CURRENT STUDY SHEET

PERSONAL ESCHATOLOGY STUDY GUIDE


Eschatology is usually divided into two major categories:
  1. personal eschatology
  2. general eschatology

Personal eschatology relates to the individual from the time of physical death until he receives his resurrection body.

General eschatology covers the sweep of future events.

Personal eschatology is considered devar mishnah - clear settled law; black letter law.

General eschatology is, on the other hand, considered shikul ha da’at – a matter not settled and left to the understanding of the individual.

Our default setting should be to assume a literal interpretation.

2. THE Biblical concept of death

a. The Origin of Death

Adam's violation of the prohibition to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil incurred:

Physical (first) death (Genesis 2:17; 3:19; 5:5)

Spiritual (second) death. Even in this life this includes:

Separation from the life of God (John 1:4, 10-13; 11:25-26; Ephesians 2:1-5; 4:18; 1 Peter 4:6)

Shame (Genesis 3:8-10; Romans 10:9-11; 1 Peter 2:6) Adam and Eve lost their former relationship to God. They lost d'vekut.

Separation (Genesis 3:22-24; Ephesians 2:12; Colossians 1:21)

Cursed creation (Genesis 3:17-18; Job 12:7-10; Romans 8:19-22)

b. The Uses of the Word "Death"

The Scriptures describe "death" as a separation of one kind or another:

  1. physical death (first death)
man's spiritual death a)    as separation from our living loved ones (2 Samuel 12:23)

b)    as separation from opportunities for further earthly ministry (Ecclesiastes 9:10; Philippians 1:22-25; Hebrews 9:27; 2 Corinthians 6:1-2)

c)    As separation of the soul/spirit from the flesh. (Ecclesiastes 12:7; Acts 7:59; James 2:26)

Physical death is a result of man's spiritual death. (Romans 5:21; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:56)

It is a judgment and a curse (Romans 1:32; 5:16).

Christ has delivered the believer from the power of death (Hebrews 2:14-15).

Adonaists consider death to be an entrance  into the presence of Christ  (2 Corinthians 5:8; Revelation 6:9-11).

Death to the believer is "to depart and be with Christ " (Acts 7:54-60; Philippians 1:23).

The sting of death has been removed. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Isaiah 25:7-9)

The talmid may peacefully “fall asleep in Jesus.” (Acts 7:60; 1 Thessalonians 4:14; 1 Corinthians 15:16-19; Revelation 14:13).

The unbeliever faces condemnation and eternal judgment away from the presence of the Lord. (John 3:18-19, 36; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)

2. Present spiritual  death (first death) from which we may be saved. (Romans 6:20-23; Ephesians 2:1, 5) Present spiritual death is the separation of unregenerate man from God. (Isaiah 59:2)

This condition is "by nature." (Ephesians 2:1-3)

This condition is from birth. (Psalm 51:5) 

3. ____________________ death (second, eternal death) from which there is ______________________. (Revelation 14:9-11; 20:14-15; 21:8; 20:10; Matthew 10:27-28) Ultimate spiritual death (also known as ______________________.) is the final ______________________.  of those who die in an unregenerate state. It is God ______________________.  of those who want to ______________________.. (Psalm 14:1-5; 53:1-5; Proverbs 1:24-33; Romans 1:18-32)

This “second, eternal death” is imposed following ________________________________________________________ (Revelation 20:11-15).

However, the destiny of the unregenerate man is fixed ______________________________________________________________________ when he enters a place called "__________________," there to stay until the second resurrection (Luke 16:26; Hebrews 9:27; 2 Corinthians 6:1-2; Revelation 20:13; 2 Peter 3:8-12).

3.    The four false views of the intermediate state

Physical death relates merely to ______________________________________; the soul is immortal and as such ____________________________. That the soul is immortal, continuing on even after physical death, is _______________________________________. (Exodus 3:6; Matthew 22:31-33; Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 6:9-11)

But what happens to the soul after death, but before the resurrection? We will examine the false views before the true position is presented:

a.    ___________________________________________

In Roman Catholic theology souls which are ______________________________________ are allowed to enter ________________________________________.

Those souls which are _____________________________________ and are in need of _____________________ go to ______________________________________________.

The rest, those who are considered ________________________________________, go straight to ____________________________.

Early “Christian” writers who supported various views of purgatory include:

T__________________________ (160-220),

O__________________________ (184-253),

C__________________________ (early 3rd century – 258),

A__________________________ (337-397),

J___________________________ (347-420) and

A___________________________ (354-430).

The ______________________________________ was the first to articulate the doctrine and that was not until ________________________________, a good millennia removed!

The primary support for purgatory is found in the non-canonical book of 2 Maccabees _____________________________.

What is wrong with applying this text?

First,

Second,

Catholic theologians do attempt to use several Scriptures in support of their false doctrine.

Zechariah 9:11

Matthew 12:32

1 Corinthians 3:13-15

1 Peter 3:18-20

1 Peter 4:5-6

Against this position are the facts that:

1.    there is _________________________________________________________ for it

2.    Christ _____________________________________________________. We cannot add anything to the merits of Christ (Hebrews 1:3).

3.    Granted, there are ________________________________________________ for sin _______________________________, but Scripture nowhere teaches explicitly or implicitly that these sufferings ____________________________________________. (Acts 9:16 cp Philippians 1:23-24)