A "Grain Of Wheat" Ministries publication

Written by David W. Dyer

INDEX

Chapter 1: THE MILLENNIUM LOST

Chapter 2: ARE WE IN THE MILLENNIUM TODAY?

Chapter 3: MORE SIGNS?

Chapter 4: SOME SPURIOUS ARGUMENTS?

Chapter 5: FOCUSED ON HEAVEN

Chapter 6: WHY IS THE KINGDOM IMPORTANT?

Chapter 7: "OUTER DARKNESS"

Chapter 8: OTHER SCRIPTURES

Chapter 9: SOME REALLY BAD THEOLOGY (Current Chapter)

Chapter 10: REAL TRANSFORMATION

Chapter 9: SOME REALLY BAD THEOLOGY

As stated before, if we reject this kingdom teaching, we are left with some really bad theology. To begin, by misapplying these kingdom verses, - that is trying to apply them to the subject of eternal life - many think that people can become unsaved, that they can lose their salvation.

This idea leaves God looking like a fool. It shows Him to be completely irresponsible. It means that He fathers children without any real care for them or plans to bring them to where they need to be. This would make Him equal to many men today who generate children with many different women with no way to take care of them or any interest in their welfare.

Such an idea that God will abandon some of His children, kill them off, or even burn them up if they don't please Him makes Him seem to be very careless, cruel, and insensitive. He “saved” someone and later couldn't handle them and so had to unsave them. Some of His children were too rebellious for Him so He has to just get rid of them. He gave them a gift, but then jerked it away when it didn't work out.

This would be like a parent today murdering their own children when the stress and conflict of raising them becomes too much for them to handle. Is this what our God is like?

Doesn't God know everything, even the future? Of course He does. So, then, doesn't He know before He begets a child how things will work out? Since He does know, it is impossible that He would generate His own life in someone only to realize later that He made a mistake.

Can you really believe that God is begetting children without any idea how to get them to where they need to be? Do you think that He is going to just burn the trash, that is to burn up the ones who don't turn out well? This kind of theology does not put the Father in a very good light. In fact, if you really think about it, it is horrible to imagine such a thing.

But if and when we reject the theology about the “coming punishment” for some believers, this is one of the few options left for us.

On the other hand, the other option for trying to explain away punishment for believers during the millennium is to try to make the virgins, servants, people already inside the wedding feast, etc., into unbelievers or Jews. This is just a dishonest interpretation of clear scriptures. Only someone blindly trying to defend their position would need to try to manipulate the Bible in this way.

For example, they try to make those whom Jesus says are “servants” into “not really servants,” not really “saved” people. But in Luke 12:43-46, it is the very same servant who is rewarded in one verse and then punished two verses later! This cannot be referring to an unbeliever. This is not really an honest interpretation of the scriptures. It is just wiggling around trying to justify a certain position or other.

Such dishonest manipulation of scripture also makes those He calls “virgins” into non-virgins. It also requires an unbeliever to have sneaked into the wedding feast. How could such a thing be possible unless an unbeliever were raptured? This kind of juggling of Bible verses is a perilous way to understand the scriptures. It could lead to future judgment for those teaching it. (See James 3:1).

But if we just accept the kingdom verses for what they actually say, the whole of the scripture is shown to be harmonious. Everything makes sense. In fact, the truths about the millennial kingdom which we have been discussing are the ONLY way to honestly harmonize all the scriptures about these subjects.

Can it be that God will beat His children? Yes, He will. We read in Hebrews 12:6: “For whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and he chastises with a whip every son whom he receives.” This is quite a statement. It means that God will use a very severe form (or forms) of discipline when His children get out of line.

However, many are deceived about this. Since we are in the “age of grace,” these kinds of severe punishments are not being meted out right now. Of course, God does use circumstances and other natural things to bring discipline to His children today.

But for those who don't respond to this treatment today, in the age to come these punishments will be much worse. This is the clear teaching of the New Testament which the devil is trying to hide from us and which the church doesn't want to believe.

All previous ages have ended. The age of grace will be no different. Someday it, too, will end. After that, the kingdom age begins. The kingdom age is an age of judgment. Grace will not be the predominant characteristic of this coming age.

End of Chapter 9

Read other chapters online:

Chapter 1: THE MILLENNIUM LOST

Chapter 2: ARE WE IN THE MILLENNIUM TODAY?

Chapter 3: MORE SIGNS?

Chapter 4: SOME SPURIOUS ARGUMENTS?

Chapter 5: FOCUSED ON HEAVEN

Chapter 6: WHY IS THE KINGDOM IMPORTANT?

Chapter 7: "OUTER DARKNESS"

Chapter 8: OTHER SCRIPTURES

Chapter 9: SOME REALLY BAD THEOLOGY (Current Chapter)

Chapter 10: REAL TRANSFORMATION