What You Must Believe If You’re a Postmillennialist

Back in 2009, The Gospel Coalition wrote an article called “What You Must Believe If You Are a Premillennialist.” Jim Hamilton, a Premillennialist gave a brief response on his blog. I found these writings thought-provoking and helpful.

In this post, I share what one must believe in order to hold to the postmillennial view of the end times.

I represented this view on a panel for our church’s live recording of the “If I Had More Time Podcast.” While I do not hold to postmillennialism, I want to articulate the view with integrity and ask some of the things I would’ve asked of the postmillennial on the live panel were I representing a different view. 

What is Postmillennialism? Postmillennialism is an eschatological (end-times) system that says Jesus will return after the millennium (1,000 year reign mentioned in Revelation 20) to a largely Christianized world.

This view says the millennium, often synonymous with the church age, will be a time characterized by a conquering gospel resulting in a golden age of human history.

The gospel will conquer soul and society leavening the entire world with the good news of Jesus. The tiny mustard seed of God’s Kingdom will eventually triumph into a flourishing Kingdom culture. The Great Commission will ultimately be successfully accomplished by Jesus intra-history.

Why I Respect This View: Postmillennialism is optimistic about the gospel’s impact on our world. This view expects the gospel to turn the world upside down. 

Here is What You Must Believe If You’re a Postmillennial: 

You must believe in the compatibility of the millions of Christians martyred in the 20th century. Some have said there have been more martyrs in the 20th century than the previous 19 centuries combined. If we’re in the millennium, how could so many Christians perish during the same era of gospel triumph? 

You must believe kingdom defeats in the global world are not true defeats. Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, was once called the “Jerusalem of the East” for its faith and missionary fervor. Today, the same city demands worship of a human leader. Some of the greatest theological works were penned in Europe, which has since been dominated by secularism and Islam. The same could be said about North Africa. Shouldn’t these be viewed as defeats?

You must believe Jesus’ definition of a “narrow gate” is actually wide. Jesus described the nature of entering the Kingdom of God as entering through a narrow gate that “few find.” According to the postmillennial framework, this gate actually ends up being the wide gate since so many enter during the millennium era of gospel accomplishment. 

You must believe the great rebellion at the end of history is consistent within its framework. Postmillennial scholars like Kenneth Gentry understand Revelation 20:7-10 as depicting apostasy and a final great rebellion before the close of the present age. How could such apostasy occur after a millennium period in which hearts and societal structures have been re-ordered to Biblical principles?

You most likely believe in an early dating of the book of Revelation. The best practice for how to date a book in the Bible considers internal evidence (what the book itself says) and external evidence (what those beyond the book say). While there is reputable scholarship for internal evidence, there appears to be hardly any external evidence for an early dating. Shouldn’t both evidences (as is the case of late-dating) be the determining factor?

You most likely believe in some version of “take-over Christianity.” To give one example, I have watched postmillennials say “It is the gospel that must do the work” only to turn acutely political over time. While I have said that the view does not require or demand this version of Christianity, I can’t help but wonder if it’s the natural trajectory. How does one not adopt “take-over Christianity” when one believes the gospel will eventually take-over souls and society?

“Every theological system leaks.”

That’s what one of my theology professors used to say when I was in seminary.

This is the case with every end-times view, including the postmillennial view.

I have grown a much deeper appreciation of this view after examining the entire book of Revelation through this lens. There is serious scholarship and a genuine desire for Kingdom advancement.

The view does have its limitations but it is a view that amplifies important aspects of the Bible for which I’m grateful for.