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I became a Christian during the beginning era of teaching that the mark of the beast was here and now ready. In early 1982 I was introduced to Clarence Larkin premil teaching. It didn't last long for me though. I thought that the Church and Isreal was the same thing. So I bypassed much of dispensationalism. But I didn't know anything about the other positions till I was in Toulon, France. A young girl from my Congregation back in Virginia was doing overseas mission work with a missionary named Bob Scott. She told me her family left the Church because it wasn't Premil. I was shocked because I read Revelation in a sequential chain of events. When I got back to Virginia I forgot all about it. Understanding the book of Revelation was to hard and all I was concerned about was that we had the victory.
When I returned to Indiana after 4 years in the Navy I decided to get my feet wet in Eschatology. So I bought the four millenial views book by Clouse. I was easily convinced by Anthony Hoekema's position. And I must admit I was a bit biased because my father in the Faith Joe Gwynn was amil. But it rang more true for me as the years have gone on. It says Jesus is King and has dominion now. Satan is and has been bound. And that was the main clincher for me since so many passages say or suggest this. It gave me great faith in my evangelism. And It rang true. Jesus is King. He has dominion now and forevermore. Satan is just a puppet on a leash.
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