“You’re So Pessimistic”Yes, I suppose I am. But I’m also optimistic.

“How can you be both?”

Well, I just am—that’s all there is to it.

“Are you neo-orthodox—one of those fellows who wants it both ways? A lover of paradox?”

Heaven forbid. Nothing like that!

“Then tell me, How you can be both pessimistic and optimistic at the same time?”

It’s simple enough to explain: I’m pessimistic about man, and what he will do, but I’m optimistic about God and what He has promised to do.

“Oh! I guess that does make sense.”

You bet it does. Man’s record is pretty sad. God’s is superb. Given the facts, why shouldn’t I have these two attitudes toward them?

“I suppose that’s true, but how does that double view of things affect your eschatology?”

What do you mean?

“You know. Premils are pessimistic, Postmils optimistic. What are you, a hybrid—part post and part pre?”

As a matter of fact, I’m neither. I’m a realized millennialist.

“Huh? What’s that?”

Too little space to tell you. If you want to learn more, read my book, The Time is at Hand. All I can say is that a proper eschatology looks forward to God’s future working and has little hope for any of man’s plans. Sorry I can’t explicate further right now.