The Doctrine Of The Second Coming And Eschatology Matters

The Doctrine Of The Second Coming And Eschatology Matters

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, June 29, 2026 (Donate)

The doctrine of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is one of the great hopes of Christianity. Throughout the New Testament, we are repeatedly reminded that Jesus Christ will physically, visibly, and gloriously return just as He promised (Acts 1:9–11; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 19:11–16).

His return will bring history to its appointed conclusion, judge the wicked, reward the righteous, defeat all evil, and usher in the eternal state (consummate heavens).

The study of "last things" is called eschatology (from the Greek eschatos, meaning "last"). Throughout church history, faithful Christians have agreed on the core doctrines of Christ's return, the resurrection, final judgment, and eternal life. However, they have differed over the timing and sequence of prophetic events surrounding Christ's return and His kingdom.

The Four Views

The four major Protestant views of eschatology are:

1.     Historic Premillennialism

2.     Dispensational Premillennialism

3.     Amillennialism

4.     Postmillennialism.

These are often abbreviated as Historic Pre-mil, Dispensational Pre-mil, A-mil, and Post-mil. The first two teach that Christ will return before the Millennium described in Revelation 20, while the latter two teach that Christ will return after the Millennium. Thus, there are two major forms of premillennialism and two major forms of postmillennialism.

Image requested by Bodie Hodge*

Although Revelation 20 is often the focal point of discussions about the Millennium, the debate actually extends much further. The central question is how Revelation 5-20 should be interpreted. Are these chapters describing events that are entirely future, events that have largely already occurred, or events that have been unfolding throughout the present Church Age?

There is broad agreement among orthodox Christians that Revelation 1-4 primarily describes first-century historical circumstances surrounding the seven churches of Asia Minor. Likewise, all orthodox Protestant views affirm that Revelation 21-22 describes the future new heavens and new earth, which have not yet arrived.

A notable exception is Full Preterism (sometimes called Hyper-Preterism), which teaches that even Revelation 21-22 has already been fulfilled. This position falls outside the bounds of historic Christian orthodoxy because it denies the future bodily resurrection and the future consummation of God's kingdom. Scripture plainly teaches that the curse has not yet been removed. Thorns and thistles still grow, suffering and tears remain, and death continues to affect mankind. Therefore, we are clearly not yet living in the new heavens and the new earth.

Full Preterism should not be confused with Partial Preterism, which is an orthodox position held by many faithful Christians. Partial Preterists believe that many prophecies in Revelation, especially those in chapters 5-19 (or at least significant portions of them), were fulfilled in the first century, often in connection with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. However, the Partial Preterist still affirm the future bodily return of Christ, the general resurrection, the final judgment, and the creation of the new heavens and new earth described in Revelation 21-22.

Since all positions see Revelation 1-4 as past events, all people are technically partial preterists. However, a partial preterist, by theological definition, is someone who hold that Revelation 5-19 is past events—not just the first 4 chapters. Likewise, all orthodox Christians are futurists in one sense because they believe Revelation 21-22 awaits future fulfillment. However, in theological usage, the term "Futurism" usually refers to the view that some or most of Revelation 5-20 primarily describes events that are still future, particularly the Great Tribulation, the rise of a future Antichrist, and Christ's Second Coming.

These differing approaches to interpreting Revelation, along with broader theological considerations regarding Israel, the Church, the Kingdom of God, and biblical covenants, have given rise to the four major Protestant views of eschatology. Let us now examine each of these views more closely.

Historic Premillennialism

Historic Premillennialism is one of the old views held within the early church. It teaches that Jesus Christ will return before (pre-) a literal thousand-year reign (the Millennium) mentioned in Revelation 20.

According to this position, the Church will experience great persecution and the Tribulation before Christ returns. At His Second Coming, believers are resurrected, Satan is bound, Christ reigns on earth for one thousand years, and afterward comes the final judgment and eternal state.

Unlike dispensationalism, Historic Premillennialism generally sees one people of God throughout history rather than maintaining a sharp distinction between Israel and the Church. Nor is there a dispensational rapture event.

Dispensational Premillennialism

Dispensational Premillennialism arose during the nineteenth century through the influence of figures such as John Nelson Darby and later became popular through study Bibles (e.g., Scofield) and prophecy conferences.

Like Historic Premillennialism, it teaches that Christ returns before a literal thousand-year kingdom. However, it differs by teaching a distinction between Israel and the Church and by interpreting many Old Testament promises as awaiting future fulfillment specifically for national Israel. The Church is essentially a “parenthesis” in God’s plan for Israel.

