Preterists are known to make the present age natural and the age to come natural in nature. They say all men are in the age to come including the ungodly. Which results in all men are in the new covenant, since the old age, the old covenant, the old heavens and earth have been removed. They say that the ungodly are in the age to come, but Jesus said that only those who are worthy can obtain that age. So I guess the ungodly have been found worthy to obtain the age to come according to their view. (Luke 20:34-36) Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. How can the ungodly be in the new heavens and earth? According to 2 Pet 3:13, only the righteous dwell in the new heavens and earth. Those who are ungodly are in the present heavens and earth which is reserved for fire of ungodly men. If they are in the New Heavens and Earth, then those men who were ungodly only had to live past a certain point in time to enter into the new heavens and earth. Meaning their judgment was not all encompassing if ungodly survived the judgment of the present heavens and earth. Placing all men in the new heavens and earth and simply saying they are outside, the new Jerusalem is crazy. How is it that the New Heavens and Earth are different than the one being discussed in Rev? How is the present heavens and earth not the exact same picture as those in the lake of fire? Both picture a dwelling place reserved continually for those outside of Christ. If this is true than nothing passes in 70ad but rather has to do with if you are in Christ or not. This to me maintains a better view, because the old represent the old man and the new represent the new man.
If the law passes, what stands to condemn man. If this is true, then all are in a age of grace. Preterists have made a temporal line that separates the age of law, verses an age of grace in which all men are allowed entry. How is this not universalism? If the ungodly are not in the age of grace, then what separates then from receiving the same grace that has been extended to those in Christ. The line that separates the old things and the new things is Christ. Not a temporal line. It is the temporal line placed in 70ad that results in Universalism. It is mind blowing to see how so many Full Preterists deny they teach Universalism. They are teaching it to the masses, and people are eating it up like candy. Woe to those who use spiritual things and make them temporal. . .
Bob Stokes
We are living in the 'age to come' in the NT of which Jesus and His disciples spoke. There are 2 ages in Biblical history--'this age' and 'the age to come'. During Jesus' time on earth the 'end of this age' was taking place. This was the Jewish Old Covenant age. The writer of Hebrews says at the beginning: Heb 1:1-21 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
So the last days (of the 1st age--the Jewish age) were during Jesus time on earth. The age that was coming after His death was the 'age to come'. We are now living in that time.
The ungodly reside right with us alongside us. We are in the Kingdom and they are without. Revelation states: Rev 22:14-1514 "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. Notice, that the 'dogs, etc.' are outside, but are still with us. This represents the Kingdom of God. The children of God live alongside the children of disobedience. One is in the Kingdom and one is not.
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