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Home Articles All Articles When Torpedoes Take A U-Turn | When Torpedoes Take A U-Turn | | |

| We are happy to present for your consideration an article by Joe Puckett.

Like most, Joe struggled with accepting Covenant Eschatology, actually writing against it at times.

However, after considerable study and consideration, he has now become an advocate!

Read what he has to say about how, and why he overcame his objections.Welcome Aboard, Joe! \\   *When Torpedoes Take a U-Turn*By Joe Puckett *I have been wrestling with the subject of Biblical eschatology for quite some time now.

Some time ago, I submitted a series of articles on a Preterist site entitled "Sinking the Ship of Hyper-Preterism".

In this series I claimed to have shot some "torpedoes" which were supposed to have sunk the Preterist view.

But since that time the "torpedoes" have taken an unexpected u-turn.

While I have been tossed "to and fro" in times past, my studies have now led me to what I believe is the truth of Covenant Eschatology.

But, like everyone else who becomes convinced of fulfilled eschatology, all sorts of issues and questions consequently come up.

Questions like, "If Jesus has already come and is now present with His church, and if the resurrection is an accomplished reality, then what is left for us?

What are the implications of fulfilled eschatology?"

The answer to these questions is where many Preterists disagree the most.

Frankly, there are many things that have not changed since my coming to Preterism.

But there are many things that have changed.

Additionally I don’t have to be a prophet to know that more things will change as I continue to study and grow.

But in this short piece I would like to explain some implications that have arisen since I now understand that Christ has come.

Since Christ has come I view my baptism differently.

It is sad to hear that some people who have taken a Preterist view of Scripture have taken the view that baptism is no longer needed as it once was in the first century.

But instead of thinking that baptism is no longer valid after AD 70, I view it as all the more significant.

The first century church was being baptized in eager anticipation of the imminent completion of God’s promises.

Today we are baptized in view of God’s fulfilled promises.

While they were being baptized into a Spiritual Temple that was being built (Eph.

2:19-22) we are baptized into the Spiritual Temple that has been finished (Revelation 21-22)!

While their resurrection out of baptism was in the process of being perfected (Romans 6:1-5), since the coming of Christ, our resurrection out of baptism *has been* perfected (Philippians 3:10-21).

*.

It is sad to hear that some people who have taken a Preterist view of Scripture have taken the view that baptism is no longer needed as it once was in the first century.

But instead of thinking that baptism is no longer valid after AD 70, I view it as significant.

The first century church was being baptized in eager anticipation of the imminent completion of God’s promises.

Today we are baptized in view of God’s fulfilled promises.

While they were being baptized into a Spiritual Temple that was being built (Eph.

2:19-22) we are baptized into the Spiritual Temple that has been finished (Revelation 21-22)!

While their resurrection out of baptism was in the process of being perfected (Romans 6:1-5), since the coming of Christ, our resurrection out of baptism perfected (Philippians 3:10-21).

The difference between the pre-AD 70 church and now is not that we are two separate churches entering in the Kingdom through two different ways.

Rather, the difference is that the House was then being built, and has now been finished.

We enter the same Spiritual Temple through the same way they did, i.e. faith and baptism, Acts 2:38, Gal.

3:26-28.

But after AD 70 the Spiritual Temple simply has all the stones in place.

Some have argued that baptism was a part of that which was passing away as in the case of the many symbolic "washings" of the Law of Moses, i.e.

Hebrew 9:10.

But while many of these washings were typical of forgiveness and baptism, Christian baptism itself was not a part of these washings.

Baptism "into Christ" is included anti-typical work of redemption (Galatians 3:26-28).

It was part of the "substance" not the "shadow".

If we have time right now we could compare the obvious contrast Paul makes between the role of "baptism" in Col. 2:11-13, and the passing elements of the Law in Col. 2:14-17.

But right now I will only ask you to turn there a see the contrasts yourself.

Nevertheless, just as the church itself did not end in AD 70 neither did it’s terms of admittance end there either (Acts 2:38-47, 1 Cor.

12:13).

*I view my salvation differently.

Some Preterists have unfortunately concluded that since death has been defeated, everyone is unconditionally raised to Life with God.

Universalism is the view that no one will be lost.

But the truth of the matter is that the Bible says that only those "in Christ" will be saved.

All "spiritual blessings in heavenly places" are found *only* "in Him", Eph.

1:3.

There is no salvation outside the New Jerusalem, Rev. 21:8.

Yes, death has been defeated, 1 Tim.

1:10.

But it is only "in Christ" that this defeat is appropriated in the life of the individual.

So we must be baptized "into Christ" to be raised to walk the New Life given to us, Romans 6:3-4, Gal.

3:26-27.

While being the pinnacle of man’s separation from God (1 Cor.

15:56), the Law of Moses was not the only thing that caused death.

Death reigned well before the Law was given, Romans 5:14.

So mankind does not need the Law of Moses to be lost.

Today, death still reigns over the one who does not have Christ.