Hyper-Preterist Michael Sullivan knows that they are teaching a different gospel.
In April 2020, Apologia Radio recorded a video podcast entitled “Engaging The Danger of Hyper-Preterism.” Due to the popularity of Apologia Radio, the video drew out a number of hyper-preterist writers and debaters. One such person was Michael Sullivan.
Dr. James White, a popular debater, was not in the video but serves as an Elder at Apologia Church. Apparently, Michael Sullivan has challenged Dr. White to a debate over hyper-preterism, and Dr. White refused. So, Sullivan used the video’s comment section on YouTube to take a jab at Dr. White.
As you read his comment, I want you to pay very close attention to what Sullivan acknowledges. This is not the full comment, but a partial quote: [emphasis mine]
“Dear Pastors Jeff Durbin, Luke Pierson & James White or To Whom it May Concern at the APOLOGIA Church, I recently listened to your podcast on “hyper-preterism” (see link at end of article) and as a Sovereign Grace Full Preterist apologist, author and debater — I would like to TRULY “engage” with you over your public statements of my position. I co-authored, “House Divided Bridging the Gap in Reformed Eschatology…” and interacted with Keith A. Mathison and Simon Kistemaker and their attempts to refute Full Preterism in their co-authored book, “When Shall These Things Be?…” I have a background in being a Reformed Baptist, so I am very familiar with your views. I have challenged James White to debate but of course he “won’t debate eschatology.” The sad thing is when “Reformed” “Apologists” make these kind of statements (along with “dreading” teaching Matthew 24) when the facts are one cannot separate soteriology from eschatology or failing to realize that the call to “defend” our “hope” is an eschatological passage itself (1 Pet. 3:15/Cols. 1:27/Jn. 14:2; 23/Rev. 21:16/1 Cor. 15:28). I recently debated Charismatic Dr. Michael Brown (White’s friend) over 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 because Sam Waldron and White did such a horrible job of dealing with their foundational text with exegetical “integrity.”
Michael Sullivan
Notice what Sullivan just argued in that comment. He chided Dr. James White, an apologist, for not debating eschatology because eschatology is soteriological in nature! In other words, Sullivan thinks Dr. White is inconsistent for wanting to debate people on salvation but not on eschatology because you “cannot separate soteriology from eschatology.” If Dr. White were truly ‘consistent,’ according to this heretic, Dr. White would defend his eschatology to defend his soteriology.
Here’s the thing: I agree with Sullivan that eschatology and soteriology are necessarily related! You can’t divorce the final return of Christ and the resurrection from salvation. This is exactly why I argue that hyper-preterists teach a different gospel, a different “hope,” and a different salvation. When you argue that these things have already happened, you must, of necessity, redefine salvation. It’s unavoidable. This shouldn’t shock anyone. THEY ADMIT IT.
So, if anyone has a problem with the church calling hyper-preterists heretics and pointing out that they teach a different gospel, take it up with the hyper-preterists.
Many hyper-preterists will play games with people, whining like ‘victims’ in an attempt to get a seat at the table. Don Preston is especially bad at doing that. But in reality, they do not want honest, intellectual discussion. They know that what they teach is radically different and opposed to Christianity. They have openly mocked “futurism” for decades.
They don’t want a seat at the table to subject themselves to rebuke and correction; they want to creep into your churches and lead people astray.