Joy in Christendom

What do Postmillenialists Believe?

"According to evangelical, Bible-believing postmillennialism, fallen man is utterly incapable of entering or advancing the kingdom of God in his own effort, wisdom, or accomplishment. God's kingdom comes not by human work, but by the redemptive mission of Jesus Christ (cf. Colossians 1:13-14) and according to the gracious power of the Holy Spirit. As Jesus said to Nicodemus: "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

Postmillennialists believe that Jesus established the kingdom of God on earth during His first advent. Mark summarizes what Jesus preached: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand" (Mark 1:14). From His exorcism of demons Jesus authoritatively concluded: "the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Matthew 12:28). Jesus is now despoiling Satan's house (v. 29), as the kingdom slowly grows in the earth (Matthew 13:31-32), and every enemy is brought in submission under His feet (Hebrews 1:13; 10:13). He must reign until all opposition is defeated, and then He will deliver up the kingdom to the Father -- at His second coming, which is "the end" of history (1 Corinthians 15:24-25).

Postmillennialists believe that the victorious advance of Christ's kingdom comes about by means of the preaching of the gospel and the powerful work of God's Spirit in regeneration and sanctification. That is, it is the pursuit of the Great Commission, rather than the use of violence or military confrontation, which peacefully secures the widespread conversion of the world and brings it to obey all that Jesus has commanded (cf. Matthew 28:18-20).

However, the process through which the kingdom grows involves an intense spiritual battle, with its ensuing afflictions, persecutions, hardships and suffering for God's people. The ultimate victory which shall come through the struggle does not cancel the pain and sorrow which attends that struggle. The Apostle John spoke of himself as a "companion in the suffering and kingdom... that are ours in Jesus" (Revelation 1:9). Paul called on Timothy to "be a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel" (2 Timothy 1:8), realizing that "if we suffer [with Him], we shall also reign with Him" (2:12)." - Dr. Greg Bahnsen

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Do Postmillennialists Overlook Suffering in this Life?

"This is a rhetorical distoration of the Postmillenial Position.  By using language like this the critic insinuates false accusations and communicates unfair connotations about the postmillennial position, without offering details or objective proof. You will find that it is much easier to make these kinds of claims than to demonstrate them through responsible analysis and scholarship.

Postmillennialists do not deny, try to evade, or downplay the constitutive dimension of suffering and sorrow in the Christian life or in the history of the church. One can hardly imagine that the Scottish theologians Symington or Brown had somehow forgotten the "killing times" of the Covenanters when they expressed their postmillennial confidence.

Charles Hodge, the postmillennial "dean of theologians" at Princeton Seminary in the last century, wrote in his commentary on 2 Corinthians 4 that "We constantly illustrate in our person the sufferings of Christ... [being] neglected, defamed, despised, maltreated...." This is hardly consistent with the charge that postmillennialists forget the theology of the cross!

Both postmillennialists and amillennialists (not to mention premillennialists) recognize the inevitable hardships and persecution which believers undergo in this world. That is not what separates them. Postmillennialists trust the word of the Lord that, even when contrary to outward appearances, our sufferings in this world eventuate in a greater manifestation of Christ's saving rule on earth, not a diminished one. We suffer to be sure, but it is a suffering-unto-victory, rather than a suffering-unto-defeat." G. Bahnsen