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Amillennialism


The Church Stands in Proxy of Christ


Dangerous Doctrines |Shoah |Post-Millennialism |Hyperdispensationalism

Amillennialism is a belief largely characterized by the supposition that the literal return of the Messiah and the 1000 year reign is not true, but there is instead a "messianic age" with the rule of the church body politic, or in more extreme cases, no millenial reign of Christ at all. Amillennialism lends itself to a diminishing of the Judaic birthright as firstborn of the chosen of God. There is inherent and implicit replacement doctrines as the church "replaces" Israel, and in essence replaces even Christ himself on earth, becoming a self-ordained Christ -in -Proxy. Because the Church in this view sets itself in the stead of Christ and the Jewish nation, this position leads to the denigration of both: Christ becomes of time and history, or ethereally out in a heavenly realm; ergo no longer greatly involved with earthly happenings and the Jewish nation becomes a a nation which God has dispossessed because of their rejection of the Church's messiah and therefore their lack of inclusion in such as well as their lack of recognition of the Church's birthright. The Church in utter Amillennialism does not look forward to a literal return of Christ, but rather brings in a "church age" making proxy decisions for the Messiah. Instead of a millenium of the reign of Christ on earth, there becomes a "Messianic age" with a church and its figureheads as ushering in a utopian age, reinterpreting scripture in terms of church-initiated doctrine and dogma. In Amillennialism, several issues arise:

  • the church replaces Christ as "decision maker" and
  • the church replaces the Word of God as the final authority
  • the church replaces the Jewish nation as the chosen people
  • the church confuses the sovereignty of God's dominion with the dominion given man.

    • The above points are also characteristics of "Replacement Theologies" or "Dominion Theologies" or "Kingdom Now" theologies: the reign of man through the church setting up a human kingdom without the necessary intervention of a living God, literally returning to earth as covenanted. The covenant is so , though. Replacement theologies such as Amillennialism ignore the nature of the millenial reign/return of Messiah, such as:

  • the sudden nature of the return (Amillennialism would imply a gradual evolution into the rule of the church)
  • the visible, omnipresent nature of the return (as opposed to a gradual political evolution)and
  • the "catching away" of the saints (referred to as the rapture);
  • a literal resurrection of the dead, and lastly, but critically,
  • the literal reign of a high priest/king/messiah of prophecy.

    • Jewish worshippers will no doubt neither identify with the above or appreciate the subtlety in Christian Doctrine. But for Christian believers the above differences are critical especially in the development of anti-semitic doctrine. Why? Because:

  • In more essential interpretations of the Word, the Jewish Nation's identity, as the Chosen from the beginning is held in tact. Even Christ said he came to seek "the lost sheep of the house of Israel"...others were secondary.
  • In more essential readings of scripture, messianic prophecy and the messiah are held in tact: Orthodox Jews and Believing Christians both await the Messiah: the Jewish nation awaits his promised arrival, the Christian his promised return, and the differences are that: the difference between an arrival and a return.
    • The Word of God is held in tact in more essential, literal acceptances of scripture: The orthodox and conservative Jew holds the Torah as the light of life, the tenach in full, while the Christian while not naming it as such has the same Torah, the same Tenach, but additionally the New Covenant. It is a shared root necessitating peace and cooperation for the good of both, as in Romans 9-12 in which Christians are admonished to "boast not against the branches. Peace is in the best interest of all.

    This is not so with Amillennialism, in which the Church exercises imminent domain, or manifest destiny over all things belonging to the Jew, including Israel and Jerusalem. The Church loses its roots, and tries to displace Israel. The result is always war.

    Even many mainline churches teach Amillennialism; including, the Roman Catholic Church and many liberal Protestant denominations. More and more this dangerous doctrine has crept into the rank and file of Eevangelical or Pentecostal /Charismatic groups.

    Soon to be discussed, will be the role of the amillenial viewpoint in the world view of these churches as well as how it affected the Church during Shoah. This view with its implications for Anti-Semitism will be discussed shortly.

    Warning Signs of Amillennialist Doctrine

    1. Use of Language like "replacement theology", dominion theology or others.

    2. Constant talk or doctrines related to the Church as 'Christ on Earth' instead of representatives Christ on Earth.'

    3. Political moves or beliefs that Christians must take seats of power in order for Christ to Reign or Return: that they must "pave the way".

    4. Preoccupation with the taking of Jerusalem

    5. Overemphasis on the rule of the Church vs the reign of Christ

    6. The dismissal of the 1000 year reign of Messiah as metaphorical


    Elizabeth Kirkley Best, PhD, copyright 2000 .

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