A. The believer’s death.
1. What death is:
a. The sentence of God upon the sinner.
b. Death can be spoken of in a three-fold sense:
1) Physical death—of the body.
2) Spiritual death—separation from the face of God.
3) Eternal death in hell—the lot of the wicked reprobate.
2. Necessity for the believer’s death:
a. That the generations of the believers may be born.
b. That the grace and power of God may be revealed.
c. That God’s people may reveal their antithetical walk.
d. We must await the final realization of glory.
e. Death is not punishment for the Christian, but entrance into glory.
3. State of the soul after death:
a. False doctrines:
1) Soul sleep.
2) Roman Catholic theory of purgatory.
3) Belief in a “second probation.”
b. We believe in the conscious state of glory immediately after death (Luke 23:43; II Cor. 5:1).
B. The return of Christ:
1. View of pre-millenialism (pre=before; millenialism=1000).
a. This view teaches:
1) The rapture—taking the saints to meet the Lord in the air.
2) Seven years of persecution on the earth.
3) 1000 year reign of Christ in Jerusalem (Rev. 20).
4) Final uprising and destruction of Satan and his hosts after 1000 years.
b. But we believe the view not Scriptural (see: a-millenialism, below).
2. View of post-millenialism (post=after).
a. This earth gradually improves and becomes the kingdom of God.
b. After 1000 years of improvement, Christ comes into a ready-made Kingdom.
c. But:
1) Scripture presents the Kingdom as heavenly, not earthly.
2) It is contrary to experience: wickedness is on the increase.
3. View of a-millenialism (a= not or no).
a. The 1000 years of Rev. 20 is figurative and represents the full time (10X10X10) between the ascension and return of Christ.
b. Shortly before the end, there are increasing signs of His return: Matt. 24.
1) The word is preached over the earth and the elect gathered in.
2) Apostacy increases.
3) There are many earthly tribulations, wars, earthquakes, etc.
c. Then Christ returns on the clouds of heaven with His holy angels.
C. The consummation of all things.
1. The return of Christ:
a. This is personally, visibly, with great power and glory.
b. He comes to Judge:
1) As representative of the Living God.
2) As exalted Head over all creation.
2. The final Judgment:
a. A public Judgment in which the righteousness of God is publically seen.
b. The wicked Judged and punished on the basis of their works.
c. God’s people are vindicated on the basis of Christ’s work.
3. The final end of all moral, rational creatures: men and angels.
a. The wicked are sent to hell eternally and suffer in different degrees under the terrible wrath of God.
b. The righteous are eternally blest in heaven in their ordained places.