In Search of Eschatological Significance, Part 2: Adams’ Challenge Demands a Closer Look
“All Scripture is profitable….that the man of God may be complete for every good work.” “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Therefore, eschatology (about 25% of Scripture) is just as important for living the Christian life as anything else in Scripture. How will properly understanding eschatology make one a better Christian, and better enable us to help other Christians? I don’t know yet, but the first step is making sure my present understanding is correct. If my goal is to know this for purposes of change—why not go to the change guru himself, Jay Adams, to investigate his biblical perspective on this issue?
So, I’m pre-everything, and reading “The Time is at Hand” by Adams. His eschatological views are not dispensational—that’s probably an understatement. As I said in part one, I found his initial arguments interesting, but they certainly did not put me in any fear that a change of position might be forthcoming. His argument in chapter three concerning duplication is compelling though I would disagree with him that this argument alone is the coup de grace for dispensationalism. However, in the latter part of chapter three, he presents the argument of what I call “finality.”
If you’re a dispy like me, you see the rapture as giving those who are left behind a second chance, but as Adams points out, Jesus often spoke of his “second coming” as closure for salvific opportunity (“….like the days of Noah, so will be…..”) What makes this argument even more disturbing is Adams’ citing of the wise and foolish virgins parable which embodies the imminent expectancy of pre-rapture. I could also raise him one with my lingering question concerning the “judgment of the nations” at the end of the tribulation period. If during the tribulation period, you can only buy or sell with the mark of the beast, how are a third category of people going to be able to help Christians during the tribulation period? (Matthew 25:31-46). And the life application issue is: the difference between second chance and no second chance with eternity hanging in the balance.
The challenge demands a closer look as I read forward.
paul
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
Paul,
I was wondering how the dispensational pre-trib rature people explain the Matt 13:31 Parable of the Weeds and Matt 13:36 Parable of the Weeds Explained. I haven’t been in the Tim Lahaye left behind churches, always Postmil/Amill. The parable seems to be the end of the world and the weeds/sons of hell are pulled out first (“first collect the weeds”) and burned. Then sons of the Kingdom are gathered.
Is the parable taken as another dispensational period, and not the end of the world?
Thanks,
Arkansas Bill
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Bill,
Some Dispys would put that at the rapture, and others would put it at the end of the tribulation period.
paul
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…Others would say the parable is primarily a judgment principle and not meant to refer to a specific time.
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Ok, thanks!
Arkansas Bill
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