Originally Posted by Robin
I had come, for awhile, to dismiss eschatology as not only non-essential, but unimportant. Perhaps I was reacting more to the "scared saved" stuff of my childhood, where kids were told that "the Antichrist is comin' to get ya, but you can escape if you pray this prayer - quick before the Antichrist comes!"

We were taught to fear man's wrath rather than God's justice. We were told that we could be rescued by Jesus from the horrific wrath of the Antichrist - if we agreed to His terms.
Kinda the same with me. smile But I was raised Roman Catholic for the first 20 years of my life. So I was around 20-21 when I was introduced to Dispensationalism, I pretty much took it, hook, line and sinker. And like you said, it was pretty much a fear, control thing.

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So newly Reformed, I has delighted to learn that Dispensationalism is not only biblically false, but historically unsupported as well. It "wrongly divides the people of God." And once disproved, it also quashed my Charismatic questions and freed me from a lot of the superstition associated with it.
Amen bro!
I agree and praise God He cares for us and leads us into truth on many doctrines.

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Eschatology is important because it describes the nature of the Kingdom. Is it of this world or the next? Is it Jewish or more universal? Is it physical / political / cultural or eternal and non-temporal? These are the questions that helped shape my understanding of eschatology, and I know longer consider eschatology to be "non-essential." I say that belief in the physical and temporal return of Jesus Christ is essential doctrine, and furthermore that any eschatology which redirects the sinner's terror from the wrath of God to the wrath of men is heretical and ought to be universally condemned by those who love the gospel.
I just want to say, it has been a while since I have discussed these things with people and got such a reasonable, intelligent, knowledgeable discussion like I am having with you, I appreciate this.

This forum is like a breath of fresh air. Thanks you.

God bless.

"There is no possibility of taking a mercy out of God's hand, till the mercy be ripe for us, and we ripe for the mercy."

THOMAS BROOKS