Rushdoony - the Christian Sabbath is eschatological & postmillennial

[panta dokimazete]

Interesting article:

Paul tells us that Jesus Christ is the first fruits of the dead and the beginning of the resurrection and the new creation (1 Cor. 15:20,23). This means that the Christian Sabbath, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the first day of the week, is directed, not to a past event, but to a future one. It celebrates the deliverance of Christ's people from sin and death, and it looks ahead to the new creation. Older hymns celebrated the Sabbath as a type of Christ's victory over this world, His Kingdom triumphs here, and for eternity. The Sabbath is a rest from the war to "put all enemies under his feet," after which the last enemy, death, is destroyed (1 Cor. 15:24-26). This means that the Christian Sabbath is eschatological in its meaning, and that meaning is postmillennial.

 

[RamistThomist]

Now that I am not postmillennial, I don't have a dog in this hunt.

 

[Coram Deo]

Thats right, I forgot to congratulate you and welcome you to the Covenantal "Historic" Premillennial camp.........

Now that I am not postmillennial, I don't have a dog in this hunt.

 

[panta dokimazete]

Now that I am not postmillennial, I don't have a dog in this hunt.

I was hoping folks might interact with the article and his reasoning. I am not postmillenial, either.

This is not an appeal to authority.

 

[RamistThomist]

I was hoping folks might interact with the article and his reasoning. I am not postmillenial, either.

This is not an appeal to authority.

I am familiar with the argument. I remember reading it in his Systematic Theology. It proves more the victory of Christ in history (a good thing!) than it does his brand of postmillennialism.

 

[panta dokimazete]

I am not familiar with Rushdoony - is he a credible teacher?

 

[RamistThomist]

I am not familiar with Rushdoony - is he a credible teacher?

I think so. Other people *hate* him. Reformed people make the mistake in thinking that someone's theology has to be perfect to be acceptable. Rushdoony made a few mistakes, therefore he is not liked by many in the Reformed community. He was a brilliant social thinker and apologist. This John Frame book review says it better than I can.
http://www.frame-poythress.org/frame_articles/1996Rushdoony.html
http://www.frame-poythress.org/frame_articles/1976Rushdoony.htm

 

[MW]

Interesting article:

Interesting. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. Death is destroyed at the resurrection. The resurrection takes place at the second coming. This would make Rushdoony's "eschatological rest" millennium a reality AFTER the coming of Christ -- which by definition would make the coming of Christ pre- not post-millennial.

I prefer the biblical two age theory. Now we see not all things under His feet. Then we shall.

 

[JohnV]

It seems to me that he makes a giant leap from the first sentence to the second. There's no logical connection. It takes the very reason for looking at something that has been accomplished in space and time and superimposing it upon a future event. He simply goes from his leap in logic to similar explanations doing the same thing, namely victory over sin, rest for sinners, etc., all of which refer directly to the historic event of the cross and Christ's resurrection.

 

[Kevin]

Now that I am not postmillennial, I don't have a dog in this hunt.

How the mighty are fallen, are fallen...

 

[RamistThomist]

How the mighty are fallen, are fallen...

Tell it not in Gath,

But I am not an amillennialist, that counts for something!

I still believe in a "golden age" and Christ's victory in time-space history, contra some of my amillennial friends. I just allow for the possibility of a "brief" opposition.

 

[3John2]

I have one book by Rushdoonie but I have not gotten to it yet. I DO know that my pastor refers to him once in a while. I also heard he read a LOT!! I heard he read almost a book a day for years on end?