I want to begin by giving credit where credit is due. I first had the idea to teach a Sunday School class in 2024 titled “Mere Eschatology” after to listening to a class on eschatology1 taught by Dr. Sam Waldron through Reformed Baptist Seminary. I audited Dr. Waldron’s class, and I highly recommend it. Even if you do not agree with Dr. Waldron’s position (amillennial), there is a lot to be gained from listening to his lectures. This post is based on information that I gleaned from one of his lectures. You can visit the website of Reformed Baptist Seminary here. You can audit some of their classes, including Dr. Waldron’s eschatology class, for free here.
I am using the word “mere” in the same way that C.S. Lewis used it for Mere Christianity. There are certain tenants of eschatology (end times doctrine) that Christians of every end times position joyfully affirm. These are the orthodox tenets of eschatology. These things are so clear in the Bible’s teaching that disagreement is impossible without departing from sound doctrine. This is a list of eschatological truths which all Christians hold in common.
- Christ will come again (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14; Revelation 19:11-21)
- Christ’s second coming will be a literal, physical, and visible return to the earth (Acts 1:6-11; Revelation 1:7).
- Christ will resurrect the dead, both the righteous and the unrighteous.
- Christ will judge the living and the dead, both the righteous and the unrighteous (2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12; 2 Peter 3; Revelation 20:11-15, 21:3-4).
- In this judgment, Christ will condemn the unrighteous to eternal punishment separated from God.
- The righteous (those who are right with God through faith in Christ) will enter into eternal bliss with Christ forever.
- Christ will bring the New Heaven and New Earth (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-8)
Notes:
- eschatology = the study of last things ↩︎
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