Eschatology is not optional. In fact, our theology is incomplete without an understanding of the “last things.” In Jeff Purswell’s message at Next 2010, he explained it this way:

Eschatology is not intended to be an add-on to your theology. In many ways eschatology is the crown of theology. It answers questions that other doctrines raise.

And so we believe in God’s good providence. Where is God’s providence leading? We know Jesus paid for our sin, and he’s helping us battle that sin. But how will sin finally be overcome? We know that Jesus triumphed on the cross. What will it look like when he finally triumphs over all things? How will the Holy Spirit finish his work in us? What will the church ultimately look like?

Eschatology answers all these questions. If your eschatology is unformed, your doctrine—your beliefs—will be unformed as well.

Here is another way to define eschatology: it’s the study of the consummation of the purposes of God. All of God’s purposes find their consummation, their resolution, their completion, in biblical eschatology. It’s a glorious study. And at the center of those purposes, the climax of God’s redemptive work, the unifying theme of the Bible, the unifying theme of history itself, is Jesus Christ and him crucified.

So when you think about eschatology, make sure your thinking flows from the gospel.…Eschatology is the consummation of the gospel.

You can download his message (“The End Times”) from the Next website.

This post concludes our series of excerpts from the conference. Here's a list of all ten excerpts:

1. Old Atheism (Mark Dever)
2. Self-Atonement? (Mark Dever)
3. The Imitation of Christ (Mark Dever)
4. Disappointment with the Church (Kevin DeYoung)
5. De-Young Liners (Kevin DeYoung)
6. Plodding Visionaries (Kevin DeYoung)
7. Just Do Something (Kevin DeYoung)
8. The End Times (Jeff Purswell)
9. The Last One (Jeff Purswell)
10. The Crown of Theology (Jeff Purswell)

In Jeff Purswell’s message at Next 2010, “The End Times,” he made an important point about the focus of eschatology. When studying the end times, we are easily distracted from the grand purpose of it all: the revelation of Jesus Christ. Or to say it another way, eschatology is emphatically Christ-centered.

Jeff said it like this:

When the New Testament deals with eschatology, it is much more concerned with the last One than the last things. The early church looked not so much for a succession of events as they did for the arrival of a person. It was very personal for persecuted Christians. It should be very personal for us as well.

Let me put this in theological terms: eschatology is thoroughly Christological. It’s about Jesus. Christ’s return is like the hub of a wheel, and all the other stuff is like spokes coming off that wheel. And they only have meaning relative to the hub, relative to Christ’s return.

That’s not our normal tendency when it comes to this topic. Our tendency is to be fascinated with times and seasons and charts and graphs, the events of the end, the when and the how.

The Bible is primarily concerned with the Who. When the last One arrives, the succession of events will matter little.

You can download Jeff's message (“The End Times”) from the Next website.

There is often no lack of interest in—or confusion about—the topic of eschatology. So I was grateful that Jeff Purswell, dean of the Sovereign Grace Ministries Pastors College, took up the topic for his contribution to our Next 2010 conference in Baltimore.

Jeff brought both clarity and appropriate emphasis to this important topic, helping us avoid two of the dangers associated with the end times: speculation and negligence.

His message was a conference highlight.

What follows is an outline of the message and one excerpt (more excerpts are forthcoming). Let’s be clear—this is none other than my attempt to encourage you to listen to the entire message.

Jeff taught from 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11 and made these five important points:

1. Eschatology is rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
2. Eschatology is centered on the return of Christ.
3. Eschatology looks forward to perfect fellowship in the presence of God.
4. Eschatology pronounces the coming justice of God.
5. Eschatology provides hope and motivation for our daily lives now.

Jeff introduced us to the importance of the study of eschatology this way:

Here’s how we can sum up the thrust and import of eschatology: Eschatology assures us that God’s purposes will prevail, and it motivates us to live faithfully until those purposes are fulfilled. It changes the way we live. We live in light of those purposes and in light of the destination to which all things are heading.

You can download his message (“The End Times”) from the Next website.