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Preterism is actually a very old, religious cult; one which is not as well known as several other, more popular ones, such as: Roman Catholicism; LDS or (Mormonism); J.W.'s; Seventh-Day Adventism; Christian Science; The Way; etc., I do not know when the sect adopted its current name, 'Preterism,' but obviously, it had no name at the time of Paul's warning (2Ti 2:15-19), or he would have used it.
The terms 'Preterism' and 'Preterist' are derivatives of the word preterit; and preterit is defined thus:
Main Entry: pret.er.it
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English preterit, from Middle French, from Latin præteritus, from past participle of præterire to go by, pass, from præter beyond, past, by (from comparative of præ before) + ire to go -- more at FOR, ISSUE
Date: 14th century
Variant(s): or pret.er.ite /'pre-t&-r&t/
archaic : BYGONE, FORMER
Basically, Preterism states that the resurrection of the saints; the rapture; the second advent of Christ; and the millennial reign of Christ; are all historic rather than all future events; therefore, it is the archaic meaning of the term that is meant when we speak of Preterism.
Another significant item the Preterist erroneously believes in, and teaches, is that the New Heaven, and New Earth, have already commenced!
Take Careful Note of This: If one really knows Christian doctrine, and carefully analyzes the tenets of Preterism, one invariably arrives at the astonishing conclusion that Preterism necessarily eliminates the Dispensation of the Grace of God, and all Christian doctrine!
Preterism does this by placing all under the authority of the earthly Jesus and the Twelve apostles; rather than the exclusive authority of the heavenly Jesus and the apostle Paul during this dispensation!
Preterists view the apostle Paul, as just another of the Twelve, working under a joint commission. That, however, is a teaching of demons.
"Now the spirit is saying explicitly, that in subsequent eras some will be withdrawing from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons," (1Ti. 4:1)
A rather surprising implication, is that the Administration of Superabundant Grace, which we are currently living in, is a myth according to the drift of Preterism's foul doctrine! According to it, all is yet under Jewish Law; and what's worse, is that Preterism erases 1,943 years of Christian history!
If Preterism's claims are correct, then, Christianity has never existed after the manner that we Christians have known it!
The 1,943 years represent the time that exists between 58 AD, around the time when Paul stopped witnessing to the Jews, because of their hard core unbelief, and taught the Gentiles exclusively, until his martyrdom; and 2001 AD.
Obviously, Preterism's claim, that all mentioned above, is "history," cannot be true; as any sane person can well see. Preterism must say that all it believes is "not physical," but "spiritual!" And that is exactly what Preterism does say!
As is present in every cult, Preterism also has its chief, non-Biblical figure. Romanism has its succession of Popes; Mormonism had Joe Smith; J.W.'s had Russell; Seventh-Day Adventism had Ellen G. White; and Scientology had Mary Baker Eddy. This, of course, is a necessarily short sampling. There are many, many, more cults that could be also be mentioned.
The one who appears to be the involuntary, and unwitting guru of Preterism, posthumously, mind you; is also the man to whose writings Preterists appeal to most often for 'proof' of their 'doctrine.' That man was Flavius Josephus, aka 'Joseph de Bello,' a name Preterism camouflages with a nomen obscurus.
Joseph de Bello is just the latinized way of saying, "Joseph of The War" [i.e., the Jewish war with Rome], i.e., Josephus.
Preterism flies in the very face of Scriptural warning! This sect is of such arrogance, and so smooth, that Christ Jesus made it a special point that the Scriptures he inspired Paul to write, would contain the very gravest warning against it! Here then, are those verses, with their warning against Preterism, in the fullest context:
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
This is the ultimate defence against all cults: Study to learn the word of truth, [and then rightly divide it from all else.] Paul's evangel is the sole evangel for us today. It must be rightly divided, as different from the rest of the Bible. It is not to be mixed with Judaism, but regrettably, most, throughout Christendom, also make that same mistake, and mix it as well.
But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
The Word of God here associates Preterism with profane and vain babblings.
And their word will eat as doth a canker [Gk; gaggraina i.e., gangrene]: of whom is Hymenæaus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." (2Ti. 2:15-19)
Verse 18 plainly describes what the error of Preterism is. But Preterists cleverly and foolishly explain their way around that verse! These guys are really something!
In all fairness to the Preterists themselves, overthrowing someone's faith is not something--believe it or not --that the Preterists actually set out to do.
They simply wish to win you over as converts to their 'Christ.' Trouble is, the Christ of Preterism is not the Christ of those who became known as Christians first in Antioch; the same One Who appeared to Paul those many times after his initial encounter with Him on the road to Damascus.
You see, when you erase, as Preterist doctrine must do [in order to appear correct], the last 1,943 years of Christian history; you also necessarily erase Christ, Who is the head of that period of time! Details on this 1,943 year period follows a little later below.
