Criteria for Picking a Viewpoint

Could I possibly pick a viewpoint? At the beginning of 2009 I was leaning towards Parital Preterism/Postmillennialism after attending a conference in the fall of 2008. Now I am not so sure I want to be dogmatic about any viewpoint. I just want the blessings of studying Revelation.

The Reformers cried, "Sola Scriptura!" Strangely they did not get into this debate. Calvin and Luther were mild, not wild about their Amillennialism. On the Pilgrim Board I read where someone had asked R. C. Sproul about his viewpoints and he said that he was not a Dispensational Premillennialist, but saw positives and negatives about the three other views.

While listening to the Daily Audio Bible on my iPod yesterday, Brian Hardin read from Deuteronomy 4:2:, You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it; that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

I thought about Proverbs 30:5,6 which reads Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

Then of course there is the warning that ends Revelation about not taking away from Revelation nor adding to it. While it is so important to find prophecy in all of Scripture, I want to think about which eschatology viewpoint adds to Scripture.

Rapture Messages to Loved Ones

I enjoy reading the Riddleblog, in one of his entries, Kim Riddlebarger writes about a website that will send your mail (real snailmail) to loved ones after the Rapture. This website, as far as I can tell, is a serious website. The people running it give their word they will deliver your hard copy messages to loved ones left behind in the Rapture. How do they do this? After all, they too could be caught up in the Rapture. Well, they won't. They are atheists who don't believe that the Rapture will occur, but if, to their surprise, the Rapture does occur, they will deliver the messages you've given to them. They say there is no chance they'll become Christians, and they will live lifestyles quite apart from Christ -- that is unless the Rapture occurs, then they will opt for plan B, which is to become Christians, and also deliver the messages.

At first I laughed at this. A couple of enterprising computer atheist geeks, making some money and providing a service to some of the Christian community. Quite humorous. But, as I thought about this, the more troubled I became. How hard their hearts are, but also how this teaching of one segment of the Christian Evangelical community can be misleading.