Within dispensationalism there are three primary views concerning the timing of the dispensational rapture.

Pre-Tribulation

The Pre-Tribulation view teaches that Christ secretly gathers His Church before the seven-year Tribulation begins. Believers are taken to heaven while God's judgments fall upon the earth (called the dispensational rapture). At the end of the Tribulation, Christ returns visibly with His saints to establish His Millennial Kingdom and reigns out of Jerusalem.

This has become the most widely recognized form of dispensationalism.

Mid-Tribulation

The Mid-Tribulation position teaches that Christians remain on earth through the first half of the Tribulation but are caught up to Christ (dispensational rapture occurs in the middle) before God's most severe judgments during the final three and one-half years.

Although less common, its followers believe this better harmonizes various prophetic passages.

Post-Tribulation

The Post-Tribulation position teaches that the Church remains on earth throughout the entire Tribulation. Christ returns once at its conclusion, believers are caught up to meet Him (dispensational rapture occurs here at the end), and immediately accompany Him as He establishes His kingdom on earth.

Unlike the Pre-Tribulation view, there is no lengthy interval between the Rapture and Christ's public return.

Amillennialism

A-Mil is a form of post millennialism where Christ returns after the millennium. With amillennialism, the nature of the millennium is figurative and in a spiritual sense. Amillennialism teaches that the "thousand years" of Revelation 20 is symbolic rather than a literal earthly kingdom.

According to this view, Christ presently reigns from heaven. Satan has been restrained in a limited sense so the Gospel can spread throughout the nations. The Millennium represents the current Church Age between Christ's first and second comings.

At Christ's return there will be one general resurrection, one final judgment, and then the eternal state without an intervening earthly thousand-year kingdom.

Many Reformers and numerous Reformed churches have historically embraced this understanding or the its optimistic sister—Post-Mil. A-Mil was typically the view held within Roman Catholicism as well.

Postmillennialism

Postmillennialism teaches Christ is currently King (technically the King of Kings with all authority) and reigns over heaven and earth right now. It also teaches that through the preaching of the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit. As Christianity grows, it will increasingly influence the world.

The milestones in post-Mil are nearly identical to that of A-mil—they are both post-millennial variant positions so much is expected to be similar. One primary difference is the nature of the millennium and its blessing. In A-mil, the blessing in an intermediate state (e.g., Abraham’s bosom) and not reflected on earth. In Post-Mil, the blessing is occurring on earth as more become Christians, more of God’s blessing flow through the church and believers to affect the world. As more and more become Christians think God’s thoughts after Him, we see technical advances, more liberty, and freedom in Christ—as people love one another as Christ taught.

Rather than expecting the world to become progressively worse before Christ returns in final judgment, Postmillennialists anticipate widespread Gospel success due to the work of the Holy Spirit whom post-mils argue doesn’t fail in His task to convert nations.

And that results in an extended era of righteousness and peace growing often identified with the Millennium. After this golden age, Christ returns once, followed by the resurrection, judgment, and eternal state. That doesn’t mean there won’t be periods of decline in certain areas and that evil doesn’t lash out from time to time. But rather, it is that Christianity will continue to grow and the natural outcome of more Christians is that it causes a better life for all around them.

Historically, this view experienced significant popularity during periods of optimism, particularly from the Reformation until the twentieth century with revivals today.

How Do The Various Views See These Things Differently?

Although all four views affirm the authority of Scripture and Christ's ultimate victory, they differ on several major prophetic subjects—though they agree on some as well. One area that they have slight disagreements is the General Resurrection.

·       Historic Premillennialists generally teach two phases of resurrection: believers at Christ's return before the Millennium and unbelievers after the thousand years.

·       Dispensational Premillennialists typically distinguish several resurrections occurring at different times, including Church saints, Tribulation saints, Old Testament believers, and finally unbelievers after the Millennium.

·       Amillennialists teach one general resurrection of both believers and unbelievers at Christ's Second Coming.

·       Postmillennialists likewise teach one general resurrection immediately preceding the final judgment at Christ's Second Coming.

The chart below gives a visual of generalized foundational differences between the positions on various subjects. Of course, there are always variations depending on certain individualistic.

Table 1: Millennial Views (in a general sense)

	Dispensational Premillennialism	Historic Premillennialism	Amillennialism	Postmillennialism
Kingdom	Now (heavenly) and future (earthly)	Now (heavenly) and future (earthly)	Now	Now
Millennium	Future	Future	Now[1]	Now
Prosperity	Future	Future	[Now] Only in a spiritual sense	Now and growing
Date of the book’s writing	Mid AD 90’s[2]	Mid AD 90’s[3]	Prior to AD 70[4]	Prior to AD 70[5]
View in the End	Pessimistic	Pessimistic	Pessimistic	Optimistic
Dispensational rapture event	Yes	Typically, No	No	No
Matthew 24	Future Return of Christ	Classically, the Temple’s destruction	Temple’s destruction	Temple’s destruction

Kingdom of God

Without going into all of these, let’s evaluate the differences between the Kingdom of Christ.

