Does Christ Reign Today?
A charitable response to a common objection against the amillennial view.
I am currently in Systematic Theology IV as I pursue my MDiv, and over the last two weeks we have been discussing eschatology. I know eschatology can be a touchy subject. In fact, I have coined the term “eschatouchology.”
Admittedly, there are good arguments for each of the major views. I want to be charitable in all of my interactions with those who differ from my position. I am a card-carrying “Optimistic Amillennialist.” I do not pretend to have it all figured out, nor do I think those who disagree with me are “going to hell” or “don’t know how to read their Bibles.” It is okay to disagree, so long as we hold firmly to the orthodox truths of the end times: Jesus Christ will return bodily, He will judge the living and the dead, and He will establish His everlasting kingdom.
I genuinely do not understand a statement made in one of our discussion board posts by a fellow student who holds the premillennial dispensationalism viewpoint.He wrote:
“In no way, shape, or form, in my interpretation of Scripture is the present world experiencing the reign of Christ.”
I wanted to respond charitably, so I offered the following:
The argument that Christ is not reigning now must explain away a significant number of passages that explicitly state His present enthronement. The question from an amillennial perspective is not whether Christ reigns now but the nature and extent of His reign. Throughout Scripture, it is repeatedly stated that His reign began with His resurrection and ascension and will culminate at His return.
Here are some of the strongest passages:
1. Christ Enthroned at the Right Hand
Psalm 110:1
“Yahweh says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand Until I put Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet.’”
As one of the most quoted passages from the Old Testament in the New Testament, it has consistently been applied to Christ’s reign today.
Acts 2:32-36
The apostle Peter explains that Jesus has been raised, exalted to the right hand of God, and made Lord and Christ.
“Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God... God has made Him both Lord and Christ.”
This isn’t a vision of the future, it’s a description of the present.
2. Christ Is Reigning Until His Return
1 Corinthians 15:23-26
“Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father... For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.”
Take note of the order:
Currently, Christ is reigning.
There is a progressive subduing of his enemies.
In His return, He destroys death, the last enemy.
As Paul points out, Christ’s reign does not take place after His return, but before it.
3. Christ Has All Authority Now
Matthew 28:18
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.”
Notice it does not state “will be given.”
Instead, it states “Has been given.” This truth is a presnet reality.
4. Christ Rules Over All Powers
Ephesians 1:20-22
God
“...seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion... and He put all things in subjection under His feet.”
The present tense is used here.
5. Christ Is Head Over the Church Now
Colossians 1:13
“He rescued us from the authority of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son of His love.”
Believers are already citizens of Christ’s kingdom.
Colossians 1:18
“He Himself is also head of the body, the church.”
6. Christ Is the Present King of Kings
Revelation 1:5
Jesus Christ is
“the ruler of the kings of the earth.”
Not merely future ruler.
Present ruler.
7. Christ Is Reigning Until His Enemies Are Made His Footstool
Hebrews 1:3
“...sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
Hebrews 10:12-13
“...He sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.”
He reigns as king at the Father’s right hand.
8. Daniel’s Kingdom Has Already Begun
Daniel 7:13-14
It is the Son of Man who comes to the Ancient of Days and
“...to Him was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom.”
This is a statement Jesus made about Himself (Matt. 26:64), and the New Testament connects it to His ascension rather than His return.
9. Christ Is Seated on David’s Throne
Acts 2:29-36
Peter argues that Christ’s resurrection and exaltation fulfill God’s promise to David.
In my opinion, this is one of the most compelling texts against the notion that Christ is waiting for His Davidic reign to begin.
10. The Kingdom Is Already Present
Mark 1:15
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.”
Luke 17:20-21
“The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed... For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
This student seems to equate Christ's reign with the complete removal of evil. That claim is not made by amillennialism. It teaches that the kingdom of Christ has already begun, but it has not yet reached its fullness. Or in other words, been consumated..
This is the pattern found in the New Testament:
Christ already reigns, or is currently reigning (Acts 2:33-36; Eph. 1:20-22).
Satan’s power has been decisively restricted through Christ’s victory (Matt. 12:28-29; Rev. 20:1-3).
The gospel is advancing to all nations (Matt. 28:18-20).
