Category Archives: Age(s) (Two Ages)

MATTHEW 22, MARRIAGE, AND ETERNITY

Age(s) (Two Ages), Eternity, New Creation April 25, 2025 1 Comment

PMW 2025-032 by Michael Allen

Gentry note:

The following discussion is taken from Michael Allen’s contribution to Michael Whittmer, ed., Four Views on Heaven published by Zondervan and available on Amazon. I found this material on pages 124–25 helpful as I am working on my Two Ages book. I will be dealing with Matthew 22 and Jesus’ rebuke of the Sadducees regarding marriage and eternity. You will have to see the book to get the full text and footnotes.

Michael Allen writes:

It has been asked: How will we relate to our spouses and other family members? Will there be marriage, sex, or family units in our final state? Will we remain gendered, and if so, will we wear clothes? It may be helpful to begin reflection elsewhere, to use this question as a teaching moment for a wider principle. Likely no text has so generated eschatological speculation as has Isaiah 60:5, 9 with its reference to the ships of Tarshish bringing treasures into the storehouse of Zion. Many that here is warrant for confidence that the aesthetic or productive triumphs of society will persist into the eschaton. Labor invested in earthly affairs has value not only for today but bright hope for tomorrow too. Continue reading →

THE TWO AGES, PAUL, AND JESUS

Age(s) (Two Ages), Uncategorized February 21, 2025 Comments: 5

Vos Reformed EschatologyPMW 2025-015 by Geehardus Vos

Gentry note:
I have recently edited several of Geerhardus Vos’ important eschatological articles and chapters in a new book: Reformed Eschatology in the Writings of Gerhardus Vos. Bill Boney and I have brought them up to date in terms of style and layout, making them easier to read for a 21st century Christian. This is a small section touching on the important issues of the two ages, which is a concept I will be explicating in a new book later this year. This material is found in our edited book on pages 10–16.

Paul’s Distinction from the Old Testament

In distinction from the OT point of view, the structure of Paul’s eschatology appears antithetical. It places the end under the control of one principle with the sway of which an opposite principle of equally comprehensive rule and of primordial origin is contrasted. This is done so as to make the two, when taken together, yield a bisection of universal history. By giving the soteric movement this cosmical setting it claims for it the significance of a central world-process, around the core of which all happenings in the course of time group themselves. By this one stroke order is brought into the disconnected multitudinousness of events. Continue reading →

TWO AGES ARE NOT TWO COVENANTS

Age(s) (Two Ages) December 10, 2024 Leave a comment

Two ages sunPMW 2024-095 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Through my GoodBirth Ministries I am seeking to raise support to allow me to work virtually full time on a new book on the two ages of redemptive history. This two-age concept, along with its corollary, the “Now but Not Yet” principle, are essential for understanding God’s plan in history. Much confusion regarding this matter reigns among evangelical Christians, especially among those who are not well-trained in academic issues related to eschatology.

In this article I simply want to briefly introduce the idea of the two ages. And I want to do so by showing that it has wide support among the three major eschatological views (obviously excluding dispensationalism, which is losing its academic voice in the market place of ideas). In my planned book on the two ages, I will provide about 250 pages of arguments to flesh out this crucial matter. But for now, I will show that I am not alone! Continue reading →

VOS INTRODUCTION TO THE TWO AGES

Age(s) (Two Ages) September 10, 2024 Leave a comment

Vos Reformed EschatologyPMW 2024-071 by Geerhardus Vos

Gentry introductory note:

This article includes a portion of Geerhardus Vos’s “The Eschatology of the New Testament.” Herein Vos provides us with a helpful introduction to the Two Age structure of redemptive history. Too many Internet theologues are confused on the matter and therefore confused on New Testament eschatology itself. And some have even abandoned historic Christian orthodoxy on the matter. Thus, they even deny the bodily resurrection at the end of history — because they deny an end to history!

Though Vos is a vigorous amillennialist, this is not a necessary result of the Two Age doctrine. Rather it is a possible result. The Two Age view is widely held, especially in Reformed circles. We can see this at work among Reformed postmillennialists such as B. B. Warfield, John Murray, Greg Bahnsen, Keith Mathison, and others. For example, see: https://wordpress.com/post/postmillennialworldview.com/18460

Continue reading →

NEW BOOK: VOS ON ESCHATOLOGY

Age(s) (Two Ages), Books September 4, 2024 Leave a comment

Vos Reformed EschatologyNOTE FROM KEN GENTRY

Bill Boney and I have taken several of Geerhardus Vos’ most insightful studies on eschatology and brought them into this one book. But we did not simply cut-and-paste Vos’ articles: we updated their early 19th century style and grammar to fit with 21st century publishing standards. We did not change any of Vos’ arguments in the process. If you love Vos, you will love this updated version of his eschatological writings. This book will ship in October but can be pre-ordered today at: https://axeheadpress.com/products/reformed-eschatology-in-the-writings-of-geerhardus-vos

NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER, AXEHEAD PRESS

Our latest title Reformed Eschatology in the Writings of Geerhardus Vos, edited by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr. and Bill Boney, is available for pre-orders now. (Get your copy while it is called “today”!)

In this quick email, I’d like to share something I personally found interesting from reading this book.
Continue reading →

NEW BOOK ON GEERHARDUS VOS’ ESCHATOLOGY

Age(s) (Two Ages), Theologians June 21, 2024 Leave a comment

PMW 2024-049 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.Vos Geerhardus

Bill Boney, a good friend of mine, and I have co-edited a book that should be released later this Summer. I hope this work will be well received not only in the Reformed world, but also more widely in the evangelical realm. We are thankful for the skillful competence of our publisher Kyle Shepherd who has pressed us to complete and release this work

What is this book? And what is it all about? It’s working title (which could change) is The Reformed Eschatology of Geerhardus Vos. Continue reading →