·       Historic Premillennialists believe Christ's earthly kingdom begins at His Second Coming and lasts one thousand years before eternity but His heavenly kingdom began with Christ at the first advent.

·       Dispensational Premillennialists also expect a future literal earthly kingdom centered in Jerusalem where many Old Testament promises to Israel are fulfilled.

·       Amillennialists believe Christ's kingdom is already present spiritually through His reign in heaven and in His Church.

·       Postmillennialists believe Christ's kingdom exists now because Christ is currently King over the earth (being the King of Kings and having all authority over heaven and earth) and His Kingdom gradually expands throughout history as the Gospel, through the power of the Holy Spirit) transforms individuals, families, churches, and nations.

According to the New Testament, the Kingdom of God (or "Kingdom of Heaven" in Matthew's Gospel or Kingdom of Christ) began with the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist announced its nearness, proclaiming, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 3:2, NKJV). Jesus repeated this same message (Matthew 4:17) and showed the arrival of the Kingdom through His preaching, miracles, and authority over demons. He even declared, "If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Matthew 12:28).

Jesus taught that the Kingdom was already present, though not yet fully realized. He told the Pharisees, "The kingdom of God is in your midst" (Luke 17:20-21), referring to His own presence as the King. After His resurrection, Jesus ascended to the Father's right hand, where He now reigns as King (Acts 2:32-36). Peter proclaimed at Pentecost that Christ had been exalted to David's throne, fulfilling Old Testament promises concerning the Messiah's reign.

The apostles likewise taught that believers are already citizens of Christ's Kingdom. Paul wrote that God "has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love" (Colossians 1:13). Christians presently belong to Christ's Kingdom, even while awaiting its future consummation.

The New Testament therefore presents the Kingdom as both a present reality and a future hope. It was inaugurated during Christ's first coming, continues throughout the Church Age as Christ reigns from heaven, and will be fully manifested at His Second Coming when every enemy is defeated, the dead are raised, and God creates the new heavens and the new earth. This is often described as the "already, but not yet" nature of God's Kingdom.

The primary disagreement over the Kingdom of God is not whether Christ will reign forever, but when His Kingdom began (or will begin) and how Old Testament kingdom promises are fulfilled.

This is one of the central debates between premillennialism and amillennialism/postmillennialism. Premillennialists generally do not deny that there is a present aspect of the Kingdom; rather, they argue that the Davidic/Messianic Kingdom promised in the Old Testament has not yet begun in its fullest sense. How they explain this depends on whether they are Historic Premillennialists or Dispensational Premillennialists.

Amillennialists and Postmillennialists argue that the Kingdom was inaugurated during Christ's first coming. John the Baptist and Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom was "at hand" (Matthew 3:2; 4:17), Jesus declared that the Kingdom had come upon His hearers (Matthew 12:28), Peter proclaimed that Christ now reigns from David's throne (Acts 2:30-36), and Paul taught that believers have already been transferred into Christ's Kingdom (Colossians 1:13). They understand the Kingdom as "already, but not yet"—presently established but awaiting its final consummation at Christ's return.

Historic Premillennialists generally agree that Christ presently reigns spiritually but believe His earthly Millennial Kingdom described in Revelation 20 is still future.

Dispensational Premillennialists make a stronger distinction between Christ's present heavenly reign and His future Davidic reign on earth. They often argue that the Messianic Kingdom was offered to Israel during Christ's earthly ministry but was postponed following Israel's rejection of her King (John 6:15). Thus, they distinguish between a present spiritual kingdom and a future literal kingdom centered in Jerusalem after Christ's Second Coming.

Ultimately, the debate centers on whether the New Testament presents the Kingdom as already inaugurated through Christ's first coming and whether He is king over the earth now or whether the promised Messianic Kingdom primarily awaits His future return. 

Consummate Eternity

All four views ultimately agree that history concludes with the defeat of Satan, the final judgment, and God's everlasting kingdom. Their primary disagreement concerns what prophetic events occur before this final consummation.

·       Historic Premillennialists and Dispensational Premillennialists place a literal Millennium before eternity.

·       Amillennialists and Postmillennialists move directly from Christ's return into the eternal state.

