# Baptist Eschatology?



## hobbs27 (Mar 16, 2012)

Growing up and going to small Baptist churches in north Ga as a kid eschatology never was an issue.The few preachers I know that are still living from way back when are either amellinnial,or partial preterist.
Ive been visiting around the last couple of years and notice a wide range of views within the Baptist churches concerning eschatology, and although its not something that gets hammered on, it is something that comes up in almost all sermons...so my question is...Is there any rule of thumb concerning Baptist churches and eschatology?
I tend to fit in better with the amellinnials,and it would be nice if their beliefs were on the church sign, but they dont do that


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## centerpin fan (Mar 16, 2012)

I don't think there's a generic Baptist eschatology.  You have many different "flavors" of Baptist:

Southern 
American
Independent
Free Will
Primitive

I'm sure there are others, but those are the first that came to mind.  I doubt they all agree on eschatology.


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## rjcruiser (Mar 16, 2012)

centerpin fan said:


> I don't think there's a generic Baptist eschatology.  You have many different "flavors" of Baptist:
> 
> Southern
> American
> ...



They can't even agree on the color of the carpet or the choir robes.


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## gtparts (Mar 16, 2012)

Eschatology is just a portion of theology.
Eschatology is no more than man's study of  "end times" and theology is nothing more than man's study of god(s). 

Is it any wonder that with such a broad and non-specific "playground" and such diverse "players", we have very little we can say with absolute certainty about the events to come and their placement on some timeline?

I have heard and studied most of the various scenarios put forth over the last two centuries and come to one simple conclusion; all the information to make a single comprehensive, true claim regarding "end times" is not ours. If one relies on the Bible, one must reconcile all the loose ends (pun intended). I have yet to see a system proposed that makes a neat package. There are always one or more loose threads.

Instead, I have come to one personal conclusion on the matter. It is my task on Earth to do His bidding, always prepared for His return, seeking to glorify Him in all I say, do, and think. If I diligently pursue that, the rest really doesn't matter.

Whenever I find myself majoring in the minor things, my first clue is the pain from hitting my head against a brick wall. It is then I realize that there are far sharper knives in the drawer than this old butterknife, that are no more closer to heaven than I am.


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## gtparts (Mar 16, 2012)

rjcruiser said:


> They can't even agree on the color of the carpet or the choir robes.



For the record, a decision was made on both of those issues ... and 1/2 the membership left out one exit and the other 1/2 left out the other.


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## gordon 2 (Mar 16, 2012)

This might help... I just Googled:http://sbcvoices.com/eschatology-in-the-sbc/

So if the author above is correct in a SBC church your safe and I might add in a Catholic church you'd be safe as well--don't matter what's on the sign.


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## hobbs27 (Mar 16, 2012)

Well it looks like Im just going to have to start my own church.Just kidding.Thanks for the inputs...for most folks eschatlogy doesnt matter, and I can worship with premillennials, but I love studying the word, and when you sit in a church that believes different it certainly complicates things.


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## Ronnie T (Mar 16, 2012)

hobbs27 said:


> Well it looks like Im just going to have to start my own church.Just kidding.Thanks for the inputs...for most folks eschatlogy doesnt matter, and I can worship with premillennials, but I love studying the word, and when you sit in a church that believes different it certainly complicates things.



It shouldn't complicate!  It should give you, and them, opportunity to study both sides.
Are we to now separate churches on the basis of end-time beliefs.  Lord I hope not.
There's already enough separating.
Why don't you just hold on to your belief of the subject and allow the lady sitting next to you to have her understanding of the subject.

Both of you could very well be wrong you know?

I agree with GT.
It makes it much more difficult to climb up on the altar for God (Romans 12:1,2) if you're carrying all this baggage with you.

It's all gonna be alright.


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## formula1 (Mar 16, 2012)

*Re:*

Essential beliefs vs. Non-essential beliefs is the way it comes down for me.  End-times viewpoints fall in the non-essential category for the most part.  My church doesn't dwell on it (SBC BTW).  We are more oriented toward staying on Christ's mission(The Great Commission).  God Bless!


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## hobbs27 (Mar 16, 2012)

Ronnie T said:


> It shouldn't complicate!  It should give you, and them, opportunity to study both sides.
> Are we to now separate churches on the basis of end-time beliefs.  Lord I hope not.
> There's already enough separating.
> Why don't you just hold on to your belief of the subject and allow the lady sitting next to you to have her understanding of the subject.
> ...