The presence of sin, suffering, and death will persist until the return of Christ to consummate His kingdom (1 Cor. 15:24-28; Rev. 21:1-4).
In other words, the New Testament does not teach that Christ’s reign has eliminated all evil. The Bible teaches that Christ already reigns from heaven, and that His reign will become fully manifest when He returns in glory. “Already, but not yet” is the foundation for amillennial theology and explains how Christ can truly reign now while his enemies are still being subdued.
In the end, I know it is okay to differ in our opinions. This is not a witch hunt or an attempt to assassinate anyone’s character. I love learning, and I love engaging in theological conversations that stretch me and teach me new things.
I have spent a great deal of time studying the end times and have landed where I am with a clear conscience before God. Along the way, the Lord has humbled me and taught me through His Word, as well as through faithful men who have reminded me that I do not need to be a “jerk for Jesus” when defending my theological convictions.
My goal is to avoid what I call “preference-driven theology.” It is important to me that my theology be built methodically rather than emotionally or traditionalistically. It is my desire to follow the process laid out by J Neil Daniels in The Craft of Systematic Theology: An Exegetical and Sequential Blueprint for Building a Doctrinal System. A sound theological framework is built by following a four-step process, which Daniels explains in Chapter 9. I’ll just list the steps here, but if you want to understand them in depth, you should buy the book. You won’t be disappointed.
Identify All Relevant Scriptures
Analyze Each Scripture Through Rigorous Exegesis
Deduce Timeless Data from the Biblical Data
Construct a Comprehensive Theological Model
This is a multi-layered process and deserves more explanation than I can provide in a single post. Again, I can’t recommend this book enough. It is phenomenal.
At the end of the day, my goal is simply to be biblical in my approach to theology. If I am wrong, then I want to know it and make the necessary changes. Theology is not a bad thing when it is used rightly. It becomes harmful when it is used as a tool to promote ourselves or tear others down. As Paul reminds us, “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Cor. 8:1).
I welcome a conversation about this topic. It would be appreciated if you did so charitably. There is no need to tear anyone down because they hold a different opinion. Thoughtful disagreement is welcome. There is no place for personal attacks. Comments that become disrespectful or unnecessarily combative will be removed and the individual blocked. All charitable comments will remain, regardless of whether we agree.
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📖 “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ...” — Galatians 6:14 (ESV)
I believe we agree somewhat on eschatology. I wonder what it would look like if Christ was not reigning? N Korea and Nigeria every day? Everywhere? I'm always amazed when dispensationalists point to Christ's imminent return because God wouldn't allow the N American church to suffer persecution. Read the Bible, Folks.
Also, amen to building his Kingdom! I came to amillennialism kicking and screaming by my 2 oldest son passing on what they had learned. However, I love the biblical viewpoint of his Kingdom increasing until it is ready to pass to the Father. It gives you so much more incentive to go out and spread the gospel. I find the view that everything will continue to degrade until Christ has to step in to rescue his Bride not very reassuring. My one son recently told me...you know, Mom, amillennialism is the car pool to post-millennialism! You better get in! lol
Robert, I reread your comment several times. I confess I am so thoroughly entrenched in premillennialism it is quite difficult to even entertain your claims.
We must not forget our perspective and our Lord’s perspective are not the same. He sees reality in the eternal present. As we now live in this physical world our Lord’s sovereign reign seems to be yet future. Without the lens of faith we cannot see it any other way.
Yet, as you well know the Prophets often wrote their prophecies as though they were writing history.
Their visions seemed to be already passed.
The only way the eternal God can be who he says he is; he must reign beyond the constraints of space/time.
This is how he can be omniscient and omnipresent. He exists in the entire span of eternity as eternally present.
In this sense Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Therefore he is eternally sovereign in the eternal present.
Now, Jesus described himself to the theologians of his day as: “The I AM.”
This enraged them because he was claiming divine sovereignty well before the end of life on earth as it is today.
Almillennialism can only serve as a limited explanation of how humans understand Jesus as he seems to be not as he truly is. He is not going to be King of kings and Lord of lords. He already is.
John saw him in the mid 90s AD. He had a name already written: “King of kings and Lord of Lords.”
I continue to embrace historical premillennialism. I hope this clarifies my view for you.