Today’s New Reason To Believe

Previously Posted on Feb 1st, 2008 by David H. Rogstad, Ph.D.

Early in my career as a scientist, the most difficult activity, next to writing peer-reviewed papers, was standing up in front of an audience of peers to talk about my research. I was terrified of being asked a question I couldn’t answer or of someone spotting a weak link in my reasoning. While I still struggle with the writing part, speaking to a group has become less frightening thanks to some advice I received from a friend.

“As one trying to follow the Master,” he said, “our focus should be less on making ourselves look good and more on making others successful.” For one whose primary concern was the furtherance of my own career this posed quite a switch, but it made sense in light of what Jesus said to his disciples about how to become great (Matthew 20:25-26).

My first opportunity to test this idea arrived when I started a new position working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory where I was paid to do a job instead of pursue my own research interests. My superiors gave me the task of developing real-time, interrupt-driven control software for a Very Long Baseline Interferometry correlation system. I barely had a clue about what to do. Day after day, I prayed for God’s wisdom and help. After struggling with it for a good part of a year, my boss wanted me to give a review and status report to some higher-level managers. Needless to say, the prospect terrified me.

In this circumstance I remembered my friend’s advice and thought it might be applicable. Instead of worrying about how I would appear, I chose to focus on giving a presentation that would make my boss look good. I was surprised at how effective this viewpoint proved, both in relieving me of fear and resulting in a presentation that was well-received. From that time on I decided to work on making others successful and to trust God for my own success. In time, I discovered that this principle related to Jesus’ claim that there is more joy in giving than in receiving (Acts 20:35).

When I became a technical group supervisor a few years later, I had plenty of opportunities to practice this principle. My goal became to figure out what I could do to make each member of my team productive in their jobs. What resources did they need? What special training was required? Did they need help getting past a difficult problem? Did they need to switch tasks? How could I encourage them? If they were successful, then I was successful. In fact, I received a lot of the credit when my team did a good job. If I focused on myself, I became jealous, competitive, anxious, and prideful. When I worked on making them a success, I experienced the joy that God promised to those who give. As a side benefit, the team members were much more willing to help each other and to receive help and correction from me.

Putting this biblical principle into practice provided me with one more example of how God’s commands are meant to bring us abundant life, not to interfere with our freedom.

Kenneth Richard Samples

Someone once asked me, “A friend and I were just discussing different theories on the end times. I was wondering if you had any opinion on what kind of role America has played in God’s plan for the world.”

Some historians think that the emergence of the United States of America is an indirect byproduct of the Protestant Reformation. The theology of that influential era asserted that a divinely grounded liberty had been granted to human beings who are able to appreciate natural law (reason and morality) and are committed to a free-market economy.

In terms of America’s role in the world, historian Stephen E. Ambrose said the following in the American Heritage New History of World War II:

In a world full of hatred, death, destruction, deception, and double dealing, the United States at the end of World War II was almost universally regarded as the disinterested champion of justice, freedom, and democracy.

I think the concept of American exceptionalism is clearly evident in this country’s proud 232-year history. America has never been a perfect country, but it has throughout its history been striving to fulfill its great and unique declarations. In the twentieth century, the United States was the most important power in the world in terms of fighting totalitarianism and promoting human freedom.

Wikipedia defines American exceptionalism as “the belief that the United States differs qualitatively from other developed nations, because of its national credo, historical evolution, or distinctive political and religious institutions.”

In terms of the prophetic future, if America loses its abiding commitment to faith, liberty, justice, and free enterprise then I think it will go the way of the United Kingdom (an important but clearly second-rate power on the world scene).

Since I see civilization and culture moving biblically in a negative and decaying direction (Matthew 24), I think America–as a shining light on a hill–will ultimately lose power and influence.

Nevertheless, backed by my study of church history I remain skeptical of Christian claims that we are definitely living in the end times. We may be, but then again I may die without seeing the Lord’s glorious second coming and so may my children and even grandchildren.

Personally, I am very attracted to St. Augustine’s “Two Cities” metaphor. I have a dual citizenship in the City of God and in the City of Man. I live and work on both tracks simultaneously. My ultimate destiny is to live in Christ’s Kingdom (the City of God). Yet my temporal destiny allows me to strive to promote goodness, justice, and freedom in the United States of America (for me, the City of Man).

