Doctrine Of Eschatology In The Pentecostal Church Religion Essay

The philosophy of eschatology like other Christian philosophies is normally understood in assorted ways by assorted bookmans because of its assorted deductions. Some bookmans consider it as a affair of historical phenomenon of Christ ‘s ain yearss of humanity. While others suggest it as a fulfillment of prognostications of Jewish messianic Lordship of the Son of Man as was prophesised by Old Testament prophets.Most of them opine it as a affair related to stop yearss of this age. But I am to concentrate on the returning of Jesus Christ ‘s in the visible radiation of Christ ‘s ain instruction and the deductions of his instructions for the philosophy of eschatology in the Pentecostal church. These deductions may be:

1: – Undetermined clip of his return.

2: – Sign of his return.

3: – Coming of Son of Man on clouds OR ecstasy.

4: – A thousand twelvemonth ‘s reign of Jesus with his saints.

5: – Persecution and trials of the trusters

6: – Battle between Jesus ‘ ground forces and Satan ‘s ground forces.

7: – Concluding judgement of all the states and folks of the universe.

DEFINITION OF PAROUSIA: –

Doctrine of eschatology is frequently substituted with word Parousia. The word Parousia can be defined as: ‘The expected return or the 2nd approach of Jesus Christ in which he will denote the last yearss and the concluding judgement by God of humanity ‘ .

DEFFERNT VIEWS OF SCHOLARS REGARDING THE RETURN OF CHRIST: –

It is noticeable that some bookmans consider the 2nd approach of Christ as an interim phenomenon between Christ ‘s decease, Resurrection and his 2nd coming. But harmonizing to Rudolf Boltzmann ‘s position point, in Jesus ‘ head at that place was to be no interval between his decease and his 2nd coming. He farther argued that Jesus ‘ eschatology is indispensable to hold on the right cognition of his life. Albert Schweitzer like Rudolf emphasised that it was supposed by Christ during his ain life. He insisted: ‘This is besides true with regard to his position that, in Jesus ‘ head, his decease and the Second Coming of the Son of Man were coincident ‘ . Similarly, C.H.Dodd opposed the thought of interim between Christ ‘s decease, Resurrection and 2nd coming on the clouds. Furthermore He highlighted that it is apparent from the Acts and Pauline letters that land of God is already really much in power. He reiterated that it is clear from Christ ‘s ain instructions that his land is already with them. He said: ‘Jesus brought the land and was the land ; the whole composite of events consisting Jesus ‘ ministry, instruction, decease, and Resurrection themselves constitute the coming of the land ‘ .

The comprehensive image of eschatology is clearly seeable in the synoptic Gospels in Mathew: 24, Mark: 13 and Luke: 21. Synoptic Gospels nowadayss Jesus as the Son of Man who will return shortly to take the trusters and justice the universe as is besides written in ( 1thess 4:16-17 ) .But these transitions of Gospels have been wrongly interpreted as is normally said that these transitions of Gospels describe those events that had occurred in Jesus ‘ ain life. But the mention to ‘some standing here who will non savor decease before they see the Son of Man coming in his land ‘ ( Mathew10:28 ) must non be understood as related to the coming of Christ instead this transition clear up the clip span of 40 old ages between the clip of Jesus and the devastation of Jerusalem and temple. Furthermore Mathew 10:23 can non be considered as refering the concluding returning of Jesus Christ ; the indicants to the 2nd approach of the Son of Man and the concluding judgement of the universe are ever emphasized and re-emphasized with the note of hold. This note of hold is once more and once more highlighted in the fables of ‘my maestro is delayed ‘ , ‘the bridegroom was delayed ‘ . Harmonizing to some bookmans, although the marks of Jesus ‘ 2nd coming hold even already come true in his Resurrection, yet his Resurrection can non be taken for his 2nd coming. As a great theologian every bit good a reformist asserted that Christ will come once more. ‘ Calvin affirmed that Christ would come once more, and the redevelopment of the universe had, ” in a mode “ already begun, in Christ ‘s canonized humanity ‘ .

