In 1 Corinthians, Paul uses dishonor to power (15.43), natural body to spiritual body (15.44), perishable to imperishable (15.42, 15.53), mortal to immortality (15.54). Don Preston is saying that Paul's usage of "natural body", Paul's usage of "mortal", Paul's usage of "perishable body" has nothing to do with biological death. I guess he would next say Paul really did not care about Christ's physical death either. I doubt seriously the majority of Christians would ever buy into Don's redefinitions. It is pure nonsense. If Preston is correct and the old body of death is in finality PUT ASIDE in 70AD, it can only mean that ALL MEN are now in the perfect New World of Life in Christ. This is the UNIVERSALISM that they openly deny. Removing the old completely in a historical moment in time has many dangerous implications that they fail to realize. If this is true then being born again is no longer a requirement. That strength of death which is sin, has been removed totally and completely. It passed in 70AD and is no longer relevant. Preston's view is outside of reality and makes the bible completely useless and meaningless to Christians living after AD70.
Don Preston "The modern expectation of a revivication of physical bodies is not consistent with the Biblical doctrine of resurrection. Paul, more than any writer speaks of the removal of the body of death and of flesh. He speaks of putting off the image of Adam and putting on the image of Christ. Yet Paul never has biological life and death in mind in his eschatological expectations. He speaks of man as he stands in Covenant relationship to God. He anticipated the consummation of God’s Scheme of Redemption when Christ would finally put aside the Old Covenant of Death and perfect his New World of Life in Christ."
eschatology.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=123&Itemid=61
What is this? "The modern expectation of a revivication of physical bodies is not consistent with the Biblical doctrine of resurrection." Does this mean Christianity has the wrong idea of Jesus' resurrection? Was his resurrection not really a resurrection? Maybe it is Don whose views are not consistent with the Biblical doctrine of resurrection.
What is so terribly contradictory among Preterists is there usage of Rev. 14:13 "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’ ” Preston says physical death is the farthest thing from the mind of Paul, not discussed anywhere else in Paul's writings, especially 1 Cor. 15. BUT when it comes to showing what comes after the fulfillment, after 70AD, NOW the subject is changed back to physical death. Preterists will use ANYTHING to twist scripture.
David Curtis writes "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on" in Rev. 14:13. These are all equivalent, and are all applicable for us today. The process of being "snatched" or "caught away from" death and Hades and being "gathered in" straight to heaven began in A.D. 70. The "rapture" deals with a passage to the heavenly realm. All believers are all snatched away when they die."
Don Preston writes "Note that in Revelation 14:13, we have a depiction of life after the parousia. We have the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, and then the result, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth, for Yea, says the Spirit, they shall rest from their labors." Now, if the time of the coming of the Lord is an earth burning, time ending event, how could there be anymore dying?"
Don Preston writes "When the physical body is put off the true child of Abraham according to the promise is privileged to enter into the direct presence of God in heaven itself, Revelation 14:13."
Don Preston also writes "It should also be noted that in Revelation 14:13, we find the coming of Christ on the clouds, and the following statement: "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth, yea, says the Spirit, for they shall rest from their labors." This verse shows us a couple of things. First, that even after the coming of Christ on the clouds, there would be physical dying! That hardly agrees with the idea that at His coming, time ends, earth burns up, and there is no more dying."
WHERE IS THE CONSISTENCY? Preston is a guy who talks out of both sides of his mouth and then accuses OTHERS of being inconsistent.
Let's test Preston on this assumption. "Paul never has biological life and death in mind." Can Preston prove these verses have nothing to do with biological death?
(Romans 8:36) Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being PUT TO DEATH all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
(1 Corinthians 4:9) For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men CONDEMNED TO DEATH; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.
(2 Corinthians 4:11) For we who live are constantly being DELIVERED OVER TO DEATH for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
