Postmillennialism Believes Christians
Will Make a Better World for People
Postmillennialism is the belief that Christians through the Church will bring mankind into a moral utopia that grows better and better until Christ returns to reward those who live so morally. This eschatological (end times) view suffered serious setbacks at the beginning of the 20th century due to the death and devastation of both World Wars and the world-wide effects of the Great Depression. Many Christians and non-Christians believe that one’s eschatological beliefs are of little consequence in everyday life; however, the Progressive Movement and today’s globalization movement are a direct result of Postmillennialism’s pervasive influence.
Murray Rothbard, an Austrian-based economist, believed that the Progressive Era was propelled by the Postmillennialism of Protestant Americanism (Murray N. Rothbard, “World War I as Fulfillment: Power and the Intellectuals,” Journal of Libertarian Studies, IX (Winter 1989), p. 81.). This germinal viewpoint only makes sense if one has a grasp of America’s religious history and its influence on American politics and growth of federal power which I summarize in my post, Americanism and Religion.
The First Great Awakening and the success of the American Revolution laid the foundation for the Calvinistic doctrine of Postmillennialism. The movers of this movement saw themselves as building God’s Kingdom on earth guiding all peoples to God (THE ROLE OF POSTMILLENNIAL ESCHATOLOGY IN THE FORMATION OF THE POLICITAL PHILOSOPHY OF PROGRESSIVISM IN THE UNITED STATES). The Second Great Awakening deepened this belief system resulting in moralistic endeavors throughout the 19th and into the 20th centuries. When coupled with socialism coming from Europe after 1848, the means to achieve the postmillennial goal was through the force of government. This was confirmed when the War Between the States was won by the Federal government which imposed its arbitrary demands on the Succession States during Reconstruction. However, great societal changes take time to influence all levels of society. America was not ready for federal interference in all matters of life.
What was needed was a means to indoctrinate society to accept the growing power of both federalism and the correct morality (Marxism is Democracy). This was accomplished via government-controlled public education {For a history of this I refer readers to IndoctriNation}. Public education in America was developed to indoctrinate children into the correct Protestant {Calvinistic} morality which would include Postmillennialism. These children would be taught the superiority of the federal government over state governments {Pledge of Allegiance} and their moral superiority that needed to be imposed on others {Socialism}. This eschatological view blended seamlessly into a form of national socialism.
Gnosticism always believed that man could become better through special knowledge. They believed that through this special knowledge people could rise above the physical and become spiritual beings after death. This elevation from physical to spiritual influenced the growth of Christianity since the second century. Atheism, the rejection of all religions {though it becomes a religion itself by positing a moral value system} also believes that man through scientism {knowledge} will become morally better over time. The 20th century saw various blends of atheism and socialism, both national and international, fail because of one common factor – force!
People do not respond well to force. With the millions of deaths by communistic governments nearly all these governments failed and those few remaining are either isolated or have changed to survive. America also used force to lay the foundation of federalism; however, this was abandoned after Reconstruction. Instead, the American Progressive movement saw change as a series of moral crusades to make America better. Even when progressive measures were failures {Federal Reserve-Great Depression} or proved unpopular {Prohibition}, the underlying philosophy remained acceptable to American society at large. And educational institutions kept churning out students who largely believed in American superiority.
Then, in the 1970s a strange thing occurred; Postmillennialism began making a comeback. Protestantism was removed from American schools by the heavy hand of the federal governments, assisted by state governments also. The replacement of Protestant beliefs with atheism, scientism, Gnosticism, and non-Christian beliefs was seen as a crisis by evangelical Christians. However, many of these Christians were Premillennial in belief. Premillennialism believes that the world will become worse and worse until a cataclysmic tribulation period ends with Christ’s return to establish His Millennial Kingdom. Yet, several leaders arose who urged Christians to arise, take control of government via the ballot box, and make America better again {Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority for example}. These men and their followers were actually following Postmillennial philosophy: the world can be made better by force of laws. Believers were partnering with non-believers to make America moral again in contravention of Scripture. This effort in some form continues today. President Trump’s Make America Great Again slogan captured many Christians’ imaginations and voting support.
Christ said this world will continual become worse as men follow their ways which they will because the truth of the Scripture is foolishness to them (Mt 24:3-12; 1Co 1:18-25; 1Co 2:14). How can Christians who claim to know the truth become so foolish as to believe that they can make friends with the world to usher in a Godly society (Ja 4:4)? This is nothing more than a blatant system of works that promises rewards for moral living. The Old Testament gave example after example testifying to the failure of a works-based belief system. Paul condemned works after failing. He was saved by Jesus in spite of his murderous works (Ro 4:1-8). America is still building on its Progressive Era legacy using the force of government to create its perfect society. Though America is currently a national socialistic government this is rapidly changing into a global socialistic movement. One is not better than the other as both reject the truth of God for the goodness of man.
It is no accident that the worse murderers in history live during our time. The force of government cannot change man’s sinful nature and can barely control the rampant acts of violence occurring not only in America but around the world! Yet, governments use this violence as justification for more force. Force failed long ago but like any other addiction, the more force applied the more that is required until all are forced to live according to the prevalent morality of fallen man. This is the ultimate end of Postmillennialism and its marriage to atheism, Gnosticism, socialism and scientism. Postmillennialism was simply a door by which many Christians could be deceived because they neglected study the word of God. Thus, eschatology does matter in establishing one’s worldview. The only thing that can change the violence of sinful man is the grace of God via salvation and a changed nature (2Co 5:17). Preach the gospel!