You must remember that false doctrine comes from the father of the lie, the Slanderer. He is the one that energizes people to dispense his lies, all the while thinking that they are dispensing truth. The real danger comes by way of the fact that they actually believe what they teach; and when a person's whole being gets in step with the message he is delivering, the overall effect can be very powerful; very appealing; and one very convincing presentation. Never forget that.
Preterists sincerely believe that they are serving God with their strange doctrine; but sad to say,they are sincerely wrong.
Once again, no loss of anyone's salvation is ever suffered due to an overthrown faith, (Ro. 8:38-39). One's salvation is not maintained by the feeble strength of human faith; but by God Who shall not abandon those that are His.
I say, though, that a person can still be quite miserable in this life, over matters concerning a shattered faith especially if the convert to Preterism wakes up and realizes the full implications of what Preterism is all about. I'm sure that, coming to such a realization is quite shocking and does result in the overthrow of the faith of some; especially if there are no knowledgeable Christians around to counsel and keep that unhappy individual from abandoning his faith altogether. This is what the Slanderer, Satan hopes for. Why else would the warning in Scripture be worded as it is? I repeat however, that an overthrown faith does not result in the loss of one's salvation. One cannot lose their salvation; not by accident and not on purpose. See Ro. 8:38-39, believe that, and be comforted by it!
Verse 17, in the series quoted above, is also very noteworthy. There is no other sect ---found in Paul's epistles that is written of with as much gravity as that of Preterism. The Bible calls it, as though it were, a deadly, spreading, gangrene.
Do you know what gangrene is?
Main Entry: gan.grene
Pronunciation: 'ga[ng]-"grEn, ga[ng]-', 'gan-", gan-'
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin gangraena, from Greek gangraina; akin to Greek gran to gnaw
Date: 1543
1 : local death of soft tissues due to loss of blood supply
2 : pervasive decay or corruption : ROT
- gan.gre.nous /'ga[ng]-gr&-n&s/ adjective
There are several, very good reasons that are indeed applicable today, which show plainly, why Preterism is deadly to an individual's faith. (I know I keep repeating this, but I want it to be clear: A loss of faith never results in the loss of salvation. Loss of salvation is utterly impossible. And those in Preterism are simply very confused people; they too, have not lost salvation, but they can expect no reward from God for their erroneous works.)
1. There is no way that Christ would inspire Paul, to write in the Scriptures, a warning of such magnitude that was only going to be temporary. No sir! The gangrene of Preterism is yet present, and is every bit as deadly to one's faith, as it was when Christ first informed Paul of it.
2. Preterism holds to an unscriptural, mixed evangel; which is no evangel at all; but is more accurately described as a religious and gangreneous Frankenstein sewn piecemeal together with parts spliced from Judaism; Christianity; and that special sect Paul described that was then without a name; the one that happens to be the seed plot of this horrible sect called Preterism.
3. Many believers have been awakened to the fact that God is not a monster who sadistically tortures unbelieving people for all eternity in a place of unquenchable fire. Well, Preterism also has at least one piece of real truth, and that is, it also holds that there really is no fiery hell. Mainstream Christendom's belief in a fiery hell is a very emotional issue with some folks, and causes some of them to trade all what they once believed for the strange and unfounded other claims exclusive to Preterism.
Once a convert catches on to just a little of where the diseased and discrepant doctrine of Preterism leads; the 'bottom' falls out of his faith because he's found out that Preterism leads one back to bondage under Jewish law from which they were made free by Christ!
He originally came to Preterism to escape the errors of what passes for mainstream Christianity, but now has found out that Preterism is really the worst form of corrupted Judaism ever devised! He cannot stay in Preterism, and he won't return to what he knows is also an error plagued system [traditional Christianity] so,what his mind wonders, is there left to turn to? Sadly, the concluding answer most often reached at such a crisis is, "NOTHING!" traditional Christianity has damaged his faith, and Preterism stepped in and finished the job!
4. Preterism works "specifically" to destroy faith in the epistles of Paul, the sole apostle appointed to us by Christ! But because the Preterists themselves do not see the distinctiveness of the evangel of Paul, they simply don't see that old error of their cult as actually being destructive.
Here's how the gangrenous Preterist teaching works: Preterism causes those who 'swallow' that lie, to abandon their faith in the coming rapture. The rapture or "blessed hope" appears only in the Scriptures that came from the risen Christ through Paul (1Thess 4:13-18).
Paul's evangel was a safely kept secret in the heart of God from before the overthrow of the cosmos--long before the creation of Adam; and was revealed solely by Christ through Paul. This means that, anything looking similar to the rapture, in the evangel of the Circumcision as told by Matthew or any other apostle of the Circumcision, is not the same, but actually is a different event; one not related to the rapture.