Conclusion

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is a foundational Christian doctrine. We all agree!

While faithful Protestants have differed over the order and timing of prophetic events, they share agreement on the essential truths: Jesus Christ will personally return, the dead will be raised, every person will stand before God's judgment, evil will be defeated forever, and believers will enjoy everlasting life in the new heavens and new earth.

The emphasis should always remain on the clear teachings of Scripture rather than speculative prophecy models. Christians should avoid dividing over secondary matters of prophetic timing while standing firmly together on the certainty of Christ's return. The New Testament repeatedly calls believers not merely to debate the details of eschatology but to live holy, faithful, and watchful lives as they eagerly await the appearing of "our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).

Though secondary, the issues of eschatology are still very important. I encourage you to see your local congregation and see what stand they take and why biblically.

□

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields. 

*Image generated by ChatGPT

[1] The nature of the millennium is different between A-millennialism and Post-millennialism.

[2] Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 5:30:3 ~A.D. 175–180; Although, there has been some dispute as to the meaning of the Greek phrase as to whether it referred to the vision or to John being around in the reign of Domitian. Most take it as the vision since church historian Eusebius (4^th century) took it that way.

[3] Ibid.

[4] It comes from Revelation 17:7-11 for the date prior to AD 70, having the sixth king of the beast (Rome) currently in power and that the Temple in Jerusalem was mentioned in Revelation and not destroyed yet (e.g., Revelation 11:1-2)—which occurred in AD 70.

[5] Ibid.

The Problem Of Missing Nascent Organs

The Problem Of Missing Nascent Organs

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, June 26 2026 (Donate)

In a world dominated by evolutionary thought, one might think there is good evidence for it biologically. Of course, there are biological problems including the abiogenesis problem (which violated the law of biogenesis) but another glaring problem that is rarely discussed is that of the missing nascent organs.

The missing nascent organs problem is devasting to an evolutionary position. Let’s dive into it and see why.   

Image requested by Bodie Hodge* 

What Are Nascent Organs?

A nascent organ is a hypothetical organ that is in the process of evolving into a completely new, complex, and functional structure. All your organs and systems in your body were supposedly at one time “nascent”—useless biological masses on their way to evolving into a useful, complex and functional organ or system that they are today.

According to molecules-to-man evolution, entirely new biological structures must arise over millions of years through random mutations filtered by natural selection. If this occurred, there should be examples of organs that are only partially developed—structures that are becoming new organs but have not yet reached full functionality.

Examples that might be expected would include the early stages of a new sensory organ, the beginnings of a new gland, or the partial development of an entirely new limb or organ system. Since evolutionists claims that all major organs originated from simpler structures, the process should not only have happened in the distant past but should still be occurring today if evolution is an ongoing process—and considering there are around an estimated we may be approaching 1 trillion individual biological lifeforms that exist today (if you include all the bacteria, fungi, etc.).

From a biblical perspective, however, God created living things according to their created kinds (Genesis 1). Organisms reproduce to make others of their respective kinds, and while variation, adaptation, and degeneration occur, Scripture never teaches that entirely new organs gradually evolve into existence.

How Are Nascent Organs (New, Complex, And Functional) Different From Vestigial Organs (Broken, Formerly Functional)?

Evolutionary discussions often focus on vestigial organs—structures claimed to be leftovers from an evolutionary past. Traditionally, a vestigial organ was defined as a once-functional structure that has largely or completely lost its original purpose. Over time, however, many organs once labeled vestigial—such as the appendix, tonsils, thymus, coccyx, and various muscles—have been found to possess important biological functions. Because of this, many evolutionary biologists have adopted broader definitions of "vestigial," often meaning only that a structure is thought to have changed or diminished relative to a hypothesized ancestor rather than being functionless. So be careful of slippery definitions used to rescue a false worldview like evolution.

Nascent organs are the opposite. Rather than representing a structure supposedly losing function, they would represent organs gaining entirely new functions and increasing in complexity. They would supposedly demonstrate evolution building something fundamentally new instead of merely modifying or reducing what already exists.

While evolutionists often have discussions about vestigial structures, they rarely identify clear examples of genuinely nascent organs—structures demonstrably progressing toward becoming entirely new organs.

The appendix was once though to vestigial, but once studied, its functions are amazing! Image requested by Bodie Hodge*

There should be millions of nascent organs in process of organizing themselves in an evolutionary worldview!

If evolution has been producing new organs over hundreds of millions of years, the process should still be observable today. Since millions of animal species currently inhabit the earth—and billions upon billions of individual organisms exist—there should be countless examples of organs in intermediate stages of development.

