The term Amillennialist identifies Christians who believe that the thousand year reign spoken of in Revelation chapter 20, is the reign of Christ's Kingdom which He instituted by His death and Resurrection. The word Millennium is from the Latin words "mille," meaning thousand, and "annum," meaning years. The article "a" in latin is a negation of the following word, thus a-millennial literally means "no Millennium," or no thousand years. However, it's actually a misnomer as far as what Amillennialist really believe, because they in fact do believe in the Millennial (1000 years) reign of Christ of scripture, but they believe that it is not to be understood as a literal earthly or worldly reign of Christ, but as a Kingdom not situated on earth, but from above. They hold that that the kingdom of God is now being extended throughout the world through the preaching of the Gospel of Christ, and that Christians are reigning in this spiritual kingdom right now.

"The kingdom of God cometh not by observation" -Luke 17:20.

Amillennialists generally do not believe in a special future Salvation plan for Israel, but rather that Israel is Saved the same as any other nation. By the promises to the seed, Christ. Their doctrine is not that the people of Israel have been cast off, but that the Gentiles have been included among the Jews in God's Covenantal promises. They do not believe that Christ will have an future earth bound kingdom, they believe that Christ already has established His everlasting kingdom (Colossians 1:13) and that He is ruling in that kingdom now. This doctrine relies upon scripture which declares His Kingdom has come, and reject that any earthly reign can be a everlasting reign as required by prophecy.

Amillennialists believe that Christ's kingdom is not of this earth, but of a far superior principality. A Kingdom from above, and not below.

Colossians 3:1

• "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek these things which are from above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."

• set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

Though detractors make claims to the contrary, Amillennialist indeed take Old Testament and New Testament scriptures literally and figuratively, depending upon warrant and context. But their argument is that the law is being fulfilled literally in Christ, not in an Old Testament or earthly/worldly fashion. i.e., the prophesy of the coming of Elijah was fulfilled literally in John the Baptist, and the Temple rebuilding is not of an earthly one in the middle east but is being rebuilt in the Church, with Christ being the Chief corner stone of that Temple building.

Amillennialists claim to support their doctrines with solid scripture, as opposed to using "interpretations of" scripture, so prevalent in other millennial positions. Amillennialism was predominantly the historical Reformation Church Eschatological position.