PMW 2026:014 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.
This the second article in my study of postmillennialism in creation and fall. In my previous article I pointed out the significance of the sabbath principle that promises us divinely-ordained, glorious rest. But now we must look at exactly how this ultimate consummate rest impacts our understanding of postmillennial progress. This lead us to:
THE GRADUALISM PRINCIPLE
As I have shown, creation has a glorious goal: our ultimate rest will occur at the end of history. Yet we must see that it begins to transpire within history as God providentially moves history toward his ordained goal of rest. So as we consider how the postmillennial hope is impacted by this, we must understand how God created world.
God created the universe by means of a gradual, unfolding process, rather than instantaneously all at once. Certainly God could have easily created the universe in its fullness immediately by the almighty power of his spoken word. After all, that very word created the sun, moon, and stars in an instant on Day 4 of creation week (Gen. 1:14–17)! As the Psalmist notes: “by the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host…. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psa. 33:6, 9).
Greatness of the Great Commission (by Ken Gentry)
An insightful analysis of the full implications of the great commission as given in Matthew 28:18-20. Impacts postmillennialism as well as the whole Christian worldview.
See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com
Yet God does not create the world and the universe instantly. Instead, he has left us an instructive revealed pattern by which he created: the principle of gradualism.
It is certainly true that God engages in an accelerated gradualism: consuming only six days for the creation of the entire universe! Nevertheless it does involve a step-by-step process unfolding over a period of time.
Augustine did not accept a literal six-day creation process. Rather, regarding the Genesis 1 account, he held that: “we should not think of those days as solar days…. He made that which gave time its beginning, as He made all things together, disposing them in an order based not on intervals of time but on causal connections” (On the Literal Meaning of Genesis). Clearly he believed in the simultaneous creation of all things in an instant, i.e., “He made all things together.”
Yet despite Augustine, the creation account revealed at the very foundational beginning of Scripture teaches us the important principle of gradualism. And this gradualism principle is a divine method frequently engaged in Scripture after creation. Note the following few samples:
Redemption. God promises redemption immediately after sin enters into the human race. While confronting the serpent/Satan (the agent of the fall of Adam and Eve), the Lord God declares: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel” (Gen. 3:15). This is known as the protoevangelium, “the first promise of the gospel.” Here God promises the crushing of Satan by the offspring of the woman (Christ).
Postmillennialism Made Easy (by Ken Gentry)
Basic introduction to postmillennialism. Presents the essence of the postmillennial argument and answers the leading objections. And all in a succinct, introductory fashion.
See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com
And yet the accomplishing of this redemptive hope does not follow until thousands of years after Adam, when Christ finally comes “in the fulness of time” (Gal. 4:4; Eph. 1:10). Thus, we read in 1 Peter 1:10–11: “As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.”
God could have sent Christ immediately upon the fall. But he does not. Rather, God gradually makes various separations in the human race, until it narrows down to the Man, Jesus Christ.
Revelation. Rather than giving his total special revelation all at once, God gradually unfolds his revealed word through the centuries. This begins with Moses and transpires over a period of roughly 1,500 years (from Moses’ time in 1450 BC until the completion of the New Testament). Thus, we read in Hebrews 1:1–2a: “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son.”
Once again God could have easily given his revelation all at once. He certainly gave Moses much revelation in a relatively short period of time. But he does not give the fullness of his revelation immediately. He takes hundreds of years to unfold his word to his people. Thus the gradualism principle is operating once again.
In fact, we see this important fact embodied in Jesus’ promise to send the Spirit to the disciples after he leaves the world. Though the Lord of glory had carefully taught his disciples over a period of 3.5 years of intensive training, he promises that “when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13a; cp. John 14:26). At the completion of the Lord’s earthly ministry, they still do not have all that is necessary yet. We have the whole New Testament remaining to be revealed.
Sanctification. In our personal salvation we have two important matters at work, one comes instantaneously all-at-once; the other comes gradually through the passing of time. Justification is a once-for-all act: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Rom. 4:2–3) and “having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through out Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).
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
But this justification gives rise to sanctification, which comes by life-long process. “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12–13).
Calling. Though God places Adam in the Garden of Eden with a command to cultivate the soil there (Gen. 2:15), he expects Adam to begin working out the implications of the Cultural Mandate into all the world: “God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” Chung notes that “Adam’s rule was anticipated to be extended to the entire creation beyond the boundary of the garden of Eden.” [1] This obviously requires a long, slow process.