Instead, critters generally possess organs that are already fully integrated into the body. Eyes, ears, kidneys, hearts, lungs, feathers, wings, glands, digestive systems, circulatory system, nervous system, lymph system, and reproductive systems all function as coordinated biological systems. Even structures that differ among species are typically complete and functional rather than obviously incomplete.

From the creationist perspective, this observation is an excellent confirmation of the biblical teaching that God created organisms fully equipped to survive and reproduce from the beginning (Genesis 1). Adaptation within created kinds certainly occurs, but this involves variation in existing genetic information within their respective kind, rather than the gradual construction of fundamentally new organs.

The Common Evolutionary Response?

As a rescuing device, evolutionary biologists generally respond that complex organs evolved in the distant past over immense periods of time and that present-day populations are not necessarily expected to contain abundant, easily recognized "half-built" organs. Why not? The dumb luck that all these nascent developments happened in the past and suddenly we happen to live in a day and age where billions of creatures suddenly don’t have these massive changes? This explanation is ad hoc and thus fallacious.

Evolutionists also point to changes in existing structures through developmental biology and comparative anatomy rather than expecting obvious partially completed organs in living species. But pointing to useful organs in hopes they may change into something different with a different new complex function in the future doesn’t actually help their position. They are merely stating their belief system without any evidence of it.

Nascent Organs Are Blatantly Missing

One argument made by many creation scientists is that despite over 150 years of evolutionary research, no universally accepted example exists of a truly nascent organ—a novel organ demonstrably evolving toward full complexity.

Instead, examples typically cited involve:

• Modification of existing organs.
• Loss or reduction of structures.
• Changes in size or proportion.
• Variation within existing anatomical systems.
• Changes in gene regulation rather than the origin of entirely new integrated organs.

For example, Darwin devoted considerable attention to vestigial structures as evidence for descent with modification. Yet after research, we constantly find that vestigials continue to be valuable and useful, functional organs.

Yet comparatively little attention has been given to identifying living examples of organs that are clearly in the process of becoming entirely new functional systems. This asymmetry is significant because evolutionary beliefs requires not just the loss or modification of organs but ultimately the origin of many new ones throughout life's history.

Nascent Organs Are Not Necessary In A Biblical Worldview

The Bible does not teach that God gradually evolved increasingly complex organs through countless generations. Instead, Scripture teaches that God created living creatures complete and functional during Creation Week (Genesis 1–2).

This does not mean organisms never change. Scripture and observable biology are consistent with variation, adaptation, specialization, and even degeneration after the Fall. For example:

• Flightless birds may have descended from flying ancestors through loss of function (think big white flightless turkeys being bred from flying turkeys).
• Cave fish may lose eyesight in perpetual darkness.
• Domestic dogs display tremendous variation while remaining dogs.

These examples involve changes within created kinds rather than the origin of entirely new organ systems. It is going in the opposite direction of evolution.

Furthermore, because creation was originally "very good" (Genesis 1:31), the biblical worldview expects organisms to begin with integrated, functional biological systems rather than incomplete organs awaiting millions of years of refinement. Since the Fall, degeneration, brokenness, mutation, disease, and loss and filtering of information are expected consequences of living in a sin-cursed creation (Genesis 3; Romans 8:20–22).

Conclusion

The discussion of nascent organs shows a major difference between the biblical creation and evolutionary religious system. Evolution requires that entirely new, highly integrated organs originated from simpler structures over long periods of time. Yet these are not observed. The Bible teaches that God created organisms—and this means they came with complete, functional anatomy from the beginning.

While many classic examples of vestigial organs have become increasingly difficult to defend as new functions have been discovered, there remains a lack of clear, observable examples of genuinely nascent organs developing into entirely new biological systems. Vestigial (broken) organs are going in opposite direction of evolution and nascent are not found in the massive abundant quantities that they should be! In fact, finding a few alleged ones are even proving to be difficult!

Those who begin with the authority of Scripture see fully functional organs, adaptation within created kinds, and the absence of obvious nascent organs as consistent with God's original design and the subsequent effects of life in a fallen world.

□

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.

* Images generated by ChatGPT

 

The Doctrine Of Christian Discipline

The Doctrine Of Christian Discipline

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, June 25, 2026 (Donate)

God disciplines us all. Even so, we all fall short of His glory (Romans 3:23). God, in His infinite wisdom, disciplines us to keep us on the straight and narrow path otherwise we can fall into sin and go down paths of unrighteousness.

