Last Things

“Eschatology” is the study of last things. Most people think only of the return of Christ when this doctrine is mentioned. But it is more than the return of Christ. Eschatology is the study of what will ultimately happen with God’s creation.

Our statement of faith reads:

God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.

Tonight, we consider what Baptists believe will ultimately happen to this world and the people in it.

1. We believe that God will bring the world as we know it to an end.

This world is beautiful. It brings joy, it brings God glory.

This world is also dangerous. Natural disasters, evil people, demonic beings, sickness, and death.

It is neither logical nor Biblical to believe the world can continue as it is forever.

2 Peter 3:10

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Rev. 21:1-2

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

It's important to remember that everyone, even unbelievers, believes the world will end. The Christian is different because:

1) We believe God will end the world

2) We believe God will recreate the world in perfection and for eternity.

2. We believe that Jesus Christ will return.

There is some differing opinions about when Jesus will return among Baptists. We’ll get to that in a moment. First let’s discuss what all conservative Baptists agree on.

1) Jesus will return in bodily form.

Mark 13:24-26

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

There are many verses that speak to His return. His appearance will be nothing like it was when He came the first time. His appearance will be glorious to all and frightening to the lost.

2) Jesus will punish and reward. We’ll talk more about this later. We believe that Jesus will gather His people to Himself in heaven for all eternity and He will punish those who have rejected Him.

3) We believe that heaven and earth will come together as a brilliant new creation to form a home for all believers for all eternity.

What Baptists disagree on is when Jesus will return. That should not come as a surprise seeing none of us know when He will return.

There are those who believe that a rapture of the church will occur before The Great Tribulation on earth begins. Some believe Christ will return 7 years later to judge the world and others 3 ½ years later. This is called the pre-tribulation Rapture.

There are those who believe in a post tribulation rapture of the church. They believe that after the Tribulation Christ will gather His people to Himself and they will accompany Him to judge the world.

Premillennialism believes that Jesus will rule one thousand years on the earth after He returns. Those who hold to the pre or post tribulation rapture usually agree on this.

Post millennialism believes the language used to describe what some believe is the millennial reign of Christ on earth is symbolic. They believe that the preaching of the gospel will ultimately prevail and Christianity will cover the globe. They would not believe in a rapture of the church or a literal millennial reign.

A-millenialism does not believe in a literal millennial reign. They believe the language describing the millennium is symbolic. They don’t believe in a rapture either. They believe Christ will return and judge the earth.

Baptists have been able to differ on the doctrine of the second coming with great charity. Anyone who is dogmatic about when Christ is returning should be avoided. We do not have enough knowledge to make dogmatic statements about the details. What we do know is Christ is returning to punish and reward.

3. We believe in a bodily resurrection of all people.

John 5:28-29

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Even the OT speaks of this.

Daniel 12:2

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Whether you spend eternity in heaven or hell you will have a body. What happens now when a person dies?

If they are saved:

Their spirit will be made perfect.

Their spirit will separate from their body.

Their spirit will go to heaven.

They are conscious. They are themselves. They can experience great joy and relate to others as well as God.

If they are lost:

Their spirit will remain in an unsaved state.

Their spirit will separate from their body.

They will go to a place of judgment.

When Christ returns both the lost and the saved are resurrected and given a body of such quality that it can enjoy heaven forever or endure hell forever.

The Christ is glorified in his/her body. This means we:

Will never suffer in our body.

Will know as much as a human can know about urselves and God.

We will be unable to sin.

4. We believe in a final judgment.

Revelation 20:11-15

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Every human will be judged.

1) The lost person will have to give an account for every sin they ever committed. Their judgment will be in proportion to the measure and severity of sins they committed.

2) The saved person will have to give account for his/her actions as well. They will go to heaven.

Some will lose rewards. This is a difficult concept for us to understand. The truth is found in 1 Corinthains 3. When we think of losing a reward, we think of someone snatching it from us. I don’t think that’s the case. The Losing of the rewards has more to do with our expectation. There are things we are doing “for the Lord” we think we are going to be rewarded for. The truth is, sometimes we do things “for the Lord” with the wrong motive or attitude. God will not reward us if we do the right thing in the wrong way or for the wrong reason. God always judges by the heart.

The fallen angels will be judged.

Revelation 20:10

and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Those angels who have been kept in judgment since Noah’s day (Jude 6).

The fallen angels who were demons on the earth.

Satan himself will descend to the deepest part of hell.

The final judgment is just that. It is final. There are no second chances. No one will get to appeal their case.

As Baptists we believe that both heaven and hell are forever. It is the clear teaching of Scripture. Our belief in heaven and hell should lead to life change:

1) We should live in great thankfulness that God has saved us and given us an eternal home.

2) We should live in great confidence knowing that death has no hold on us and hell is no threat to us.

3) We should live in great indebtedness knowing that we are no better than others. We should share the gospel, pray for people and live in such a way that people will come to Christ.