Quote:
Originally Posted by CalvinandHodges  Hey:
Postmillennialists and Preterists interpret the phrase from Peter as meaning the "Elements of Society." That is, that the societal structures which are in place now will be "burned up," and will be replaced by Christ and His kingdom on Earth (the physical heavens and earth will remain the same). Most Postmills understand this as beginning to occur before the Second Advent (i.e. "Golden Age") and then Christ returns to commsumate it all.
Premills understand this occuring after the Second Advent when literally the physical heavens and earth are destroyed, and Christ forms a new heavens and earth. Most Amills view it this way as well, but there are some who hold to the Postmill position. Amills cross-reference the Peter passage with this one in Hebrews:
And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the works of thine hands. They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed; but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail, Heb 1:10-12.
Paul, here, is speaking about the physical heavens and earth, because the foundation of the earth was laid, "in the beginning." I think Peter is referring to the same event.
Grace and Peace,
-CH |
I have heard Richard Bacon and Gary DeMar refer to the "elements" as referring particularly to the Old Covenant Temple worship elements. Not sure where they get this from, but I thought it was interesting.
In the past 15 years, I have come to the conclusion that the "new heavens and new earth" are referring to the NT age. Even as a dispensationalist, I struggled with this.
Simply too many temporal references in Rev 21 and Isaiah 65 that cannot be easily explained away.