Session 20 – Eschatology

Personal Application
 Christian need to cling into the warning, promises, instruction, things that the Bible said belong to us
through Christ
o Even if circumstances around are very uncertain
o Nobody know their own future crystal clear
 We trust our future in Him
o Jesus is our shepherd, He is a good shepherd
 Metaphor
 He will lead His flock, provide and protect them – we should trust this
 Bible didn’t say that Christians have immunity against trial or suffering
o We are part of the human family – we suffer together with humanity depending on the situation
 We can still have confidence even in the middle of this uncertainty, things that pressure us
o We have hope that transcend (goes above and beyond) our circumstances
 The hope is not dependent on our circumstances
o Our peace, security, safety, and life (physical and spiritual) does not depend absolutely on our
circumstances
 It absolutely depends on the Lord God Himself
 God got our back
Personal Application: applying the truth in our life
 Believing, accepting, applying – how we think and act, prioritize, what we do in our life
Review:
Eschatology
Eschatology is the study of the end. For Christians, the end has begun with the resurrection of Jesus, and will
culminate with Jesus being cosmically acknowledged as Lord; the earth being judged; and believers being
raised to share Christ’s glory.

Intermediate State
Three main views of the intermediate state:
 Intermediate place
 Heaven/hell
 Soul sleep
It would seem that while believers will immediately experience the presence of Christ after death, this is not
their ideal or ultimate state. Their ideal, ultimate, immortal state will come at the future resurrection, when
their bodies are raised at the time of the return of Christ.
Return of Jesus
 The event: Jesus will return
 The nature: Personal, bodily, visible, unexpected, triumphant/glorious
 The timing: Unknown, but following signs, including the sign of the antichrist
 The millennium: A period referred to in the book of Revelation, that occurs prior to the final judgment.
o Major interpretations of this include the premillennial view, the postmillennial view, and the
amillennial view.

Resurrection of the Dead

 It is a work of the triune God, especially the Son (e.g. John 5-6). Just as he can create from nothing, so he
can raise bodies, whether a corpse or dust or ashes or whatever.
 It is physical/bodily: it is clear that Christ’s body was raised, and he was the first of many (Col 1:18). But
just as Christ’s body was different after he was raised, so ours will be different too – our bodies will be
‘Spiritual,’ imperishable, immortal.
 It is a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
 Resurrection is a reward for God’s people, but is a preparation for punishment for those who are not
God’s people.
 Body and soul will be joint in a way that we have eternal united – no more physical death
o We will have eternal life or death after out physical dead or during the resurrection

Damnation
 Those who do not belong to Jesus will be punished.
 There are different views about this:
o Purgatory
o Annihilation
o Universalism
o Traditional view
 According to the traditional view, punishment for non-believers, classified simply as the wicked,
is everlasting and is punitive, not redemptive.

Glorification of God’s People and the New Creation to Come

How should Eschatology affect us in the present?

 It gives us hope for the future, an antidote to despair
 It motivates us to carry the cross, work hard for God, and endure suffering in the present
 It enables us to remain alert in Christian living
 It reminds us to be humble about our current spiritual abilities
 It prompts up to keep repenting and turning away from sin, in view of the fact that Jesus will return to
judge
 It gives us a right perspective on Jesus Christ – He is the Lord who will be acknowledged by everyone
 It prompts us to be witnesses of Jesus in the present, showing others by our words and our lives that they
must respond to the gospel before Jesus returns to judge
 We can have peace about those who have died as believers, knowing that they are not lost