You and GT have the right attitude, and I've tried but just haven't got to that point yet.
 I grew up in small spirit filled Baptist churches, and I can't even tell you if they were independent or southern baptist, all we knew is we were there to worship God, and that should be all that mattered, it seemed as if everyone was in one mind and one accord.
 A couple of years ago I got really interested in Gods word and differing opinions of beliefs and started visiting around different churches. I've been to a primitive baptist, a holiness, a couple of pentacostal,a methodist, and a whole lot of Baptist. 
 Through visiting all the Baptist churches it amazed me that Baptists seem to have their own little denominations within their denomination.One baptist church the pastor preached against shouting and getting caught up in the spirit, he said that was done to please the flesh...."not what I was used to hearing"....I've heard it preached that Jesus is coming back here for 1000 years and I've heard it preached that the 1000 year reign is non sense....so to me it's not so much what the lady next to me believes, that I have no issue with...but I don't want to be the only amellinnial in a premillinnial believing church, so that's where the complication comes in, I would like to know where a church stands on eschatology if they have a stance. If they don't that's great and there's no issue, but it seems to be a big issue in the churches I've been, and the Pentacostal churches I went to made an issue of it too, so I don't guess it's just a Baptist thing.
 Thanks for the inputs.


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## Artfuldodger (Mar 16, 2012)

The Bible is very clear about the "End Times". There are no contradictions in the Bible. You just have to ask the Holy Spirit and church elders for guidance. 
At least that's what i'm usually told. That or, nothing matters but Jesus died for our sins.


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## Michael F. Gray (Mar 17, 2012)

Views on this vary widely among God's finest folks. I've noticed over the years, there seems to be a correlation between geography and views among the majority. Most in the Bible belt are pre trib., get around Oklahoma, and California, well, it becomes a mixed bag. Visit Oregon and Washington and you'll find a mixture reflecting influences from other places. I'm still expecting to meet the Lord in the air before the tribulation. I'm not prepared to tell others they are wrong and I know it all.


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## hobbs27 (Mar 17, 2012)

Michael F. Gray said:


> Views on this vary widely among God's finest folks. I've noticed over the years, there seems to be a correlation between geography and views among the majority. Most in the Bible belt are pre trib., get around Oklahoma, and California, well, it becomes a mixed bag. Visit Oregon and Washington and you'll find a mixture reflecting influences from other places. I'm still expecting to meet the Lord in the air before the tribulation. I'm not prepared to tell others they are wrong and I know it all.



Yeah, I didn't start this thread to debate who's right or wrong, that just starts fights. I was hoping to learn a little more about the different Baptist churches and how they may believe.I think all the old Baptists churches in North Ga were either amellinnial or partial preterist in the past, and it seems the larger (first baptist) types were premillinnial, and as you mentioned there's differences in premillinnials, because then you have the pre-trib , post -trip and so on just within premillinnials. There's a new kind of Baptist church growing around here too, an Independent Fundementalist, they are pretty clear in stating their beleifs of premillinnial, which I'm not one, but I appreciate a church being forthcoming in their beliefs, if they all were I wouldn't be seeking info on these matters.


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## barryl (Mar 17, 2012)

Ask and you shall recieve !! Look at the thread, "An Invitation", on the Christian discussion page {this one}. Since you are looking for info on Independent Fundemental KJV 1611 Bible Believing Baptist Churches, You can find all you need to know all week long !! live webcasts all week       www.canaanbaptist.org


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## Artfuldodger (Mar 17, 2012)

barryl said:


> Ask and you shall recieve !! Look at the thread, "An Invitation", on the Christian discussion page {this one}. Since you are looking for info on Independent Fundemental KJV 1611 Bible Believing Baptist Churches, You can find all you need to know all week long !! live webcasts all week       www.canaanbaptist.org


 I like the idea of your Church putting their beliefs on their site. I see ya'll believe in total depravity of men but also believe in unlimited atonement. Unlimited atonement is a good belief in my opinion. How do ya'll fall on the "once saved always saved" issue?


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## THREEJAYS (Mar 18, 2012)

gtparts said:


> Eschatology is just a portion of theology.
> Eschatology is no more that man's study of  "end times" and theology is nothing more than man's study of god(s).
> 
> Is it any wonder that with such a broad and non-specific "playground" and such diverse "players", we have very little we can say with absolute certainty about the events to come and their placement on some timeline?
> ...



Amen


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## barryl (Mar 18, 2012)

*beliefs*



Artfuldodger said:


> I like the idea of your Church putting their beliefs on their site. I see ya'll believe in total depravity of men but also believe in unlimited atonement. Unlimited atonement is a good belief in my opinion. How do ya'll fall on the "once saved always saved" issue?


You can find any info you need to know about our beliefs on Salvation. www.canaanbaptist.org {beliefs} Doctrine of Salvation


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## hobbs27 (Mar 18, 2012)

barryl said:


> You can find any info you need to know about our beliefs on Salvation. www.canaanbaptist.org {beliefs} Doctrine of Salvation



That's a great site and this is what all churches need to work on. I'm pretty sure all fundemental churches are premellinial, arent they?This is from your site.

