Col. 2:9). That he continues in his incarnation is seen in his submitting to God the Father at the end of history (1 Cor. 15:28). He does not do this as his co-equal in his divine nature, but in his incarnate state as the God-Man, who is our Mediator with God because of his incarnation (1 Tim. 2:5). [2] They claim that at his ascension, Jesus shed his physical body. They do this without any exegetical warrant, mind you. This is forced on them by their own erroneous theological requirements.

(2) Regarding soteriology and anthropology, they also reject the fullness of personal redemption. They do this by forgetting that God made man with both a material body (flesh) and spiritual soul (Gen. 2:7). Thus, in Scripture and orthodox Christianity, both body and soul are the objects of either redemption (Rom. 8:19, 23) or condemnation (Matt. 10:28).

(3) Regarding cosmology, they also deny the full, final redemption of the God-created universe as the goal of Christ’s redemptive work which results from God’s redemptive plan (Rom. 8:20–21; 1 Cor. 15:27–28), leaving God with a universe forever corrupted by sin and in rebellion against him. And more! And by the way, that redemptive plan began at the fall in Eden (Gen. 3:15). It did not await the arising of Abraham (Gen. 12).

Eventually they should be able to write a Systematic Anti-theology when they complete their destructive overhauling of the Christian faith — a work in progress on the Internet, even as we speak.[1] Hyper-preterist theologues have attempted to design a horse, but have ended up with a camel. Which for them might actually be quite helpful as they wander through the barren wilderness of unsettled theological territory. Sadly, they are selling their Christian birthright for a pot of message.

Reformed Eschatology in the Writings of Geerhardus Vos
Ed. by Ken Gentry and Bill Boney
This is a collection of several key eschatological studies by the renowned Reformed theologian Geehardus Vos. We have modernized Vos’ grammar and syntax and updated his layout style according to modern publishing conventions (shorter sentences and paragraphs). We did this without changing any of Vos’ arguments.

For more information on this new Vos work or to order it, see:
https://www.kennethgentry.com/reformed-eschatology-in-the-writings-of-geerhardus-vos/

My Particular Concern

The particular error that I will be focusing on in this mini-series, however, will be narrow. I will exegetically demonstrate the nature of the resurrection body, which involves the fullness of our redemption. I will be theologically affirming and exegetically defending the doctrine of the physical, material, fleshly resurrection of the dead at the future return of Christ.

Surprisingly, I hold to the Statement of Faith on eschatology of DeMar’s employer, American Vision. That brief statement reads in part:

“We believe in the personal, bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ at the consummation of history. The dead, consisting of believers and non-believers, shall be raised up in final judgment. Those who are saved shall be raised up unto everlasting life and those who have rejected Christ unto eternal damnation” (see: Statement of Faith).

Unfortunately, this brief Statement of Faith does not state the matter fully enough (by the very nature of the case, creedal statements, cannot cover everything — so this is not a complaint, but simply an observation). But the AV Statement does clearly hold to “the personal, bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ,” noting that it has not yet occurred (at AD 70 or any other time) because it is awaiting “the consummation of history.” Two views which DeMar himself no longer affirms as matters of biblical revelation.

And the AV Statement also states that “the dead, consisting of believers and non-believers, shall be raised up in final judgment.” This part of the Statement obviously holds that it has not happened yet for it awaits the time in the future when they “shall be raised up.” And this affirms the corporate nature of the resurrection, rather than individualistic-at-the-moment-of-death view. Yet, this Statement does not touch on the nature of the resurrection body that lies in our future. Yet what this Statement does affirm is something which DeMar no longer holds. For he believes we receive our resurrection bodies (bodies composed of spirit rather than matter) at the moment of our individual deaths in history.

The Truth about Salvation By Ken Gentry

A study guide for personal or small group Bible study. Deals with the Christian doctrine of salvation from a Reformed theological perspective. It opens with a study of God as loving Creator, the shows how the first man fell into sin. Shows God’s righteousness requires that sin be dealt with. Presents Jesus as both God and man so that he can be man’s Savior. Includes review questions and questions for further study.Twelve chapters are ideal for one quarter of Sunday School.

See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com

Conclusion

In this series I will be providing an important exegetical analysis of key portions of 1 Corinthians 15, showing that these do not contradict historic Christian orthodoxy but effectively deny heretical hyper-preterism. I will be dealing with the key issues that trip up the hyper-preterist causing them to stumble off in the wrong direction. In fact, I will be answering the questions that Paul is answering from the proto-Gnostic members of the church at Corinth: “But someone will say, ‘How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?’” (1 Cor. 14:35).

So, along the way we will see what Paul means by “spiritual body” (v. 44), by Christ having become a “life-giving spirit” (v. 45), and his declaring that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (v. 50). These few words in this long and important passage have confused some believers, causing them to become “children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming” (Eph. 4:14).

GOODBIRTH AND THE TWO AGES
I am currently researching a technical study on the concept of the Two Ages in Scripture. This study is not only important for understanding the proper biblical concept of the structure of redemptive history. But it is also absolutely essential for fully grasping the significance of the Disciples’ questions in Matthew 24:3, which spark the Olivet Discourse. This book will be the forerunner to a fuller commentary on the Olivet Discourse in Matthew’s comprehensive presentation. This issue must be dealt with before one can seriously delve into the Discourse itself.

If you would like to support me in my research, I invite you to consider giving a tax-deductible contribution to my research and writing ministry: GoodBirth Ministries. Your help is much appreciated!

Notes

1. I confess that I not only move my lips as I type but I also speak aloud. In fact, I sometimes do so with an acoustic megaphone. But my wife is glad that I at least quit yodeling in my sleep.

2. It has been well-stated that: “The Son of God became the Son of Man, so that the sons of men might become the sons of God.”