You know, truly; if just one part of Paul's evangel is made to appear to be false, the only conclusion that person can arrive at, is that the remainder of Paul's epistles must also be unreliable and are therefore false!
See that? Right there, is how Preterism finishes the job of destroying one's faith! Many people would throw up their hands in abject frustration at this point, when the realization of what Preterism truly represents hits them and sinks in. This is the point at which that person's faith can correctly be said to have been overthrown. Trying to restore such a person after having been thus betrayed, is extremely difficult; and in some cases, outright impossible.
What can be said of those who've been in Preterism all their lives and apparently have thrived in that doctrine? My answer to that, is that the very same question can be asked of some Roman Catholics; Mormons; J.W's; and those in every other cult. No need to investigate why it happens! It just happens that way sometimes, but it doesn't validate one thing about them!
We can safely rely on the fact that, when the rapture and resurrection do occur, there shall be no doubts that it has indeed happened. I doubt that there will be any Preterist Sages, milling around, wondering about whether or not what just happened was physical or spiritual! But! They may however marvel greatly at how the resurrection and vivification could have occurred, while being so completely out of harmony with what they believe!
Preterists love to debate, as I have discovered. Some are quite patient; and don't flap too easily. These kind of people will seem (to those who are not prepared to adequately defend themselves Scripturally), to have what merely appears to be a good argument. Remember they believe they are defending the true faith! You can't expect them to act any differently. Still, Preterism is not correct; it is simply, very clever!
Well of course Preterism must 'appear' to have a good argument! What else would you expect? If it didn't, no one would give Preterism a second glance.
Why else would God inspire Paul to make the Scriptures contain the special warning found there against that very thing?
One of the most satisfying aspects of the evangel [and there are very many others besides this!], that the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to Saul of Tarsus [also known as Paul, the apostle], is that, once a believer has the working knowledge of that evangel, it is the ultimate defence against all the cults.
Preterism falls to the ground, utterly powerless, when the rightly divided word of truth, is applied.
Preterism counts on being right about the promise of Christ's soon coming. They believe that He came [2nd Advent] before the generation that He spoke of [when talking to his apostles], had died.
Preterists believe the Second Advent took place in 70 AD. I do not.
One of their own went to great length in an attempt to convince me of this, but I wasn't fooled. What he tried to show me, I returned to him and fully explained to him why what he sent me is not what the Bible teaches. Of course he never agreed that what I wrote to him was correct. That is typical cult behavior, be it Preterism, or some other group; they never admit they're wrong! It is a pitiful, and automatic defensive posture.
The Word of God says that "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." Well, I can certainly testify that it has set me free, in more way than one!
The destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem is the keystone of the false doctrine of Preterism. Everything unique to Preterism gets all its support from that single, fabulous, keystone. That's odd, All this time I thought that Christ was the One upon whom all depends, not the clever manipulations of an ancient, but persistent cult!
As I started to demonstrate earlier, the Preterist believes that the "generation," which Christ said would not pass till all was "accomplished," was the generation who were still living in 70 AD.
The Preterist will acknowledge that the destruction was physical, but he'll state that Christ came in spirit then, and is now reigning in spirit in the new world!
Where they make their colossal mistake, is, in eliminating the 1,943 years that have, thus far, passed, during the Administration of Grace, known secularly also, as, Christian history (AD 58 - AD 2001).
Look; the answer is simple--if one only has the eyes to see it. Paul's apostleship, and this Administration of Grace, were kept secret, until Christ revealed them to, and through, Paul. You will search in vain, to find anything about Paul, in the Old Testament; and in what are mistakenly called the synoptic gospels, and John. Looking at sacred history, from the prophetic view, one will not be able to see the apostle Paul, nor his Administration of Grace, given him by Christ.
Therefore, if Paul's administration were removed, you would, by doing so, also remove, 1,943 years of Christian history. Only then, would it be possible, to have a soon returning, Kingdom Christ, within the lifetimes of those that He said would see Him coming! This is just the sort of trickery that Preterism employs! They rip out and scrap Christian history because they don't believe it! Like I said, they are not correct; just very clever!
I call that sort of thing, "theological sleight of hand!"
So, you see; Christ did not lie; He simply just could not reveal to the Twelve, the greatest secret of all!
He could only reveal that information to Paul, at the proper time, which was yet future. Not while Christ was still on the earth with the Twelve apostles!
This is why Preterism falls flat on its face. And Preterism is the cult which Christ had Paul specifically warn all of!
One final thought; I wrote similar words above, but this comment finishes what I started there. If you could erase Christian history, you would be erasing Christ! If there is, therefore, no Christ--by reason of Preterism's 'Almighty Eraser'--then, I'd say we have a big, BIG problem! But actually, we don't, for, Preterism is a lie.
Praise our wonderful Father in heaven, through our Lord Jesus Christ, seated at His Mighty Right Hand; for His wonderful care of us!
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