Conquest. But not only do we see gradualism operating in these important theological realities, but even in more local, historical matters. In Deuteronomy 7:22 we read: “And the Lord your God will clear away these nations before you little by little; you will not be able to put an end to them quickly, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you.” Here Moses specifically informs Israel that gradual conquest is for her good, allowing her people to conquer where they could secure and maintain control.
House Divided: The Break-up of Dispensational Theology
By Greg Bahnsen and Ken Gentry
This book presents and defends Christian Reconstruction theology, particularly theonomic ethics and postmillennial eschatology. It does to by responding to dispensationalism’s social and exegetical theology.
For more educational materials: www. KennethGentry.com
THE KINGDOM AND GRADUALISM
Thus, we should expect that the coming of Christ’s kingdom in history would transpire gradually over time. And this we discover in fact. We are in the kingdom now, but are a part of its continuing unfolding in history. Consider the following passages:
Daniel 2:31–45. In Daniel Christ’s kingdom comes down to earth as a stone smiting the world kingdom, which exists under a fourth imperial rule. As we read through the passage we learn that the kingdom gradually grows to become a great mountain in the earth:
“You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces . . . . And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” (Dan 2:34–35, 44)
In this imagery we have both linear continuity over time and upward development: the stone grows to become a “great mountain.” We also witness struggle and resistance: the stone smashes the image. Finally, we rejoice in its fortunes: the God-defying image is thoroughly crushed.
Ezekiel 17:22–24. Here in Ezekiel God promises to establish the kingdom as a small “sprig from the lofty top of the cedar.” Then he will nurture it until it becomes “a stately cedar.” Ultimately, it will produce great boughs so that “birds of every kind will nest under it.” This growth is certain for “I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will perform it.”
Ezekiel 47:1–9. Later in Ezekiel, we discover redemption flowing forth from God’s temple as an ever-deepening stream. The waters of life trickle from under the altar, first “to the ankles” (Eze. 47:3), then they flow gradually deeper to the knees (47:4a), then deeper still to the loins (47:4b), until the stream finally becomes “a river that I could not ford” (47:5). This is the river of life (47:9).
In fact, in John 7:38 Christ presents himself as fulfilling this prophecy from Ezekiel. This water-from-the-altar is quite consistent with Christ’s presenting himself as the true temple (John 2:19–21). In John 7:38 we read: “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” At Pentecost the torrential flow of the living water begins in earnest (Acts 2:33).
Three Views on the Millennium and Beyond (ed. by Darrell Bock)
Presents three views on the millennium: progressive dispensationalist, amillennialist, and reconstructionist postmillennialist viewpoints. Includes separate responses to each view. Ken Gentry provides the postmillennial contribution.
See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com
Matthew 13. The Kingdom Parables speak of the kingdom’s growing increase in external size and transformational influence. Matthew 13:3–9 portrays the kingdom as scattered seed that gradually grows to bear abundant fruit. Matthew 13:31–33 likens the kingdom’s external growth to a mustard seed which becomes a great plant and its internal penetration working like a little leaven leavening three entire bushels of meal. In Mark 4 God’s kingdom begins as mere seed (Mark 4:26), then it puts forth the blade, then the head, the mature grain (Mark 4:27–28).
Matthew 28:18–20. When Christ issues the Great Commission, he undoubtedly expects the consuming of much time. He calls for the discipling of “all the nations” of the earth (Matt. 28:19). This will not occur dramatically, all at once, but over time through history. That is, literally through “all the days” (pasas tas hemeras) of history to the very “end of the age” (28:20).
CONCLUSION
The principle of gradualism has long been the method of God and the experience of God’s people in Scripture. We must recognize this important redemptive-historical means of divine operation. In short, this principle expects the kingdom’s developmental unfolding and incremental expansion to grow slowly over time in the historical long run. We must note that God’s redemptive kingdom also develops incrementally through history, progressing from small, imperceptible beginnings to a glorious, dominant, worldwide conclusion.
History has a God-ordained goal: the glorious, consummate rest that God typologically presented in Eden. But that goal unfolds gradually over time. This is the postmillennial hope.
The Truth about Postmillennialism
By Ken Gentry
A group Bible study guide for explaining the optimistic prophetic hope for this world to be accomplished before Christ’s Second Coming. Establishes the postmillennial system in both the Old and New Testaments. Touches on key eschatological issues, such as creation, covenant, interpretive methodolgy, the great tribulation, the Book of Revelation, the Jewish Temple, and more. It presents and answers the leading objections to postmillennialism.Twelve chapters are ideal for one quarter of Sunday School.
See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com
NOTE
- Chung in Blomberg and Chung, Historic Premillennialism, 139.
Postmillennial Worldview 
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