DEBATES

Historic Premillennialism
vs.

Amillennialism
Dispensationalism
Preterism

Answers RE:
the Rapture

Introduction

Answers from Jesus:
The Wheat & The Tares
The Olivet Discourse
The Upper Room Discourse

Answers from Peter:
Peter's First Sermon
Peter's Second Sermon
Peter's Epistles

Answers from Paul:
1 Cor. 15 & the Last Trumpet
1 Thess. 4 & the Rapture
1 Thess. 5 & Day of the Lord
2 Thess. 1 & Posttrib Rest
2 Thess. 2 Antichrist First
Titus 2:13 The Blessed Hope

Answers from John:
The Rapture in Revelation
Resurrection in Revelation

Misc. Answers:
Rapture Terminology

Answers from the Early Church:
Early Church Eschatology

Answers for
Pretribulationists

Pretribulationist Revisionism
Origin of Pretribulationism
Double Talk
Imminence
Not Appointed to Wrath
Jewish Wedding Customs
24 Elders & the Rapture

Answers for
Amillennialists

The Corruption of Eschatology
Kingdom Hope in Hebrews
Revelation 20
New Jerusalem

Answers from
Genesis

The "Sons of God" in Gen. 6
360 Day Pre-Flood Calendar
The Eschatology of Creation
Chronology of the Whole Bible
Bible Chronology Chart

Debates: Preterism vs. Futurism

Sam Frost is an author, and the former pastor of Christ Covenant Church, St. Petersburg, Florida. His position is "preterism" (the belief that Jesus' second coming occurred invisibly in AD70, through the destruction of Jerusalem).

Tim Warner is an author and editor of Answers in Revelation and pastor of Oasis Christian Church, Tampa, Florida. His position is "futurism" (the belief that Jesus' second coming to earth will be visible, personal, in power and great glory, and is yet future).

I. The Tale of Two Jerusalems
Opening Argument Sam Frost - (08-02-03)
Rebuttal Tim Warner - (08-08-03)
Response Sam Frost - (08-10-03)
Closing Statement Tim Warner - (08-13-03)

II. The Resurrection
Opening Argument Tim Warner - (08-24-03)
Rebuttal Sam Frost - (09-05-03)
Response Tim Warner - (09-15-03)
Closing Statement Sam Frost - (09-26-03)

III. The Problem of Ezekiel's Temple
Opening Argument Sam Frost - (01-08-04)
Rebuttal Tim Warner - (01-10-04)
Response Sam Frost - (01-12-04)
Closing Statement Tim Warner - (01-19-04)

IV. The Personal, Bodily, Second Coming of Christ
Opening Argument Tim Warner - (01-22-04)
Rebuttal Sam Frost - (01-26-04)
Response Tim Warner - (01-28-04)
Closing Statement Sam Frost - (01-30-04)

End of Debate Comments Related to Charges of Heresy

Samuel Frost flatly denied that Jesus Christ still possesses human flesh. He wrote:

"The Son needs “flesh” in order to be a “whole person”? Heresy! Now, make no mistake, the Logos “became flesh.” No one denies this. The question is, did the DNA of that flesh define Jesus’ personality? He took on flesh so that he might suffer as a man, and that through his blood, might bring healing to man, since he was sinless. Jesus’ ascension brought God and Man together and reconciled them. But, to define “part” of Jesus as “his flesh” is simply ridiculous. ... Jesus became fully Man, took on flesh and a human nature, that his human nature is not called a “person” and that Jesus remains fully human to this day without requiring him to have hairy arms and fingernails." (Round IV, Closing Statement, Pg. 2)

Preterism's false doctrine of denying the resurrection of the flesh necessarily forced Sam Frost to deny the permanence of Jesus' incarnation. Yet, John said that this teaching was of "the spirit of Antichrist."

1 John 4:1-3 NKJV
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

The Greek word rendered "has come" is a perfect participle. The Greek perfect tense indicates a past completed action with results that continue to the present. To get the full sense of the perfect tense, this verse would be translated as follows: "Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come, and remains in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come and remains in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world." The biblical test for the spirit of antichrist is its denial of the incarnation of Jesus Christ in human flesh, and / or the continuous, permanent, state of His existence in human flesh. That "the Word became flesh," and that He continues permanently in that state, is the essential "doctrine of Christ." Anything else is not "Christian," but a slick counterfeit. Preterism denies "the doctrine of Christ." It is not genuine "Christianity."