Was Jesus an Amil?

by Jason E. Robertson @ http://fide-o.blogspot.com

One of the questions Dr. MacArthur asked in his speech Wednesday morning was, "Was Jesus an Amil?" He asked us to turn to Acts 1:1-7.

Dr. MacArthur "camped out" on verse three and drove home the point that for forty days Jesus taught the disciples about the kingdom. Dr. MacArthur noted then in verse six that the disciples asked, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" To which MacArthur said, "Jesus said 'No!'.

But I have read verses seven and eight and I still can not find where Jesus said, "No." I did read where Jesus said that His power will come upon them to be witnesses globally. I did read where Peter declared that Jesus was seated on the throne of David which means the kingdom has arrived. See Acts 2:29-36. Peter also said in Acts 3:22ff that Moses prophesied of the NC church and "all the prophets from Samuel and those who follow... have also foretold these days." In other words, "these days" are the days of the kingdom that the OT prophets were prophesying the fulfilling of the covenant made with Abraham. Peter explains it this way: "You are sons of the prophets, and the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities (Acts 3:25-26)."

So it is clear from a normal reading that Peter meant exactly what he said, the NC church is the fulfillment of the OT covenants. God has kept His promises faithfully and Christ is the sum and substance of those promises!

Concerning Dr. MacArthur's assertion that Amillers deny sovereign election, I am appalled. Not only am a five-point-plus Calvinist, I believe that the Body of Christ is the proof of sovereign election! And while Dispys are focusing on the physical typological nature of God's covenants, Amillers recognize that those types pointed to and were fulfilled in Christ. While Dispys focus on the land Abraham was to get, Amillers focus on the same thing as the Apostle Peter, namely, "In your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

The exaltation of Christ seated him as the promised King who shall restore God's Israel. Christ has been exalted and His kingdom was established and is expanding. Peter explained further in Acts 5:31, "Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins." Notice this is about Israel. The Dispys say, "No, it will be about Israel in the future." Well that is not what Peter said in the very next verse (Acts 5:32), "And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him." Peter claimed to be a witness of the restoration of Israel!

The same is confirmed in the entirety of Stephen's sermon in Acts 7.

And by the way, when Abraham got to the promised land, he himself recognized that it was not about the land but Christ according to Hebrews 11:9-10. In fact, the writer of Hebrews explained that Abraham "did not receive the promise" until they were united with the NC church (Hebrews 11:39-40). The "perfection" of Hebrews 11:40 is the NC church, united as the Body of Christ by His Spirit. Two verses later the writer explains that Jesus is "the author and finisher of our faith!

So was Jesus amil? Friends, Jesus IS the millennium!
‎