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)