New Earth Christian Studies

I'm not a complete heretic. Well, some people think I am, but then again I think those people have issues.

As far as church or denominational affiliation is concerned, we are most comfortable in the Anglican Church in Australia, but have spent many happy years in Baptist churches. Finer doctrinal points are easily accommodated and we can participate in Bible studies without too much discomfort.

For want of classification or pigeon-holing, I would describe our beliefs as Reformed, cessationist, trinitarian preterists.

We believe that the Bible is the authoritative, inspired word of God and absolutely without error in its original.

We believe that prophesies in the Bible were made before their fulfilment under God's inspiration.

We believe that Jesus is the only begotten son of God, who pre-existed Creation with God, was born of Mary while she was a virgin, died at the hand of ungodly men, and rose bodily according to prophesy.

We believe that one of the main, key promises made by Jesus was that He would come to judge the world and establish the New Heavens and Earth. We believe He achieved this with the destruction of the Old Covenant and the temple, and  cleared the way for His elect to have direct access to God and to Heaven.

We believe that God's adopted children represent the true Israel, and that they have been granted eternal life because of the work of Christ.

We believe that the fate of the world is in God's hands. He has not disclosed how, when or if He will terminate its existence in its current form. All references to the destruction of the world and the establishing of a new world pertain to the Old and New Covenants. We look forward to our eternal future with Him, not to a judgement of the physical world. All humans will be accountable to Him in His good time.

My preterist interpretation of the Bible has led me to believe that there is no reference in Scriptures that speak of eternal conscious punishment of individuals after death. There is no need for this'eternal damnation' belief, to be consistent with God's holy character - in fact, such a belief is inconsistent with God's character as revealed in Scripture.

References taken to apply to 'eternal damnation' actually refer to the fate of Jews living at God's judgement at AD70, or else to Israel as a nation in the years since.

My preterist interpretation of the Bible has led me to question the validity of so-called 'Spiritual Gifts' as practised by many Christians.

My interpretation has also led me to question the role of the church in today's society, and in particular the 'pastor'.

All this notwithstanding, I am not against the idea of organized church, nor am I critical of individuals who are called 'pastors'. I respect all Christians who are sincere in honouring the Lord and who have a zeal for serving Him.