We believe in the pre-millennial return of Christ; that His return from heaven will be personal, visible, glorious, and pretribulational, a blessed hope for which we should constantly watch and pray; that the time is unrevealed but always imminent; that when He comes He will first remove from the earth His believers by the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the translation of the living (commonly referred to as the Rapture). He will then pour out the righteous judgments of God upon the unbelieving world, and afterwards descend with His bride (commonly referred to as the Revelation) and establish His glorious and literal kingdom over all nations for a thousand years"

 I've visited a couple and I have a cousin that belongs to one, folks are being saved in them and that's great, its just not for me, at this time in my life, maybe later. Thanks for sharing.


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## mtnwoman (Mar 19, 2012)

Michael F. Gray said:


> Views on this vary widely among God's finest folks. I've noticed over the years, there seems to be a correlation between geography and views among the majority. Most in the Bible belt are pre trib., get around Oklahoma, and California, well, it becomes a mixed bag. Visit Oregon and Washington and you'll find a mixture reflecting influences from other places. I'm still expecting to meet the Lord in the air before the tribulation. I'm not prepared to tell others they are wrong and I know it all.



I'm pre-trib, too....baptist. I'm also not prepared to tell others they are wrong and why. I can see good points on all sides.  I just believe pre-trib more.


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## WELLS8230 (Mar 19, 2012)

too much name fixation,Love thy neighbor!


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## Jeffriesw (Mar 28, 2012)

I know of several SBC Churches down here in central Florida who are not dispensational, but hold to premillennial historicism.


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## Huntinfool (Mar 29, 2012)

Here's what I think...

_	As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.
(Romans 14:1-3 ESV)_


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## hobbs27 (Mar 29, 2012)

I appreciate the input I've gotten.Its been an interesting couple of years for me, visiting around all the different churches.I did not start this thread to debate eschatology but maybe to find out where the Baptist church fits in with it, and it appears as of now it has a lot to do with location.If anyone wants to have an adult conversation on the matter, start a thread and I will gladly share my thoughts on the subject.


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## Huntinfool (Mar 29, 2012)

I guess my question is, is eschatology the "issue" that you need to know about when you go into a church looking for a home?

Is it a "deal breaker" in your mind?


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## hobbs27 (Mar 29, 2012)

Huntinfool said:


> I guess my question is, is eschatology the "issue" that you need to know about when you go into a church looking for a home?
> 
> Is it a "deal breaker" in your mind?



I can worship with all "end time versions" if they are praising God and preaching Jesus...it's during Bible studies and Sunday school lessons that I want to be with folks that believe as I do...it's not just a Revelations thing, the whole Bible is understood differently....I'm more spiritual and some folks are more literal...not that anyone is right or wrong it's just the way I tick.
 I like the presence of the Holy Ghost, I like to see some old ladys' cup overfill and hear her shout, I like for the preacher to get loud and run up and down the aisle.I like to see the lost run to an old fashioned altar weeping and in misery and see them work it out on their own, and come up a new person.
 Some folks don't like those things....God makes us different, that's why we made demoninations..


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## barryl (Mar 29, 2012)

Hobbs27, I went back and read the org. post. If you like AMill. you can find that in most Cath. or Presbe. churches. A word of warning {nothing good ever came out of Rome}


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## centerpin fan (Mar 29, 2012)

hobbs27 said:


> ....God makes us different, that's why we made demoninations..



That's an interesting misspelling.  Freudian slip?


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## centerpin fan (Mar 29, 2012)

barryl said:


> A word of warning {nothing good ever came out of Rome}




I think you're too hard on the Romans:


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## centerpin fan (Mar 29, 2012)

hobbs27 said:


> ....God makes us different, that's why we made demoninations..



That's one explanation.


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## hobbs27 (Mar 29, 2012)

centerpin fan said:


> That's an interesting misspelling.  Freudian slip?



Funny...but purely an accident, I had company drop in and had to finish that thought distracted.


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## hobbs27 (Mar 29, 2012)

barryl said:


> Hobbs27, I went back and read the org. post. If you like AMill. you can find that in most Cath. or Presbe. churches. A word of warning {nothing good ever came out of Rome}



I have an old book written by a Presbyterian preacher,
 The Parables of Jesus by: Rev. Alfred Nevin, D.D LL.D
Awesome read that the spirit just jumps out of and fills you up to read...it's copyright 1881. I bought it at an antique store and later found an offer from Woolson Spice Co, of Toledo OH that expired Jan. 1st 1894. tucked away in its pages.
 I checked up on the Presbyterian beliefs and they are pretty close to my own beliefs but for a few exceptions. They have strayed from some of their old beliefs that would make it impossible for me to join in.
 On your other point I am not Catholic.
On your final point....well what is your point? What does anything good coming out of Rome have to do with anything?


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## barryl (Mar 30, 2012)

I was'nt making points, but since you brought up points, {Protestant[Protest] Reformation}, New Testament Church History. Don't know much about History? II Tim. 2:15


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## hobbs27 (Mar 30, 2012)

barryl said:


> I was'nt making points, but since you brought up points, {Protestant[Protest] Reformation}, New Testament Church History. Don't know much about History? II Tim. 2:15



Yes, I have studied quiet a bit on church history.I still don't know what point you're trying to make.


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