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What Is Preterism and Why This New Website?
I run into Christians regularly,
who, when confronted with the word “preterist,” blurt out the question, “What’s that?” As I write this, preterism is certainly not the most widely known view of Bible prophecy
on the planet, but give us another 50 years and that may not be the case anymore! It
is growing rapidly, especially in the Reformed church community, and many consider it a continuation of the 16th
century Protestant Reformation. In fact, one preterist author, John Noe, has
posted “The 9.5 Theses for the Next Reformation.” It is unquestionably
the view held by the first century believers.
The word “preterist”
or “preterism,” of course, means past fulfillment. Simply expressed,
the word refers to that view of Bible prophecy which recognizes that all of the O.T. and N.T. prophecies of future redemptive
and soteriological events were fulfilled completely at the time of the Roman invasion of Jerusalem and the burning of its Temple
in A.D. 70. This was “the end of the world” to those believers of
Jesus’ day! Naturally, the ongoing effects of this awesome, world-shattering
series of events continue even to this day…and forever!
“Impossible!!”
you say? Take another look, my friend.
There are many scholars down through the eras of church history who have taught that Jesus Christ and His disciples
actually believed the Second Coming and related events would take place in that first century generation. But most of these scholars, while admitting this undeniable fact, diligently labor in an effort to side-step
or explain away the plain teachings of Christ and His inspired writers. Commentary
after commentary has been written, lecture after lecture has been proclaiming, that most end time events were not actually
fulfilled in the first century as Jesus said they would be, but await the end of time to be finally and completely fulfilled
– still in our future.
This writer has confronted
Christian scholars and laymen who openly display a studied and almost stubborn reluctance to part with the futurist views
that they have been taught. The cost of abandoning futurism is high – too
high for many scholars and pastors to pay!
Pause for a moment and consider
what is involved here. I’ll list just a few things below:
1. Pastor, elder and deacon ordination vows may be placed in jeopardy!
2. Loss of pastoral occupational positions and accompanying family stress!
3. A partial revision of the great ecumenical creeds and confessions!
4. Hundreds of Bible commentaries and study guides needing to be rewritten!
5. Seminaries needing to revise large portions
of their curriculum!
6. The man-in-the-pew may feel betrayed at the hands of those he trusted!
So…is it worth it? In the final analysis, it boils down to the question: Does truth really matter more
than the things listed above? Does God honor His truth more than outward unity? Could the church have been mistaken on these things for over 1900 years?
Ask yourself this question: Am I safe to continue to ignore these teachings of Jesus and instead embrace the teachings
that are not supported by the Word of God? Why would I want to believe something,
however traditional it might be, if it did not agree with God’s Holy Word? Do
I want to stand with tradition rather than the truth? (John 14:6).
This is why I decided to
bring many of my written articles on preterism together “under one roof” and add more articles from time to time. I believe that the truth of God’s Word stands supreme, and that God will honor
those who take a stand for it.
Now to the website: You might
wish to begin with The Bridge from Futurism to Preterism or Our Presuppositions Make the Difference or, if you are a listener to Family Radio, to one of the letters I wrote to their president, Harold Camping.
Remember to sign my Guestbook
below the Links area. Thank you! And
of course always feel free to email me at preteristAD70@uReach.com. I will try to answer your questions, or help you,
in any way that I can, to come to a more perfect understanding of the prophetic scriptures.
If you are already a preterist, never cease to thank your Sovereign Lord for opening your eyes to the truth that His
Son spoke so long ago, and which is so important in being faithful today while we are still living the Christian life.
Walt Hibbard
Wilmington, Delaware
August 2005