Righteous path or unrighteous path; Image requested by Bodie Hodge* 

As Christians, we should not want to stray into error and sin. But should fight against it in godly ways. In the same way that God sets up government to wield the sword to reduce evil, He also designed the church with elders, deacons, and pastors (bishops/ministers) that guide and direct (based on God’s Word) but they can also impose punishments (disciplinary actions) when necessary.

Naturally, parents are the first level of Christ-like discipline and the godly should honor and respect their godly parents and their godly discipline (e.g., Proverbs 13:24). The doctrine of Christian discipline, then, is of extreme importance for growth in godliness.  

What Is Christian Discipline?

The word discipline comes from the same root as disciple. A disciple is a learner or follower of Jesus Christ, and discipline is part of the training that helps believers grow in holiness and obedience. This might surprise you, but Christian discipline is God's loving process of teaching, correcting, strengthening, and maturing His children so that they become more like Christ.

Discipline is not simply punishment. In the Bible, it includes instruction, correction, encouragement, and training by coming along side someone who is straying and gently bringing them back into godly steps. Just as loving parents discipline their children to help them mature, God disciplines His children for their good. His goal is restoration, spiritual growth, and greater faithfulness—not harm, public attacks, or humiliation (e.g., Proverbs 15:10).

How Does God Discipline Those He Loves?

The Bible plainly teaches that God disciplines those whom He loves. Hebrews 12:5–11 explains that God's discipline is evidence that believers truly belong to Him. A loving father corrects his children, and our heavenly Father does the same.

God disciplines His people in many ways. He convicts through the Holy Spirit, teaches through Scripture, uses faithful believers to offer correction, and sometimes allows the natural consequences of sinful choices to bring people back to Him. At times He may remove blessings, permit trials, or lovingly redirect our lives so that we learn to trust Him more completely.

God's discipline is always perfectly just, wise, and motivated by love. Unlike sinful human discipline, His correction is never unfair, impulsive, or vindictive. His purpose is that His children "may be partakers of His holiness" (Hebrews 12:10).

How Is This Different From Church Discipline?

Although God's discipline is personal, church discipline is the responsibility of the local church. Church discipline occurs when believers or church leaders lovingly confront a professing Christian who is living in clear, unrepentant sin.

Jesus outlined this process in Matthew 18:15–17. First, the offended believer should privately confront the individual. If there is no repentance, one or two additional believers should accompany the person. If the matter remains unresolved, it is eventually brought before the church. Only after repeated refusal to repent is the individual treated as one outside the fellowship of the church.

The purpose of church discipline is never revenge, attacking their reputation, or public embarrassment. Rather, it seeks repentance, restoration, protection of the church's testimony, and obedience to God's commands. If discipline causes you to grow closer to one another and to God, then it was successful. Paul instructed the churches to restore repentant believers with gentleness while also protecting the purity of Christ's church (Galatians 6:1; 1 Corinthians 5).

Why Should There Be Two Or Three Witnesses To Bring A Charge Of Sin?

God established an important principle of justice throughout Scripture: serious accusations should be confirmed by two or three witnesses of actual sin. This principle appears in Deuteronomy 19:15 and is repeated by Jesus in Matthew 18:16 and by Paul in 1 Timothy 5:19 regarding accusations against church elders.

This standard helps protect both the accused and the accuser. It reduces the possibility of false testimony, misunderstandings, personal grudges, out-of-context claims, evil motives, or emotionally driven accusations. By requiring corroborating evidence, testimony, and hearing both sides, God demonstrates His concern for fairness and justice.

This principle does not mean every witness must have seen the identical event. Rather, credible evidence should establish the truth before serious disciplinary action is taken.

Why Must Christians Avoid Slander, Libel, False Accusations, And Defamation?

The Ninth Commandment forbids bearing false witness against our neighbor (Exodus 20:16). Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly condemns lying, gossip, slander, and malicious speech because they destroy reputations, divide families, damage churches, and dishonor Christ.

Slander is speaking false or malicious statements about another person. Libel is similar falsehood communicated in written form. False accusations and defamation can permanently damage an innocent person's reputation, even if later proven untrue, exaggerated, out of context.

James compares the tongue to a small fire capable of setting an entire forest ablaze (James 3:5–10). Proverbs also warns that God hates those who sow discord among brethren (Proverbs 6:16–19).

Christians should never repeat accusations simply because they have heard or read them. Instead, they should seek truth by hearing each side, verify facts, guard their speech, and refuse to spread rumors.

Why Is Patience And Hearing Both Sides So Important?

Biblical wisdom requires careful investigation before reaching conclusions. Proverbs 18:13 teaches that answering a matter before hearing it is foolish and shameful. Likewise, Proverbs 18:17 observes that the first person to present his case often appears correct until another side is heard.

