Studying the End Times

Approaching Different Views

Christopher R. Hanna, Ph.D.

Oct 30, 2024

Transcript

Setting:

Chapel with Highlands College students on studying the End Times.

Question:

For those of us who have been in church for any amount of time, or even if you're new to the faith, you've probably encountered different views on this topic.

I know students often have questions about it. Maybe they’ve grown up in a church where their pastors hold one view, or their parents have another perspective.

Before we dive into the various views, how should we even begin to approach them?

Answer:

I'd love to talk about this; it's one of my favorite topics, often referred to as “theological triage.” Different doctrines carry different levels of importance.

Resource: Finding the Right Hills to Die On: The Case for Theological Triage

Within the topic of eschatology, for instance, core truths stand out—Jesus is real, Jesus is risen, and He is returning. These are essential beliefs. It’s a foundational doctrine that Jesus is coming back. Denying His return denies something core to Christianity. But within that foundation, there are secondary and tertiary aspects to consider.

Three Guiding Principles

1. Different Viewpoints are Permissible

The first guiding point is this: different viewpoints are permissible. Faithful believers who trust the Bible and love Jesus may disagree on this subject. So, it’s okay to have varied viewpoints on eschatology. You must believe that Jesus is returning, but there’s room to differ on the surrounding details. As we’ll hear more later, interpretation plays a role here, which naturally creates space for disagreement.

So, point one: different viewpoints are permissible. If you and a friend or roommate have different perspectives on the end times, you can still get along. You can both love Jesus. Breathe easy.

2. Certain Truths are Essential

Secondly, certain truths are essential. While some end times details are unclear, there are core truths in the Bible that all Bible-believing Christians should agree upon. These are truths we must hold. So, we have both “things we may believe” that allow for disagreement, and “things we must believe,” which are the essentials.

3. Christians Should Work Towards Conclusions

Third, Christians should work towards conclusions. Even though people may disagree, this doesn’t mean we ignore the topic. Large sections of both the Old and New Testaments address eschatology. Disagreement shouldn’t lead us to surrender and say, “I guess I can’t understand anything.” No, you can study, find resources, and come to your own conclusions.

So, yes, there are different views, and people hold various beliefs, but what do you believe? Working towards conclusions is crucial. Just because people disagree doesn’t mean we can be lazy and think, “Well, I guess nobody knows.” God knows, and He has given us much to consider in His Word.

In summary, there are things we may believe (where disagreement is okay), things we must believe (the essentials), and things you might believe if you study further. I encourage you to study these matters prayerfully.