Category Archives: Objections

666 AS A HEBREW MISSPELLING?

Objections, Revelation September 16, 2025 Comments: 3

PMW 2025-073 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In this reply to preterist opponents, I will answer the question:
What about the defective spelling of Nero’s name necessary for the value 666? To get the proper value of 666 out of the name Nero Caesar requires an unusual spelling of his name.

This problem is not insuperable, for we do find this spelling in Aramaic documents from Nero’s reign. Who is to say John could not use a defective spelling, especially one which we actually find from that time period? Continue reading →

1 JOHN 2:2 BY B. B. WARFIELD (3)

New Testament, Objections, Optimism September 9, 2025 Comments: 3

Cross and world“Jesus Christ the Propitiation for the Whole World” (3)
PMW 2025-071 by Benjamin B. Warfield

[Gentry note: This is part 3 of an excellent article by renowned postmillennial Princeton scholar, B. B. Warfield.]

The Meaning of “Propitiation”

The expedient made use of by many commentators in their endeavor to escape from this maze of contradictions is to distinguish between Christ as our “Advocate” and Christ as our “Propitiation,” and to connect actual salvation with him only in the former function. Thus Richard Rothe tells us that “the propitiation in Christ concerns the whole world,” but “only those in Christ have an advocate in Christ,” with the intimation that it is Christ’s advocacy which “makes the efficacy of his propitiation effective before God.” In this view the propitiation is conceived as merely laying a basis for actual forgiveness of sins, and is spoken of therefore rather as “sufficient” than efficacious—becoming efficacious only through the act of faith on the part of the believer by which he secures Christ as his Advocate. This is the view presented by B. F. Westcott also, according to whom Christ is advocate exclusively for Christians, while he is a propitiation for the whole world. His propitiatory death on earth was for all men; his advocacy in heaven is for those only who believe in him. Here, there is a universal atonement taught, with a limited application, contingent on actual faith: “the efficacy of his work for the individual depends upon fellowship with him.” Continue reading →

1 JOHN 2:2 BY B. B. WARFIELD (2)

New Testament, Objections, Optimism September 5, 2025 Leave a comment

Savior of world“Jesus Christ the Propitiation for the Whole World” (2)
PMT 2025-070 by Benjamin B. Warfield

[Gentry note: This is part 2 of an excellent article by renowned postmillennial Princeton scholar, B. B. Warfield.]

“And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.”
(1 John 2:2)

The Problem of “the World”

The search for John’s meaning naturally begins with an attempt to ascertain what he intends by “the world.” He sets it in contrast with an “our” by which primarily his readers and himself are designated: “And he is himself a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but for the whole world.” John’s readers apparently are immediately certain Christian communities in Asia Minor; and it is possible to confine the “our” strictly to them. In that case it is not impossible to interpret “the whole world,” which is brought into contrast with the Christians specifically of Asia Minor, as referring to the whole body of Christians extended throughout the world. Continue reading →

1 JOHN 2:2 BY B. B. WARFIELD (1)

Objections, Optimism September 2, 2025 Leave a comment

Cross all men“Jesus Christ the Propitiation for the Whole World” (1)
PMW 2025-069 by Benjamin B. Warfield

[Gentry note: This is an excellent article by renowned postmillennial Princeton scholar, B. B. Warfield.]

“And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.”
(1 John 2:2)

As a means of comforting Christians distressed by their continued lapses into sin, John, in the opening words of the second chapter of his first Epistle, is led to assure them that “we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, a Righteous One”; and by way of showing how prevailing his advocacy is, to add, “And he is himself a propitiation for our sins.” There he might well have stopped. Continue reading →

BIBLICAL OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED (1)

Objections January 7, 2025 Leave a comment

Bible DebatePMW 2025-002 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In this brief series I am considering objections thrown up against the postmillennial hope. The most serious class of problems for any eschatological system is the biblical objection. If one’s eschatology does not arise from Scripture itself, it is not a biblical doctrine. We must have a “thus saith the Lord” justifying our prophetic system. Let us consider some of the leading biblical texts brought against the postmillennial hope.

MATTHEW 7:13–14

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

This famous passage seems to undermine the postmillennial hope of a world converted to Christ. How does postmillennialism account for this comment by our Lord himself? Continue reading →

DOCTRINAL OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED

Objections January 3, 2025 Leave a comment

Sin 2PMW 2025-001 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

As I am considering objections to postmillennialism, I will not move from popular practical objections to a more serious class of objections: those related to doctrinal issues. Eschatology is a doctrine, therefore, any doctrinal problems would be self-destructive for the system.

“SIN UNDERMINES THE POSTMILLENNIAL HOPE”

Many evangelical scholars reject postmillennialism because of the Bible’s strong commitment to the doctrine of sin. According to amillennialist Hanko, postmillennialism “is a mirage, therefore, a false hope, because it fails to reckon properly with the fact of sin” and “cannot take sin as seriously as do the Scriptures.” This sounds like a strong objection on the surface. Its beauty, however, is only skin deep. Continue reading →

PRACTICAL OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED

Objections December 31, 2024 Leave a comment

Globe meltingPMW 2024-101 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Ironically, the most hope-filled eschatology is the least liked in our contemporary setting. And this despite its strong presence in the 1600-early 1900s. As we contemplate this fact, we must recognize that the most popular objections against postmillennialism are practical concerns. They are frequently brought against postmillennialism in the popular literature. But to no avail, for there are easy answers to them. Let’s see how this is so.

“World conditions contradict postmillennialism”

Too many evangelicals get their understanding of biblical prophecy from reading the newspapers through their faulty interpretive lens. They point out a truly conservative Christian concern: America is in a great moral and spiritual decline today. And such a decline contradicts postmillennialism’s historical expectations. For instance, dispensationalist theologian Paul N. Benware responds against postmillennialism that “the idea that the world is getting better and better does not at all seem to be in line with reality. The evidence points rather to a world that is growing more and more wicked.”]
Continue reading →