Patience allows emotions to settle and facts to emerge. Wise leaders avoid making hasty or harsh judgments based upon assumptions, rumors, or incomplete information. They should prayerfully examine the evidence, listen respectfully to everyone involved, and seek God's wisdom before acting.

Justice without patience often becomes injustice. Churches and ministries should therefore be known for fairness, careful investigation, and compassion while remaining firmly committed to biblical truth.

Satan The False Accuser And The Devil The Slanderer

The names given to God's enemy provide a sobering reminder about the danger of false accusations. The name Satan means "adversary" or "accuser," while the Greek word diabolos, translated "devil," carries the definition of a slanderer or false accuser.

Scripture describes Satan as "the accuser of our brethren" (Revelation 12:10). From the Garden of Eden onward, he has distorted truth, spread lies, and sought to destroy God's people through deception and accusation.

When Christians engage in slander, gossip, or false accusations, they imitate the methods of the Satan rather than the character of Christ. Instead, believers are called to speak truthfully, defend justice, and seek reconciliation whenever possible.

Why Should The Church Stand On God's Word In Truth, Kindness, Love, And Grace?

Every matter of church discipline must ultimately be governed by Scripture rather than emotions, favoritism, public opinion, or personal preferences. God's Word establishes both the standards of holiness and the procedures for correction.

Jesus perfectly demonstrated this balance. He never compromised truth, yet He showed remarkable compassion toward repentant sinners. He confronted sin directly but always sought restoration rather than needless destruction. Likewise, the apostles instructed believers to "speak the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15) and to restore those caught in sin "in a spirit of gentleness" (Galatians 6:1).

Church discipline carried out according to God's Word reflects the character of Christ. It should be marked by truth without cruelty, conviction without hatred, justice without partiality, and grace without compromising holiness. When exercised biblically, discipline protects the church, honors Christ, restores believers to grow closer together, and displays the love of God to the world.

Conclusion

The doctrine of Christian discipline is an essential part of the Christian life. God lovingly disciplines His children so they grow in holiness, while churches are called to practice biblical discipline with wisdom, fairness, and compassion.

Scripture requires careful investigation, multiple witnesses for serious accusations, patience, and a refusal to participate in gossip or slander. Since Satan is the great accuser and slanderer, Christians must reject his methods and instead imitate Christ by standing firmly upon God's Word with truth, kindness, love, and grace. When biblical discipline is exercised properly, it strengthens the church to grow closer, protects its testimony, and points believers back to faithful obedience to Jesus Christ.

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields. 

The Doctrine Of Religious Liberty (Freedom)

The Doctrine Of Religious Liberty (Freedom)

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, June 23, 2026 (Donate)

There are some religions that force their religion on others—sometimes with the threat of the sword and terror or in other instances, academic pressure. Yet Christianity is unique against these types of religions. We actively refute false religions, and show the truthfulness of the Bible but our job has never been to force Christianity on someone.

Christians openly discuss the faults with other religions and encourage others to trust in Christ and His Word; Image requested by Bodie Hodge*

The reason is obvious—Christians don’t convert people. God does. That is the job of the Holy Spirit to convict someone of their sin and open their heart to the Gospel to say Christ is Lord (1 Corinthians 12:3). It is the job of the Christian to remove all opposition by refuting false worldviews, answering questions about the truth of the Bible, and presenting the Gospel.

Made In The Image Of A  Free God

God created mankind in His image (Genesis 1:26–27). Because God is a personal, rational, free, and moral being, He created people with the ability to think, make decisions, and exercise free choice.

God is completely free in all that He does (i.e., God can do all His holy will), and mankind reflects this aspect of God's nature in a limited way. This does not mean man is equal to God, but it does mean that humans are not robots or machines. We are responsible creatures who make real decisions and are accountable for them.

Sadly, Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). Their sin brought death, suffering, and corruption into the world. Since that time, every descendant of Adam has been born into a fallen world and possesses a sinful nature.

In a perfect world, there was no fear of animals; after sin, death reigned; Photo by Bodie Hodge

The Fall damaged mankind spiritually, morally, mentally, and physically. Nevertheless, it did not destroy the fact that humans remain image-bearers of God. Even in a fallen condition, people still make choices, think, reason, and act according to their desires.

Freedom And Liberty In A Fallen World

Although the world is cursed because of sin, God continues to grant mankind many freedoms. Throughout Scripture, God does not force obedience through constant coercion. Instead, He commands, warns, teaches, convicts, and calls people to repentance. He allows people to make decisions and then holds them accountable for those decisions (e.g., judgment day).

