Last Things

Last Things (Eschatology)

Death

We teach that physical death involves no loss of our immaterial consciousness (Matt. 10:28; Luke 16:22-25; Rev. 6:9-1 1), that the soul of the redeemed passes immediately into the presence of Christ (Luke 23:43; II Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23), that there is a separation of soul and body (Phil. 1:21-24), and that such separation will continue until the first resurrection (Rev. 20:4-16) when spirit, soul, and body will be reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Phil. 3:2 1; I Cor. 15:35-44, 50-54; I Thess. 4:16-17). Until that time, the souls of the redeemed remain in joyful fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

We teach the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Daniel 12:2; Matt. 25:46; John 5:29).

We teach that the souls of the unsaved at death descend immediately into Hades where they are kept under punishment until the second resurrection (Luke 16:22-24; II Peter 2:9; Rev. 20:11-15) when the soul and the resurrection body will be united (John 5:28-29). Then they shall appear before the great white throne to be judged by Christ and will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15), cut off from the life of God forever (II Thess. 1:7-9).

 The Rapture of the Church

We teach the personal, bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ before the seven-year tribulation (Acts 1:11; I Thess. 4:16; Titus 2:13) to remove His Church from this earth (John 14:1-3; I Cor. 15:51-53; I Thess. 4:16-17), and to reward believers according to their works (I Cor. 3:11-15; II Cor. 5:10), with sufficient time elapsing between this event and His glorious return with His Church to allow for the judgment of believers’ works.

 The Tribulation Period

We teach that immediately following the removal of the Church from the earth (John 14:1-3; I Thess. 4:16-17), there will be a time of great tribulation (Jer. 30:7; Daniel 9:27; 12:1; Matt. 24:2 1) during which the righteous judgments of God will be poured out (Rev. 16:1-2 1) upon an unbelieving world (II Thess. 2:7-12). These judgments will be climaxed by the return of Christ in glory to the earth (Matt. 24:15-31), at which time the Old Testament and Tribulation saints will be raised and the living will be judged (Daniel 12:2; Rev. 6:9-11, 20:4-6).

The Second Coming -The Millennial Reign

We teach that after the tribulation period Christ will come to earth to occupy the throne of David (Matt. 25:31; Luke 1:31-33; Acts 2:29-30) and establish His Messianic kingdom for a thousand years on the earth (Rev. 20:1-6). During this time the resurrected saints will reign with Him over Israel (Ezekiel 37:21-28) and all the nation of the earth (Daniel 7:13-14, 22, 27; Rev. 19:11-16). This reign will be preceded by the overthrow of the Antichrist and the false prophet, and by the removal of Satan from the world (Rev. 19:20; 20:1-6).

We teach that the kingdom itself will be the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel (Deut. 30:1-10; Ezekiel 37:21- 28; Zech. 8:1-17) to restore them to the land which they forfeited through disobedience (Deut. 28:15-69; 30:1-10). The result of that disobedience was that Israel was temporarily set aside (Matt. 21:43; Romans 11:1-25) but through repentance will be awakened again to enter into the land of blessing (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:22-32; Romans 11:26-27).

We teach that this time of our Lord’s reign will be characterized by harmony, justice, peace, righteousness, and long life (Is. 11:1-9; 65:17-25), and will be brought to an end with the release of Satan (Rev 20:7).

 The Judgment of the Lost

We teach that following the release of Satan after the thousand-year reign (Rev. 20:7), Satan will deceive the nations of the earth and gather them to battle against the saints and the beloved city, at which time Satan and his army will be devoured by fire from heaven (Rev. 20:8-9). Following this, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10), whereupon Christ, who is the Judge of all men (John 5:22), will resurrect and judge the great and small at the great white throne (Rev. 20:11-12).

We teach that this resurrection of the unsaved dead will be a physical resurrection, whereupon receiving their judgment; they will be committed to an eternal conscious punishment (Matt. 25:4 1; Rev. 20:11-15).

Eternity

We teach that after the closing of the millennium, the temporary release of Satan and the judgment of the unbelievers (Rev. 20:7-15), the saved will enter the eternal state of glory with God; that the elements of this earth are to be “dissolved” (II Peter 3:10) and replaced with a new earth wherein only righteousness dwells (Eph. 5:5; II Peter 3:13; Rev. 2 1:1); and that the heavenly city that comes down out of heaven (Rev. 21:2) is to be the dwelling place of the saints where they will enjoy fellowship with God and one another forever (John 17:3; Rev. 21:1-4). The Lord Jesus Christ, having fulfilled His redemptive mission, will then deliver up the kingdom to God the Father (I Cor. 15:24-28), that in all spheres the Triune God may reign forever and ever (I Cor. 15:28).