: Full Preterist
Full Preterist
"The bottom line is that it matters, and matters a great deal, whether Jesus came in the first century as he said he was going to do! If he did not come as he promised, then he lied or he failed, and thus, he is not the Son of God and the Bible is not his word" (Don Preston, FAQ, Eschatology.org)
Specific Distinctions
Christ's return did not end history
The 2nd Coming of Christ occurred in 70 AD
All Bible prophecy, including the Book of Revelation, was fulfilled by 70 AD
No future rapture, no future Antichrist, no future 7 year Tribulation, no future return of Christ or literal 1000 year Millennium
Sin, death, marriage, children, wars, famines will continue on earth ‗after the time of the end' outside of the New Jerusalem
Satan and the lost in Hades were cast into the Lake of Fire in 70 AD
Some believe all the saved whether living or dead were raptured or resurrected in 70 AD and received their eternal reward
Some believe the rapture in 70 AD was a spiritual rapture bringing the believer into the New Covenant blessings of Christ
The resurrection is the believer’s rebirth; there will be no future bodily resurrection
Believers who die are ushered into the presence of the Lord receiving new spiritual bodies, not resurrected physical ones
Background:
Luis de Alcazar (1554-1613), a Jesuit priest, wrote a 900 page commentary titled, "Investigation of the Hidden Sense
of the Apocalypse," which proposes the entire book of Revelation be applied to pagan Rome and the first six centuries of the Church's existence. Some say it was to throw off criticism of the Catholic Church being the ‗Great Whore of Babylon'.
Works:
Landmark book was by Congregationalist minister J. Stuart Russell's (1816-1895) ‗The Parousia' (1878)
Recently promoted by Church of Christ's Max King's ‗The Cross and the Parousia of Christ' (1987)
Don K. Preston: Who is This Babylon? (Second Edition), The Last Days Identified, Can God Tell Time?, Israel: 1948, Countdown
To Nowhere, Leaving the Rapture Behind, Seventy Weeks are Determined...for the Resurrection
Samuel M. Frost: Misplaced Hope: The Origins of First and Second Century Eschatology (2002)
John Noe: Shattering the 'Left Behind' Delusion (1999)
Edward E. Stevens: Expectations Demand a Rapture; What Did Christ Promise? What Did They Expect? (2002)
Theological Persuasion:
Some are Calvinists and some are Arminians
Some are Reconstructionists holding to a ‗Dominion mandate' to Christianize all aspects of society (arts, media, politics) Churches:
Reformed, Presbyterian, Baptist, United Church of Christ, Non-denominational churches
Past Notables:
J. Stuart Russell
David Chilton (1951-1997) became a Full-Preterist in 1994 before his death, changing from a Post-Millennialist
Current Notables:
Don K. Preston, William Bell, John Noe, Ken Davies, Sam Frost, Virgil Vaduva, John L. Bray,
Kurt Simmons, Ward Fenley, John Anderson, Walt Hibbard, Ed Stevens Web Sites:
Preston (www.eschatology.org), Hibbard (www.preteristviewpoint.com), Stevens (www.preterist.org)
Quote:
"Jesus' predictions were fulfilled. He did not fail, nor do we need to engage in theological gymnastics to try to explain-away the seeming delay or postponement of His return. It happened right on schedule. Many knew the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD was important in God's scheme of redemption, but never understood its full significance. It has to do with the consummation of the plan of redemption. The final events of the redemptive drama came to pass in the first century within the apostles' generation (before A.D. 70). Christ's kingdom is here now. Paradise has been restored in Christ (spiritually-speaking). Christ has conquered all His enemies and has given us the Kingdom." (Ed Stevens, What is the Preterest View of Bible Prophecy, Eschatology.org)