This principle can be seen throughout the Bible. Joshua challenged Israel, saying, "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve" (Joshua 24:15). Moses called upon Israel to choose life rather than death (Deuteronomy 30:19). Jesus invited sinners to come to Him (Matthew 11:28). The Bible consistently treats people as morally responsible beings.

At the same time, biblical liberty is never a license for sin. Scripture distinguishes between freedom and lawlessness. Christians are called to use their liberty responsibly. Paul wrote, "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh" (Galatians 5:13). True freedom is the ability to serve God and others rightly, not the freedom to rebel against God's commands.

Did Man Lose His Free Will At The Fall?

Christians have debated this question for centuries. The Bible clearly teaches that mankind lost his perfect fellowship with God at the Fall. Sin separated humanity from God, and every person became subject to death and judgment (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12).

Scripture also teaches that fallen man cannot save himself. Salvation is a free gift by God's grace and not by human effort (Ephesians 2:8–9).

However, the Bible also shows that people continue to make real choices. They choose whom they will serve, what they will believe, and how they will respond to God's revelation. Fallen humanity is spiritually unable to save itself or earn righteousness before God, but people still possess a will and make decisions every day.

For example, Stephen rebuked his audience by saying, "You always resist the Holy Spirit" (Acts 7:51). Jesus lamented over Jerusalem because many refused to come to Him (Matthew 23:37). These passages show that people are not "mindless" creatures but responsible for their decisions—subject to blessing or judgment.

Different Christian traditions explain the relationship between human freedom and divine grace differently (see your local denomination). Yet nearly all orthodox Christian traditions agree that mankind remains responsible for his actions even after the Fall.

God's Sovereignty And Human Freedom

Some people mistakenly think God's sovereignty and man's freedom are opposites. The Bible presents both as true simultaneously. God is completely sovereign over creation, history, and salvation. Nothing happens outside His ultimate knowledge and control.

Yet God often accomplishes His purposes through the decisions and actions of human beings. It’s not a problem for an all-powerful God to work out His sovereignty through the use of man’s free thought and actions.

Image requested by Bodie Hodge*

One of the clearest examples is the crucifixion of Christ. Jesus was delivered according to God's predetermined plan, yet those who crucified Him were still held responsible for their actions (Acts 2:23).

God's sovereignty and human responsibility operated together. For an all-powerful God, governing the world while allowing human beings to make real choices is not difficult. His wisdom and power are beyond our full comprehension. Scripture teaches both truths and never treats them as contradictions because they are not contradictory. If we think they are contradictory, it should reveal a lot about our own sinful and error-prone nature as a result of the Fall!

Religious Liberty And Civil Freedom

The biblical concept of liberty has greatly influenced many nations throughout history. The idea that individuals possess value because they are made in a free-God's image helped shape concepts such as freedom of conscience, freedom of worship, and protection from religious coercion.

Image requested by Bodie Hodge*

Historically, many Christians argued that faith must be sincere and cannot be forced. A person may be compelled to outwardly conform to a religion, but genuine faith comes from the heart. Because of this, many advocates of religious liberty appealed to biblical principles when defending freedom of conscience.

This does not mean all actions should be permitted. Governments are ordained by God to punish evil and protect the innocent (Romans 13:1–4). Religious liberty does not grant the right to commit crimes or violate God's moral law. Rather, it recognizes that belief itself cannot be forced and that individuals are still going to be held accountable before God for their convictions on judgment day.

Christian Liberty In The Church

Scripture also teaches a category often called "Christian liberty." These are matters where God has not given a direct command. Christians may come to different conclusions on certain non-essential issues while still honoring Christ.

Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 discuss situations where believers may disagree about matters that are not central doctrines of the faith. In such cases, Christians are called to act according to conscience, show charity toward others, festivals, new moons, and avoid causing unnecessary division.

Christian liberties vary depending on the local churches; Image requested by Bodie Hodge*

Every denomination and local church may have different practices regarding these secondary or tertiary matters. Therefore, it is wise to contact your local church or denomination to learn how they understand and apply Christian liberty in specific areas.

Conclusion

The doctrine of religious liberty starts in Genesis with the truth that mankind was created in the image of God. Though the Fall brought sin and death into the world, people remain responsible moral creatures who make real choices.

God sovereignly governs all things while allowing humans to act according to their wills. Scripture teaches liberty, but not lawlessness; freedom, but not rebellion.

True liberty is found in living according to God's truth and ultimately in the freedom that comes through Jesus Christ, who said, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36, NKJV).

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.

*Images generated by ChatGPT