Postmillennialism is one of the main views about the end of time in Christianity, which believes that the return of Jesus Christ to earth will occur after the millennium of peace.
According to this view, Christians preach the gospel to the world and the Christian faith spreads throughout the world and gradually peace and justice prevail in human society. In this era, the church will play an essential role in the reform and development of society. After this thousand-year period, Satan will be released for the last time and the final battle between good and evil will take place, and in the end, Christ will win and the eternal kingdom of God will be established on earth.
Postmillennialism is a view of the end times that focuses on the gradual victory and widespread influence of Christianity. This view believes that we are now living in the “Millennium” era and in this time period of unknown length, the duty of Christians is to spread the kingdom of God in the world by preaching the gospel and the saving work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of people.
Postmillennialists believe that as more people are saved, the millennium will become a golden age of increasing spiritual prosperity with improved social, economic, political, and cultural life. Finally, the world will enjoy a state of justice and peace that has never been seen before. Only after this period is over will Christ return.
Proponents of this view include John Calvin, William Perkins, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, Samuel Hopkins, EW Hengstenberg, Kenneth Gentry, and Douglas Wilson.
Basic post-millennium foundations
Advancement of the Kingdom of God: Postmillennialists do not think that the Kingdom of God will come instantly or completely at the end of this age (in an event like the second coming of Christ, as premillennialists believe). Rather, as their name suggests (Pesa), they believe that Christ will return only after the kingdom has been consummated. Therefore, the “coming” of the kingdom is gradual and is accomplished by the slow but steady progress of the gospel until eventually the entire population of the world comes to faith in Christ.
reduce evil
With the increasing success of the gospel, the influence and presence of sin is lessened (though not completely eliminated). Justice, peace and prosperity will flourish. The less evil there is in the world, the greater will be the victory of the Church in preaching the Gospel and discipling the nations through the extraordinary work of the Holy Spirit.
Positive impact on all areas of society
The long-term prediction of the post-millennial world is a literally Christianized world in which the economic, political, and cultural life of mankind will be greatly improved.
For this reason, the victory or success of the church in the Millennium is not only a spiritual/invisible victory in the hearts of Christians and inner blessings that are privately experienced by the church. Material prosperity will be visible and publicly known. Every area of human activity will be renewed on the basis of Christian principles and will serve the glory of Jesus Christ.
Post-millennial benefits
Postmillennialism is distinguished from the other two apocalyptic views (premillennialism and mixed amillennialism) by its inherent optimism about the kingdom of God in the present age. This view holds with optimistic certainty that the nations of the world will become disciples of Christ, the church will grow to fill the earth, and Christianity will become the ruling principle, not the exception.
As B.B. Warfield explains, “Postmillennialists interpret the whole meaning of Revelation 19:11-21 to mean that Christ comes not only to fight, but to conquer; and every detail of the picture is carefully drawn to emphasize the completeness of this victory” (“The Millennium and the Apocalypse,” Doctrines of the Bible, pp. 647-648, 662).
Disadvantages of post-millennium
Postmillennialism minimizes one of the central experiences that characterizes the church and all Christians during this present age: suffering with Christ. Critics of this view point to the optimism that eventually evil in all its forms will be reduced to negligible proportions. Such optimism is not supported in the life and writings of Paul the Apostle.
For example, in Romans 8:17-18, how long will it take for believers to experience suffering with Christ? How long will the groaning under the burden of laziness last? According to verses 19, 21 and 23, it will continue until the day of our salvation, the return of Christ. In other words: until Jesus comes again, the church will “win” by “losing”. Therefore, any vision that tends to eliminate or mask the life of suffering in the life of a believer is, at best, a misplaced expectation.
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