Changing To Preterism from Rapture Doctrine - Page 2

Bowas · #11 10-11-2015, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reader

What caused you to look into the teaching and question what you had been taught?

At a time in my life when I was evaluating where I was and where I was going, I made a prayer and a promise to God I would search His word for myself, with His help and study all doctrines I had been taught. I started on the Oneness of God, got the resolved, then Jesus name baptism, resolved that as well. I then took an interest I the end times and, for a time, became a resolute proponent of pre-trib teachings, but Matt 24 was not making sense. I kept studying and then it seemed post-trib fit better, but still some loose ends and was really difficult to present it honestly, as I was trying to be honest and not merely trying to confirm or prove what I already thought I believed as I sincerely wanted what was truth, not necessarily what was popular.
Larry T. Smith came out with some teachings that I thought should be easily refutable, but the more I looked at what he was presenting, it filled in the loose ends I had. The more I studied, the more it became clear to me that Matt 24 in particular was directed to that generation that saw the temple destroyed. It occurred in AD70. I now don't have to evade or breeze over the scriptures that didn't fit pre-mid or post trib teachings.

Reader · #12 10-11-2015, 12:16 AM

Thank you Bowas! "... as I was trying to be honest and not merely trying to confirm or prove what I already thought I believed as I sincerely wanted what was truth, not necessarily what was popular." - I like this!

Was it Smith's book (he wrote one, correct?) that helped cause the UPC to make a stand against preterism?

Bowas · #13 10-11-2015, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reader

Thank you Bowas! "... as I was trying to be honest and not merely trying to confirm or prove what I already thought I believed as I sincerely wanted what was truth, not necessarily what was popular." - I like this!

Was it Smith's book (he wrote one, correct?) that helped cause the UPC to make a stand against preterism?

He did write a book and in fact, it is now available free as an e-book.
Did the book contribute to the UPC's decision? I'm not sure if that was the reason, but he was definitely getting their attention back then.

houston · #14 10-11-2015, 01:06 AM

I believed post trib rapture. I was not a dosoensationalist. The church I attended was dispensationalist, but it is not something given much attention as far as teaching. The pastor never told us if he was pre, mid, or post. He alwYs said that he was pan-trib. I later learned through his son that he is pre teib and his wife is lost trib.

My first exposure to partial preterism was online on a prophecy forum. I didn't agree with it. It was something that I had never heard of. So in my mind it was a new and strange doctrine.

Around this time I was attending/visiting a church whose pastor believed in partial preterism. He didn't flat out state it. I picked up on it in his preaching. One cold morning after service I asked the pastor if he believed in partial preterism. He was taken by surprise. He affirmed his belief. It was not something that I thought was worth dividing over.

Soon hereafter I had a rebelious streak (I know, rare for me) and I used partial preterism as an excuse to stop attending this church. (To my shame. Such a wonderful group of people they were.) It didn't help that I became more active on a forum that damned preterists to hell. I jumped on their bandwagon. Then after some time something happened. While looking at arguments against partial preterism I began to see that it wasn't being refuted. As much as I wanted it to be false, the arguments against it didn't stand. The words of Jesus about the sign of the end suddenly made sense.

I haven't kept up with my studies in years. I have concluded that partial preterism leads to full preterism, and that is not a position that I am willing to embrace. So, i am the impartial preterist.

houston · #15 10-11-2015, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowas

He did write a book and in fact, it is now available free as an e-book.
Did the book contribute to the UPC's decision? I'm not sure if that was the reason, but he was definitely getting their attention back then.

Yes! He caused all this mess.

The partial preterists were kicked out because it easily leads to full preterism, and that is heresy.

xoxoxo

mfblume · #16 10-11-2015, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by houston

Yes! He caused all this mess.

The partial preterists were kicked out because it easily leads to full preterism, and that is heresy.

xoxoxo

Nobody was kicked out. They just did not want others to get licensed and made it so preterists would want to leave. They did not want the name they kicked them out though.

mfblume · #17 10-11-2015, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reader

Thank you Bowas! "... as I was trying to be honest and not merely trying to confirm or prove what I already thought I believed as I sincerely wanted what was truth, not necessarily what was popular." - I like this!

Was it Smith's book (he wrote one, correct?) that helped cause the UPC to make a stand against preterism?

Yew hat actually happened was that congregations members acted unethically and pushed it in churches where the pastor asked it not to. Smith encouraged them to stop as it was not right. But saints kept doing that. So it was not the ministers. It was unwise saints. I know UPC preach sees that believed it for thirty years before the UPC made a stand. There would have been no prob lad it not been for the saints who like to find something to cause trouble.e

mfblume · #18 10-11-2015, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reader

But what got you to look into the subject?

I just preached from Matthew chapter after chapter, focusing on the work of the cross. And suddenly I saw where chapter 24 was about the cross and judgment in their generation not ours. I also heard long ago the 70 weeks of Daniel saw the cross stop sacrifices not some future antichrist. Then it started to come otogether for me. I had no intentions in studying prophecy. Just the cross. The cross led me to it.