Living Like Preterists
One of the strongest evidences for preterism[1] is not only the New Testament’s repeated time statements[2], but the way futurists[3] themselves often handle urgent “last days” instructions. Although many futurists claim the end has remained imminent for two thousand years, they rarely apply certain apostolic instructions as ongoing obligations today. In practice, they often treat these commands as tied to a unique first-century crisis.
Married Men Should Live as if They Were Single
“Because of the present distress…I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none” (1 Cor. 7:26-29).
Many futurists believe this passage is addressing believers in the “last days” time period between Christ’s death/resurrection and his second coming. And if the second coming has not happened yet, then this should still be applicable. So why aren’t futurists preaching and living it?
I’ve heard many sermons about Paul’s advice to stay single (if you are able) in order to devote more time to the Lord. In fact, Roman Catholics have made this a requirement for their priests. But I’ve yet to hear a pastor advise married men to live as though they were single—which would still be applicable if the second coming has not happened.
Paul’s advice fits nicely with the looming judgment and imminent end described all throughout the New Testament (see Luke 21:5-32, 1 Cor. 10:13, James 5:8-9, 1 Pet. 4:7). After all, this was an extremely difficult time period for Christians. However, Paul’s statement would make no sense over a 2000+ year period. It seems even futurists realize this, which is why they neither preach nor live it.
Let the Filthy Remain Filthy
“Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book [Revelation], for the time is at hand. He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still” (Rev. 22:10-11).
I’ve heard many futurists preach “the end is near,” but I’ve yet to hear one preach “let the unjust remain unjust, and let the filthy be filthy.”
From a preterist perspective, the reason why the angel said this was because the second coming/the end was so near that there wasn’t any time to waste trying to convert the unrepentant and suppressors of truth. The Christian’s limited time was better spent going after those who were certain to listen.
But such a message would not make sense in today’s world. And it seems even futurists realize this. Their practical treatment of the passage suggests they recognize its first-century urgency.
Sell Your Possessions
“Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need” (Acts 2:44-45).
This is another practice that futurists rarely apply. But why not? If the second coming has not happened yet, then this is how Christians should still be living.
From a preterist perspective, this practice makes perfect sense. After all, there was a looming judgment just over the horizon, and Jesus had told his disciples to flee Jerusalem when the armies surrounding Jerusalem (Luke 21:21). They couldn’t very well do that with all their possessions, so selling their stuff made perfect sense.
But such instruction would be difficult to understand over a 2000-year period. The issue is not whether Christians should be generous—which all Christians affirm—but whether the extraordinary liquidation of possessions in Acts reflects an ongoing norm or an emergency response to imminent historical upheaval.
It seems even futurists understand it is the latter, which is why they do not preach it from their pulpits.
Conclusion
Whether acknowledged or not, most futurists today live like preterists. While they insist the end has remained imminent for two thousand years, they rarely apply the urgent apostolic instructions as though they still belong to the present age.
For more information about the last days, check out my “The Last Days”: https://thebiblefulfilled.com/what-are-the-last-days/
Or, for more detailed information related to the end times, please see my book The End Is Here: How the New Testament Prophecies Were Fulfilled, available NOW on Amazon.
By Alex Polyak, director of The Bible Fulfilled, 5/23/26.
[1] Preterism holds that the second coming has already happened.
[2] See my article “Second Coming Timing Indicators,” https://thebiblefulfilled.com/second-coming-timing-indicators-article/
[3] Futurists believe the second coming has not yet happened.
