Category Archives: Optimism

UNDERSTANDING POSTMILLENNIALISM

Optimism May 26, 2026 Leave a comment

PMW 2026-038 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Postmillennialism is perhaps the easiest eschatological position to misunderstand in our era and therefore inadvertently to misrepresent. Consequently, we must remind our brothers in the debate of postmillennialism’s actual claims. In a Westminster Theological Journal article I wrote a few years ago, I caution non-postmillennialists regarding three faulty assumptions that they must avoid when responding to our eschatological system. And though few competent theologians would intentionally apply these conditions to postmillennialism, I fear that these sometimes lurk unrecognized in the subconscious.

First, postmillennialism neither teaches nor implies universalism. Postmillennialists do not argue that at some point in temporal history each and every individual then living will be saved. Consequently, even at the very height of the postmillennial advance, unbelievers will remain among us, though in a minority status—some as false converts to the faith, others as openly unrepentant resisters. Jesus clearly teaches this in his Parable of the Tares among the Wheat (Matt 13:30), just before declaring the enormous victory of the faith in all the world (Matt 13:31-33). This is a part of the “mysteries of the kingdom” (Matt 13:11): the glorious kingdom of God does not overwhelm the world catastrophically (but grows gradually like a mustard plant and penetrates little-by-little as does leaven) and it will not conquer the world absolutely (but grows to a majoritarian dominance like wheat in the field). Continue reading →

POSTMILLENNIALISM IN CREATION & FALL (2)

Creation, Culture, History, Optimism February 24, 2026 Leave a comment

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.

Continue reading →

POSTMILLENNIALISM IN CREATION & FALL (1)

Creation, Great Commission, Optimism February 20, 2026 Leave a comment

PMW 2026:013 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

As postmillennialists, we should have a strong interest in the creation account in Genesis 1–2. The sovereign God who created all things in the space of six days is the sovereign God who will lead his kingdom to victory in history.

Not only so, but we should note the important linkage of the creation account to the immediately following fall and redemption account in Genesis 3. When these two theologically foundational accounts are read together, we begin seeing very early in Scripture a clear anticipation of the postmillennial hope. Let me explain. 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 →

POSTMILLENNIAL PARABLE OF THE SOWER

Optimism August 19, 2025 Leave a comment

PMW 2025-068 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

The Apostle Matthew appears, at least in part, to place the Kingdom Parables in the narrative context, according to R. T. France, in order to explain the “problems” surrounding the kingdom. In Matthew 12:28 we read: “if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” But if the kingdom now exists, why does it not show itself? Remember: the Jews expect a political Messianic kingdom. Why does it appear so small and weak? Why do so many reject it? Indeed, most of Israel is rejecting the king, as we see in Mt 13:57: “And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his home town, and in his own household.’” Continue reading →