As a basic optimist (and in spite of the current economic and political gloom), I hope that my children’s generation will regain some of the greatness of my parents’ generation. My father was a decorated combat soldier in the Second World War and fought at the Battle of the Bulge. Encouragingly, I see similar qualities in my kids that I saw in my parents. My parents, though imperfect and scarred by sin, profoundly shaped me and my world-and-life view. And my wife and I have, I think, profoundly shaped our children and their worldview. My oldest daughter, Sarah, a committed Christian, enthusiastically voted in her first presidential election last fall.

With God’s help, I plan to discharge my responsibilities in both cities. For while I confidently expect to survive the death of my body and dwell eternally in the House of the Lord, I also know that I have only one temporal life and I want to make the most of it. I desire to be found a “good and faithful servant” in both spheres of citizenship.

In difficult times like these, I find great comfort in the biblical doctrine of God’s sovereignty (Ephesians 1:11). I am directly aware that there is a divine hand of providence that guides my life (Romans 8:28).

In future articles I will explore other issues relating to Christian eschatology.

For an introduction to the topic of general eschatology, see Donald G. Bloesch, The Last Things and Robert Clouse ed., The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views. For a discussion of Augustine’s “Two Cities” metaphor, see my book A World of Difference: Putting Christian Truth-Claims to the Worldview Test.

Kenneth Richard Samples

The Christian world-and-life view speaks about both the past and the future–addressing humankind’s origin and destiny.

In part four of this series I began a discussion of the major areas of difference among Christians when it comes to the controversial areas of eschatology (study of “last things”).

Three Major Areas of Christian Eschatological Differences

1. Understanding of the Bible’s Apocalyptic Literature

2. Relationship between Israel and the Church

3. Nature of the Millennium

The word millennium comes from Revelation 20:4-6 and refers to the “thousand-year reign of Christ.” The various millennial perspectives have different understandings of the nature of this era. Some view this era as being a literal one thousand-year period. Others view it symbolically. Millennial perspectives also adhere to different chronological orders of such events as the great tribulation (intense period of earthly trial and suffering), the rapture (the snatching away of the church), and the second coming (the glorious second advent of Jesus Christ).

Here are four major views on the millennium held by Christians throughout the centuries. The viewpoints appeal largely to the same set of Scriptures, but interpret them differently.

a. Historic Premillennialism:

This viewpoint asserts that the second coming of Christ will take place prior to the millennium, but after the great tribulation period (Matthew 24:3, 21, 29-30). The millennial reign consists of a literal one thousand-year period. According to this view, there is no secret rapture of the church. Rather the rapture takes place at the same time as the second coming. The raptured saints usher in the coming of their Messianic King.

b. Dispensational Premillennialism:

According to this perspective, the second coming will take place prior to the millennium. Like historic premillennialism, this viewpoint sees the millennial era as literal one thousand-year period (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). However, this perspective asserts that Christ will come secretly to rapture the church prior to the great tribulation period. Afterward, Christ will return publicly at his second coming to inaugurate his earthly millennial kingdom.

c. Postmillennialism:

Unlike the previously mentioned interpretations, this view asserts that Jesus Christ returns after the millennium (Isaiah 2:2, 4). According to this perspective, the millennium refers to a long period of peace and spiritual advancement made possible through the preaching of the gospel message. A distinctive feature of this perspective is that the Christian church is successful in winning the world for Jesus Christ and moving civilization and culture in a morally positive and peaceful direction.

d. Amillennialism:

This perspective proclaims that there is no literal earthly millennium (Revelation 20:4-6). Rather it is interpreted as being the period of time between Christ’s first and second advents (the church age). Jesus’ second coming takes place after the great tribulation. After Christ returns (an event that corresponds with the rapture), he engages in the works of resurrection and judgment of humankind, and then creates the new heaven and the new earth.

Differences concerning the millennium have been evident throughout Christian church history and remain an area of dispute and debate among Christians today. Therefore it is important that Christians be made aware of the different perspectives held concerning these critical future biblical events.

The nature of the millennium is the third of three broad areas of contention that reflect the essential conflicts that Christians have concerning last things. But, to underscore, it is very important to remember the broad areas of agreement that all Christians share (see parts two and three of this series).

Future articles address other issues relating to this controversial topic.

For an introduction to the topic of general eschatology, see Donald G. Bloesch, The Last Things and Robert Clouse ed., The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views. For a summary of the millennial positions and their Scriptural support, see John Jefferson Davis, Handbook of Basic Bible Texts.