Publisher's Synopsis
The future plays a vital role in the New Testament.So much of our worship, joy, obedience, patience, and faithfulness in the present is motivated by the future set before us. And so our great prayer is that this issue of Primer will help you see the difference the future makes.To that end, we begin with an article helping us to understand life between the first and second comings of Jesus by Stephen Witmer. Next, we have John Stevens outlining the various evangelical views of the future and the difference they make now.The next two articles consider the eternal futures of humanity. Brad Green annotates a passage from Augustine's City of God, a remarkable passage penned over 1,500 years ago which joyfully ponders the new creation and addresses some perennial questions. Next Adrian Reynolds has read and reflected on several recent books on hell, helping us to navigate the debate and engage with it sensitively.Two final articles are designed to help the future to shape the present life of the church. Brad Bitner tackles the significant question of continuity between this world and the world to come, and then finally Graham Beynon orientates us to the book of Revelation. It can be an intimidating book but Graham shows us how its vision of the present and the future can shape the imagination of the church and to stir her worship.