Second coming of Christ like his first coming was prophesied by the Old Testament prophets, particularly by Daniel and Isaiah. Daniel prophesized: ‘ In my vision at dark I looked, and at that place before me was one like boy of adult male, coming with clouds of Eden. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence ‘ . ( Daniel 7:13 ) The 2nd approach of Jesus as a an event of hereafter is besides apparent from the marks of his 2nd approach.

Undetermined TIME OF SECOND COMING OF CHRIST: –

Time of 2nd coming of Jesus is unknown to Humanity because Jesus did non advert precisely when he would return to take his people. It is merely known to God the Father because of his limitless cognition, sovereignty and omnipotence. Jesus said: ‘ No 1 knows about the twenty-four hours or hr, non even the angels in the Eden, nor the Son but merely the Father ‘ . ( Math.24:36 ) Suddenness of Christ ‘s return is explained in the synoptic Gospels in line with the yearss of Noah, an unexpected clip when people were making normal activities of life like now-a-days.

Sign OF CHRIST ‘ S SECOND COMING: –

Many religio-political, socio-economic and natural marks can be taken into history every bit for as 2nd coming of Christ is concerned. The prognostication of future calamities like dearths, temblors, plagues, lifting of one state against another state, land against another land, economic depressions, peculiarly the devastation of the Holy metropolis of Jerusalem is stressed upon in the synoptic Gospels. Pentecostal churches attach much importance to these marks as the eschatological marks of terminal yearss. It is apparent from the day-to-day occurrences of the universe: natural catastrophes in one portion or another portion of the universe. Economic depression and recession throughout the universe is another major factor which is important to the 2nd approach of Christ. Dearths are seeable in the universe today. In the universe Press Report, Michael Ignatieff wrote: ‘ Famine has come to Africa. Again, 26 million people are at hazard in Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Malawi, Angola, and Mozambique. In all these topographic points… .civil war conspires with drouth in pass overing out the human race ‘ .

World faiths and human values are preferred to Christian and religious values because false Prophetss and false Christ, as was prophesized by Christ, are dominant in this universe. States and lands are seen at stickers drawn in today ‘s universe as western states are contending against Eastern states to set up peace in the universe. Nuclear race has started which may take to 3rd universe war. Ecstasy is besides considered indispensable in the Pentecostal church as being a mark of Jesus coming. ‘Rapture is the term normally used to denominate the catching up of Christians at the 2nd coming ‘ .

Second COMING OF CHRIST AND ITS PENTECOSTAL IMPLICATIONS: –

First, Populating trusters will be taken up by Christ to have him.

Second, the Devil will be trapped for a thousand old ages and those who died in Christ will be raised to govern over the universe with Christ for a thousand old ages. It is really important here that some Premillenials are non agreed with the Pentecostalists along with Seventh Day Adventists every bit good as Millenarians on the issue of a thousand old ages reign of Christ.

Third, Satan will be released after a thousand twelvemonth ‘s regulation of Christ and he will arise against the rule of Christ to lead on the states and carry them to war against God. ‘When the thousand old ages are completed, Satan will be released ‘ . Persecution of the church must be occurred and borne by the trusters before the consummation of the universe. ‘The trials will be a clip of alone horror for all those left behind to populate through the concluding seven old ages of this age ‘ . But Satan ‘s rebellion will be destroyed and the dead will be raised to confront the concluding judgement of God, established through Christ who will get the better of the Devil along with his ground forcess.

Finally, there will be concluding judgement in which Christ will divide trusters from the non-believers as sheep from the caprine animals. Those who had been martyred for His name will be privileged to portion the throne with Christ. They will govern over the other states and God will govern over them everlastingly. Every person from all the states is to be judged by God in conformity with their intervention with His adherents every bit good as their plants. As Grey notes: ‘the chief point of the fables about his land is the credence or the rejection of the Christian faith’.Saints will besides acquire a varied grade wages in return of their service for God and His land.

Decision: –

It can be said that although the claims of some bookmans every bit good as sings sing the 2nd approach of Christ has provisionally been proved during and after the life of Christ, yet stances taken by giants of divinity can non be ignored that 2nd coming of Jesus is a phenomenon of future which is apparent from its assorted eschatological deductions. Signs of return of Christ which occur at present yearss are taking this universe to its consummation every bit good as to the Restoration of the original orders of the Earth and Eden which are called new Earth and new Eden.