In this final article, I would like to list some (not exhaustive) characteristics of postmillennial thinkers. Certainly all eschatological positions may share these characteristics, but my premise is that only a Postmillennial eschatology grants such motivation and theological vigor to live in such a way.
a) Postmillennialists have a sober view of life. By that I mean that Postmillennialists will view life from the eyes of Scriptures. He is not going to despair and go into deep depression if he doesn’t get the job he wanted. He will live by faith and not by sight. He is not going to become apocalyptic about life and society. He is going to look at what is going around Him and say: God is in control.
b) Postmillennialists will be committed to Biblical Revelation. By that I mean that Postmillennialists will look at life from a Biblical perspective. A Postmillennialist will not interpret life in light of the newspaper. He is going to be committed to Special Revelation alone. If the story of the Bible presents a picture, which on its surface seems contrary to modern Science or modern psychology, then let the grave swallow science and psychology and let Postmillennialists exalt the authority of the Bible for all of life.
c) Postmillennialists are very curious about the world. By that I mean that Postmillennialists will tend to enjoy reading broadly. He/She will enjoy Tolkien and Lewis, while enjoying a book on the Biblical perspective on friendship and hospitality. He will enjoy movies and then he will enjoy criticizing movies from a Biblical Redemptive perspective. The consistent Postmillennialists will be cautious about learning all things from one perspective alone. He will study both sides. He will seek to understand the position of their opponents and carefully give a proper response. Postmillennialists will love politics, not because politics is a savior, but because he wants politics saved. He will love food, wine, beer, and cigars. Even though he might not like the latter, he will at least affirm that they are God’s gifts to men to be used moderately and wisely.
d) Postmillennialists believe that our worship is informed by Biblical Principles in both Old and New Testaments. By that I mean that the Bible provides rich principles of worship that must not be overlooked. The Psalter provides us with a variety of responses. The Psalms were covenantal psalms to be sung corporately. The Psalms do not deny the wrath of Yahweh against His enemies, nor does it not deny the expressive passion of the Psalmist. The Postmillennialist sees worship as a joyful endeavor. He shouts with the Psalmist: “Let us go unto the house of the Lord.”
e) Finally, the Postmillennialist loves children. He loves babies. He loves to hear babies crying, laughing, eating and playing. He loves children, because God loves them. The Postmillennialist loves to see little covenant children sing. He knows that Jesus calls little children unto Himself. For this reason, Postmillennialists believe that little ones need to grow up with an education that reflects God’s affections for them. For the postmillennialist, it doesn’t matter if a school is not opposed to Christianity, it doesn’t matter if a school allows them to read their Bible for a few minutes during lunch. None of these things matter. For the Postmillennialist parents, all that matters is that our covenant children hear the Word of the Lord in the morning when he rises and in the evening when sleeps. Our children need to think as Christians and mature as Christians. This can only happen in the context of an explicitly Christian education.
Being a Postmillennialist is more than a label, it’s a way of life. If you are convinced of it, I ask you to live consistently. If you are not convinced of it, I ask you to consider what has been said in these three articles. It may challenge your background. It may lead you to look at life with different lens. But I assure you, the Postmillennial Hope is the direction of Biblical Revelation.
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